NBA Game Notes (March 10, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on March 10, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Bam Adebayo produced the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, pouring in 83 points in the Miami Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. Adebayo shot 20-43 from the field (7-22 on threes) and 36-43 from the free throw line, setting league records for most free throws made and attempted in a game. He also contributed a game-high nine rebounds, two steals, and a game-high two blocks (tied with Alex Sarr) in 42 minutes played. There’s much more on Adebayo’s historic night below.
Second ⭐️
Cameron Payne scored a career-high 32 points as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 139-129. Payne was amazingly efficient, going 9-10 from the floor (8-8 on threes) and 6-6 from the charity stripe. He added game highs of 10 assists, three steals (tied with VJ Edgecombe), and two blocks (tied with Trendon Watford) in 30 turnover-free minutes.
Third ⭐️
Victor Wembanyama produced game highs of 39 points and 11 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 125-116 victory over the Boston Celtics. Wembanyama went 11-20 from the field (8-15 on threes) and 9-12 from the free throw line. He also blocked a game-high two shots (tied with Hugo Gonzalez) and swiped one steal in 37 minutes of action.
Milestones
Adebayo is just the third player in NBA history to score at least 80 points in a game, joining Wilt Chamberlain (100 on March 2, 1962) and Kobe Bryant (81 on Jan. 22, 2006).
As noted earlier, Adebayo set NBA records for most free throw made and attempted in a game. His 36 makes surpassed the previous mark of 28 shared by Wilt Chamberlain (March 2, 1962) and Adrian Dantley (Jan. 4, 1984), while his 43 attempts bested the prior record of 39 held by Dwight Howard (twice).
Adebayo set Miami Heat single-game records in the following categories: points (83), field goals attempted (43), field goals missed (23), 3-pointers attempted (22), 3-pointers missed (15), free throws made (36), and free throws attempted (43).
Adebayo scored 31 of his points in the opening period, setting a Miami Heat record for most points scored in a quarter. The previous mark of 25 points was held by LeBron James (twice).
Adebayo had 43 points through the first two periods, the highest-scoring half in Miami Heat history. Once again he bested James, who scored 37 points in the second half on March 3, 2014.
Adebayo is the 11th different player (16th instance) in NBA history to score at least 70 points in a game, but the first to do so while shooting less than 50% from the field (46.5%).
Adebayo entered last night with a career scoring average of 16.0 PPG, the lowest in NBA history by a player immediately before a 60-point game. He displaced Jalen Brunson, who had a career scoring average of 16.4 PPG prior to his 61-point effort on March 29, 2024.
Adebayo is just the second player in NBA history to attempt at least 20 free throws and 20 threes in a game. He joins James Harden, who has achieved the feat three times.
Payne set a Philadelphia 76ers record for most 3-pointers made in a game without a miss. His 8-8 performance eclipsed the previous mark of six triples without a misfire shared by four players.
Payne recorded an effective field goal percentage of 130.0%, the highest such figure in Philadelphia 76ers history in a 30-point game. It’s also the second-highest such figure in a 30-point game in NBA history, trailing only Luke Kennard’s 136.4% on March 24, 2023.
Josh Giddey (21 points, 13 rebounds, 17 assists) recorded his 10th triple-double of the season as the Chicago Bulls outlasted the Golden State Warriors 130-124 in overtime. He’s the second player in franchise history to reach that mark, joining Michael Jordan (15 in 1988-89).
Giddey also moved into the top 20 on the NBA’s career leaderboard for triple-doubles with 28, tying Jordan for 20th place. At 23 years and 151 days old, he’s the fourth youngest-player in NBA history to reach 28 triple-doubles.
Collin Gillespie (4-9 on threes) made his 200th 3-pointer of the season in the Phoenix Suns’ 129-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s the fifth player in franchise history to reach that mark, but none of them did so in fewer games than Gillespie’s 64.
Luka Doncic (31 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) recorded his sixth 30-point triple-double of the season in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. That breaks a tie with Magic Johnson (1988-89) and LeBron James (2019-20) for the most such games in a single season in franchise history.
Doncic (4-12 on threes) set a Los Angeles Lakers record for most 3-pointers attempted in a season with 553, eight more than the previous record holder, De’Angelo Russell (2023-24).
The Bucks’ Kyle Kuzma (33 points) reached 10,000 career points, becoming the fourth player from the University of Utah and the fifth player from the 2017 NBA Draft class to attain that milestone.
Thanks to Adebayo, the Miami Heat (47-59 free throws) tied the franchise record for most free throws made in a game. They also sank 47 free throws on Dec. 8, 1992 versus the Dallas Mavericks.
Streaking
Doncic (31 points) has recorded 11 straight 20-point games, eight straight 25-point games, and three straight 30-point games. He’s averaged 31.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 8.0 APG over the former span.
The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (24 points) has scored at least 15 points in each of his last 114 regular season games, tying Joel Embiid (Dec. 3, 2021 to March 20, 2023) for the 15th-longest such streak in NBA history.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: Atlanta Hawks (seven), Miami Heat (six), and San Antonio Spurs (five).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: Indiana Pacers (10), Washington Wizards (nine), Dallas Mavericks (eight), and Memphis Grizzlies (five).
The Pacers have lost at least 10 straight games for the second time this season, falling to the Sacramento Kings 114-109. It’s the first time in franchise history they’ve recorded two double-digit losing streaks in a single season.
The Heat have scored at least 120 points in five consecutive games, the longest such streak in franchise history. Prior to this run, they had never recorded more than three such games in a row.
Miscellany
Adebayo was the night’s leading scorer, erupting for a career-high 83 points. He was followed by the Bulls’ Matas Buzelis (career-high 41 points), Wembanyama (39), the Celtics’ Derrick White (34), and Kuzma (33).
The Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward was the top rebounder last night, matching his career high with 16 boards. Giddey was runner-up with 13 rebounds, while six players shared third place with a dozen apiece: the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton, the Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg (tied career high), the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert, the Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr., the Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun, and the Bulls’ Jalen Smith.
Giddey was the premier playmaker, handing out a career-high-tying 17 assists last night. Also delivering double-digit dimes were the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (15 assists), Doncic (11), the Hawks’ Dyson Daniels (10), and Payne (10).



Notes regarding free throws: both playoff records were equal or higher than the reg. season ones.
* FT made: Bob Cousy shot 30-of-32 in a 4-OT playoff game in 1953 (en route to a career high 50 points) -
* FT attempts: Shaquille O'Neal shot 18-of-39 in game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals (including 9/16 in the 4th), more than a decade before Dwight Howard's 21/39 and 25/39 in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Anyway Bam blew all previous FT marks out of the water...