NBA Game Notes (March 5, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on March 5, 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 ⭐️

Alperen Sengun scored a career-high 45 points (19-32 field goals) and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds as the Houston Rockets defeated the San Antonio Spurs 114-101. He also recorded a career-high five steals, becoming just the fifth player to produce at least 45 points, 15 rebounds, and five steals in a game since the NBA began tracking steals in 1973-74 (a total of six instances):

• John Drew (Jan. 29, 1978)

• Anthony Davis (Oct. 26, 2016)

• Davis (Feb. 23, 2018)

• James Harden (Jan. 23, 2019)

• Joel Embiid (Jan. 12, 2021)

• Alperen Sengun (March 5, 2024)

At 21 years and 224 days old, Sengun is the youngest player to achieve the feat.

Second ⭐️

Trey Murphy III came off the bench to score a season-high 34 points in the New Orleans Pelicans’ 139-98 destruction of the Toronto Raptors. Murphy III shot 11-17 from the field, making 10 of his 14 attempts from 3-point range. He did not commit a turnover or personal foul in 29 minutes played.

Murphy III became the seventh player in NBA history to make 10 or more 3-pointers in a game in which he came off the bench (a total of eight instances):

• Donyell Marshall (March 13, 2005)

• JR Smith (April 13, 2009)

• Smith (Dec. 23, 2009)

• Danilo Gallinari (Feb. 24, 2021)

• Kelly Oubre Jr. (Jan. 26, 2022)

• Luke Kennard (March 24, 2023)

• Bogdan Bogdanovic (Dec. 11, 2023)

• Trey Muprhy III (March 5, 2024)

At 23 years and 261 days old, Murphy III is the second-youngest player to achieve the feat (Smith, 23 years and 216 days). Murphy III also became the first player in franchise history to record multiple games with 10 or more 3-pointers made, and the first player in NBA history to record multiple such games before his 24th birthday.

Third ⭐️

Grayson Allen scored 28 points, shooting 9-15 from the field with eight 3-pointers made as the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 117-107 in overtime. Allen added five rebounds, four assists, and a game-high three steals, committing just one personal foul and no turnovers in 41 minutes played. He also led all players with a plus-minus of +20.

Allen has made at least eight 3-pointers in a game five times this season. Only one other player in franchise history has recorded even two such games in a single season (Quentin Richardson, 2004-05).