NBA Game Notes (Feb. 4, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on February 4, 2024.

Thunder Survive Raptor Attack

The Oklahoma City Thunder survived the Toronto Raptors 135-127 in double overtimes, rallying from a 23-point deficit with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter. Oklahoma City maintained its tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves atop the Western Conference standings at 35-15.

The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fell one rebound shy of a triple-double, compiling 23 points, 14 assists (matching his career high), a team-high nine rebounds, and a game-high three blocks. Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 30 of his last 31 games, the exception being a 19-point effort on January 16. He’s averaging 31.9 PPG and 6.7 APG over that span, shooting 55.3% from the field and 87.1% from the free throw line.

Four other Thunder players scored at least 20 points: Josh Giddey (24 points, six rebounds, six assists), Luguentz Dort (22 points, seven rebounds), Chet Holmgren (22 points, five rebounds), and Aaron Wiggins (20 points, six rebounds). It’s just the fifth time in franchise history five players have each scored at least 20 points in the same game.

The Thunder set a franchise record for most 3-pointers attempted in a game, hoisting 63 shots from long range (tied for the third most in a game in NBA history). They made 23 of them, matching the franchise single-game record set on April 10, 2019.

RJ Barrett led a balanced Raptors attack, scoring a team-high 23 points (9-16 field goals) and snagging seven rebounds. Barrett was one of six Raptors to score at least 16 points, the others being Scottie Barnes (19 points, nine assists, seven rebounds), Jakob Poeltl (19 points, game-high 12 rebounds, 8-9 field goals), Dennis Schroder (19 points, eight rebounds), Immanuel Quickley (17 points, team-high 11 assists), and Gary Trent Jr. (16 points, six rebounds).

In total, 11 players scored 16 or more points in this contest, tying the NBA record for most such players in a game. It’s been achieved 10 times, the most recent occurrence before this one coming on Dec. 2, 2023 in a matchup featuring the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat.

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Jazz Rally in Fourth Quarter

Trailing by 12 points entering the fourth quarter, the Utah Jazz rallied to defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 123-108. Utah outscored Milwaukee 40-13 in the final period, matching the largest fourth-quarter point differential in franchise history. They became just the eighth team in NBA history to win a game by 15 or more points after trailing by double digits entering the final period.

Lauri Markkanen led seven Jazz players in double figures with 21 points, shooting 8-15 from the field with five 3-pointers made. Collin Sexton and Keyonte George scored 19 points apiece, with George adding a career-high 10 rebounds in his 25 minutes played.

John Collins also recorded a double-double for Utah, scoring 15 points (7-11 field goals) and grabbing 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes of action. George and Collins are just the second duo in franchise history to each record at least 15 points and 10 rebounds in 25 or fewer minutes played, joining J.J. Anderson and Ben Poquette on March 5, 1983.

The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied game highs of 33 points and 13 assists, sinking 11 of his 15 shots from the floor. He became just the third player in NBA history to record back-to-back 30-point, 10-assist games with 70% shooting from the field, joining Wilt Chamberlain (March 16 & 18, 1968) and Nikola Jokic (March 6 & 7, 2022).

Antetokounmpo has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 22 games. He’s averaging 32.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, and 7.5 APG with a field goal percentage of 61.5% over that span.

Frontcourt mate Bobby Portis contributed 27 points, going 11-20 from the field with four 3-pointers made. Guard Damian Lillard had a rough night, scoring just 12 points on 5-18 shooting from the floor. It’s the 18th game in which Lillard has recorded a field goal percentage less than 40% on 15 or more attempts this season, five more such games than any other player.

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Quick Hitters

Recapping the remaining games:

• Franz Wagner matched his career high with 38 points on 17-25 shooting from the field to propel the Orlando Magic to a 111-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons. The Magic improved to 27-23 on the season, the first time they’ve been above .500 at the 50-game mark since the 2011-12 campaign. Orlando’s Paolo Banchero chipped in with 20 points, a game-high seven assists (tied with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham), and a team-high six rebounds (tied with Jonathan Isaac), although he made just six of his 16 shots from the floor. Cunningham and Jaden Ivey scored 18 points apiece to lead the Pistons. Pistons center Jalen Duren bagged 15 points, hitting all seven of his field goal attempts. It’s the fourth time Duren has scored at least 15 points in a game without missing a shot from the field, the most such games in NBA history by a player before his 21st birthday.

