NBA Game Notes (Feb. 23, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on February 23, 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 ⭐️
Victor Wembanyama recorded a rare five-by-five, compiling 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks in the San Antonio Spurs’ 123-118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Since the NBA began tracking steals and blocks in 1973-74, Wembanyama is:
The 15th player to achieve the feat (a total of 22 instances).
The second rookie to achieve the feat, joining Jamaal Tinsley (Nov. 16, 2001).
The youngest player to achieve the feat by more than two years (20 years and 50 days, compared to 22 years and 288 days for Andrei Kirilenko).
The only player to do it in 31 or fewer minutes played (he logged 30:55 of court time).
The second player to record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and five blocks in a game, joining Hakeem Olajuwon (four times).
The second player to record at least five steals and five blocks in consecutive games, joining Michael Jordan (Feb. 22 & 24, 1987).
The only player to average a five-by-five over a two-game span (23.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 6.0 APG, 5.0 SPG, and 5.0 BPG).
Second ⭐️
Nikola Jokic scored 29 points to go with game highs of 15 rebounds and 14 assists as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 127-112. He fell just one assist shy of becoming the first player in NBA history to record back-to-back 15-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist games.
Jokic made 12 of his 17 shots from the floor, a field goal percentage of 70.6%. Jokic has produced at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists with 70% shooting from the field in each of his last two games. The only other player in NBA history to do this in consecutive games is Wilt Chamberlain (four distinct streaks).
Third ⭐️
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 33 points on just 13 field goal attempts as the Milwaukee Bucks knocked off the Western-Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves 112-107. He also grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds and handed out five assists.
Antetokounmpo made nine field goals and 14 of his 21 free throw attempts. It’s the 23rd time he’s attempted at least 20 free throws in a game, the most such games among active players and the fifth-most such games in NBA history.
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Milestones
Kevin Durant produced game highs of 28 points and eight assists and matched his season high with 11 rebounds in the Phoenix Suns’ 114-110 loss to the Houston Rockets. Durant now has 28,296 career points, passing Carmelo Anthony and moving into ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Durant made 10 field goals, bringing his career total to 9,709. That’s good for 17th place on the NBA’s career leaderboard, surpassing Patrick Ewing.
Stephen Curry scored a team-high 15 points in the Golden State Warriors’ ugly 97-84 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Curry increased his career point total to 23,160, passing Elgin Baylor to take over 33rd place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Russell Westbrook made six field goals in the LA Clippers’ 101-95 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, becoming the 24th player to NBA history to reach 9,000 career field goals made. Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, and LeBron James are the only players to both make and assist on 9,000 field goals.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds in the Timberwolves’ loss to the Bucks, becoming the second player in franchise history to reach 13,000 career points. Towns joins Kevin Garnett, who holds the franchise record with 19,201 points.
The Oklahoma City Thunder destroyed the Washington Wizards 147-106, the Thunder’s third 40-point win this season. That ties the NBA record for most such wins in a single season, a mark they share with 13 other teams. The Thunder are the third team this season with three 40-point wins, joining the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. No other season has produced more than two such teams.
Streaking
Damian Lillard hit two 3-pointers in the Bucks’ road win over the Timberwolves, the 130th consecutive game in which he’s made at least one 3-pointer. Lillard is just the second player in NBA history to record a 3-point streak of least 130 games. He joins Stephen Curry, who has produced two such streaks (268 and 157 games).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied game highs of 30 points and nine assists in the Thunder’s demolition of the Wizards. Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded at least 20 points and five assists in each of his last 10 games, the longest such streak of his career. He’s averaging 30.9 PPG and 7.7 APG with 55/59/85 shooting splits over that span.
LeBron James scored a game-high 30 points in the Lakers’ win over the Spurs, the 1,201st consecutive regular season game in which he’s scored in double figures. That’s the longest such streak in NBA history by a whopping 335 games (Michael Jordan, 866).
James has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 14 games. No other player in NBA history has recorded more than five such games in a row after their 39th birthday. Over those 14 games, James is averaging 25.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 8.3 APG, with shooting percentages of 52.3% from the field and 42.6% from 3-point range.
The Clippers have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 48 games, the longest such streak in franchise history by 18 games.
The Thunder have recorded 47 straight 100-point games, one shy of matching the longest such streak in franchise history.
Teams with losing streaks of five or more games: Washington Wizards (10) and Portland Trail Blazers (seven).
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Miscellany
The Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. led all scorers last night, pouring in a season-high 34 points. He was followed by Antetokounmpo (33), Gilgeous-Alexander (30), and James (30).
Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert was chairman of the boards, hauling in 19 rebounds. Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. (16) and Jokic (15) also had 15-rebound efforts.
Jokic was also the night’s assist leader with 14 dimes. The Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes (10) and Lillard (10) were the only other players to record double-digit assists.
Oklahoma City center Chet Holmgren notched 25 points (11-14 field goals) and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes played. He and Wembanyama (Jan. 12, 2024) are the only rookies since the ABA-NBA merger to record a 25-point, 10-rebound game in less than 24 minutes played.