NBA Game Notes (Dec. 31, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Dec. 31, 2024.
Three Stars
The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.
First ⭐️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a game-high 40 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-105, extending their winning streak to 12 games. Gilgeous-Alexander shot 15-23 from the field (3-5 on 3-pointers) and 7-9 from the free throw line. He also swiped a game-high four steals (tied with Cason Wallace) in 34 minutes of playing time.
Second ⭐️
Jarrett Allen scored a team-high 27 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, giving the Cavaliers eight straight wins. Allen was incredibly efficient from the floor, making 12 of his 14 attempts. He also blocked a game-high three shots and was not charged with a personal foul in 31 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Austin Reaves fell one rebound shy of a triple-double, racking up a game-high 35 points (matching his career high), a team-high 10 assists, and nine rebounds in the Lakers’ loss to the Cavaliers. Reaves went 11-20 from the field and sank 12 of his 13 free throw attempts. He also had one steal in a game-high 38 minutes played.
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Milestones
The Lakers’ LeBron James scored 23 points and dished out seven assists in his first game as a 40-year-old. He became the first player in NBA history to appear in a game in his teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s.
Kevin Durant produced team highs of 29 points and 10 rebounds in the Phoenix Suns’ 117-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. It’s his 926th career 20-point game, tying Michael Jordan for fifth place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Chris Paul made his 8,000th career field goal as the San Antonio Spurs routed the LA Clippers 122-86. Paul is the 43rd player in NBA history to reach that mark, and he’s one of only five players to record at least 8,000 field goals made and 8,000 assists (Oscar Robertson, Gary Payton, James, and Russell Westbrook).
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points (11-20 field goals), 12 rebounds, and five assists as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied to defeat the Indiana Pacers 120-112. He recorded his 4,000th career assist in the first quarter, becoming the first player in franchise history to reach that mark.
The Boston Celtics destroyed the Toronto Raptors 125-71, the largest margin of victory in a home game in franchise history. It’s the seventh time the Celtics have won a game by at least 50 points, breaking a tie with the Dallas Mavericks for the most such wins in NBA history. On the flip side, it’s the worst loss in Raptors history, home or away.
Streaking
Antetokounmpo has scored at least 20 points with 50% shooting from the field in 25 consecutive games, tying Shaquille O’Neal (Jan. 7 to March 15, 2001) and Zion Williamson (Feb. 6 to April 6, 2021) for the longest such streak in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 28 games, the longest such streak in the NBA this season. He’s averaging 32.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 6.0 APG with 54.3/36.6/87.6 shooting splits over that span.
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama compiled 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. He’s blocked at least one shot in each of his last 67 games, the longest such streak in franchise history and the second-longest such streak in the NBA this century.
Wembanyama went just 1-6 from long range, but that was enough to extend his streak of games with at least one 3-pointer made and one block to 24 games. It’s the longest such streak in NBA history by three games.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: Oklahoma City Thunder (12) and Cleveland Cavaliers (eight).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: Toronto Raptors (11).
The Thunder have won 12 straight games, matching the longest such streak since the franchise relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City. The franchise record of 14 consecutive victories was set in the 1995-96 season.
The Cavaliers have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 37 regular season games, matching the longest such streak in franchise history. They also recorded 37 consecutive 100-point games from Jan. 15 to Oct. 10, 1980.
The Cavaliers went 18-46 from 3-point range, their 38th consecutive game with 10 or more threes made and eighth straight contest with 15 or more triples. Both are the longest such streaks in franchise history.
The Memphis Grizzlies have scored at least 100 points in 36 straight regular season games. That snaps a tie for the longest such streak in franchise history (Jan. 26 to Oct. 21, 2022).
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Miscellany
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers last night with 40 points. Also netting at least 30 points were the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. (38), Reaves (career-high-tying 35), the Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane (season-high 31), and Antetokounmpo (30).
The Bucks’ Bobby Portis was the top board man, snagging 15 rebounds last night. He was followed by Allen (14), the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes (13), the Lakers’ Anthony Davis (13), the Raptors’ Jakob Poeltl (13), Antetokounmpo (12), Jackson Jr. (season-high 12), and the Grizzlies’ John Konchar (12).
The Cavaliers’ Darius Garland was the night’s leading playmaker, handing out a season-high 14 assists. Reaves was the only other player to deliver double-digit dimes with 10.