Lakers Outlast Knicks
LeBron James recorded his first triple-double of the season, compiling 28 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the New York Knicks 129-123 in overtime. James became the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double in his 20th season (or later).
James now has 106 career triple-doubles, moving within one of Jason Kidd on the NBA’s all-time list:
198 — Russell Westbrook
181 — Oscar Robertson
138 — Magic Johnson
107 — Jason Kidd
106 — LeBron James
James was the Lakers’ outright leader in points, rebounds, and assists. It’s the 154 time he’s recorded such a game, a whopping 55 more such games than any other player in NBA history:
154 — LeBron James
99 — Nikola Jokic
98 — Russell Westbrook
95 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
James moved into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time assists list, passing both Mark Jackson (10,334) and Steve Nash (10,335). He needs 89 points to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the leading scorer in NBA history.
The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 37 points but shot just 13-29 from the field (44.8%). Brunson has scored at least 30 points 11 times this season. Prior to this season, he had never recorded more than one 30-point game in a season.
Teammate Julius Randle struggled from the field as well, making just six of his 19 shots (31.6%). Randle scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out five assists. He has 32 double-doubles this season, good for third in the NBA behind Domantas Sabonis (38) and Nikola Jokic (34).
Giannis, Bucks Stay Hot
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 18 rebounds — both figures game highs — as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 124-115. The Bucks have won five straight games, moving within two games of the idle Boston Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo now has 146 career 30-point, 10-rebound games, breaking a tie with LeBron James for the most such games among active players:
146 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
145 — LeBron James
131 — Anthony Davis
111 — Kevin Durant
108 — Joel Embiid
Antetokounmpo shot 14-24 from the field (58.3%) and made five of his six free throws. He’s recorded at least 30 points and 10 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 55% in each of his last four games, the longest such streak of his career.
In his five games since returning from injury, Antetokounmpo is averaging 37.4 PPG and 13.8 RPG, shooting 61.5% from the field. The Bucks are 5-0 in those games, averaging 131.4 PPG.
The Hornets’ LaMelo Ball notched his eighth career triple-double, producing 27 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. However, Ball shot just 10-26 from the field (38.5%).
Backcourt mate Terry Rozier scored 20 points but made just six of his 20 field goal attempts (30.0%). It’s the second time Ball and Rozier haver each scored at least 20 points while shooting less than 40% from the field in the same game. No other duo in franchise history has recorded multiple such games.
Hornets center Mason Plumlee had 14 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, making seven of his 12 attempts from the field (58.3%). Plumlee averaged 16.5 PPG and 11.3 RPG with a field goal percentage of 75.0% in January. The last player to average at least 15 PPG and 10 RPG while shooting 75% from the field in a calendar month* was Wilt Chamberlain in November 1972.
* Minimum 10 games played.
Jokic, Murray Lead Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic picked up his 16th triple-double of the season, accumulating 26 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists in a 122-113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Jokic shot 10-14 from the field (71.4%) and made all five of his free throws.
It’s the second time Jokic has recorded at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a game with a field goal percentage of 70%. The only other player in NBA history to produce such a game is Wilt Chamberlain, who also did so twice.
Jokic has recorded seven triple-doubles in his last nine games, narrowly missing another by just one assist. Over those nine games, Jokic is averaging 24.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG, and 11.8 APG, shooting 70.7% from the field, 55.0% from 3-point range, and 90.2% from the free throw line.
Jokic has recorded at least 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 50% from the field in each of his last 31 games, by far the longest such streak in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain ranks second with a streak of 13 such games in a row in February 1967.
Teammate Jamal Murray scored a game-high 32 points, adding six assists and five rebounds. Murray shot 10-21 from the field — including 7-12 from 3-point range — and made all five of his free throws.
It’s the eighth time Murray and Jokic have each recorded at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the same game, breaking a tie with Alex English and Fat Lever for the most such games by a duo in franchise history.
The Pelicans’ Herbert Jones scored 21 points and recorded five steals in the loss, making six of his eight field goal attempts (75.0%). Jones is the first player in franchise history to record at least 20 points and five steals in a game with a field goal percentage of 75%.
Clippers Tame Bulls
Kawhi Leonard tallied 33 points, five assists, and five steals to lead the LA Clippers to a 108-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls. The Clippers have won six of their last seven games, moving from eighth place to fourth place in the Western Conference standings over that span.
Leonard has recorded eight straight 25-point games, the second-longest such streak of his career. Over his last 11 games, Leonard is averaging 29.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 2.0 SPG, shooting 55.5% from the field, 46.6% from 3-point range, and 91.5% from the free throw line. He’s scored at least 24 points in each of those games.
The Clippers’ Norman Powell came off the bench to score 27 points, shooting 7-11 from the field — including 3-7 from 3-point range — and 10-10 from the free throw line. It’s the fifth time Powell has come off the bench to score at least 25 points with an effective field goal percentage of 75%, the most such games in a single season in franchise history.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, making 10 of his 15 shots from the field (66.7%). Vucevic averaged 20.3 PPG and 13.1 RPG with an effective field goal percentage of 62.0% in January. The only other player in franchise history to average at least 20 PPG and 10 RPG with an effective field goal percentage of 60% in a calendar month* was Artis Gilmore in November 1978.
* Minimum 10 games played.