NBA Game Notes (May 13, 2025)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 13, 2025.

May 14, 2025

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 ⭐️

Nikola Jokic produced game highs of 44 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Denver Nuggets lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-105 to go down 3-2 in their Western Conference Semifinals series. Jokic shot 17-25 from the field (5-7 on 3-pointers) and made all five of his free throw attempts. He also dished out a team-high five assists and swiped a game-high two steals (tied with four others) in 44 minutes of action.

Second ⭐️

Tyrese Haliburton scored a team-high 31 points and distributed a game-high eight assists in the Indiana Pacers’ series-clinching 114-105 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Haliburton went 10-15 from the floor (6-10 on threes) and 5-6 from the charity stripe. He also contributed six rebounds, one steal, and one block, posting a game-best rating of plus-27 points in 36 minutes played.

Third ⭐️

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander racked up a team-high 31 points, a game-high seven assists, and six rebounds in the Thunder’s win over the Nuggets. Gilgeous-Alexander shot 12-23 from the field and a perfect 6-6 from the from throw line. He also recorded game highs of two steals (tied with four others) and two blocks (tied with two others) in 39 minutes of court time.

Milestones

Jokic became the first player in NBA history to record multiple 40-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist games in a single postseason series. He tallied 42 points, 22 rebounds, and six assists in Game 1.
Jokic is just the third player in NBA history to record at least 40 points and 15 rebounds with an effective field goal percentage of 75% in a playoff game, joining LeBron James (June 7, 2012) and Kevin Durant (June 15, 2021).
Jokic led his team (either outright or tied) in points, rebounds, and assists for the 25th time in a playoff game, becoming the third player in NBA history to reach that mark. He joins LeBron James (75 such games) and Luka Doncic (27).
Jokic increased his playoff total to 2,531 points, becoming the 46th player in NBA history to reach 2,500 career points in the postseason.
Six Indiana Pacers averaged at least 10 PPG on 50% shooting from the field in the Eastern Conference Semifinals: Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Bennedict Mathurin. That ties the NBA record for most such players in a single postseason series, a feat Indiana also accomplished in the second round last season.
After setting a franchise record by attempting 45 threes in Game 4, the Denver Nuggets (13-46 on threes) broke that record in Game 5. Nuggets other than Jokic shot just 8-39 (20.5%) from beyond the arc.

Streaking

Jokic has scored in double figures in 92 straight playoff games, the longest such streak in Denver Nuggets history by 33 games. He’s one of only eight players in NBA history to start his playoff career with 92 such games in a row.
The Pacers have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 16 playoff games, the franchise’s longest such streak since joining the NBA in 1976. They are averaging 117.1 PPG with 51.5/39.5/78.9 shooting splits over that span.

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Jokic led the nightly scoring brigade, pouring in 44 points. He was followed by the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (35), Gilgeous-Alexander (31), Haliburton (31), and the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (28).
Jokic was also the night’s leading rebounder, hauling in 15 boards. Also snagging double-digit rebounds were the Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith with 13 (a playoff career high) and the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley with 11.
Haliburton was the top playmaker last night, handing out eight assists. Gilgeous-Alexander ranked second with seven dimes, while the Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard placed third with six.
The Cavaliers’ Darius Garland and Max Strus each went 0-6 from 3-point range. It’s just the third time in NBA history a team has fielded two players who attempted at least six threes without a make in the same playoff game. The other duos who accomplished this ignominious feat are the New Jersey Nets’ Kerry Kittles and Jason Kidd (May 25, 2002) and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins (June 13, 2022).
The Cleveland Cavaliers are just the fourth team in NBA history to win at least 64 games in the regular season and then be eliminated before the conference or division finals. They join the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks, the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, and the 2021-22 Phoenix Suns.