NBA Game Notes (April 5, 2023)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 5, 2023.

Apr 06, 2023

Knicks Trio Makes History

Immanuel Quickley (39 points), Quentin Grimes (career-high 36), and Obi Toppin (32) combined for 107 points as the New York Knicks outscored the Indiana Pacers 138-129. It’s the most points scored by a trio in a game in franchise history:

107 — Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, & Obi Toppin (April 5, 2023)
103 — Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry, & Jamal Crawford (Dec. 27, 2006)
103 — Richie Guerin, Willie Naulls, & Kenny Sears (Dec. 11, 1959)
103 — Richie Guerin, Cleveland Buckner, & Willie Naulls (March 2, 1962)

It’s just the third time in franchise history the Knicks have had three 30-point scorers in the same game:

Richie Guerin, Cleveland Buckner, & Willie Naulls (March 2, 1962)
Ray Williams, Earl Monroe, & Toby Knight (March 24, 1979)
Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, & Obi Toppin (April 5, 2023)

Quickley made seven 3-pointers, while Grimes and Toppin each made five. It’s the first time* in NBA history a team has had three players each score at least 30 points with five 3-pointers made in the same game.

* They weren’t alone for long (see below).

Quickley, Toppin, and Grimes recorded nine, six, and five assists, respectively. They are the first trio to each produce at least 30 points and five assists in the same game since the Golden State Warriors’ Mitch Richmond, Winston Garland, and Chris Mullin on Jan. 18, 1989.

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson scored 14 points and recorded game highs of 16 rebounds and seven blocks. Robinson reached 100 blocks for the fourth time in his five NBA seasons.

Jalen Smith led eight Pacers in double figures with 19 points. T.J. McConnell came off the bench to score 18 points and dish out a game-high 12 assists in just 22 minutes of action.

Pelicans Rally, Beat Grizzlies

The New Orleans Pelicans rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit, outscoring the Memphis Grizzlies 86-62 in the second half and overtime to pull out a 138-131 victory. The Pelicans clinched a spot in the Play-In Tournament with the win.

Three Pelicans scored at least 30 points with five 3-pointers made:

Herbert Jones — 35 PTS, 5 3PM
CJ McCollum — 31 PTS, 6 3PM
Trey Murphy III — 30 PTS, 7 3PM

It’s the second time* in NBA history a team has had three players each score at least 30 points with five 3-pointers made in the same game. Jones, McCollum, and Murphy III also became the first trio in franchise history to each score at least 30 points in the same game.

* See above for the first.

The Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram scored 24 points and tied his career high with 13 assists. Ingram has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 12 games, matching the longest such streak of his career. Ingram is averaging 28.4 PPG and 8.3 APG with 51/42/89 shooting splits over that span.

The Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 40 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and blocked four shots in the loss. It’s the 26th time Jackson Jr. has recorded at least four blocks in a game this season, six more such games than any other player.

Tyus Jones had 13 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds, and four steals filling in for Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant, who sat out with a hip injury. Jones has recorded a career-high nine double-doubles this season, equalling his career total coming into the season.

Mavs Stay Alive

Kyrie Irving scored 19 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Mavericks kept their slim Play-In Tournament hopes alive with a 123-119 win over the Sacramento Kings. Irving shot 12-23 from the field with six 3-pointers made and also handed out a team-high eight assists.

Backcourt partner Luka Doncic tallied 29 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. It’s the 86th time Doncic has recorded at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game, double that of any other player in franchise history (Dirk Nowitzki, 43).

The Mavericks’ Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 24 points, shooting 8-14 from the field with five 3-pointers made. It’s the sixth time in just 14 games together that Irving, Doncic, and Hardaway Jr. have each scored at least 20 points.

The Kings’ Domantas Sabonis recorded his 14th triple-double of the season in the loss, compiling 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Sabonis has 32 career triple-doubles, tying Rajon Rondo for 15th place on the NBA’s all-time list.

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 28 points, but shot just 10-26 from the field (including 1-6 from 3-point range). Fox did make all seven of his free throws and also dished out eight assists.

This was the 36th game this season in which the Kings and their opponent combined for at least 240 points. The last team to record at least 36 such games in a season was the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets (53).

Quick Hitters

Some other notes from around the NBA:

Despite the absence of MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls 105-92 to clinch the best record in the NBA. The Bucks will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Bobby Portis started in place of Antetokounmpo, recording game highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds. The Bucks’ Jrue Holiday scored 20 points and dished out a season-high 15 assists, while Brook Lopez scored 26 points and snagged seven rebounds.
The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 97-93 to clinch the Atlantic Division title. The Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon came off the bench to score a game-high 29 points, while Jaylen Brown chipped in with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. The Raptors’ Pascal Siakam produced 28 points and 11 rebounds in the loss, shooting 10-17 from the field and making all eight of his free throws.
Mikal Bridges scored a team-high 26 points as the Brooklyn Nets knocked off the Detroit Pistons 123-108, reducing their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to one. Teammate Spencer Dinwiddie struggled through a 1-10 performance from the field, but matched his career high with 16 assists. Dinwiddie has reached double digits in assists in 10 of his last 14 games. Nets center Nic Claxton scored 19 points on 8-9 shooting from the field, adding seven rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. R.J. Hampton scored a career-high 27 points for the Pistons, who have dropped 22 of their last 23 games.
The Atlanta Hawks won their third straight contest, moving two games above .500 with a 134-116 rout of the Washington Wizards. Atlanta’s Trae Young recorded game highs of 25 points (tied) and 16 assists, making 16 of his 18 free throws. The Hawks had been within one game of .500 after each of their previous 33 games, the longest such streak in NBA history by eight games.
Norman Powell came off the bench to score a team-high 27 points as the LA Clippers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 125-118, the Clippers’ 11th consecutive victory over their hallway rivals. Powell shot 8-15 from the field and made all 10 of his free throws. Teammate Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds, shooting 9-17 from the field with four 3-pointers made. The Lakers’ LeBron James scored a game-high 33 points on 13-20 shooting from the field in the loss, adding eight rebounds and seven assists. James poured in 30 of his points after halftime, the 18th time he’s scored at least 30 points in a second half (most among active players).