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 ⭐️
Nikola Jokic compiled game highs of 32 points, 16 rebounds, 16 assists, and four steals in the Denver Nuggets’ 119-103 win over the Golden State Warriors. Jokic made 13 of his 24 shots from the floor and hit all four of his free throws.
It’s the third time Jokic has recorded at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a regular season game, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain and Luka Doncic for the second-most such games in NBA history (Oscar Robertson, 11). Jokic is the only such player to record such a game in the postseason (May 5, 2023).
Jokic became the first player in NBA history to record at least 14 rebounds and 14 assists in three consecutive games. He’s the first player to record three straight 25-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist games since Wilt Chamberlain in March 1968 (five in a row).
Second ⭐️
Chet Holmgren tallied 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three blocks as the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away in the fourth quarter of a 123-110 win over the Houston Rockets. Holmgren went 11-16 from the field, sinking five of his eight 3-point attempts.
Holmgren increased his season totals to 151 blocks and 100 3-pointers made. He’s the first player in NBA history to record at least 100 blocks and 100 3-pointers made in his rookie campaign. Holmgren is just the fourth player, rookie or otherwise, to reach 150 blocks and 100 3-pointers made in a season, joining Brook Lopez (three times), Jaren Jackson Jr. (twice), and Raef LaFrentz.
Third ⭐️
De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 33 points as the Sacramento Kings picked up a huge 123-107 road win over the LA Clippers. Fox added seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals, shooting 12-22 from the field and 9-10 from the free throw line.
Fox has recorded at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in each of his last four games, the longest such streak of his career. He’s the first King to produce four straight 25-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist games since Chris Webber in January 2002.
Milestones
The Kings’ Domantas Sabonis produced his league-leading 20th triple-double of the season, racking up 17 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, and three steals in a win over the Clippers. Sabonis became the sixth player in NBA history to record at least 20 triple-doubles in a season, joining Oscar Robertson (five times), Russell Westbrook (four times), Wilt Chamberlain (twice), James Harden, and Nikola Jokic.
Tyrese Haliburton delivered a game-high 10 assists as the Indiana Pacers blew out the Dallas Mavericks 133-111, snapping the Mavericks’ seven-game winning streak. Haliburton has recorded 35 games with double-digit assists this season, breaking the franchise record of 34 such games he set last season.
The Warriors’ Stephen Curry scored 20 points in a loss to the Nuggets, increasing his career total to 23,180. He passed Dwyane Wade (23,165) and Adrian Dantley (23,177) to move into 31st place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
LeBron James produced game highs of 28 points and 12 assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 123-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns. James is the only player in NBA history to record a 25-point, 10-assist game after turning 39 years old. He’s now done so three times.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo compiled game highs of 30 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists (tied with teammate Damian Lillard) in a 119-98 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers. Antetokounmpo became the first player in franchise history to reach 18,000 career points.
Devin Booker scored 21 points and dished out a team-high nine assists as the Suns defeated the Lakers. Booker became the second player in franchise history to reach 14,000 career points, joining Walter Davis (15,666).
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic scored 22 points and snagged 13 rebounds in a 114-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, his 500th career double-double. He’s just the fourth active player to reach that mark, joining James (563), Chris Paul (526), and Westbrook (509).
Streaking
Sabonis has recorded a double-double in 39 straight games, the second-longest such streak in franchise history (Jerry Lucas, 55) and the fourth-longest such streak since the ABA-NBA merger. He’s averaging 20.7 PPG, 13.9 RPG, and 9.1 APG with a field goal percentage of 63.2% over that span.
The San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama scored 22 points to go with game highs of 10 rebounds and five blocks in a 128-109 loss to the Utah Jazz. He’s the first rookie to record three straight 15-point, 10-rebound, 5-block games since Shaquille O’Neal in February 1993 (four in a row).
Wembanyama has scored at least 15 points in each of his last 27 games, the second-longest such streak in franchise history by a rookie (David Robinson, 51). Despite averaging less than 27 MPG, Wembanyama is producing 22.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and 3.6 BPG over that span.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 36 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals in the Thunder’s victory over the Rockets. Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded five straight 30-point games, seven straight 25-point games, 17 straight 20-point games, and 53 straight 15-point games.
James has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 15 games. No other player in NBA history has recorded more than five such games in a row after their 39th birthday. Over those 15 games, James is averaging 25.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 8.5 APG, with shooting percentages of 53.0% from the field and 43.2% from 3-point range.
The Bucks’ Lillard tallied 24 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in a win over the Sixers, going 4-8 from 3-point range. He’s made at least one 3-pointer in each of his last 131 games, the third-longest such streak in NBA history behind Curry’s 268-game and 157-game runs.
Teams with winning streaks of five or more games: Oklahoma City Thunder (five).
Teams with losing streaks of five or more games: Washington Wizards (11) and Portland Trail Blazers (eight).
The Thunder have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 48 games, matching the longest such streak in franchise history (Nov. 12, 2023 to Oct. 27, 2023). They’ve scored at least 120 points in each of their last five games, all wins. It’s the first time in franchise history they’ve recorded five such wins in a row.
Miscellany
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 36 points, followed by Luka Doncic (33), Myles Turner (season-high 33), Fox (33), Jokic (32), Jordan Poole (season-high 31), and Antetokounmpo (30).
The Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic matched his season high with 22 rebounds, the most by any player yesterday. Five other players grabbed at least 15 boards: the Trail Blazers’ Deandre Ayton (19), the Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. (17), the Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas (17), Jokic (16), and Sabonis (15).
Jokic was the top playmaker, dishing out 16 assists. He was one of 10 players to record double-digit dimes, the others being James (12); Sabonis (12); the Wizards’ Tyus Jones (11); the Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray (season-high 11); the Pelicans’ Zion Williamson (career-high-tying 11); the Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton (10 apiece); Haliburton (10); and the Charlotte Hornets’ Cody Martin (career-high 10).
Nurkic had 18 points and seven assists to go along with his 22 rebounds. He’s the first Sun to record at least 15 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists in a game since Charles Barkley on Nov. 20, 1993.