• The Phoenix Suns demolished the Washington Wizards 140-112, as the Suns’ Bradley Beal scored a season-high 43 points in his first game against his former team. Beal shot 16-21 from the floor — including 4-5 from 3-point range — and made all seven of his free throws. Teammates Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic added 18 points apiece, going 7-9 and 7-11 from the field, respectively. Nurkic also produced game highs of 13 rebounds and eight assists (tied with Washington’s Tyus Jones). Wizards forward Eugene Omoruyi recorded his first career double-double, scoring 16 points and snagging a career-high 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes played. Frontcourt mate Daniel Gafford had 15 points and seven rebounds, sinking all seven of his shots from the field. The Wizards have allowed at least 140 points in a game eight times this season, the most such games since the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets (24).

• Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 25 points and secured a team-high 11 rebounds as the LA Clippers beat the Miami Heat 103-95, picking up their 25th win in the last 30 games. Leonard has scored at least 25 points with 50% shooting from the field in each of his last five games. Clippers guard James Harden pitched in with 21 points, a game-high 11 assists, and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler led Miami in scoring with 21 points, while Bam Adebayo had 14 points to go with game highs of 13 rebounds and three steals.

• The Indiana Pacers easily got by the Charlotte Hornets 115-99, handing the reeling Hornets their 25th loss in the last 28 games. The Pacers’ Pascal Siakam scored a team-high 25 points (11-20 field goals), dished out a game-high nine assists, and collected eight rebounds in 35 turnover-free minutes. Fellow starting forward Aaron Nesmith added 22 points (8-11 field goals) and eight rebounds, while center Myles Turner had 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds (tied with Charlotte’s Nick Richards) for his 100th career double-double. Hornets rookie Brandon Miller scored a career-high 35 points, shooting 10-25 from the floor (5-12 on 3-pointers) and 10-12 from the free throw line. Teammate P.J. Washington came off the bench to provide 22 points (9-16 field goals) and nine rebounds.

• The Boston Celtics walloped the depleted Memphis Grizzlies 131-91 to improve to 38-12 on the season, the Celtics’ best record through 50 games since the 2010-11 campaign (also 38-12). Boston’s Jayson Tatum took game-scoring honors with 34 points, adding a team-high eight rebounds (tied with three others) and a game-high seven assists. Teammate Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds, hitting 10 of his 17 shots from the floor. Scotty Pippen Jr. scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Grizzlies, who had an astounding 13 players listed on their injury report.

• The Minnesota Timberwolves routed the Houston Rockets 111-90 to keep pace with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the Western Conference standings. The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards led all players with 32 points, going 11-22 from the floor with four 3-pointers made. Minnesota center Rudy Gobert posted a double-double, scoring 17 points (7-9 field goals) and hauling in a game-high 13 rebounds. It’s the 161st time Gobert has recorded a double-double with 75% shooting from the field, 10 more such games than any other player in NBA history. Alperen Sengun produced team highs of 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who have dropped 10 of their last 15 games.

• Nikola Jokic tallied a game-high 29 points (12-20 field goals), eight rebounds, and seven assists as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 112-103. Jokic has scored at least 25 points in each of his last 12 games, the longest such streak of his career. The second member of the Nuggets’ dynamic duo, Jamal Murray, scored 21 points (8-16 field goals) and delivered a game-high 10 assists. Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton recorded a team-high 27 points (13-19 field goals) and a game-high nine rebounds, while guard Anfernee Simons contributed 26 points, a team-high nine assists (tied with Scoot Henderson), and six rebounds. Henderson had 14 points and eight rebounds to go with his nine assists, but misfired on 13 of his 16 shots from the floor.