NBA Game Notes (Nov. 23, 2022)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on November 23, 2022.

Happy Thanksgiving

I’d like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American readers. I hope you have a great time celebrating with family and friends today.

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Near Miss for Jokic

Nikola Jokic had another big night as the Nuggets outlasted the Thunder 131-126 in overtime:

• 39 PTS

• 10 REB

• 9 AST

• 11-15 FG

• 16-18 FT

Jokic missed a 30-point triple-double by one assist, one day after missing a 30-point triple-double by one rebound. He’s the only player since the ABA-NBA merger to miss a 30-point triple-double by either one rebound or one assist on back-to-back days.

Teammate Bruce Brown recorded his first career triple-double, tallying 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and four steals. He’s the first Nugget other than Jokic to record a triple-double since Andre Iguodala did so on April 10, 2013.

The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, and made all 14 of his free throws as he recorded a Game Score* of 30.9. It’s the seventh time this season Gilgeous-Alexander has posted a Game Score of 30.0 or higher, tying him with Luka Doncic for the most such games in the NBA.

* John Hollinger’s estimate of a player’s total production in a game.

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Tatum-Doncic Duel

Jayson Tatum had 37 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists to lead the Celtics to a 125-112 win over the Mavericks. Tatum has scored 550 points this season, 39 more than any other player in franchise history through his first 18 games of a season.

Teammate Jaylen Brown chipped in with 31 points on 13-18 (72.2%) shooting from the field. It’s the 16th time Brown and Tatum have each scored at least 30 points in the same game, seven more such games than any other duo in franchise history. The only duos with more such games over the last 40 seasons are Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook (34) and Shaquille O’Neal & Kobe Bryant (33).

The Mavericks’ Luka Doncic had 42 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists, making 17 of his 28 shots from the field (60.7%). It’s the 18th time Doncic has recorded at least 40 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a game, tied for the second-most such games in NBA history by a player before his 24th birthday:

• 21 — LeBron James

• 18 — Luka Doncic

• 18 — Oscar Robertson

• 14 — Rick Barry

• 10 — Michael Jordan

Teammate Christian Wood scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, shooting 10-14 (71.4%) from the field. It’s the third time this season Wood has come off the bench to produce a 20-point, 10-rebound game. No other player has recorded more than one such game this season.

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Twin Towers

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 points (on 8-11 shooting from the field), grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out eight assists to power the Timberwolves to a 115-101 victory over the Pacers. The Timberwolves have won five straight games, the longest active winning streak in the NBA.

Frontcourt mate Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 16 rebounds on 9-11 shooting from the field (81.8%). It’s just the third time in franchise history two players have recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds on 70% shooting from the field in the same game:

• Kevin Garnett & Eddie Griffin (Dec. 28, 2005)

• Karl-Anthony Towns & Gorgui Dieng (April 13, 2016)

• Karl-Anthony Towns & Rudy Gobert (Nov. 23, 2022)

The Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton dished out 14 assists in the loss. He’s the first player in franchise history — ABA seasons included — to record at least 14 assists in three consecutive games.

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Kings Streak Snapped

Trae Young scored 35 points and dished out seven assists as the Hawks defeated the Kings 115-106, snapping the Kings’ seven-game winning streak. The Hawks have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 39 regular-season games, the third-longest such streak in franchise history and the longest such active streak in the NBA.

It’s the 101st time Young has recorded at least 30 points and five assists in a game. Only two players in NBA history have produced more such games before their 25th birthday: LeBron James and Oscar Robertson.

The Kings’ Domantas Sabonis had 15 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists, collecting his 4,000th career rebound. Only two active players have reached 4,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists in fewer games:

• 413 — Nikola Jokic

• 418 — Blake Griffin

• 432 — Domantas Sabonis

• 451 — Julius Randle

• 476 — Giannis Antetokounmpo

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No Fear of the Deer

The Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan scored 36 points and handed out eight assists in a 118-113 win over the Bucks. DeRozan is averaging 33.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 5.3 APG over his last four games, shooting 55.9% from the field (including 6-9 from 3-point range) and 88.5% from the free throw line.

The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 36 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists in the loss, raising his season totals to 427, 162, and 77, respectively.

Antetokounmpo is the only NBA player in the last 60 seasons to average at least 30.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG through his first 14 games of a season. He’s now done so twice, the first occurrence coming in 2019-20.

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Season High for Zion

The Pelicans’ Zion Williamson had his best game of the season, scoring a season-high 32 points and snagging 11 rebounds in a 129-110 win over the stumbling Spurs. Williamson made 14 of his 18 shots from the field (77.8%).

It’s the 12th time Williamson has scored at least 30 points on 70% shooting from the field in a game. No player in NBA history has recorded more such games through their first 100 career games (Williamson has played 98 games).

Teammate Jonas Valanciunas produced 22 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 9-11 (81.8%) from the field. It’s just the second time in franchise history two players have recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds on 70% shooting from the field in the same game:

• Chris Kaman & Jason Smith (April 7, 2012)

• Zion Williamson & Jonas Valanciunas (Nov. 23, 2022)

The Spurs have lost 11 of their last 12 games, including the last six in a row. They’ve lost each of their last four games by at least 18 points. It’s the first time in franchise history — ABA seasons included — the Spurs have lost four straight games by 15 or more points.