NBA Game Notes (May 25, 2024)
NBA Game Notes (May 25, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 25, 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 scored a game-high 36 points as the Boston Celtics took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a 114-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics can close out the series Monday night in Indianapolis.
Tatum also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds (tied with Myles Turner), handed out a team-high eight assists, and blocked two shots in 44 turnover-free minutes. He went 12-23 from the field (5-10 on 3-pointers) and 7-11 from the free throw line.
Second ⭐️
Andrew Nembhard scored a team-high 32 points and dished out a game-high nine assists in the Pacers’ loss to the Celtics. Nembhard shot 12-21 from the floor — including 4-7 from 3-point range — and made all four of his free throws. He committed just two turnovers in his team-high 39 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Al Horford tallied 23 points, five rebounds, and three blocks in the Celtics’ win over the Pacers. Horford went 8-14 from the field, sinking seven of his 12 attempts from 3-point range. He was charged with just one turnover in 35 minutes of playing time.
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Milestones
Horford’s seven 3-pointers made are a career high for any game, regular season or postseason (a combined total of 1,258 games played). He’d made six 3-pointers in six previous games, most recently on May 15, 2024.
The Pacers’ T.J. McConnell came off the bench to record 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. The last reserve to produce at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a conference finals game was James Harden on May 25, 2011.
The Celtics’ Tatum (36 points) and Jaylen Brown (24) each scored at least 20 points in the same playoff game for the 42nd time, the eighth-most such games in NBA history by a duo.
Seven players scored at least 20 points on 50% shooting from the field: Tatum (36 points, 12-23 field goals), Nembhard (32 points, 12-21 field goals), Brown (24 points, 10-18 field goals), Horford (23 points, 8-14 field goals), McConnell (23 points, 10-17 field goals), Pascal Siakam (22 points, 9-18 field goals), and Myles Turner (22 points, 9-16 field goals). It’s just the second conference finals game in NBA history to feature seven such players, the first coming on May 23, 1984 in a matchup featuring the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Streaking
Tatum has scored at least 23 points in each of his last seven games. He’s averaging 30.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 6.1 APG over that span, shooting 46.7% from the field and 86.7% from the free throw line.
Derrick White (13 points, two 3-pointers made) has made at least one 3-pointer in 22 consecutive playoff games, the fourth-longest such streak in Celtics history. He’s averaging 15.7 PPG with 48/45/88 shooting splits over that stretch.
The Boston Celtics connected on 16 of their 46 attempts from 3-point range. They became the first team in NBA history to make 15 or more 3-pointers in three straight games in a conference finals.
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Miscellany
Tatum led all scorers with 36 points last night. Nembhard (32), Brown (24), Horford (23), McConnell (23), Siakam (22), and Turner (22) also produced 20-point efforts.
Tatum and Turner were the night’s top rebounders, pulling in 10 boards apiece. The Celtics’ Jrue Holiday and McConnell were next with nine rebounds each.
Nembhard was the leading playmaker last night, delivering nine assists. He was followed by Tatum and White with eight and seven dimes, respectively.