NBA Game Notes (April 2, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 2, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
De’Aaron Fox scored a team-high 22 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the LA Clippers 118-99 to extend their winning streak to 11 games. Fox was very efficient from the field, sinking nine of his 13 attempts. He added eight rebounds, a game-high five assists (tied with four others), and a game-high three steals, leading all players with a rating of plus-24 points in 29 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 28 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 139-96 demolition of the Los Angeles Lakers. Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of his 25 attempts from the floor. He also recorded seven rebounds, seven assists, and just one turnover, posting a game-best rating of plus-35 points in 30 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Daniss Jenkins scored a team-high 26 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 113-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jenkins shot 9-19 from the field (2-2 on threes) and 6-7 from the free throw line. He also contributed eight assists and five rebounds, committing just one turnover and no personal fouls in a game-high 37 minutes played.
Milestones
Kon Knueppel (4-9 on threes) broke the franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a season in the Charlotte Hornets’ 127-107 win over the Phoenix Suns. His 261 triples are one more than that of the previous record holder, Kemba Walker (2018-19).
The Suns’ Collin Gillespie (2-7 on threes) set the franchise single-season record for 3-pointers made with 227, eclipsing Quentin Richardson’s 226 makes in 2004-05.
Donovan Clingan (three offensive rebounds) broke the franchise record for most offensive rebounds in a season in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 118-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He had shared the previous mark of 326 offensive boards with Robin Lopez (2013-14).
Streaking
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 137 regular season games, the longest such streak in NBA history by 11 games. He’s averaged 32.4 PPG and 6.5 APG with 53.7/38.2/89.0 shooting splits over that span.
The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (24 points) extended his streak of 20-point games to 53, the longest such streak of his career (by a whopping 31 games) and the 20th-longest such streak in NBA history. Over that stretch, he’s averaged 28.8 PPG on 50.6/38.3/89.1 shooting.
The Hornets’ Brandon Miller (3-8 on threes) has made at least one 3-pointer in 54 straight games, breaking a tie with LaMelo Ball (twice) for the longest such streak in franchise history.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: San Antonio Spurs (11).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: New Orleans Pelicans (six).
Miscellany
Gilgeous-Alexander was the night’s leading point producer, netting 28 points. He was followed by the Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday (27 points), the Timberwolves’ Julius Randle (27), the Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija (26), and Jenkins (26).
The Pistons’ Jalen Duren was the top rebounder last night, collecting 14 boards. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen was runner-up with 13 rebounds, while the Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II placed third with a career-high-tying 12 boards.
The Hornets’ LaMelo Ball took home nightly honors in assists, handing out 11 helpers. The Warriors’ Draymond Green, Holiday, and the Pistons’ Ausar Thompson were next in line with nine assists apiece (a career high for Thompson).
The San Antonio Spurs have won 27 of their last 29 games, with 21 of those wins coming by double digits. They’ve outscored their opponents by an average of 14.2 PPG over that span.
Not to be outdone, the Oklahoma City Thunder have posted a record of 19-2 since the All-Star break, recording an average point differential of plus-10.7 PPG. They are two games up on the Spurs in the Western Conference standings with five games left to play.
The Charlotte Hornets won their 41st games of the season. They will finish with at least a .500 record for just the second time in the last 10 seasons, going 43-39 in the 2021-22 campaign.