NBA Game Notes (Dec. 28, 2025)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Dec. 28, 2025.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Kawhi Leonard erupted for a career-high 55 points to lead the LA Clippers to a 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Leonard shot 17-26 from the field (5-10 on threes) and 16-17 from the free throw line. He also recorded a team-high 11 rebounds, a game-high five steals, and a game-high three blocks in 39 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Scottie Barnes recorded his seventh career triple-double, scoring 23 points to go with game highs of 25 rebounds and 10 assists as the Toronto Raptors outlasted the Golden State Warriors 141-127 in overtime. Barnes was efficient, making 11 of his 17 attempts from the floor. He also swiped a team-high three steals and blocked one shot in 42 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Luka Doncic scored a game-high 34 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 125-101 rout of the Sacramento Kings. Doncic went 11-23 from the field (5-14 on threes) and 7-8 from the charity stripe. He added a game-high seven assists (tied with Dennis Schroder), five rebounds, a game-high three steals (tied with Dylan Cardwell), and one block in 33 minutes played.
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Milestones
Leonard’s 55-point performance tied the Clippers’ franchise record for most points in a game. Teammate James Harden had set the mark earlier this season (Nov. 22, 2025).
Leonard is just the third player to record at least 55 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals in a game since the NBA began tracking steals in 1973-74. He joins Rick Barry (March 26, 1974) and Harden (Jan. 23, 2019).
Barnes’s 25-rebound effort matched the Raptors’ franchise record for most rebounds in a game. Bismack Biyombo established the mark on March 17, 2006.
Barnes became the ninth distinct player in NBA history to record at least 20 points, 25 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game. He’s just the third player since the ABA-NBA merger to record such a game, joining Maurice Lucas (Feb. 24, 1980) and Nikola Jokic (Dec. 18, 2022).
The Clippers’ James Harden (11-11 free throws) increased his career total to 8,387 free throws made, surpassing Kobe Bryant to take over third place on the NBA’s all-time leaderboard.
The Kings’ Russell Westbrook (13 points) raised his career total to 26,672 points, moving past Dominique Wilkins and into 16th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Streaking
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27 points) extended his streak of 20-point games to 103 as the Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the Philadelphia 76ers 129-104. It’s the second-longest such streak in NBA history, trailing only a 126-game run by Wilt Chamberlain (Oct. 19, 1961 to Jan. 19, 1963).
The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (37 points) recorded his ninth straight 30-point game in a 114-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. That ties Larry Bird (Feb. 15 to March 3, 1985) for the longest such streak in franchise history.
Harden (3-9 on threes) made his 100th 3-pointer of the season, the 16th consecutive campaign in which he’s reached that mark. That snaps a tie with Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce for the longest such streak in NBA history.
Leonard has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 13 games. He’s averaging 30.2 PPG on 49.6/36.3/97.7 shooting splits over that span.
Miscellany
Leonard was the day’s leading scorer, pouring in a career-high 55 points. He was followed by the Warriors’ Stephen Curry (39 points), Brown (37), Doncic (34), and the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. (31).
Barnes was the chairman of the boards, hauling in a career-high 25 rebounds yesterday. The Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan was runner-up with 18 rebounds, while the Pistons’ Jalen Duren placed third with 14.
The Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija and Barnes were the only players to deliver double-digit dimes yesterday, each handing out 10 assists. The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham was next in line with nine helpers.
The Toronto Raptors scored at least 140 points in a game for the second time this season, the first occurrence coming on Nov. 21, 2025 versus the Washington Wizards. It’s the first time in franchise history they’ve recorded two such games in a single season.