NBA Game Notes (Jan. 7, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on January 7, 2024.
Quick Hitters
Recapping yesterday’s action:
The Cleveland Cavaliers held off the San Antonio Spurs 117-115, dealing the Spurs their 30th loss of the season. The Spurs are the 26th team in NBA history to lose at least 30 of their first 35 games in a season, and the second team to do so this season (Detroit Pistons). Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen produced game highs of 29 points and 16 rebounds, making 11 of his 19 shots from the field. Allen has recorded seven straight double-doubles, averaging 21.0 PPG, 15.7 RPG, and 5.0 APG with a field goal percentage of 64.4% over that span. The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama tallied team highs of 24 points and 10 rebounds and blocked a game-high five shots in just 25 minutes of action. He’s the first rookie to record at least 20 points and five blocks in back-to-back games since Tim Duncan on Feb. 26 & 28, 1998. Wembanyama has recorded at least 15 points and five blocks in four of his last six games. The last rookie to produce four such games in a six-game was Shaquille O’Neal in February 1993.
Anfernee Simons scored a team-high 38 points to go with a game-high 11 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 134-127 in overtime. Simons shot 13-25 from the field — including 5-10 from 3-point range — and made seven of his eight free throws. Blazers center Duop Reath recorded his first career double-double, scoring 15 points and posting career highs of 13 rebounds and three blocks. The Nets’ Mikal Bridges broke out of his shooting slump to score a game-high 42 points, going 15-26 from the floor (4-8 on 3-pointers) and 8-8 from the free throw line. Teammate Nic Claxton had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and a game-high four blocks, sinking all eight of his field goal attempts.
The New Orleans Pelicans routed the Sacramento Kings 133-100, holding a 42-point lead after three quarters. The Pelicans are now 4-0 versus the Kings this season, with an average margin of victory of 21.0 PPG. CJ McCollum scored a game-high 30 points for the Pelicans, shooting 11-16 from the field with a season-high seven 3-pointers made. Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double-double in just 22 minutes played, scoring 15 points and hauling in a game-high 12 rebounds. Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Huerter scored 17 points apiece to lead the Kings, with Sabonis adding team highs of 10 rebounds and six assists. Sabonis has recorded 18 straight double-doubles, averaging 20.6 PPG, 13.9 RPG, and 8.2 APG with a field goal percentage of 59.9% over that span.
Paolo Banchero scored a game-high 35 points and snagged 10 rebounds as the Orlando Magic outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 117-110 in overtime. Banchero has scored at least 25 points in six consecutive games, the longest such streak of his career. Teammate Caleb Houston scored a career-high 25 points, also establishing career highs for assists (four), field goals made (eight), 3-pointers made (seven), and 3-pointers attempted (14). The Hawks’ Trae Young scored a team-high 30 points and handed out a game-high nine assists, while backcourt mate Dejounte Murray had 24 points and six rebounds. Hawks forward Jalen Johnson posted a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. In his six games since returning from a wrist injury, Johnson has averaged 17.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG with shooting percentages of 56.2% from the field and 87.5% from the free throw line.
The Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving (35 points) and Luka Doncic (34) combined for 69 points in a 115-108 win over the Western-Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves. Irving added eight rebounds, five assists, and a team-high three steals, while Doncic contributed a game-high eight assists and six rebounds. The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 36 points, also collecting 10 rebounds and a team-high three steals. Edwards has scored at least 24 points in each of his last 12 games, averaging 32.3 PPG with 50/41/84 shooting splits over that span.
The Memphis Grizzlies outscored the Phoenix Suns 35-18 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 121-115 victory. The Grizzlies’ attack was led by Jaren Jackson Jr. (28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists), Marcus Smart (25 points, eight assists, six rebounds, three steals), and Desmond Bane (23 points, five rebounds, five assists). They are just the third trio in franchise history to each record at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the same game, joining Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, and Jerryd Bayless (Jan. 28, 2013). Vince Williams Jr. contributed a career-high 19 points (6-11 field goals) and nine rebounds to the Grizzlies’ cause. Suns guard Devin Booker produced team highs of 24 points and eight assists, with forward Kevin Durant adding 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double for the Suns, tallying 18 points, a game-high 19 rebounds, and five assists.
Jamal Murray scored a season-high 37 points on 14-24 shooting from the field as the Denver Nuggets blew out the Detroit Pistons 131-114. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic attempted just three field goals (making two of them), but dished out a game-high 16 assists and matched his career high with five blocks in only 25 minutes of action. The last player to record at least 15 assists and five blocks in a game was Jamaal Tinsley on Nov. 16, 2001. Since the NBA began tracking blocks in 1973-74, Jokic is the only player to reach those marks in a game in which he scored fewer than five points. Jalen Duren led the Pistons with 20 points (8-12 field goals), but saw his double-double streak end at nine games.
RJ Barrett had a game-high 37 points, six rebounds, and six assists in 36 turnover-free minutes as the Toronto Raptors knocked off the Golden State Warriors 133-118. Barrett shot 13-20 from the field, making five of his eight 3-point attempts. Teammate Chris Boucher came off the bench to score 17 points and grab nine rebounds in just 16 minutes played, sinking all seven of his shots from the floor. The Raptors also received solid performances from Jakob Poeltl (14 points on 6-8 field goals, 11 rebounds, five assists) and Pascal Siakam (16 points on 7-11 field goals, six rebounds, six assists). Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 25 points, shooting 10-15 from the field with five 3-pointers made. Fellow Splash Brother Stephen Curry had a rough night, going 2-14 from the floor and missing all nine of his 3-point attempts. This is the first season since 2016-17 that Curry has failed to make a 3-pointer in multiple games.
The Los Angeles Lakers snapped a four-game losing skid, beating the LA Clippers 106-103. The Lakers’ LeBron James scored a game-high 25 points on 11-19 shooting from the field, adding eight rebounds and a team-high seven assists. Teammate Anthony Davis had 22 points, a team-high 10 rebounds, and three steals, making 10 of his 15 tries from the floor. Ivica Zubac and Paul George scored 22 points apiece to lead the Clippers, with Zubac also hauling in a game-high 19 rebounds.