NBA Game Notes (May 9, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 9, 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 scored a team-high 29 points (tied with P.J. Washington) as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-110 in Game 2 of their Western Conference Semifinals series. The series will shift to Dallas for Game 3 Saturday night with the teams tied at one game apiece.
Doncic shot 11-21 from the floor, making five of his eight 3-point attempts. He also contributed 10 rebounds, seven assists, and a game-high three steals, committing just one turnover and no personal fouls in 41 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced game highs of 33 points and 12 rebounds in the Thunder’s loss to the Mavericks. Gilgeous-Alexander went 13-24 from the field and made all six of his free throw attempts. He also recorded a team-high eight assists and a game-high two blocks (tied with two others) in 41 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Donovan Mitchell posted game highs of 29 points and eight assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Boston Celtics 118-94 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Cleveland will head home for Game 3 with the series knotted 1-1.
Mitchell shot 10-19 from the floor, hitting five of his seven attempts from 3-point range. He also grabbed seven rebounds and was charged with just one turnover in 39 minutes of court time.
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Milestones
Doncic (29 points, 10 rebounds) and P.J. Washington (29 points, 11 rebounds) each had at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in the Mavericks’ win over the Thunder. It’s just the second time in franchise history Dallas has had multiple 25-point, 10-rebound efforts in the same playoff game. On April 18, 1985, three Mavericks — Rolando Blackman, Mark Aguirre, and Sam Perkins — performed the feat in a double-overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Doncic (5-8 on 3-pointers) and Washington (7-11) became the first duo in NBA history to each record at least 10 rebounds and five 3-pointers made in the same playoff game.
Streaking
Mitchell has scored at least 25 points in each of his last five games. The only other player in Cavaliers history to record at least five such playoff games in a row is LeBron James (six distinct streaks, high of 17 games).
Doncic has made at least one 3-pointer in each of his 36 career playoff games, the second-longest such streak to start a postseason career in NBA history. He also tied Damian Lillard for the seventh-longest such streak overall.
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Miscellany
Gilgeous-Alexander was the night’s leading scorer, matching his playoff career high with 33 points. He was followed by Doncic (29), Mitchell (29), Washington (29, playoff career high), and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (25).
Gilgeous-Alexander was also the night’s leading rebounder, tying his playoff career high with 12 boards. Washington (11, playoff career high), Doncic (10), and the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley (10) also collected double-digit rebounds.
The Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving was the top playmaker, handing out 11 assists last night (tying his playoff career high). Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell were next with eight dimes apiece, followed by Doncic with seven.
The Boston Celtics’ 24-point defeat is the fifth-worst home playoff loss in franchise history. Interestingly, four of those five losses — including the top three (44, 33, and 29 points) — have come at the hands of the Cavaliers.