NBA Game Notes (March 31, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on March 31, 2024.
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 ⭐️
Luka Doncic produced game highs of 47 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists (tied with two others) as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 125-107. Dallas has won 11 of its last 12 games (including the last seven in a row), while Houston saw its 11-game winning streak come to an end.
Doncic made 18 of his 30 shots from the floor, including a career-high-tying nine of his 16 attempts from 3-point range. He also led the Mavericks with two steals, committing just one personal foul in a team-high 35 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
LeBron James matched his season high with 40 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. James went 13-17 from the field, making a career-high-tying nine 3-pointers in 10 tries. He became the eighth player in NBA history to shoot at least 90% from 3-point range in a game with 10 or more attempts.
James’ effective field goal percentage was 102.9%, the highest such figure in franchise history by a player in a 40-point game. It’s also the highest effective field goal percentage James has ever recorded in a game, regardless of the number of points scored.
Third ⭐️
Nikola Jokic recorded his 23rd triple-double of the season, compiling game highs of 26 points (11-18 field goals), 18 rebounds, and 16 assists as the Denver Nuggets blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-101. Jokic has been the game’s outright leader in all three categories nine times this season, tied with Doncic for the league lead. The only other player to record even two such games this season is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It’s the seventh time Jokic has recorded at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a game, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain and Russell Westbrook for the second-most such games in NBA history (Oscar Robertson, 14).
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Statitudes to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.