Three Stars
The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.
First ⭐️
Tyler Herro scored a game-high 38 points as the Miami Heat took down the Chicago Bulls 109-90 in a Play-In Tournament elimination game. Herro shot 13-19 from the field (3-7 on 3-pointers) and 9-10 from the free throw line. He also recorded five rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 37 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Antony Davis produced team highs of 27 points and nine rebounds (tied with P.J. Washington) to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings in a do-or-die Play-In Tournament game. Davis went 9-23 from the floor (3-6 on 3-pointers) and a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe. He also blocked a game-high three shots and swiped one steal in 35 turnover-free minutes.
Third ⭐️
Klay Thompson scored 23 points in the Mavericks’ win over the Kings. Thompson shot 8-11 from the field, sinking five of his seven 3-point attempts. He added five rebounds, one steal, and one block, committing just one turnover and no personal fouls in 33 minutes of action.
Milestones
The Miami Heat picked up their third Play-In Tournament victory, tying the Atlanta Hawks, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the New Orleans Pelicans for the most such wins. All three of the Miami’s Play-In Tournament wins have come against the Bulls.
The Heat led by 24 points through two quarters, matching the largest halftime lead in Play-In Tournament history. The Indiana Pacers also held a 24-point halftime advantage against the Charlotte Hornets on May 18, 2021.
The Dallas Mavericks outscored the Kings 44-19 in the second quarter, the largest single-period point differential in Play-In Tournament history. The previous record of 20 points was set on April 12, 2022, when the Brooklyn Nets outscored the Cleveland Cavaliers 40-20 in the opening period.
Streaking
The Kings’ DeMar DeRozan (33 points) has played in six Play-In Tournament games, scoring at least 20 points in each of them. He’s averaged 24.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG with 45.1/37.5/83.3 shooting spilts in those contests.
Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11 points, 13 rebounds) has recorded a double-double in all five of his Play-In Tournament games. Over those appearances, he’s averaged 16.6 PPG, 14.2 RPG, 7.6 APG, and 2.0 SPG with a field goal percentage of 50.7%.
Davis has scored at least 20 points in all four of his Play-In Tournament games. He’s averaged 24.0 PPG, 12.8 RPG, and 2.5 BPG with a free throw percentage of 84.6% in those contests.
Miscellany
Herro led the nightly scoring brigade, netting 38 points. He was followed by DeRozan with 33 points, Davis with 27, and the Bulls’ Josh Giddey with 25.
Sabonis was the top board man, collecting 13 rebounds last night. The Heat’s Bam Adebyao and the Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic tied for second place with 12 boards each, while Giddey ranked fourth with 10.
The Kings’ Zach LaVine and the Heat’s Davion Mitchell were the night’s leading playmakers, handing out nine assists apiece. The Mavericks’ Dante Exum placed third with six dimes.
The Heat will play the Atlanta Hawks Friday night with a playoff berth on the line. The winner will get the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and face the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Mavericks move on to play the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night for a chance to earn the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Oklahoma City Thunder await the winner of that contest.