Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 40 points as the San Antonio Spurs routed the Phoenix Suns 122-96 to extend their winning streak to nine games. Wembanyama shot 15-19 from the field (2-3 on threes) and 8-10 from the free throw line. He also produced game highs of 11 rebounds and nine blocks in just 25 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Cooper Flagg registered game highs of 43 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 125-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Flagg went 16-25 from the floor (3-6 on threes) and 8-8 from the charity stripe. He also contributed a team-high six assists, a game-high three steals, and one block in 39 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Anthony Davis poured in a game-high 44 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Washington Wizards’ 122-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Davis shot 16-21 from the field (2-4 on threes) and 10-11 from the free throw line. He also recorded a game-high 13 rebounds and one steal in 34 minutes played.
Milestones
Wembanyama became just the second player in NBA history to record a 40-point game while playing 25 or fewer minutes. He joins Sleepy Floyd, who accomplished the feat on Feb. 26, 1991.
Stephen Curry recorded his 757th career 20-point game, scoring 25 points in the Golden State Warriors’ 138-87 demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans. He broke a tie with Dominique Wilkins for the 12th-most such games in NBA history.
CJ McCollum scored 21 points in the Atlanta Hawks’ 124-114 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, reaching 17,000 points for his career. He’s just the second player from the 2013 NBA Draft class to attain that milestone, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The New Orleans Pelicans were drubbed by 51 points, the worst regular season loss in franchise history. They dropped a playoff game by 58 points on April 27, 2009, tied for the worst loss in NBA postseason history.
Streaking
Curry extended two significant 3-point streaks. He’s hit at least one triple in 101 straight games (seventh longest in NBA history) and multiple triples in 40 straight games (tied for fifth longest).
The Lakers’ Luka Doncic had 32 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists, the eighth consecutive game in which he’s compiled at least 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He already shares the NBA record of nine such games in a row with Oscar Robertson.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: San Antonio Spurs (nine), Golden State Warriors (eight), and Los Angeles Lakers (six).
The Charlotte Hornets went 23-46 from beyond the arc in their 124-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ve made 10 or more 3-pointers in each of their last 49 games, breaking a tie with the Toronto Raptors for the ninth-longest such streak in NBA history.
The Memphis Grizzlies hit 16 triples in their 118-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors. It’s the 48th consecutive game in which they’ve made double-digit 3-pointers, tying the Raptors for the 10th-longest such streak in NBA history.
Miscellany
Flagg is one of only five teenagers in NBA history to record a 40-point double-double, and he’s the only one to do so twice. He joined Kevin Durant as the only teenagers to record a 40-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist game.
Doncic matched his career high with five steals, giving him four career games with at least 30 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and five steals. The only player with more such games since the NBA began tracking steals in 1973-74 is James Harden with five.
The Warriors became the first team in NBA history to win eight straight games after opening a season 0-3. They’ve outscored their opponents by an average of 16.9 PPG over that span.
The Spurs are just the second team in NBA history to win nine consecutive games after starting a season 0-2. The 2017-18 Boston Celtics also accomplished the feat, with their winning streak eventually reaching 16 games.