NBA Game Notes (May 21, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 21, 2024.

May 22, 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 ⭐️

Jayson Tatum produced game highs of 36 points and 12 rebounds (tied with Pascal Siakam) as the Boston Celtics rallied to defeat the Indiana Pacers 133-128 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 2 will take place Thursday night in Boston.

Tatum shot just 12-26 from the field (2-8 on 3-pointers), but hit 10 of his 12 free throw attempts. He also recorded a game-high three steals (tied with three others) and posted a rating of plus-20 points in his 46 minutes played.

Second ⭐️

Jrue Holiday tallied 28 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in the Celtics’ win over the Pacers. He went 10-16 from the floor (4-8 from 3-point range) and made all four of his free throws. Holiday also recorded a game-high three steals (tied with three others) in 48 minutes of action.

Third ⭐️

Tyrese Haliburton scored a team-high 25 points and dished out a game-high 10 assists in the Pacers’ loss to the Celtics. Haliburton shot 8-18 from the field, sinking six of his 14 attempts from 3-point range. He also swiped a game-high three steals (tied with three others) in 40 minutes of playing time.

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Milestones

Haliburton has made 51 3-pointers in 14 playoff games. He tied Luka Doncic as the fastest player in NBA history to reach 50 career 3-pointers made in the postseason.
Haliburton has recorded 115 assists in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He’s the first player in NBA history to produce at least 100 assists and 50 3-pointers made through the first 14 games of a postseason.
Haliburton has made at least five 3-pointers in five games this postseason, breaking a tie with Reggie Miller (2000) and Paul George (2014) for the most such games in a playoff run in Pacers history.
The Celtics’ Tatum (36 points) and Jaylen Brown (26) each scored at least 25 points in the same playoff game for the 16th time, breaking a tie with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving for the ninth-most such games in NBA history by a duo.
Tatum and Brown have each scored at least 20 points in the same playoff game 40 times, breaking a tie with the St. Louis Hawks’ Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan for the eighth-most such games in NBA history by a duo.
Tatum (36 points, three steals), Holiday (28 points, three steals), and Brown (26 points, three steals) became the first trio to each record at least 25 points and three steals in the same playoff game since the NBA began tracking steals in 1973-74. The last trio to accomplish the feat in a regular season game was the Golden State Warriors’ Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond, and Tim Hardaway on Feb. 16, 1991.
Haliburton (25 points, 10 assists), Pascal Siakam (24 points, 12 rebounds), and Myles Turner (23 points, 10 rebounds) became just the fourth trio in NBA history to each record a 20-point double-double in the same conference finals game. The last trio to achieve this feat was the Phoenix Suns’ Walter Davis, Larry Nance, and Kyle Macy on May 23, 1984.
The Indiana Pacers registered 38 assists on 53 field goals made. Both totals matched the highest such figures in a playoff game since the franchise joined the NBA in 1976. They also recorded 38 assists on April 23, 2024 and made 53 field goals on May 19, 2024.
The Pacers’ 38 assists are the second-highest total in an Eastern Conference Finals game. The Boston Celtics set the record of 39 dimes on May 13, 1986.
The Pacers’ 53 field goals made are the most in an Eastern Conference Finals game since the Chicago Bulls on May 19, 1996 (also 53 field goals made).

Streaking

Tatum has scored at least 25 points in each of his last five games. He’s the fourth player in Celtics history to record at least five such playoff games in a row, joining John Havlicek (four times, high of eight games), Larry Bird, and Reggie Lewis.
The Pacers became the first team to make at least 50 field goals in consecutive playoff games since the Dallas Mavericks achieved the feat on May 8 & 10, 2003.

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Tatum led players with 36 points last night. He was one of six players to score at least 20 points, the others being Holiday (28), Brown (26), Haliburton (25), Siakam (24), and Turner (23).
Siakam and Tatum were the night’s top glass cleaners, pulling down 12 rebounds apiece. Turner also recorded double-digit rebounds, snagging 10 boards.
Haliburton was the leading playmaker last night with 10 assists. He was followed by the Celtics’ Derrick White and Holiday with nine and eight dimes, respectively.