NBA Game Notes (Jan. 2, 2025)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Jan. 2, 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 ⭐️
Tyrese Haliburton registered game highs of 33 points and 15 assists as the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 128-115. Haliburton shot 13-21 from the field, sinking six of his 13 attempts from 3-point range. He added five rebounds, two steals, and one block in 33 turnover-free minutes.
Second ⭐️
Stephen Curry tallied 30 points and 10 assists, both game-high figures, to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 139-105 blowout win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Curry went 11-15 from the floor, hitting all eight of his 3-point attempts. He also recorded six rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
LeBron James scored a game-high 38 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 114-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, tying Michael Jordan for first place on the NBA’s all-time list with 562 career 30-point games. James shot 15-25 from the field, including a 7-10 performance from 3-point range. He also dished out eight assists in 36 minutes played.
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Milestones
James appeared in his 1,522nd regular season game, tying Dirk Nowitzki for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time list.
As mentioned above, James recorded his 562nd career 30-point game, tying Jordan for first place on the NBA’s all-time list.
James became just the second player in NBA history to score at least 35 points in a game after turning 40 years old. He joins Jordan, who did so three times with a high of 43 points.
James made a season-high seven 3-pointers, tying Vince Carter’s NBA record for most threes made in a game by a player age 40 years or older.
Haliburton recorded his second career 30-point, 15-assist game with zero turnovers. He’s the only player to produce multiple such games since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78.
It’s the third time Haliburton has recorded at least 15 assists and five 3-pointers made in a game without committing a turnover. No other player in NBA history has produced even one such game.
Curry, who went a perfect 8-8 from 3-point range, broke the Warriors’ franchise record for most threes made in a game without a miss. The previous mark of six was shared by four players (including Curry, who did so twice).
The Warriors’ Dennis Schroder had 15 points, six assists, and two steals, going 3-4 from 3-point range. He made his 1,000th career three with 9:01 remaining in the first quarter, becoming the second German-born player to reach that mark (Nowitzki).
Streaking
Giannis Antetokounmpo compiled 27 points (12-24 field goals), 13 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 113-110 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He’s scored at least 20 points with 50% shooting from the field in 26 straight games, snapping a tie with Shaquille O’Neal and Zion Williamson for the longest such streak in NBA history.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded game highs of 29 points and eight assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the LA Clippers 116-98. He’s scored at least 20 points in 29 consecutive games, averaging 31.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 6.1 APG with 54.3/36.7/88.0 shooting splits over that span.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: Oklahoma City Thunder (13).
The Thunder’s 13-game winning streak is the franchise’s longest since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008 and one shy of the overall record. They are outscoring their opponents by an average of 15.5 PPG over that span.
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Miscellany
James was the night’s leading point producer, scoring 38 points. Haliburton (33), the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (33), and Curry (30) also produced 30-point efforts.
The Sixers’ Joel Embiid led all rebounders last night, snagging a season-high 14 boards. Four more players recorded double-digit rebounds: Antetokounmpo (13), the Nets’ Nic Claxton (11), the Pacers’ Pascal Siakam (11), and the Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija (season-high-tying 10).
Haliburton was the top playmaker, handing out a season-high 15 assists last night. Also delivering double-digit dimes were the Nets’ D’Angelo Russell (12), the Lakers’ Austin Reaves (11), and Curry (10).
The Thunder have won 21 games by 10 or more points this season, tying the Cleveland Cavaliers for the league lead. The only teams in NBA history with more double-digit wins through their first 33 games of a season are the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers, and the 2020-21 Utah Jazz, all with 22.