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 ⭐️
Daniel Gafford scored a career-high 31 points to go with season highs of 15 rebounds and seven blocks, but it wasn’t enough as the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Charlotte Hornets 110-105. Gafford was incredibly efficient, going 12-15 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line. He was charged with just one personal foul in 34 turnover-free minutes.
Second ⭐️
CJ McCollum poured in a game-high 45 points to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 123-119 overtime win over the Utah Jazz. McCollum shot 18-31 from the floor, making five of his 12 attempts from 3-point range. He added eight rebounds, four assists, and a game-high three blocks in 44 minutes played.
Third ⭐️
Jalen Brunson bagged a game-high 34 points in the New York Knicks’ 119-110 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Brunson went 12-18 from the field (3-5 on 3-pointers) and 7-11 from the free throw line. He also dished out six assists and swiped one steal in 39 minutes of action.
Milestones
Gafford became the first player in Dallas Mavericks history to record at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in a game. Leaguewide, he’s the only player to record such a game this season.
Zach LaVine scored a game-high 35 points as the Chicago Bulls snapped a five-game losing skid with a 112-99 win over the LA Clippers. LaVine now has 109 career 30-point games with the Bulls, tying Bob Love for the second-most such games in franchise history. Michael Jordan is the runaway leader with 537, the most in NBA history for a single franchise.
The Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving recorded game highs of 33 points and three steals. He swiped his 1,000th career steal in the fourth quarter, becoming the 19th active player to reach that mark.
Streaking
Hawks guard Trae Young registered team highs of 27 points and six assists, extending his streak of games with five or more assists to 200. It’s the third-longest such streak in NBA history, trailing only John Stockton (336) and Isiah Thomas (209).
The Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant recorded his 19th straight 20-point game, scoring a team-high 23 points on 9-16 shooting from the floor in a 118-92 blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The only players in NBA history to record a longer such streak after turning 36 years old are LeBron James (twice) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III scored 24 points with four 3-pointers made, the 33rd consecutive game in which he’s hit multiple threes. That’s the longest such streak in franchise history (by 14 games) and the ninth-longest such streak in NBA history.
The Cleveland Cavaliers went 19-46 from beyond the arc, the 47th straight game in which they’ve made 10 or more 3-pointers. It’s the seventh-longest such streak in NBA history.
The Memphis Grizzlies used a late rally to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-106. The Grizzlies have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 45 regular season games, the longest such streak in franchise history by 10 games.
Miscellany
McCollum was the day’s leading scorer, netting 45 points. Also producing 30-point efforts were LaVine (35), Brunson (34), Irving (33), the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (33), the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (32), the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards (32), and Gafford (career-high 31).
The Jazz’s Kyle Filipowski was the top board man yesterday, hauling in a career-high 17 rebounds. He was followed by Gafford (season-high 15), the Pistons’ Jalen Duren (14), the Jazz’s Walker Kessler (13), the Hornets’ Mark Williams (13), the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson (12), and the Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels (career-high 12).
The Jazz’s Isaiah Collier and the Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray led all playmakers, handing out 11 assists apiece yesterday (Collier tied his career high). The only other player to deliver double-digit dimes was the Clippers’ James Harden with 10.
Cunningham tallied 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in the Pistons’ 107-96 win over the Houston Rockets. It wasn’t all good for Cunningham, who committed a career-high 10 turnovers. The last Piston to record double-digit turnovers in a game was Blake Griffin on Dec. 17, 2018.
Cunningham’s teammate, Duren, compiled 16 points (8-8 field goals), 14 rebounds, a career-high four steals, and two blocks. It’s the 12th time he’s recorded a double-double without missing a shot from the floor, the most such games in franchise history.
The Boston Celtics destroyed the Golden State Warriors 125-85 in San Francisco, the Warriors’ worst home loss since a 45-point defeat courtesy of the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 15, 1985.