NBA Game Notes (Dec. 10, 2022)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on December 10, 2022.

Dec 11, 2022

Jokic’s 80th Triple-Double

The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic recorded 31 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists, and four blocks — all game-high figures — in a 115-110 win over the Jazz. Jokic made 11 of his 20 shots from the field (55.0%) and eight of his 10 free throws (80.0%).

It was Jokic’s 80th career triple-double, making him the sixth player in NBA history to reach that mark. He’s the second-fastest player to do so by games played:

208 — Oscar Robertson
550 — Nikola Jokic
557 — Magic Johnson
669 — Russell Westbrook
887 — Jason Kidd
1,191 — LeBron James

It’s the 91st time Jokic has been his team’s outright leader in points, rebounds, and assists. The only players in NBA history with more such games are LeBron James (151) and Russell Westbrook (98).

Jokic has season totals of 547 points, 232 rebounds, and 209 assists through 23 games. The only players in NBA history to reach 500 points, 200 rebounds, and 200 assists in fewer games are all point guards: Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, and Luka Doncic.

Teammate Jamal Murray scored 30 points and dished out five assists, shooting 13-19 from the field (68.4%). As a team, the Nuggets shot 54.7% from the field, the seventh consecutive game in which they’re recorded a field goal percentage of at least 50%. That matches the second-longest such streak in franchise history. The franchise record of 11 such games in a row was set Feb. 19, 1983–March 9, 1983.

Jokic and Murray recorded Game Scores of 34.8 and 25.2, respectively. They are one of only three duos this season to record multiple games in which they each had a Game Score of 25.0 or higher:

3 — Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving
2 — Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo
2 — Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray

Warriors Down Celtics

Stephen Curry had 32 points, seven assists, and six rebounds as the Warriors defeated the Celtics 123-107 in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals. Curry shot 12-21 from the field (57.1%), including 6-11 from 3-point range (54.5%).

It’s the 122nd time Curry has scored at least 30 points with an effective field goal percentage of 70%, by far the most such games in NBA history:

122 — Stephen Curry
99 — LeBron James
88 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
84 — Charles Barkley
80 — Shaquille O’Neal

Fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson scored 34 points on 14-26 shooting from the field (53.8%), including four 3-pointers. Curry and Thompson have each scored at least 30 points in the same game 14 times, tying Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for the most such games in NBA history by a backcourt duo.

Nets Stun Pacers

Despite sitting out eight players — including all five starters from Friday night’s win over the Hawks— the Nets made a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Pacers 136-133. The Nets held a 29-7 advantage on the offensive boards, the largest such differential in the NBA this season by five rebounds.

The Nets’ Cam Thomas scored a career-high 33 points, 21 of them coming in the fourth quarter. Thomas shot 13-20 from the field (65.0%), making all three of his 3-pointers.

Teammate Patty Mills scored a season-high 24 points, adding six rebounds and six assists. It’s just the fourth time in 841 career games Mills has recorded at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a game.

The Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton scored a season-high 35 points and dished out nine assists in the loss. Haliburton shot 12-15 from the field — including 7-8 from 3-point range — and made all four of his free throws.

Haliburton recorded a true shooting percentage of 104.4%, the highest such figure in franchise history by a player who scored at least 35 points in a game. It’s also the highest such figure in the NBA this season by a player in a 30-point game.

Bulls Demolish Mavs

The Bulls scored a franchise-record 82 first-half points on their way to a 144-115 demolition of the undermanned Mavericks. It’s also the most points the Mavericks have ever given up in a first half.

The Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 28 points, shooting 9-13 from the field (69.2%) and making all nine of his free throws. He also contributed nine rebounds and five assists.

Teammate Nikola Vucevic scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He became the fifth active player to reach 8,000 career rebounds:

10,368 — LeBron James
10,265 — DeAndre Jordan
9,660 — Andre Drummond
8,801 — Kevin Love
8,002 — Nikola Vucevic

Vucevic and James are the only active players with at least 8,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists.

As a team, the Bulls shot 54-85 from the field (63.5%) with 19 3-pointers made. They narrowly recorded the highest effective field goal percentage in a game in franchise history:

74.71% — Dec. 10, 2022
74.69% — Feb. 10, 2021
72.9% — April 14, 2008
72.7% — Jan. 10, 2021
72.1% — Dec. 30, 1994

Six Bulls scored at least 15 points with an effective field goal percentage of 70%:

DeMar DeRozan — 28 PTS, 73.1 eFG%
Nikola Vucevic — 20 PTS, 81.8 eFG%
Ayo Dosunmu — 17 PTS, 83.3 eFG%
Derrick Jones Jr. — 16 PTS, 80.0 eFG%
Patrick Williams — 16 PTS, 80.0 eFG%
Zach LaVine — 16 PTS, 72.7 eFG%

It’s just the second time in NBA history a team has had six such players in a game. The Nuggets were the first team to turn the trick on Jan. 13, 2022.

George Does it All

Paul George did a little bit of everything in the Clippers’ 114-107 victory over the Wizards:

36 PTS
7 REB
6 AST
3 STL
2 BLK
5 3PM

George recorded a Game Score of 30.2, his second-highest such figure of the season. He’s the only Clipper to record multiple games with a Game Score of 30.0 or higher this season.

George is the only player in franchise history to record at least five rebounds, five assists, and five 3-pointers made in back-to-back games. He’s now done so three times with the Clippers.

It’s the 97th time George has recorded at least three steals and three 3-pointers made in a game, the third-most such games in NBA history:

139 — Stephen Curry
126 — James Harden
97 — Paul George
88 — Mookie Blaylock
80 — Jason Kidd

George has scored at least 35 points with five 3-pointers made 40 times, the fourth-most such games in NBA history:

120 — Stephen Curry
108 — James harden
61 — Damian Lillard
40 — Paul George
38 — LeBron James

Teammate Nicolas Batum made four 3-pointers, surpassing 1,500 for his career. He’s one of only 12 players in NBA history to reach career totals of 1,500 3-pointers made and 500 blocks.

The Wizards’ Kristaps Porzingis tallied 30 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in the loss. It’s the first time he’s recorded at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game in his career.

Frontcourt mate Kyle Kuzma scored 35 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. It’s just the second time in the last 57 seasons the Wizards have had two players record at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same game. The other occurrence came on Dec. 22, 2018, when Bradley Beal and Thomas Bryant achieved the feat.

Lillard Leads Blazers

Damian Lillard scored 36 points and handed out eight assists — both figures game highs — as the Trail Blazers rallied past the Timberwolves 124-118. It’s the 246th time Lillard has been the Blazers’ outright leader in points and assists, by far the most such games in franchise history:

246 — Damian Lillard
86 — Clyde Drexler
43 — Terry Porter
42 — Brandon Roy
41 — Rod Strickland

Lillard’s total surpasses the combined total of the next four closest players by 34 games.

Lillard shot 15-15 from the free throw line, the eighth time he’s made at least 15 free throws in a game without a miss. The only players in NBA history with more such games are James Harden (14) and Oscar Robertson (11).

Backcourt mate Anfernee Simons scored 31 points, shooting 13-22 from the field (59.1%) with five 3-pointers made. It’s the 33rd time Simons has made at least five 3-pointers in a game. The only players in NBA history to reach 33 such games at a younger age are Trae Young and Luka Doncic.