NBA Game Notes (Oct. 31, 2024)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Oct. 31, 2024.
Three Stars
The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.
First ⭐️
Victor Wembanyama racked up the second five-by-five of his young career, compiling 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and five blocks in the San Antonio Spurs’ 106-88 victory over the Utah Jazz. Wembanyama shot 9-20 from the floor with four 3-pointers made. He posted a rating of plus-43 points in 34 minutes played, the highest plus-minus by a Spur since Tim Duncan on Jan. 8, 2000 (plus-45).
Second ⭐️
Devin Booker scored a game-high 40 points to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 125-119 win over the LA Clippers. Booker went 11-18 from the field (5-9 on 3-pointers) and 13-15 from the free throw line. He added eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals in 38 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Ja Morant messed around and got a triple-double, tallying 26 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies routed the Milwaukee Bucks 122-99. Morant shot 9-16 from the floor and made six of his seven free throw attempts. He posted a rating of plus-29 points in 29 minutes of playing time.
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Milestones
Wembanyama became just the third player to record multiple five-by-fives since the NBA began tracking steals and blocks in 1973-74. The others to achieve the feat are Hakeem Olajuwon (six times) and Andrei Kirilenko (three).
The Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson hit two 3-pointers in a 108-102 loss to the Houston Rockets, becoming just the sixth player in NBA history to reach 2,500 career 3-pointers made. He joins Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Reggie Miller.
The Clippers’ James Harden scored a team-high 25 points, surpassing 26,000 for his career. He’s the 23rd player in NBA history to reach that mark, and just the third to also record at least 6,000 rebounds and 7,000 assists (LeBron James and Oscar Robertson).
Harden also recorded a game-high 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his 78th career triple-double, tying Wilt Chamberlain for seventh place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Finally, Harden made six free throws to increase his career total to 7,695. That’s enough to surpass Oscar Robertson (7,694) and take over fifth place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Streaking
The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, going 17-22 from the field. He’s recorded five straight 20-point, 10-rebound games with 50% shooting from the field to open the season. The only other players in NBA history to start a season with five such games in a row are Wilt Chamberlain (1970-71), Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94), Shaquille O’Neal (1996-97), and Antetokounmpo himself (2022-23).
The Mavericks’ Luka Doncic scored a team-high 29 points with three 3-pointers made, the 75th consecutive game in which he’s scored at least 15 points with one 3-pointer made. It’s the longest such streak in NBA history by 12 games.
Wembanyama extended his streak of games with at least one block to 44. Since the NBA began tracking blocks in 1973-74, no other player age 20 years old or younger has recorded such a streak longer than 33 games (Mitchell Robinson).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games (dating back to last season): Utah Jazz (six).
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Miscellany
Booker led all scorers last night with his 40-point outing. Also producing at least 25 points were Antetokounmpo (37), Doncic (29), the Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving (28), Morant (26), Harden (25), and Wembanyama (25).
Three players shared the nightly lead with a dozen rebounds apiece: the Rockets’ Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun and the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac. Six more players snagged double-digit boards: Antetokounmpo (11); the Jazz’s John Collins and Walker Kessler (11 each); Harden (10); and the Grizzlies’ Jake LaRavia and Morant (10 each).
Morant was the night’s top playmaker, handing out 14 assists. Harden (13), the Suns’ Tyus Jones (11), and the Spurs’ Chris Paul (10) also delivered double-digit dimes.
Paul scored 19 points to go with his 10 assists, his 514th career points-assists double-double. The only players in NBA history with more such games are John Stockton (714) and Magic Johnson (543).
Paul committed just one turnover, the 204th game in which he’s recorded at least 10 assists with one or zero errors. That’s by far the most such games since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78, 53 more than the next-closest player (John Stockton).
Booker now has 33 career 40-point games, as many as the next three-closest players in Suns history combined: Amar’s Stoudemire (15), Tom Chambers (nine), and Walter Davis (nine).