Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Luka Doncic scored a game-high 42 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 138-117 blowout win over the Miami Heat. Doncic shot 14-24 from the field (6-15 on threes) and 8-10 from the free throw line. He also recorded a game-high 13 assists, seven rebounds, and a game-high two steals (tied with four others) in 36 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Ty Jerome tallied a game-high 40 points, but it wasn’t enough as the previously-undefeated Memphis Grizzlies fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 135-134 in overtime. Jerome went 14-22 from the floor (5-6 on threes) and 7-8 from the charity stripe. He added five rebounds, five assists, and a game-high two steals (tied with two others) in 37 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a game-high 43 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 117-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilgeous-Alexander shot 14-35 from the field (4-8 on threes) and 11-12 from the free throw line. He also contributed a team-high eight assists, a game-high two steals (tied with two others), and one block in 39 minutes played.
Milestones
LaMelo Ball made his 1,000th career 3-pointer in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 112-100 win over the Bucks. He became the fastest player in NBA history to reach that mark, doing so in 311 games. The previous record of 343 games was held by Duncan Robinson.
Doncic recorded his 66th career 40-point game, tying Jerry West for 14th place on the NBA’s all-time list.
The Heat’s Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 30 points, the 314th time he’s scored at least 30 points in a game. He tied Adrian Dantley for the 15th-most such games in NBA history.
Stephen Curry scored 34 points in the Golden State Warriors’ 116-113 win over the Phoenix Suns. It’s his 754th career 20-point game, tying Oscar Robertson for 13th place on the NBA’s career leaderboard.
Jerome is just the third player in Memphis Grizzlies history to record multiple 40-point games in a single season, joining Ja Morant (six, 2021-22) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (three, 2023-24).
Streaking
Curry went 5-13 from beyond the arc to extend two significant 3-point streaks. He’s hit at least one triple in 98 straight games (eighth longest in NBA history) and multiple triples in 37 straight games (tied for seventh longest).
Doncic has recorded at least 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in each of his last five games. He tied Damian Lillard and himself (two other times) for the longest such streak since the ABA-NBA merger.
Doncic has made at least six 3-pointers in five consecutive games, one shy of the NBA record of six such games in a row shared by Lillard and Curry.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 15 points in 157 consecutive games, the seventh-longest such streak in NBA history.
Tyrese Maxey had 26 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 126-107 win over the Chicago Bulls. He’s scored at least 25 points in each of his eight games this season, the third-longest such streak to open a season in franchise history.
Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. recorded his third straight 25-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist game, compiling 25 points, five rebounds, and six assists as the Sacramento Kings beat the Dallas Mavericks 115-100 to pick up their first win of the season. The only other rookie to record at least three such games in a row this century is Luka Doncic.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: Golden State Warriors (five) and San Antonio Spurs (five).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: LA Clippers (six), Chicago Bulls (five), Indiana Pacers (five), and Utah Jazz (five).
The Memphis Grizzlies went 18-40 from 3-point range, the sixth straight game in which they’ve hit at least 15 triples. It’s the longest such streak in franchise history, surpassing the previous mark of five such games in a row (Dec. 19–27, 2024).
The Chicago Bulls have allowed at least 120 points in each of their seven games this season. The only other franchise in NBA history to open a season with at least seven such games in a row is the Denver Nuggets (1983-84 and 1990-91).
Miscellany
Doncic has accumulated 268 points, 56 rebounds, and 57 assists in seven games this season. He’s the only player in NBA history to record at least 250 points, 50 rebounds, and 50 assists through his first seven games of a season, having now done so three times (he also accomplished the feat in the 2022-23 and 2025-26 seasons).
Doncic has 29 career 40-point, 10-assist games, good for third on the NBA’s all-time list. The only players ahead of him are Oscar Robertson (46 such games) and James Harden (32).