NBA Game Notes (April 19, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 19, 2024.

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 fell one assist shy of a triple-double, compiling team highs of 24 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists in the Miami Heat’s 112-91 win over the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament. Herro shot 8-17 from the floor (4-9 on 3-pointers) and hit all four of his free throws. He did not commit a personal foul in 33 minutes played.

The Heat will move on to the Eastern Conference Playoffs as the eighth seed, where they will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Bulls have been eliminated from postseason competition. It’s the second consecutive season Chicago has lost to Miami in a do-or-die Play-In Tournament game.

Second ⭐️

Domantas Sabonis scored 23 points to go with game highs of 14 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals (tied with teammate De’Aaron Fox), but it wasn’t enough as the Sacramento Kings fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 105-98 in a Play-In Tournament game. Sabonis went 9-14 from the field and made all five of his free throw attempts.

The Kings’ season ends with the loss, while the Pelicans earned the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs with the victory. Sacramento was hoping for its second straight playoff apperance after ending a 16-season drought last season.

Third ⭐️

Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points, snagged a team-high 12 rebounds, and blocked a game-high two shots (tied with two others) in the Pelicans’ win over the Kings. Valanciunas made eight of his 16 shots from the field and did not commit a turnover in 27 minutes played.

The Pelicans will face the Western Conference’s number-one seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in a best-of-seven series that starts Sunday night. With a regular season record of 49-33, New Orleans is tied for the third-most wins in NBA history by an eighth seed.