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 ⭐️
Trae Young scored a team-high 24 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from beyond halfcourt, to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 124-121 victory over the Utah Jazz. Young shot just 6-16 from the field (3-10 on 3-pointers), but made nine of his 10 free throw attempts. He also dished out a game-high 20 assists in 37 minutes of action.
Second ⭐️
LaMelo Ball produced team highs of 32 points and seven assists as the Charlotte Hornets snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 115-104 win over the Phoenix Suns. Ball also grabbed 10 rebounds (matching his season high) and swiped a game-high four steals, committing just one turnover in 35 minutes played. On the downside, he shot just 12-28 from the floor, going 5-16 from 3-point range.
Third ⭐️
Devin Booker recorded game highs of 39 points and 10 assists, but it wasn’t enough in the Suns’ loss to the Hornets. Booker went 14-25 from the field (but just 2-8 on 3-pointers) and a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. He also grabbed six rebounds in 39 minutes of playing time.
Milestones
Young recorded his third 20-point, 20-assist game of the season, tying him with four other players for second place on the NBA’s single-season list. The record of five such games was set by Isiah Thomas in 1984-85.
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 32 points with seven 3-pointers made in a 104-97 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Edwards has scored 122 points over his last three games, the most over a three-game span in franchise history. The previous mark of 116 points was held by Karl-Anthony Towns (Jan. 22-25, 2024).
Russell Westbrook had 26 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in the Denver Nuggets’ 118-106 loss to the Boston Celtics. Westbrook made four free throws to increase his career total to 5,900, breaking a tie with Tim Duncan for 25th place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Streaking
Young has recorded at least five assists in 196 straight games, the third-longest such streak in NBA history behind John Stockton (336) and Thomas (209).
Young’s teammate, Bogdan Bogdanovic, scored 11 points with three 3-pointers made. He’s made at least one three in 106 consecutive games, the fifth-longest such streak in NBA history.
Tyler Herro scored 14 points with three 3-pointers made in the Miami Heat’s 114-98 win over the Golden State Warriors. Herro has made at least one three in each of his last 69 games, tying Duncan Robinson (Feb. 11, 2021 to Nov. 29, 2021) for the longest such streak in franchise history.
Miscellany
The Suns’ Devin Booker was the night’s leading scorer, netting 39 points. The Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen (season-high-tying 35), Ball (32), Edwards (32), and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry (31) also produced 30-point efforts.
The Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson was the top board man, hauling in 15 rebounds last night. Also collecting at least a dozen boards were the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert (14), the Lakers’ Anthony Davis (12), the Suns’ Mason Plumlee (12), the Timberwolves’ Naz Reid (12), and the Hornets’ Nick Richards (12).
Young led all playmakers last night, handing out 20 assists. The Rockets’ Fred VanVleet was next with 12 dimes, followed by Booker and the Warriors’ Draymond Green with 10 apiece.
Curry scored 31 points with eight 3-pointers made, but was not credited with an assist. It’s the first time in his 16-season career he’s recorded a 30-point game with zero assists.
The Washington Wizards have lost 12 games by 20 or more points this season. The only team in NBA history with more such losses through their first 34 games of a season is the 1989-90 Miami Heat with 13.