Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Alperen Sengun produced game highs of 43 points and 12 rebounds as the Houston Rockets beat the Utah Jazz 125-118, handing the Jazz their 11th consecutive loss. Sengun was very efficient from the field, sinking 17 of his 24 attempts. He also contributed five assists, one steal, and one block in 37 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 37 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 133-121 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Adebayo shot 13-19 from the floor (2-3 on threes) and 9-10 from the charity stripe. He also recorded a game-high 14 rebounds and three assists in 38 turnover-free minutes.
Third ⭐️
Franz Wagner tallied game highs of 35 points and 12 assists in the Orlando Magic’s 107-99 win over the reeling Milwaukee Bucks, losers of nine straight games. Wagner went 13-22 from the field (3-8 on threes) and 6-6 from the free throw line. He added nine rebounds, one steal, and one block in 36 minutes of action.
Milestones
Josh Giddey recorded his 32nd career triple-double, compiling 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists as the Chicago Bulls outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 125-117 in overtime. He tied Rajon Rondo for 17th place on the NBA’s career leaderboard.
The Bulls’ Buddy Hield took sole possession of 14th place on the NBA’s all-time list for 3-pointers made with 2,211, breaking a tie with the recently-retired Kyle Lowry.
The Heat’s Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points for his 133rd career 35-point game, breaking a tie with Rick Barry for the 19th-most such games in NBA history.
The Memphis Grizzlies tied an NBA record as 10 players scored in double figures in their 142-111 demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s the 10th time this feat has been achieved, the last two coming at the expense of the Pelicans.
Streaking
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 40 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 113-112 loss to the LA Clippers. He’s scored at least 15 points in each of his last 163 games, the seventh-longest such streak in NBA history.
Wagner recorded his fourth consecutive 30-point game, the longest such streak of his career and tied for the sixth-longest such streak in Orlando Magic history. He’s averaged 34.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 7.8 APG with 53.3/35.7/96.8 shooting splits over that span.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 15 rebounds in the New York Knicks’ 106-104 loss to the Indiana Pacers, his 12th double-double in 12 games this season. He broke a tie with Willis Reed (1970-71) for the longest such streak to open a season in franchise history.
Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson scored 28 points for his fifth straight 20-point game. He joins Darrell Griffith and Donovan Mitchell as the only rookies in franchise history to record at least five such games in a row.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: San Antonio Spurs (11).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: Utah Jazz (11), Milwaukee Bucks (nine), New Orleans Pelicans (five), and Sacramento Kings (five).
The New Orleans Pelicans suffered their third straight 30-point loss, tying an NBA record. They’ve been outscored by 116 points over that stretch, the second-worst point differential over a three-game span in league history.
The Pelicans have allowed at least 135 points in each of their last four games, matching the second-longest such streak in NBA history. The record of seven such games in a row was set by the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets.
The Grizzlies went 18-45 from beyond the arc to extend their streak of games with 10 or more 3-pointers made to 50. That ties the Charlotte Hornets for the ninth-longest such streak in NBA history.
Miscellany
The Hawks’ Jalen Johnson produced his 16th career triple-double, racking up 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. No other player in franchise history has recorded more than seven triple-doubles.
Deni Avdija scored 34 points in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 120-107 win over the Sacramento Kings, going 11-13 from the field (3-5 on threes) and 9-9 from the free throw line. He’s the fourth player in franchise history to record a true shooting percentage of at least 100% in a 30-point game, joining Toumani Camara (twice), Wesley Matthews, and CJ McCollum.
Adebayo and Antetokounmpo became just the second duo in Miami Heat history to each score at least 35 points in the same game. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade accomplished the feat twice.
The Spurs joined the 2017-18 Boston Celtics as the only teams in NBA history to win 11 consecutive games after starting a season 0-2. The Celtics’ winning streak eventually reached 16 games.
The Milwaukee Bucks fell to 1-12 on the season, matching the 1974-75 squad for the worst record through 13 games in franchise history.
The Sacramento Kings have lost 11 of their 12 games this season, tying the 1990-91 squad for the worst 12-game start in franchise history.