Lakers Win Battle of L.A.
LeBron James produced team-high figures of 35 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists (tied) as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the LA Clippers 130-125 in overtime. It’s the 81st time James has scored at least 30 points in a game since turning 35 years old, breaking a tie with Karl Malone for the most such games in NBA history.
James’ 35 points are the most ever scored by a player in his 21st season or later, breaking the mark of 30 points set by Dirk Nowitzki on April 9, 2019, the next-to-last game of Nowitzki’s career.
Lakers center Anthony Davis scored 27 points on 10-18 shooting from the field, adding 10 rebounds and a game-high four blocks. Davis has recorded at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks in each of his last four games. The only player over the last 20 seasons to produce a longer such streak is Davis himself, who recorded six such games in a row last season.
D’Angleo Russell was the third Laker to record a 25-point game, scoring 27 points on 10-19 shooting from the field. Russell has scored 55 points and dished out 14 assists over his last two games, shooting 60.6% from the field and making all nine of his free throws.
The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 38 points, adding six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Leonard shot 15-28 from the field, making five of his 11 attempts from 3-point range.
Teammate Paul George scored 35 points, shooting 11-16 from the (including 6-9 from 3-point range) and 7-8 from the free throw line. It’s just the sixth time in franchise history two players have each scored at least 35 points in the same game. Leonard and George are the only Clipper duo to accomplish the feat multiple times (twice).
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook scored 24 points and added team highs of 11 rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. Westbrook collected his 8,000th career rebound in this game. He became just the third player in NBA history to record at least 8,000 rebounds and 8,000 assists, joining James and Jason Kidd.
Celtics Erupt for 155 Points
The Boston Celtics produced the second-highest scoring game in franchise history, erupting for 155 points in a 155-104 rout of the Indiana Pacers. The franchise record of 173 points was set on Feb. 27, 1959 versus the Minneapolis Lakers.
The 51-point difference is tied for the third-largest margin of victory in franchise history, trailing only a 56-point pasting of the Chicago Bulls on Dec, 8, 2018 and a 53-point blowout of the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 25, 2022.
The Celtics scored at least 75 points in each half, putting up 75 in the first half and 80 in the second half. It’s the first time in franchise history the Celtics have scored at least 75 points in the first half of back-to-back games, as they had 80 points at halftime on Tuesday versus the Washington Wizards.
The Celtics shot 20-35 (57.1%) from 3-point range, the 36th time in franchise history they’ve made at least 20 threes in a game. This is the highest 3-point field goal percentage they’ve recorded in one of those games.
Jayson Tatum led eight Celtics in double-figures, scoring a game-high 30 points in just 26 minutes played. Tatum shot 9-15 from the field, made nine of his 10 free throws, and hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds.
The other seven Celtics to score at least 10 points were:
18 — Derrick White
17 — Sam Hauser
16 — Jaylen Brown
15 — Jrue Holiday
15 — Payton Pritchard
13 — Kristaps Porzingis
11 — Dalano Banton
Six of the eight double-digit scorers shot at least 60% from the field, the exceptions being Brown (46.7%) and Porzingis (42.9%).
Quick Hitters
Others notes on last night’s action:
The New Orleans Pelicans rallied from a 22-point second-quarter deficit to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-106. CJ McCollum scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Pelicans, adding 11 rebounds and five assists. McCollum shot 10-17 from the field, making five of his eight 3-point attempts. Teammate Zion Williamson fell two assists shy of a triple-double, tallying 20 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Dennis Schroder scored 24 points and handed out a game-high 11 assists as the Toronto Raptors blew out the Milwaukee Bucks 130-111. Schroder made nine of his 13 attempts from the floor and hit all four of his free throws.
Collin Sexton came off the bench to score a game-high 23 points in 22 minutes as the Utah Jazz ripped the winless Memphis Grizzlies 133-109. It’s the fourth time the Grizzlies have lost each of their first five games of a season, and the first since the 2002-03 season.
Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 30 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 95-89 victory over the New York Knicks. Mitchell is the first player in franchise history to open a season with four consecutive 25-point games.
The Atlanta Hawks picked up their third straight win, knocking off the Washington Wizards 130-121. The Hawks’ Dejounte Murray scored a team-high 24 points on 10-15 shooting from the field, also handing out eight assists.
The Minnesota Timberwolves picked up an easy 110-89 win over the Denver Nuggets, handing the defending champions their first loss of the season. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 24 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 21 points and eight rebounds.
Klay Thomspon hit a game-winning jumper with less than one second remaining in the fourth quarter as the Golden State Warriors held off the Sacramento Kings 102-101. Stephen Curry led six Warriors in double-figures with 21 points. He’s just the second player in NBA history age 35 years or older to open a season with five straight 20-point games, joining Karl Malone (1998-99 and 2000-01). Domantas Sabonis paced the Kings with team highs of 23 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 20 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough in a 114-105 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks — who were led by Grant Williams’ game-high 25 points — moved to 4-0 for just the fourth time in franchise history, and first since the 2004-05 season.
Shaedon Sharpe had 29 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 110-101 win over the Detroit Pistons. Sharpe shot 9-16 from the field and made eight of his 10 free throws. Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 30 points for the Pistons, but made just 11 of his 27 attempts from the field.
The Houston Rockets picked up their first win of the season, beating the Charlotte Hornets 128-119. All five Rockets starters scored at least 17 points, led be Jalen Green with 23.
The Miami Heat — defending Eastern Conference champions — fell to 1-4 with a 109-105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Mikal Bridges led a balanced Nets attack with 21 points, while Tyler Herro scored a game-high 30 points for the Heat.