Tatum Snaps Slump
Jayson Tatum snapped out of his recent shooting slump, scoring a team-high 41 points as the Boston Celtics held on for a 117-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tatum shot 13-21 from the field (including 4-6 from 3-point range), adding 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Tatum now has 20 career 40-point games. He’s the third player in franchise history to reach that mark, joining Larry Bird (47) and Paul Pierce (21). It’s his ninth 40-point game of the season. The only Celtic to record more such games in a single season is Bird with 11 in 1987-88.
Teammate Al Horford scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, shooting 8-10 from the field with six 3-pointers made. Horford became the oldest player in NBA history to record a 20-point, 10-rebound game with an effective field goal percentage greater than 100% (age in years-days):
36-271 — Al Horford (March 1, 2023)
32-049 — Mike Dunleavy (Nov. 3, 2012)
31-279 — Chris Bosh (Dec. 28, 2015)
31-161 — Shane Battier (Feb. 17, 2010)
31-087 — Torrey Craig (March 16, 2022)
Regardless of age, Horford and Larry Bird (March 13, 1986) are the only players in franchise history to record such a game.
The Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 44 points and dished out five assists in the loss. Mitchell shot 17-32 from the field — including 4-12 from 3-point range — and made six of his seven free throws.
This was Mitchell’s seventh 40-point game of the season. The only Cavaliers with more such games in their entire career with the franchise are LeBron James (51) and Kyrie Irving (11).
Backcourt mate Darius Garland had 29 points, nine assists, and four steals, the latter two figures game highs. It’s the fifth time Mitchell and Garland have each recorded at least 25 points and five assists in the same game, already the most such games by a backcourt duo in franchise history.
Bucks Keep Winning
The Milwaukee Bucks continued their winning ways, routing the Orlando Magic 139-117 to claim their 16th consecutive victory. It’s the longest winning streak in the NBA this season and matches the third-longest winning streak in franchise history:
20 — Feb. 6–March 8, 1971
18 — Nov. 10–Dec. 14, 2019
16 — Oct. 24–Nov. 25, 1970
16 — Feb. 28–Oct. 13, 1973
16 — Jan. 23–March 1, 2023
The Bucks have scored 1,979 points over that span (123.7 PPG). Only two teams in NBA history have scored more points over a 16-game span without a loss: the 1959-60 Boston Celtics and the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. Both of those teams went on to win the NBA Finals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with a game-high 31 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists. Antetokounmpo shot 10-14 from the field and made eight of his 10 free throws. It’s the 33rd time he’s scored at least 30 points on 70% shooting from the field. The only active player with more such games is LeBron James (34).
Antetokounmpo was one of six Bucks to make at least three 3-pointers:
4 — Grayson Allen
4 — AJ Green
4 — Joe Ingles
4 — Brook Lopez
3 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
3 — Pat Connaughton
That sets a franchise record and ties the NBA record for most such players in a single game (a total of seven occurrences).
The Bucks made 26 3-pointers as a team, matching the second-highest single-game total in franchise history. They set the franchise and NBA single-game record of 29 3-pointers made on Dec. 29, 2020.
Knicks Extend Streak
The New York Knicks extended their winning streak to seven games, blowing out the Brooklyn Nets 142-118. The Knicks are averaging 123.7 PPG during the streak, their highest scoring average over a seven-game span since the 1988-89 season.
The Knicks scored 81 points in the first half, just the fourth time in franchise history they’ve reached the 80-point mark by halftime:
84 — Nov. 18, 1988
82 — Nov. 29, 2008
81 — March 1, 2023
80 — Feb. 13, 1970
They scored 47 of those points in the first quarter, the second-highest opening-period total in franchise history. The franchise record of 48 first-quarter points was set earlier this season (Nov. 13, 2022).
The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson scored 30 of his game-high 39 points in the first half. Brunson shot a blistering 15-18 from the field — including 5-6 from 3-point range — and made all four of his free throws. Brunson also produced six assists and five rebounds.
Teammate Julius Randle had 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Randle has scored at least 20 points a team-high 47 times this season, just three shy of his single-season high (50, 2020-21).
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds, making all six of his attempts from the field. It’s the ninth time he’s recorded a double-double without missing a shot from the field, the most such games in franchise history.
The Nets’ Cameron Johnson scored a season-high 33 points in the loss, shooting 13-18 from the field with seven 3-pointers made. Johnson played just 27 minutes, tying the franchise record for fewest minutes played in a 30-point game:
Mirza Teletovic (Jan. 24, 2014)
Joe Harris (March 25, 2018)
Kevin Durant (April 13, 2021)
Cameron Johnson (March 1, 2023)
Pelicans Stop Slide
Brandon Ingram scored a season-high 40 points on 18-29 shooting from the field as the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Portland Trail Blazers 121-110 to snap their four-game losing slide. Ingram also contributed six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. He did not commit a turnover, joining Anthony Davis (Nov. 17, 2018) as the only players in franchise history to record a 40-point, 5-assist game with zero turnovers.
The Pelicans’ CJ McCollum chipped in with 24 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in his first head-to-head matchup with long-time backcourt mate Damian Lillard.
Speaking of Lillard, he scored a game-high 41 points, shooting 12-22 from the field and 15-16 from the free throw line. Lillard snagged eight rebounds but did not record an assist. It’s the first time Lillard has scored at least 40 points in a game without being credited with an assist.
Over his last 23 games, Lillard is averaging 38.2 PPG and 7.0 APG with shooting percentages of 51.2% from the field, 39.2% from 3-point range, and 94.6% from the free throw line. He’s scored at least 24 points in each of those games.
Quick Hitters
Some other notes from around the NBA:
Kevin Durant made his debut for the Phoenix Suns, scoring 23 points on 10-15 shooting from the field in a 105-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets. The Suns’ Devin Booker scored a team-high 37 points, adding seven assist and six rebounds. Booker has 76 career 35-point games, 10 more such games than the next two closest players in franchise history combined (Walter Davis and Amar’e Stoudemire, 33 apiece).
Zach LaVine scored a game-high 41 points as the Chicago Bulls edged the Detroit Pistons 117-115. LaVine shot 14-20 from the field — including 6-9 from 3-point range — and made all seven of his free throws. It’s the sixth time LaVine has recorded a 40-point game with an effective goal percentage of at least 85%. The only players in NBA history with more such games are Stephen Curry (10) and Klay Thompson (9).
The Philadelphia 76ers’ starting backcourt of Tyrese Maxey (27 points) and James Harden (23) combined for 50 points in a 119-96 blowout of the Miami Heat. Maxey also handed out a game-high seven assists and shot 10-17 from the field. The Sixers played without leading scorer and rebounder Joel Embiid, who sat out with left foot soreness.