NBA Game Notes (Jan. 14, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on January 14, 2024.

Jan 15, 2024

Dame Calls Game

Damian Lillard drilled a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in overtime to give the Milwaukee Bucks a thrilling 143-142 victory over the Sacramento Kings. It’s the Kings’ highest point total in a loss since falling to the Golden State Warriors 155-143 on March 4, 1989.

Lillard finished with a team-high 29 points and eight assists. He reached 2,500 career 3-pointers made with his buzzer beater, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to attain that milestone:

3,554 — Stephen Curry
2,973 — Ray Allen
2,845 — James Harden
2,560 — Reggie Miller
2,500 — Damian Lillard

Although he hit the game winner, Lillard made just nine of his 23 attempts from the floor (39.1%). It’s the 12th time he’s shot less than 40% from the field on 15 or more attempts in a game this season, tied for the most such games in the NBA.

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 13th player in NBA history to reach 40 career triple-doubles, compiling 27 points , 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals. It’s the 25th time he’s recorded at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game, eight more such games than all other players in franchise history combined.

Antetokounmpo made nine of his 16 field goal attempts (56.3%). He’s scored at least 20 points on 50% shooting from the field in each of his last 12 games, the second-longest such streak of his career.

The Bucks’ Bobby Portis came off the bench to record a double-double, scoring 22 points (9-11 field goals) and grabbing 10 rebounds in just 26 minutes played. Malik Beasley scored 23 points (5-9 on 3-pointers) and committed just one turnover in 45 minutes played.

Domantas Sabonis had a big night for the Kings, scoring 21 points to go with game highs of 13 rebounds and 15 assists. Sabonis now has 42 career triple-doubles, one shy of tying Fat Lever for 11th place on the NBA’s all-time list. He has 10 triple-doubles this season, joining Nikola Jokic (seven in a row) and Wilt Chamberlain (two) as the only centers in NBA history to record at least 10 triple-doubles in consecutive seasons.

Sabonis missed just one of his 10 shots from the field. He’s the first player in NBA history to record at least 20 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds in a game while shooting 90% or better from the field.

Sacramento’s three leading scorers were guards De’Aaron Fox (32 points, five assists, three steals), Malik Monk (28 points, seven rebounds, seven assists), and Kevin Huerter (26 points, 10 rebounds). Huerter went 10-14 from the field, making six of his nine 3-point attempts.

Nuggets, Jokic Stay Hot

The Denver Nuggets picked up their 14th win in the last 18 games, beating the Indiana Pacers 117-109. Denver is 28-13 at the midway point of its season, tied for the franchise’s third-most wins through 41 games since joining the NBA in 1976.

Nikola Jokic was one of three Nuggets to score exactly 25 points, adding team highs of 12 rebounds and nine assists. It’s the 157th time Jokic has led his team — either outright or tied — in all three categories in a game, the second-most such games in NBA history behind LeBron James (231).

Jokic continued his torrid shooting from the field, knocking down 12 of his 13 attempts. He’s gone 85-105 from the floor over his last nine games, a field goal percentage of 81.0%. The only other player in NBA history to shoot at least 80% from the field over a nine-game span with at least 90 attempts is Wilt Chamberlain in November & December 1966.

Jokic has scored at least 25 points with a field goal percentage of 80% four times over that span. The last player to record four such games in a nine-game span was Charles Barkley in January & February 1989.

The only blemish on Jokic’s ledger yesterday was his game-high seven turnovers. However, he’s averaging 2.90 turnovers per game on the season, which would be his lowest such rate since the 2017-18 campaign (2.80).

The Nuggets’ other 25-point scorers were Jamal Murray (11-18 field goals) and Michael Porter Jr. (9-15 field goals, seven 3-pointers made). Murray also dished out eight assists, while Porter Jr. added eight rebounds and five assists (tying his career high).

Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. are the first Denver trio to each score at least 25 points on 60% shooting from the field since Alex English, Kiki VanDeWeghe, and Dan Issel accomplished the feat on March 30, 1984. Leaguewide, they are just the second trio in the last 30 seasons to each record at least 25 points and five assists in a game with 60% shooting from the field, joining the Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, and Zach LaVine, who did so just two days ago (Jan. 12, 2024).

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon recorded a double-double, scoring 20 points (7-10 field goals) and snagging 10 rebounds. Jokic and Gordon are the first duo in franchise history to each record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 70% in the same game.

Bruce Brown produced team highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, also recording six assists and three steals. Brown was one of seven Pacers to score in double figures.

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Quick Hitters

Other notes from yesterday’s games:

The hapless Charlotte Hornets have lost 16 of their last 17 games, the latest setback a 104-87 defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat. The Heat’s Bam Adebayo recorded his 20th double-double of the season, tallying team highs of 24 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Adebayo is just the second player in franchise history to record at least three straight 20-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist games, joining LeBron James (three such streaks). Rookie teammate Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 15 points (7-9 field goals) and five rebounds in just 15 minutes of action before leaving the game early in the second quarter with a groin strain. Terry Rozier scored a game-high 26 points and dished out seven assists for the Hornets, but shot just 8-23 from the field. Backcourt mate LaMelo Ball compiled 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals, but misfired on 15 of his 24 attempts from the floor.
In a matchup featuring two of the top four teams in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the LA Clippers 109-105. The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 33 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists, shooting 10-16 from the field and 11-12 from the free throw line. Teammate Rudy Gobert scored 15 points (4-5 field goals) and recorded game highs of 18 rebounds and four blocks. Kawhi Leonard produced team highs of 26 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, while Norman Powell came off the bench to score 24 points on 9-12 shooting from the floor. The Clippers’ Paul George and James Harden shot a combined 9-33 from the field (27.3%), going 5-19 and 4-14, respectively.
Led by Devin Booker’s 34 points (14-22 field goals) and seven assists, the Phoenix Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers 127-116. Three other Suns scored at least 20 points: Bradley Beal (23 points, five assists, 9-13 field goals), Kevin Durant (21 points, six assists), and Grayson Allen (20 points, 4-6 on 3-pointers). Center Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double, posting 14 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, and three steals. The Blazers’ Scoot Henderson scored a career-high 33 points and handed out a game-high nine assists, also matching his career highs with seven rebounds and three steals. Henderson fired up 31 shots from the field, making just 11 of them (35.5%). Backcourt mate Anfernee Simons chipped in with 28 points, five rebounds, and five assists, hitting six of his 12 attempts from 3-point range. The Trail Blazers have lost seven of their last eight games, with six of those defeats coming by 21 or more points. They’ve been outscored by 203 points in that stretch, the second-worst point differential over an eight-game span in NBA history.