NBA Game Notes (Dec. 5, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Dec. 5, 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 ⭐️
Ayo Dosunmu recorded his first career triple-double, compiling 27 points, 10 rebounds (matching his career high), and 11 assists as the Chicago Bulls outscored the San Antonio Spurs 139-124. Dosunmu shot 9-13 from the field — making all three of his 3-point attempts — and 6-6 from the free throw line. He also swiped three steals and committed just one turnover in 35 minutes of playing time.
Second ⭐️
Nikola Jokic produced his 139th career triple-double to take over sole possession of third place on the NBA’s all-time list, racking up 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists in the Denver Nuggets’ 126-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jokic made 13 of his 26 field goal attempts, although he went 0-3 from 3-point range. He also recorded a game-high three steals (tied with two others) in 39 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Nikola Vucevic also came through with a strong effort in the Bulls’ win over the Spurs, scoring a season-high 39 points. Vucevic shot 16-22 from the floor (2-6 on 3-pointers) and made five of his six free throw attempts. He added eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 35 minutes played.
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Milestones
As mentioned above, Jokic recorded his 139th career triple-double, breaking a tie with Magic Johnson to take over third place on the NBA’s all-time list. The top two spots are occupied by Russell Westbrook (200) and Oscar Robertson (181).
Jokic recorded his 10th career 20-rebound triple-double. The only other players in NBA history to produce at least 10 such games are Wilt Chamberlain (59), Bill Russell (13), and Elgin Baylor (10).
Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points on 8-15 shooting from the floor as the Golden State Warriors halted their five-game losing skid with a 99-93 win over the Houston Rockets. Wiggins reached 5,000 career field goals made, joining Jokic as the only players from the 2014 NBA Draft class to attain this milestone.
The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up their 20th win in 23 tries this season, tying the franchise record for fewest games needed to reach that mark. They also went 20-3 to start the 2008-09 campaign.
Streaking
The Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic recorded his 78th career triple-double, tallying 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 137-101 rout of the Washington Wizards. He’s recorded at least 15 points and one 3-pointer made in 87 straight games, the longest such streak in NBA history by a whopping 24 games.
Points aside, Doncic has an 87-game 3-point streak, tying Buddy Hield (Nov. 3, 2019 to Feb. 3, 2021) for ninth place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 30 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the Toronto Raptors 129-92. He’s recorded 12 consecutive 25-point games, the second-longest such streak of his career.
Jokic has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 16 games, the second-longest such streak of his career. He’s averaging 30.8 PPG, 13.5 RPG, and 10.3 APG with 56/51/82 shooting splits over that span.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: Dallas Mavericks (six).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: Washington Wizards (16) and Charlotte Hornets (seven).
The Wizards tied a franchise record with their 16th consecutive loss. They also lost 16 straight games last season (Jan. 31 to March 6, 2024) and in the 2009-10 season (March 3-30, 2010).
The Wizards became the sixth team in NBA history to record a losing streak of 16 or more games in consecutive seasons. They join the Dallas Mavericks (1992-93 and 1993-94), the Los Angeles Clippers (1998-99 and 1999-2000), the Charlotte Bobcats (2011-12 and 2012-13), the Philadelphia 76ers (2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16) and the San Antonio Spurs (2022-23 and 2023-24).
The Wizards have lost their last 10 games by double digits, the longest such streak in franchise history (by four games) and tied for the sixth-longest such streak in NBA history. They have been outscored by an average of 20.5 PPG over that span.
The Golden State Warriors have won 15 consecutive games versus the Houston Rockets. Houston’s last win versus Golden State came on Feb. 20, 2020, a 135-105 victory in which James Harden was the Rockets’ leading scorer.
The Chicago Bulls have shot at least 50% from the field in each of their last seven games, matching the longest such streak in franchise history. It’s the sixth time they’ve recorded seven such games in a row, the last instance coming March 3-16, 1992.
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Miscellany
Vucevic was the night’s leading scorer, bagging a season-high 39 points. Also producing 30-point efforts were the Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (career-high 33) and Gilgeous-Alexander (30).
Jokic was the top board man last night, hauling in 20 rebounds. The Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein and the New York Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns tied for second with 16 rebounds apiece, followed by the Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen with 15.
The Charlotte Hornets’ Vasilije Micic took the nightly lead in assists with 12, one of five players to record double-digit dimes. Dosunmu and Jokic handed out 11 assists apiece, while the Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen and Doncic each delivered 10.
The Bulls are averaging 129.9 PPG with an effective field goal percentage of 62.5% over their last seven games. Their 909 points are the most in franchise history over a seven-game span, surpassing their previous high by 28 points.