NBA Game Notes (Dec. 19, 2022)
NBA Game Notes (Dec. 19, 2022)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on December 19, 2022.
SGA Spoils Lillard’s Night
On the night Damian Lillard became the leading scorer in Trail Blazers history, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stole the show, hitting a baseline jumper as time expired to lift the Thunder to a 123-121 win.
Lillard tied Clyde Drexler’s franchise mark for points with 8:49 left in the third quarter with a long 3-pointer, then broke the record with a free throw with 1:33 remaining in the period. He finished with a team-high 28 points and six assists, shooting 9-17 from the field with six 3-pointers made.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 35 points. Although Gilgeous-Alexander struggled from the field — shooting 10-24 (41.7%) — he made all 14 of his free throws and also contributed a team-high six assists.
It’s the 20th time Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points in his 28 games this season. Since the ABA-NBA merger, only three players have recorded 20 such games in fewer games played (a total of four instances):
23 — Michael Jordan, 1986-87
26 — James Harden, 2019-20
26 — Luka Doncic, 2022-23
27 — Jordan, 1988-89
Bucks Take Over First
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 42 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to lead the Bucks to a 128-119 victory over the Pelicans. The Bucks took over the top spot in the Eastern Conference with the win, while the Pelicans dropped their fourth game in a row after winning seven consecutive games.
Antetokounmpo shot 12-17 from the field (70.6%) and 17-22 from the free throw line (77.3%). It’s the 14th time he’s scored at least 40 points on 70% shooting from the field, the third-most such games since the ABA-NBA merger:
20 — Adrian Dantley
19 — Shaquille O’Neal
14 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
Teammate Brook Lopez scored 30 points and snagged seven rebounds, also shooting 12-17 from the field. Antetokounmpo and Lopez are the first duo in franchise history to each score at least 30 points on 70% shooting from the field in the same game.
The Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas tallied 37 points and 18 rebounds — both season highs — and added five assists in the loss. Valanciunas made 14 of his 24 shots from the field (58.3%), including seven 3-pointers.
It’s the second time Valanciunas has recorded at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five 3-pointers made in a game. The only other centers in NBA history with multiple such games are Karl-Anthony Towns (3) and DeMarcus Cousins (2).
Hawks End Magic’s Streak
Trae Young scored 37 points and handed out 13 assists as the Hawks held on to defeat the Magic 126-125, snapping the Magic’s six-game winning streak. Young shot 11-22 from the field and made all 12 of his free throws.
It’s the 28th time Young has recorded at least 35 points and 10 assists in a game, tying LeBron James for the fourth-most such games since the ABA-NBA merger:
59 — James Harden
36 — Russell Westbrook
30 — Allen Iverson
28 — Trae Young
28 — LeBron James
Magic rookie Paolo Banchero had 18 points, four rebounds, and seven assists in the loss, pushing his season totals to 546, 166, and 100, respectively. The last rookie* to record at least 500 points, 150 rebounds, and 100 assists through the first 25 games of his NBA career is Sidney Wicks in 1971-72.
* Excludes ABA veterans.
Hornets Overcome Sabonis, Kings
The Hornets overcame another huge effort from the Kings’ Domantas Sabonis to pull out a 125-119 victory. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Hornets.
Sabonis produced 28 points, 23 rebounds, and seven assists in the loss, making 12 of his 19 shots from the field (63.2%). Sabonis has recorded at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 60% from the field in each of his last four games, matching the longest such streak since the ABA-NBA merger:
Larry Bird (Jan. 13, 1982–Jan. 19, 1982)
Jeff Ruland (Jan. 26, 1984–Feb. 4, 1984)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Oct. 30, 2019–Nov. 4, 2019)
Nikola Jokic (Dec. 11, 2021–Dec. 17, 2021)
Domantas Sabonis (Dec. 13, 2022–Dec. 19, 2022)
Over his last 10 games, Sabonis is averaging 20.1 PPG, 14.0 RPG, and 6.6 APG with 70.0% shooting from the field. The last NBA player to average at least 20 PPG, 10 RPG, and 5 APG with a field goal percentage of 70% over a 10-game span was Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.
The Hornets’ Kelly Oubre scored a team-high 31 points and added nine rebounds in the win, while teammate LeMelo Ball scored 23 points and dished out a game-high 12 assists.
Sixers Outlast Raptors
Joel Embiid recorded team highs of 28 points and 11 rebounds as the Sixers outlasted the Raptors 104-101 in overtime. The Sixers have won a season-best five games in a row, while the Raptors’ season-worst losing skid was extended to six games.
It’s the 12th time Embiid has recorded at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in a game this season, tied for the second-most such games in the NBA:
14 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
12 — Joel Embiid
12 — Anthony Davis
10 — Nikola Jokic
10 — Jayson Tatum
The Raptors’ Pascal Siakam compiled 38 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists in the loss. Siakam is just the second player in franchise history to record at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a game, joining Vince Carter (Dec. 7, 2001).