NBA Game Notes (March 22, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on March 22, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Nikola Jokic recorded his 28th triple-double of the season, scoring a team-high 22 points (tied with Jamal Murray) to go with game highs of 14 rebounds and 14 assists (tied with Deni Avdija) in the Denver Nuggets’ 128-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Jokic made 10 of 18 his attempts from the field, including two 3-pointers. He also swiped a team-high two steals (tied with Cameron Johnson) and blocked one shot in 35 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Karl-Anthony Towns produced game highs of 26 points and 16 rebounds as the New York Knicks destroyed the hapless Washington Wizards 145-113. Towns was very efficient, shooting 9-13 from the floor and 7-7 from the charity stripe. He added three assists and one steal in 26 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Malik Monk came off the bench to score a season-high 32 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 126-122 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Monk went 8-17 from the field (7-13 on threes) and 9-9 from the free throw line. He also dished out six assists and blocked one shot in 30 minutes played
Milestones
Towns recorded his 50th double-double of the season, the sixth time he’s reached that mark. That ties him with Jokic for the most such seasons among active players.
Rudy Gobert (14 rebounds, four blocks) moved up multiple career leaderboards as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Boston Celtics 102-92. He now ranks 24th in blocks (1,830), 26th in defensive rebounds (7,417), and 37th in total rebounds (10,491). The latter two statistics have been tracked since the 1973-74 season.
The Nuggets’ Tim Hardaway Jr. (1-5 on threes) made his 200th 3-pointer of the season, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach that mark. He joins Michael Porter Jr. (2023-24) and Jamal Murray (2025-26).
The Washington Wizards have lost 10 games by 30 or more points this season. They are just the fourth team in NBA history to reach that mark in a campaign, joining the 2021-22 Portland Trail Blazers (15 such losses), the 2022-23 San Antonio Spurs (11), and the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets (10).
Streaking
The Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan (18 points, 13 rebounds) recorded his ninth straight game with double-digit rebounds and his seventh straight double-double, both the longest such streaks of his career. He’s averaged 16.8 PPG, 12.7 RPG, and 2.1 BPG with a field goal percentage of 53.0% over the former span.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: New York Knicks (six).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: Washington Wizards (16) and Brooklyn Nets (seven).
The Wizards tied a franchise record with their 16th consecutive loss. It’s the fifth time they’ve dropped 16 games in a row, with four of those streaks coming in the last three seasons.
Miscellany
Monk led the nightly scoring brigade, bagging 32 points. He was followed by the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (29 points), Towns (26), the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker (25), and the Wizards’ Jaden Hardy (25).
Towns was the chairman of the boards, pulling down 16 rebounds last night. The Kings’ Precious Achiuwa was runner-up with 15 rebounds, while the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert and Jokic shared third place with 14 apiece.
The Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija and Jokic were the night’s premier playmakers, each handing out 14 assists (Avdija matched his career high). They were the only players to deliver double-digit dimes.
The Minnesota Timberwolves snapped an 18-game losing streak in Boston, beating the Celtics on their home court for the first time since a 99-97 win on March 6, 2005.