Wolves Hold Off Mavs
The Minnesota Timberwolves built up a 26-point third-quarter lead, then held on to edge the Dallas Mavericks 124-121. Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 32 points to lead the winners, shooting 12-22 from the field and making all seven of his free throws.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert scored 21 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, making all nine of his attempts from the field. Gobert is just the second player in franchise history to record a 20-point, 10-rebound game without missing a shot from the field, joining Karl-Anthony Towns (Dec. 26, 2016).
It’s the eighth time Gobert has recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game with a field goal percentage of 100%, the most such games since the ABA-NBA merger:
8 — Rudy Gobert
6 — Dwight Howard
4 — Artis Gilmore
3 — Dikembe Mutombo
Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 36 points to lead the Mavericks, adding six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. He shot 15-23 from the field with four 3-pointers made, an effective field goal percentage of 73.9%.
Backcourt mate Luka Doncic tallied 33 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, shooting 10-20 from the field and 11-15 from the free throw line. It’s just the second time this season each member of a team’s starting backcourt has recorded at least 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a game (Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, Nov. 9, 2022). It’s also the first time in franchise history a starting backcourt has accomplished this feat.
Hornets Outscore Hawks
The Charlotte Hornets outscored the Atlanta Hawks 144-138, the second-highest combined point total in a game this season. Eight players scored at least 20 points (four on each team), matching the NBA high for most such players in a game this season.
The Hornets’ LaMelo Ball had 30 points, 15 assists, and six rebounds, becoming the first player in franchise history to record a 30-point, 15-assist game. Only three players in NBA history have produced a 30-point, 15-assist game at a younger age: Trae Young, Luka Doncic, and De’Aaron Fox.
Ball shot 12-19 from the field, including 6-10 from 3-point range. It’s the 47th straight game in which Ball has made at least one 3-pointer, snapping a tie with Baron Davis for the longest such streak in franchise history.
Ball was one of four Hornets to score at least 20 points with an effective field goal percentage of 70%:
LaMelo Ball — 30 PTS, 12-19 FG (6 3PM)
Terry Rozier — 29 PTS, 11-19 FG (5 3PM)
Gordon Hayward — 26 PTS, 9-12 FG (4 3PM)
P.J. Washington — 22 PTS, 9-13 FG (4 3PM)
It’s the first time in franchise history that’s occurred.
Hayward (8 AST, 5 REB) and Washington (7 REB, 5 AST) joined Ball to become the first trio in franchise history to each record at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the same game.
Trae Young recorded team highs of 25 points and 14 assists to lead the Hawks. Young is averaging 25.8 PPG and 12.3 APG over his last 10 games, with eight 20-point, 10-assist games in that span.
Cavs Knock Off Reeling Spurs
Donovan Mitchell recorded his sixth 40-point game of the season, scoring a game-high 41 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers knocked off the reeling San Antonio Spurs 117-109. The Spurs have lost 13 consecutive games, matching the longest losing streak in franchise history (Feb. 4—March 2, 1989). Coincidentally, the Spurs’ 13th straight loss that season also came against the Cavaliers.
Mitchell shot 16-26 from the field, including 6-13 from 3-point range. In just 49 games as a Cavalier, Mitchell has already recorded more 40-point games than all but two players in franchise history: LeBron James (51) and Kyrie Irving (11).
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen scored 17 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked three shots, making seven of his 11 shots from the field (63.6%). Allen has scored at least 10 points on 60% shooting from the field in each of his last 13 games, tying Wilt Chamberlain for the longest such streak in NBA history:
13 — Jarrett Allen (Jan. 21–Feb. 14, 2023)
13 — Wilt Chamberlain (Oct. 29–Nov. 26, 1972)
12 — Artis Gilmore (March 7–30, 1982)
12 — Gilmore (March 9–April 5, 1983)
12 — Otis Thorpe (April 11–Nov. 14, 1985)
The Spurs have allowed at least 110 points in each of their 13 straight losses. Only two teams in history have recorded more such losses in a row:
17 — Phoenix Suns (Jan. 15–Feb. 23, 2019)
14 — Philadelphia 76ers (Dec. 7, 1972–Jan. 6, 1973)
13 — San Antonio Spurs (Jan. 20–Feb. 13, 2023)
Quick Hitters
Some other notes from around the NBA:
Nikola Jokic compiled 27 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists as the Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 112-108, snapping the Heat’s eight-game home winning streak. Jokic shot 12-14 from the field (85.7%) and did not commit a turnover. Jokic has recorded at least 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 50% from the field in each of his last 37 games, the longest such streak in NBA history by a whopping 24 games (Wilt Chamberlain, 13).
Damian Lillard continued his ridiculous hot streak, scoring a game-high 40 points with six rebounds and five assists as the Portland Trail Blazers dispatched of the Los Angeles Lakers 127-115. Lillard has scored at least 24 points in each of his last 19 games, averaging 36.9 PPG and 7.4 APG with shooting percentages of 51.1% from the field, 39.0% from 3-point range, and 94.5% from the free throw line over that span.
Bradley Beal scored 33 points to surpass 15,000 for his career, but it wasn’t enough as the Washington Wizards fell to the Golden State Warriors 135-126. Beal is just the second player in franchise history to reach that mark, joining Elvin Hayes. Beal needs 545 points to eclipse Hayes as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
Jalen Brunson scored 40 points on 15-21 shooting from the field as the New York Knicks ended a nine-game losing streak versus the Brooklyn Nets with a decisive 124-106 win. Brunson has scored at least 20 points in each of his last nine games. Over his last 20 games, Brunson is averaging 30.1 PPG and 5.7 APG with shooting percentages of 51.8% from the field, 47.7% from 3-point range, and 82.3% from the free throw line.
James Harden scored 28 points and dished out 10 assists as the Philadelphia 76ers routed the Houston Rockets 123-104. Harden has 166 career 25-point, 10-assist games, the third-most such games in NBA history. Teammate Tyrese Maxey came off the bench to record 26 points, six assists, and five rebounds, shooting 10-16 from the field with four 3-pointers made.