NBA Game Notes (Jan. 1, 2025)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Jan. 1, 2025.

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 ⭐️

Scottie Barnes produced game highs of 33 points and 13 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors snapped their 11-game losing streak with a 130-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Barnes sank 14 of his 18 field goal attempts, including three 3-pointers made. He added five assists, two steals, and one block in a game-high 38 minutes played.

Second ⭐️

Nikola Jokic scored a team-high 23 points to go with game highs of 17 rebounds and 15 assists in the Denver Nuggets’ 139-120 rout of the Atlanta Hawks. Jokic went 8-16 from the floor and made all six of his free throw attempts. He posted a game-high rating of plus-31 points in 30 minutes of court time.

Third ⭐️

Karl-Anthony Towns registered game highs of 31 points and 21 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 119-103 victory over the Utah Jazz, New York’s ninth straight win. Towns shot 10-20 from the field (3-6 on 3-pointers) and 8-9 from the free throw line. He also recorded four assists, one steal, and one block in 37 minutes of action.