Most Valuable Process
Joel Embiid made quite an MVP statement, producing 52 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks as the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Boston Celtics 103-101. It’s the most points a Sixer has ever scored in a game versus the Celtics.
Embiid made 20 of his 25 shots from the field and connected on 12 of his 13 free throws. Embiid became just the second player in NBA history to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game while shooting 80% or better from the field. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, who did so twice (Dec. 20, 1967 and March 18, 1968).
Embiid is just the third player in NBA history to make at least 20 field goals and 10 free throws in a game with shooting percentages of 80% and 90%, respectively. The previous two instances occurred during a five-day span in January 1981: Bernard King (Jan. 3) and Adrian Dantley (Jan. 7).
This was Embiid’s third 50-point game of the season. He’s just the third center in NBA history to record at least three such games in a season, joining Wilt Chamberlain (eight times) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Embiid has 35 career 40-point, 10-rebound games. The only player since the ABA-NBA merger to record more such games is Shaquille O’Neal (43).
Teammate James Harden scored 20 points and dished out a game-high 10 assists. It’s Harden’s 23rd 20-point, 10-assist game of the season, tying Allen Iverson (2004-05) for the most such games in a single season in franchise history.
Derrick White led the Celtics with 26 points, shooting 9-18 from the field with four 3-pointers made. He also contributed seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Warriors Rally, Beat Thunder
The Golden State Warriors overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-125. The Warriors outscored the Thunder 34-19 in the fourth quarter to complete the rally.
The Warriors shot 20-47 from 3-point range, the 18th time they’ve made at least 20 3-pointers in a game this season. That ties the 2018-19 Houston Rockets for the most such games by a team in a single season.
Stephen Curry scored a game-high 34 points to lead the Warriors, shooting 6-13 from 3-point range and making all six of his free throws. It’s the 54th straight game in which Curry has made multiple 3-pointers, breaking a tie with himself (Dec. 1, 2018–April 2, 2019) for the longest such streak in NBA history. Curry also recorded six assists and five rebounds and did not commit a turnover.
Backcourt mate Jordan Poole scored 30 points with five 3-pointers made, making nine of his 11 free throw attempts. It’s the ninth time this season each member of a team’s starting backcourt has scored at least 30 points with five 3-pointers made. Six of those games are credited to three different combinations of Warriors:
2 — Stephen Curry & Jordan Poole
2 — Klay Thompson & Curry
2 — Thompson & Poole
1 — Anthony Edwards & D’Angelo Russell
1 — Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving
1 — Donovan Mitchell & Caris LeVert
The Warriors’ Draymond Green did a little bit of everything, scoring 17 points (on 6-9 shooting from the field) with nine rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks. It’s the 95th time Green has recorded multiple steals and blocks in a game, the fourth-most such games among active players.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, shooting 11-17 from the field and 8-9 from the free throw line. It’s the 33rd time Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points on 50% shooting from the field. The only guards in the NBA’s 3-point era to record more such games in a single season are Michael Jordan (five times) and George Gervin.
Quick Hitters
Some other notes from around the NBA:
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his 35th career triple-double, compiling 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks outscored the Washington Wizards 140-128. Antetokounmpo has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 15 games. He’s averaging 30.6 PPG, 11.1 RPG, and 6.7 APG with a field goal percentage of 60.5% over that span.
Donovan Mitchell recorded his fourth straight 40-point game, scoring 43 points on 15-23 shooting from the field in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 117-113 win over the Orlando Magic. No other player in franchise history has recorded more than two straight 40-point games. The only other active players to produce at least four consecutive 40-point games are James Harden (5) and Russell Westbrook (4).
Domantas Sabonis recorded his 13th triple-double of the season, tallying 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists as the Sacramento Kings dispatched of the New Orleans Pelicans 121-103. With the win, the Kings clinched their first Pacific Division title since the 2002-03 season. It’s the 43rd time the Kings have scored at least 120 points in a game this season, the most such games since the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets (43).
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up their seventh win in their last eight games, edging the Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime. The Lakers’ LeBron James scored a game-high 37 points, adding six assists and five rebounds. Teammate Anthony Davis chipped in with 21 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Pascal Siakam recorded game highs of 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors routed the Charlotte Hornets 120-100. The Raptors have won five of their last six games to climb one game above .500 for the season (40-39).
The Phoenix Suns won their sixth straight game and improved to 7-0 when Kevin Durant plays, knocking off the San Antonio Spurs 115-94. The Suns’ Devin Booker took game scoring honors with 27 points, adding seven rebounds and three steals. The Spurs have lost 20 games by 20 or more points this season, the most such losses in the NBA and eight more such losses than any other season in franchise history.
The Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler produced team highs of 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four steals in a 118-105 victory over the lowly Detroit Pistons. Butler shot 9-12 from the field and made nine of his 11 free throw attempts. Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey scored a game-high 30 points on 11-15 shooting from the field and dished out seven assists. The Pistons own the worst record in the NBA at 16-63, the second-most losses in a season in franchise history.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves picked up a big road win over the Brooklyn Nets 107-102. Teammate Kyle Anderson came off the bench to distribute a game-high 10 assists without committing a turnover.
Filling in for the ill Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a team-high 26 points on 9-15 shooting from the field (including five 3-pointers made) as the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Chicago Bulls 123-105. The mercurial Hawks improved to 40-39 with the win. They have been within one game of .500 after each of their last 33 games, the longest such streak in NBA history by eight games.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane scored a game-high 30 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists in a 119-109 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Backcourt mate Ja Morant had 23 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. It’s the sixth time Bane and Morant have each recorded at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the same game this season. No other duo in franchise history has recorded more than two such games in a single season.
The Houston Rockets blew open a close game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Denver Nuggets 38-18 over the final period of a 124-103 win. The Rockets’ Jalen Green led all players with 32 points, his 24th career 30-point game. No other player in franchise history has recorded more than five such games before turning 22 years old.