Quick Hitters
A relatively short recap of last night’s games:
The Indiana Pacers’ beat the Philadelphia 76ers 134-122, halting the Sixers’ six-game winning streak. The Pacers have scored at least 120 points in 31 games this season, the most in NBA history by a team through its first 45 games of a season. Indiana’s Pascal Siakam recorded his sixth career triple-double, compiling team highs of 26 points (9-13 field goals), 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Pacers center Myles Turner contributed 20 point and nine rebounds, hitting seven of his 12 attempts from the field. Joel Embiid scored a game-high 31 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for the Sixers. Embiid has scored at least 30 points in each of his last 22 games, the fifth-longest such streak in NBA history. Teammate Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, but shot just 7-17 from the floor (including 1-8 on 3-pointers).
The Miami Heat have dropped five straight games, the latest setback a 143-110 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics. It’s the fourth-most points the Heat have ever given up in a game. Jayson Tatum led seven Celtics in double figures with 26 points, also collecting a game-high eight rebounds. Tatum received help from Jaylen Brown (18 points, five assists, three steals, 7-11 field goals), Kristaps Porzingis (19 points, 6-9 field goals), Jrue Holiday (17 points, five rebounds, five assists, 7-8 field goals), and Derrick White (15 points, six rebounds, six assists). The Celtics shot 51-80 from the field with 22 3-pointers made, an effective field goal percentage of 77.5%. That’s the highest such figure in franchise history and tied for the fifth highest in NBA history.
The New York Knicks destroyed the Denver Nuggets 122-84, picking up their fifth straight win and 11th in the last 13 games. The 38-point drubbing is Denver’s worst loss since falling to the Golden State Warriors by 43 points on Jan. 19, 2015. The Knicks’ OG Anunoby scored a team-high 26 points on 10-18 shooting from the field, also recording a game-high six steals. Teammate Jalen Brunson scored 21 points (7-10 field goals, 6-6 free throws), while Julius Randle tallied 17 points, a game-high eight assists, and seven rebounds. The Nugget’s Nikola Jokic produced game highs of 31 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes played, sinking 13 of his 18 shots from the field. Jokic has scored at least 25 points with a field goal percentage of 55% in each of his last eight games, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Nov. 6-19, 1971) and Bob McAdoo (Feb. 13-26, 1974) for the longest such streak in NBA history. Over his last 17 games, Jokic is averaging 26.0 PPG with 71/56/91 shooting splits.
Domantas Sabonis’ dunk with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter proved to be the game winner in the Sacramento Kings’ 134-133 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Sabonis extended his double-double streak to 26 games, compiling 18 points (8-11 field goals), a game-high 13 assists, and eight rebounds. The Kings’ Harrison Barnes scored a season-high 39 points to lead all players, shooting 14-24 from the floor with seven 3-pointers made. Teammate De’Aaron Fox added 29 points, going 9-16 from the field and 8-8 from the free throw line. Stephen Curry scored a team-high 33 points for the Warriors, shooting 13-26 from the field with six 3-pointers made. It’s the 229th time Curry has recorded at least 30 points and five 3-pointers made in a game, 90 more such games than any other player in NBA history. Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga poured in a career-high 31 points, sinking 12 of his 19 shots from the floor.
The Los Angeles Lakers outscored the Chicago Bulls 141-132 to even their record at 23-23. Four Lakers scored at least 20 points: D’Angelo Russell (29 points, 8-13 on 3-pointers), LeBron James (25 points, game-high 12 assists), Anthony Davis (22 points, game-high 11 rebounds, six assists), and Austin Reaves (20 points, eight assists, 7-9 field goals). In his seven game since being reinstated as a starter, Russell is averaging 27.4 PPG and 6.6 APG with 54/53/89 shooting splits. The Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 32 points and handed out a team-high 10 assists, going 10-14 from the field and 11-12 from the free throw line. Teammates Coby White (25 points, seven rebounds) and Nikola Vucevic (20 points, eight rebounds, 9-12 field goals) also had 20-point outings.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored a game-high 27 points (12-15 field goals) and snagged 10 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the Brooklyn Nets 96-94. Towns has scored 116 points over his last three games, the most over a three-game span in franchise history. Teammate Anthony Edwards added 24 points, but misfired on 15 of his 23 shots from the floor. The Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert recorded his 30th double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and hauling in a game-high 13 rebounds. Cam Thomas came off the bench to score a team-high 25 points for the Nets, going 7-15 from the field and 10-10 from the free throw line. Nets center Nic Claxton posted a double-double, scoring 16 points (8-10 field goals) and corralling a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Utah Jazz snapped a three-game losing skid, beating the Washington Wizards 123-108 to get back to .500 for the season (23-23). The Wizards have lost 12 of their last 13 games, including the last six in a row. Utah’s Lauri Markkanen scored a game-high 29 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals, shooting 11-20 from the field with six 3-pointers made. Frontcourt mate John Collins chipped in with season highs of 22 points (11-15 field goals) and 16 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma scored a game-high 26 points for the Wizards, adding six rebounds and five assists. Teammate Tyus Jones scored 12 points, dished out a game-high 14 assists, and did not commit a turnover in 34 minutes played.