LaVine on 🔥
The Bulls’ Zach LaVine was on fire last night, scoring 41 points with 11 3-pointers made in a 126-112 win over the Sixers. The win snapped the Bulls’ 12-game losing streak to the Sixers, and also ended the Sixers’ 11-game home winning streak.
It’s the third time LaVine has recorded a 40-point game with 10 3-pointers made. He’s one of only five players in NBA history to produce at least three such games:
18 — Stephen Curry
5 — Klay Thompson
3 — James Harden
3 — Damian Lillard
3 — Zach LaVine
LaVine has recorded all three game of these games with the Bulls. No other player in franchise history has produced even one such game.
LaVine shot 14-19 from the field, including 11-13 from 3-point range. That’s an effective field goal percentage of 102.6%, tied for the fifth-highest such figure in NBA history in a 40-point game:
110.0% — Klay Thompson (Jan. 21, 2019)
107.9% — Gary Trent Jr. (April 10, 2021)
106.7% — Allen Crabbe (April 9, 2018)
103.1% — Gilbert Arenas (Feb. 25, 2006)
102.6% — Zach LaVine (Jan. 6, 2023)
102.6% — Kyrie Irving (March 8, 2022)
It’s the sixth time LaVine has scored at least 40 points with an effective field goal percentage of 80% with the Bulls, three more such games than all other players in franchise history combined. No other Bull has recorded more than one such game.
LaVine became the third player in NBA history to record multiple games with at least 10 3-pointers made on 75% accuracy:
6 — Stephen Curry
2 — Klay Thompson
2 — Zach LaVine
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic recorded his fifth career triple-double, compiling 19 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists. Vucevic is the eighth player in franchise history to record at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game. No Bull has produced more than one such game.
Joker in the Deck
Nikola Jokic dealt another outstanding performance, tallying 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Nuggets knocked off the Cavaliers 121-108 to remain atop the Western Conference standings. It was Jokic’s 10 NBA-leading 10th triple-double of the season.
Jokic has recorded at least 10 triple-doubles in each of his last six seasons, tying Oscar Robertson for the longest such streak in NBA history:
6 — Nikola Jokic (2017-18 to 2022-23)
6 — Oscar Robertson (1960-61 to 1961-66)
5 — Russell Westbrook (2014-15 to 2018-19)
5 — Magic Johnson (1986-87 to 1990-91)
4 — Johnson (1981-82 to 1984-85)
The only other center in NBA history to record at least 10 triple-doubles in back-to-back seasons is Wilt Chamberlain (1966-67 and 1967-68).
Jokic shot 10-17 from the field (58.8%) and made all five of his free throws. Jokic has recorded at least 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 50% from the field in each of his last 23 games, the longest such streak in NBA history. The only other active player to record a streak of more than 10 such games in a row is Giannis Antetokounmpo (11, March 1, 2019–March 24, 2019).
Nets Bounce Back
After seeing their 12-game winning streak halted on Wednesday, the Nets returned to their winning ways last night, beating the Pelicans 108-102 The Nets have won 17 of their last 19 games and are just one game behind the Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Nets’ Kevin Durant scored a game-high 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Durant has 111 career 30-point, 10-rebound games, the fourth-most such games among active players:
144 — LeBron James
142 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
131 — Anthony Davis
111 — Kevin Durant
103 — Joel Embiid
Durant struggled from the field, hitting just nine of his 26 shots (34.6%), but made all 11 of his free throws. It’s the 69th time Durant has made at least 10 free throws in a game without a miss. The only player in NBA history with more such games is Dirk Nowitzki with 72.
Nets center Nic Claxton continued his solid play, recording nine points, nine rebounds, and blocks while making all four of his shots from the field. Claxton is averaging 11.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 2.6 BPG with a field goal percentage of 73.7%. All four figures would be career bests.
Hornets Deliver Early KO
The Hornets delivered an early knockout punch, scoring 51 first-quarter points on their way to a 138-109 rout of the Bucks. The Hornets tied the NBA record for most points scored in an opening quarter:
51 — Charlotte Hornets (Jan. 6, 2023)
51 — Golden State Warriors (Jan. 15, 2019)
50 — eight times
The Hornets also set a franchise record for most points scored in any period. They had 84 points at halftime, the most in a first half in franchise history.
Terry Rozier scored a season-high 39 points to pace the Hornets. He shot 15-29 from the field, including 6-15 from 3-point range.
Backcourt mate LaMelo Ball scored 24 points and dished out a game-high 12 assists. Ball has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 14 games, the longest such streak of his career by nine games and tied for the second-longest such streak in franchise history:
28 — Glen Rice (Feb. 11, 1997–April 9, 1997)
14 — LaMelo Ball (Nov. 16, 2022–present)
14 — Kendall Gill (Dec. 20, 1991–Jan. 20, 1992)
Ball has recorded five consecutive 20-point, 5-assist games, matching the longest such streak of his career. He’s one game shy of matching the longest such streak in franchise history (Kemba Walker, 6).
Hornets center Mason Plumlee had 17 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists, shooting 8-9 from the field (88.9%). Over the last 30 NBA seasons, only one player has recorded at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a game with a higher field goal percentage: DeAndre Jordan on March 13, 2018.
Randle, Knicks Tame Raptors
Julius Randle continued to rack up big numbers, scoring 32 points and grabbing 11 rebounds as the Knicks tamed the Raptors 112-108. With the win, the Knicks snapped an 11-game losing streak north of the border.
Randle has recorded at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in each of his last six games. It’s the longest such streak by a Knick since Bob McAdoo produced eight such games in a row in December 1977.
Randle shot 6-11 from 3-point range (54.5%). It’s the eighth time he’s recorded a 30-point, 10-rebound game with at least five 3-pointers made, double that of any other player in franchise history (Carmelo Anthony, 4). All of those games have come in the last three seasons. The only NBA player with more such games in that span is Luka Doncic with 10.
Teammate Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and dished out a game-high eight assists. Brunson is averaging 20.9 PPG and 6.6 APG through 37 games this season, both of which would be career-high figures.
James’ Streak Continues
The Lakers’ LeBron James had 25 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds in a 130-114 win over the Hawks. James made 10 of his 19 shots from the field (52.6%).
James has scored at least 25 points on 50% shooting from the field in each of his last 12 games, the longest such streak of his career by four games. He broke a tie with Michael Jordan for the longest such streak in NBA history by a player age 30 years or older.
It’s the second-longest such streak in franchise history, trailing only Shaquille O’Neal’s 13 such games in a row in 2001. James is just two games shy of the NBA record of 14 such games in a row held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which spanned two seasons (March 3, 1970–Oct. 25, 1970).
Over those 12 games, James is averaging 33.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 7.3 APG, shooting 57.8% from the field and 80.0% from the free throw line.
Gobert Leads T-Wolves
Rudy Gobert had 25 points and 21 rebounds to lead the Timberwolves to an easy 128-115 victory over the undermanned Clippers. The Clippers — who have lost five consecutive games — played without stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the second night of a back-to-back. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves have won three games in a row after a season-worst six-game losing streak.
Gobert is the fifth player in franchise history to record a 25-point, 20-rebound game (a total of 38 instances):
16 — Kevin Garnett
10 — Karl-Anthony Towns
7 — Kevin Love
4 — Al Jefferson
1 — Rudy Gobert
Gobert made 11 of his 15 shots from the field (73.3%). He and Towns (four times) are the only players in franchise history to record a 25-point, 20-rebound game with a field goal percentage of at least 70%.