Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Jeremiah Fears scored a team-high 22 points (tied with Zion Williamson) and dished out a career-high 13 assists as the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings 132-120 to pick up their first win of the season. Fears went 9-16 from the floor, including a 3-5 effort from beyond the arc. He also contributed a team-high eight rebounds, a game-high four blocks, and two steals in 29 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Onyeka Okongwu produced game highs of 29 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Okongwu shot 11-17 from the field, sinking four of his six attempts from 3-point range. He added one steal and one block, committing just one turnover in 33 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Darius Acuff Jr. scored a game-high 34 points, but it wasn’t enough in the Kings’ loss to the Pelicans. Acuff Jr. shot 13-26 from the field (although just 3-11 on 3-pointers) and 5-5 from the free throw line. He also recorded a game-high 14 assists and six rebounds in 41 minutes played.
Milestones
At 19 years and 347 days old, Acuff Jr. is just the fourth teenager in NBA history to record a 30-point, 10-assist game, joining LeBron James (three times), Stephon Marbury, and Luka Doncic.
Acuff Jr. is only the fourth player in NBA history to record a 30-point, 10-assist game within the first five games of his career. The others to accomplish the feat are Isiah Thomas (first game), Trae Young (third), and Oscar Robertson (fourth).
Rookie Cameron Boozer recorded his first career triple-double in the Memphis Grizzlies’ 124-103 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, compiling 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. At 19 years and 103 days old, he’s the second-youngest player in NBA history to produce a triple-double, trailing only Josh Giddey (19 years, 84 days).
Boozer is just the fifth rookie in NBA history to record a triple-double within the first five games of his career. He joins Oscar Robertson (first game), Art Williams (fourth), Ben Simmons (fourth), and Magic Johnson (fifth).
Streaking
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: Memphis Grizzlies (five).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games (dating back to last season): Sacramento Kings (six).
Miscellany
Acuff Jr. has tallied 120 points and 33 assists in five games. The only other player in NBA history to produce at least 120 points and 30 assists through the first five games of his career is Oscar Robertson (1960-61).
Boozer has accumulated 77 points, 54 rebounds, and 31 assists in five games. He’s just the second player since the ABA-NBA merger to average at least 15 PPG, 10 RPG, and 5 APG through the first five games of his career, joining Ben Simmons (2017-18).
The Pelicans’ Zion Williamson scored 22 points on 10-12 shooting from the floor, the 21st time he’s recorded a 20-point game with a field goal percentage of 80% or higher. No other player in franchise history has recorded more than four such games.
For just the second time in franchise history, the Grizzlies have opened a season with five straight wins. The first such occurrence came in the 2014-15 season, when they started 6-0.
The Kings have started a season 0-5 for the sixth time in franchise history. The franchise record for most consecutive losses to open a campaign is seven, in the 1988-89 and 1990-91 seasons.