NBA Game Notes (Dec. 23, 2022)
NBA Game Notes (Dec. 23, 2022)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on December 23, 2022.
Harden, Embiid Lead Sixers
James Harden recorded the 70th triple-double of his career — 20 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 21 assists — as the Sixers beat the Clippers 119-114 for their seventh consecutive win. Harden’s 21 assists matched the franchise single-game record shared by Wilt Chamberlain and Maurice Cheeks.
Harden is the ninth player in NBA history to record at least 20 points, 20 assists, and 10 rebounds in a game (a total of 17 instances):
Russell Westbrook (5 times)
Magic Johnson (3 times)
Oscar Robertson (3 times)
Guy Rodgers
Wilt Chamberlain
Isiah Thomas
Rod Strickland
Luka Doncic
James Harden
Teammate Joel Embiid scored a game-high 44 points, shooting 18-30 shooting from the field (60.0%) and making all seven of his free throws. Harden and Embiid are just the second teammates in NBA history to record a 20-assist triple-double and a 40-point game, respectively, in the same game. They join the Wizards’ Rod Strickland (21 points, 12 rebounds, 20 assists) and Tracy Murray (50 points), who did so on Feb. 10, 1998.
Embiid was one of five players to record a 40-point game last night:
50 — Luka Doncic
44 — Joel Embiid
44 — RJ Barrett
44 — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
43 — Tyrese Haliburton
That ties the NBA record for most 40-point scorers in a single day:
Dec. 25, 1961
Feb. 2, 2001
Feb. 21, 2003
April 10, 2022
Dec. 23, 2022
Luka Carries Mavs
Luka Doncic had 50 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, and three steals to carry the Mavericks to a 112-106 win over the Rockets. Doncic is the first player in franchise history to record a 50-point, 10-assist game, and he joins Dirk Nowitzki as the only Mavericks with multiple 50-point games (they each have two).
It’s the 21st time Doncic has recorded at least 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a game this season. No player in NBA history has recorded more such games through their first 30 games of a season.
Doncic shot 17-30 from the field — including 6-12 from 3-point range — and 10-12 from the free throw line. It’s the 17th time he’s scored at least 30 points on 50% shooting from the field. Only four players in NBA history have recorded more such games through their first 30 games of a season:
20 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1971-72
19 — Michael Jordan, 1988-89
18 — Wilt Chamberlain, 1962-63
18 — Adrian Dantley, 1985-86
Haliburton Lifts Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton scored a career-high 43 points, hitting a 3-pointer in the final seconds to lift the Pacers over the Heat 111-108. Haliburton’s game-winning shot was his 10th 3-pointer of the night, breaking the franchise single-game record of nine shared by Paul George and T.J. Warren.
Haliburton shot 14-20 from the field — including 10-16 from 3-point range — and made all five of his free throws. His true shooting percentage was 96.8%, the second-highest such figure in franchise history by a player in a 40-point game:
98.6% — Reggie Miller (March 15, 1995)
96.8% — Tyrese Haliburton (Dec. 23, 2022)
94.0% — Miller (Jan. 23, 1996)
92.4% — Paul George (Nov. 24, 2015)
91.3% — Chuck Person (Feb. 11, 1987)
Haliburton has recorded 76 points, 16 3-pointers made, and 15 assists over his last two games. He’s just the fifth player in NBA history to record at least 75 points, 15 3-pointers made, and 15 assists over a two-game span:
Stephen Curry*
Russell Westbrook
James Harden*
Damian Lillard*
Tyrese Haliburton
* multiple such spans
Nets Rout Bucks
The Nets routed the Bucks 118-100, extending their season-best winning streak to eight games. That matches the franchise’s longest winning streak since moving to Brooklyn in 2012.
Kevin Durant led a balanced attack with 24 points, adding six assists and five rebounds. He shot 9-17 from the field (52.9%) and made all four of his free throws.
Ben Simmons had one of his best games as a Net, compiling 12 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals with 6-9 shooting from the field (66.7%).
Teammate Nic Claxton scored 19 points on 9-10 shooting from the field (90.0%), adding eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in the loss, shooting 9-13 from the field (69.2%). It’s the 147th time Antetokounmpo has recorded at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game, the fourth-most such games since the ABA-NBA merger:
212 — LeBron James
172 — Larry Bird
161 — Karl Malone
147 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
145 — Russell Westbrook
Jokic, Murray Deliver
Nikola Jokic tallied 29 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 120-107 win over the Trail Blazers. Jokic — who made 12 of his 21 field goal attempts (57.1%) — has recorded at least 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists with 50% shooting from the field in each of his last 15 games, the longest such streak in NBA history.
Teammate Jamal Murray contributed 25 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. Jokic and Murray are just the second duo in franchise history to each record at least 25 points and 10 assists in the same game, joining Alex English and Fat Lever (Jan. 24, 1987).
The Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard scored a game-high 34 points, adding eight assists and seven rebounds with zero turnovers. It’s the 15th time Lillard has recorded a 30-point, 5-assist game without committing a turnover, tying LeBron James for the most such games since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78.
Pels Get by SGA, Thunder
The Pelicans survived a career-high 44-point effort from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to defeat the Thunder 128-125 in overtime. Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 rebounds and six assists, shooting 17-29 from the field (58.6%) and 7-9 from the free throw line (77.8%).
Gilgeous-Alexander is just the second player in franchise history to record at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game before turning 25 years old, joining Kevin Durant (four times).
The Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III led a balanced attack, scoring 23 points on 8-13 shooting from the field, including five 3-pointers made.
Despite a poor night from the field (5-18), CJ McCollum scored 17 points and dished out a game-high 11 assists for the Pelicans.
Teammate Jaxson Hayes came off the bench to record season highs of 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists. He made eight of his nine shots from the field (88.9%).
Wizards Take Down Kings
Led by Kyle Kuzma’s 32-point, 9-rebound, 5-assist effort, the Wizards took down the Kings 125-111. Kuzma, Bradley Beal and Rui Hachimura all shot at least 60% from the field for the Wizards:
Kuzma — 14-23 (60.9%)
Beal — 10-16 (62.5%)
Hachimura — 9-15 (60.0%)
They are the only trio this season to each shoot at least 60% from the field on 15 attempts in a game.
The Kings’ Domantas Sabonis recorded his second consecutive triple-double in the loss, producing 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He now has 21 career triple-doubles, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the third-most triple-doubles in NBA history by a listed 7-footer:
78 — Wilt Chamberlain
30 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
21 — Domantas Sabonis
21 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Sabonis has recorded 92 rebounds and 43 assists over his last five games. The last NBA player to compile at least 90 rebounds and 40 assists over a five-game span was Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.
Over his last 11 games, Sabonis is averaging 20.3 PPG, 15.1 RPG, and 7.4 APG, shooting 65.9% from the field. He’s recorded a double-double in 10 straight games, and leads the NBA with 23 double-doubles this season.