NBA Game Notes (Dec. 31, 2023)
NBA Game Notes (Dec. 31, 2023)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on December 31, 2023.
Quick Hitters
Happy New Year everyone! Here’s a quick-ish recap of yesterday’s games:
Trae Young produced game highs of 40 points, 13 assists, and three steals as the Atlanta Hawks outscored the Washington Wizards 130-126. Young shot 11-19 from the field (4-8 on 3-pointers) and made 14 of his 19 free throws. Backcourt mate Dejounte Murray added 32 points, shooting 13-21 from the field. Hawks forward Jalen Johnson established a new career high with 24 points (9-12 field goals) and also grabbed 13 rebounds. Kyle Kuyzma paced the Wizards with 38 points, adding eight rebounds and five assists. Kuzma attempted a franchise single-game record 18 3-pointers, hitting seven of them. As a team, the Wizards attempted 53 3-pointers, also a new franchise record.
The Boston Celtics steamrolled the San Antonio Spurs 134-101, picking up their sixth consecutive victory and 11th in the last 12 games. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led Boston’s scoring attacking, scoring 25 and 24 points, respectively. Tatum went 10-17 from the field with five 3-pointers made, while Brown made nine of his 13 shots from the floor. The Spurs’ Devin Vassell scored a team-high 22 points on 9-15 shooting from the field, while rookie center Victor Wembanyama added 21 points and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes played. The Spurs lost 12 games by 30 or more points in 2023, tying the Portland Trail Blazers (2022) for the most such losses in a calendar year in NBA history.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won for the seventh time in eight games, knocking off the Brooklyn Nets 124-108. The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 24 points and dished out a team-high six assists, while backcourt mate Josh Giddey chipped in with 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists in just 27 minutes of action. Rookie Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double for the Thunder, scoring 18 points (7-10 field goals) to go with a team-high 10 rebounds. Nets center Nic Claxton scored 15 points, hauled in a game-high 16 rebounds, and handed out five assists in 37 turnover-free minutes. Teammate Mikal Bridges recorded team highs of 22 points and seven assists and did not commit a turnover in 37 minutes played.
Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson scored 26 points apiece to lead the New Orleans Pelicans in a 129-109 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers. Ingram also compiled eight assists, five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, shooting 10-18 from the field with four 3-pointers made. Pelicans guard CJ McCollum scored 22 points (6-11 on 3-pointers) and distributed a team-high nine assists. LeBron James poured in a game-high 34 points with eight assists for the Lakers, while center Anthony Davis scored 20 points with game highs of 10 rebounds (tied) and five blocks. The Lakers’ Austin Reaves came off the bench to score 20 points (7-12 field goals) and hand out a team-high nine assists in 36 turnover-free minutes.
The Phoenix Suns’ “Big Three” of Kevin Durant (31 points), Bradley Beal (25), and Devin Booker (21) combined for 77 points in a 112-107 victory over the Orlando magic. Beal made 10 of his 13 shots from the field, while Durant went 12-21 from the floor with five rebounds, five assists, three steals, and zero turnovers. Suns center Jusuf Nurkic scored 19 points and snagged a game-high 13 boards, his eighth straight game with double-digit rebounds. The Magic’s Paolo Banchero posted team-high figures of 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, with frontcourt mate Franz Wagner contributing 27 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
Malik Monk came off the bench to score a game-high 27 points in just 21 minutes played as the Sacramento Kings blew out the Memphis Grizzlies 123-92. Monk shot 10-13 from the field (4-5 on 3-pointers), dished out five assists, and did not commit a turnover. Teammate Domantas Sabonis recorded his 38th career triple-double, scoring 13 points to go with game highs of 21 rebounds and 12 assists. Sabonis broke a tie with Giannis Antetokounmpo and now stands alone in 12th place on the NBA’s all-time triple-doubles list. Kings guard De’Aaron Fox scored 24 points, but made just nine of his 23 shots from the floor. Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 18 points, while three others Grizzlies scored exactly 17 points (Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Luke Kennard).