PACERS-CLEVELAND
76ERS 131, JAZZ 123 (OT)
Joel Embiid was spectacular, highlighting his 40 points and 19 rebounds with the game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime.
It was the 38th time a 76er totaled at least 40 and 19 and the third time Embiid did it. The previous two times were in losses as Embiid totaled 41 and 21 in a loss to Indiana on Aug. 1 and 40 and 21 in a loss to Indiana on Dec. 14, 2018.
This was the second time anyone totaled at least 40 and 19 on the Jazz. The other instance was John Drew getting 44 points and 20 boards for Atlanta on Nov. 16, 1974.
The 131 points Philadelphia scored were the second-most it ever scored on Utah. The Sixers just missed the mark of 132 set Feb. 19, 1982 in a 15-point win.
Donovan Mitchell scored 33 on 34 shots before getting ejected in overtime. Mitchell took at least 30 shots for the ninth time in his career and Utah is 1-8 in those games, including Nov. 16, 2018 vs. Philadelphia when scored 31 on 35 shots.
NETS 132, ROCKETS 114
James Harden’s return to the story and his triple-double of 29 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds was more than enough.
It was Harden’s eighth triple-double with the Nets. Of his 54 career triple-doubles, 26 are when he finishes under 30 points and 10 are when he gets at least three steals.
Perhaps the most interesting stat line was Bruce Brown’s 14, rebounds and seven assists while playing power forward. It was the third such game by a Nets’ in the Brooklyn era since 2012. The others were Thaddeus Young (14 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists) vs. Sacramento on Feb. 5, 2016 and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) vs. Detroit on Jan. 21, 2018.
As for the Rockets they are on their first 13-game skid since a 15-game skid in the opening weeks of the 2001-02 season. Their starting lineup on the 13th game of the 2001 skid consisted Oscar Torres, Cuttino Mobley, Kenny Thomas, Moochie Norris and Kevin Willis.
PACERS 114, CAVALIERS 111
On Saturday, T.J. McConnell described the Pacers blowing a 16-point lead in New York by saying “we couldn’t stop a nosebleed.”
In Cleveland, McConnell totaled 16 points, 13 assists, 10 steals in 36:27 as a reserve. It was only the second time anyone totaled that stat line or better with the previous instance occurring on Dec. 9, 1993 when Kevin Johnson totaled 17 points, 13 assists and 10 steals against Washington for Phoenix.
In terms of anyone getting 10 steals this was the 24th instance and McConnell’s game was the first time a reserve did it. The last time it occurred was Jan. 20, 2018 when Lou Williams totaled 31 points and 10 steals for the Clippers at Utah.
The Pacers forced 25 turnovers while getting 18 steals and it was the sixth time they totaled at least 19 steals. The most recent instance before Wednesday was in a 112-85 win at Philadelphia.
As for Cleveland, this was the ninth time an opponent totaled 18 steals on them. The last time was Jan. 18, 2020 when Chicago did it.
HAWKS 115, MAGIC 112
The Hawks improved to 2-0 under interim coach Nate McMillan by overcoming a 19-point deficit.
Trae Young produced a fairly notable stat line with 32 points and eight assists, getting at least that many in those categories for the 30th time and third time this season. Young frequently gets to the line and this was the 18th time in a 32-8 game he made at least 10 free throws.
The Hawks hit 21 3-pointers, marking their seventh time with at least 21 3-pointers. Three of those are in overtime games so this was the second time in regulation this season, also Feb. 24 against Boston.
BULLS 128, PELICANS 124
Zach LaVine was the star again in this one, getting 36 and eight for the Bulls. This was only the third time he totaled at least 36 points and eight assists. The previous instances were Jan. 25, 2020 at Cleveland (44 points, eight assists) and March 1, 2019 (47 points, nine assists).
In terms of a Bull doing this this was the 10th time since the Jordan era. Jordan never had this line after he returned in 1995. Lavine now leads the Bulls with this kind of game since the Jordan era, eclipsing Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose.
JJ Redick’s 22 points were nothing that stood out unless you notice the one 3-pointer he hit. It was only the second time he scored at least 20 while hitting one 3-pointer or less with the other instance occurring March 17, 2015 for the Clippers against Charlotte when scored 23 and went 0-of-4 from 3.
PISTONS 129, RAPTORS 105
For a team with a 10-25 record after this win, there were a few notable stat lines.
Dennis Smith Jr. totaled 10 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds for his third career triple-double. The last was Jan. 30, 2019 in New York – the night before he was part of the deal for Kristaps Porzingis.
It was Detroit’s first triple-double by a guard since Reggie Jackson had two in a span of nine days in March 2015 at Philadelphia and Orlando.
Mason Plumlee also totaled a triple-double 14 points, 11 boards and 10 assists, making it 58 triple-doubles for Detroit in team history.
It was the second time in team history the Pistons had two triple-doubles on the same day. It also happened March 14, 1964 against the Knicks when Donnie Butcher (19 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists) and Ray Scott (23 points, 20 rebounds, 11 assists) achieved the feat in a 126-124 win.
It was the fifth time a Detroit center got a triple-double. The other four instances were done by Bob Lanier from March 28, 1973 to March 12, 1974.
TRAIL BLAZERS 108, WARRIORS 106
Damian Lillard was 3-of-10 from 3-point range but hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 14 seconds left. Before hitting two in the final two-plus minutes, he was 1-of-8 from 3.
It was the fourth time this season he took at least 10 3s and hit 3 or fewer and Portland ended an eight-game losing streak in those games.
Lillard finished with 22 and so did Carmelo Anthony. It was Anthony’s most against Golden State since getting 22 on Nov. 22, 2017 in his first game against the Warriors since being traded from New York.
Anthony’s 22 points marked the second time a Portland reserve scored at least 22 on the Warriors, also Enes Kanter on Jan. 3. Before this season, it last occurred when CJ McCollum scored 23 on March 24, 2015.
KINGS 123, LAKERS 120
Buddy Hield was the start for the Kings against the Lakers, who were without LeBron James (left ankle soreness).
He scored 29 points and hit seven 3s. Hield has five of the nine games with seven 3s by a Kings and it was his second against the Lakers.
It was the 10th time someone hit seven 3’s on the Lakers and third time in the James era. The first time anyone hit seven 3’s on the Lakers was Stephen Jackson on Nov. 20, 2002 for San Antonio.
Montrezl Harrell totaled 26 points and 12 rebounds and it marked the seventh time a Laker reserve totaled that kind of line. The last was Ivica Zubic (26 points and 12 rebounds) on Jan. 17, 2018 and one of those instances was Shaquille O’Neal on Jan. 4, 1998 against Philadelphia (26 points, 16 rebounds).
HORNETS 135, TIMBERWOLVES 102
If it seems like someone getting 130 on the Timberwolves occurs frequently it is because it does.
Minnesota allowed 135 points for the 27th time in team history. Three of those instances are this season, 11 of those instances are since the start of the 2018-19 season and each time, Minnesota has lost by double-digits.
The Hornets shot 52 percent. Out of all the instances a team has scored 135 on Minnesota, a team has also shot at least 50 percent in 25 games.
Charlotte was aided by 14 steals and this was its second time with at least 14 steals on Minnesota. It also occurred Dec. 15, 1999 in a 103-98 win.
MAVERICKS 87, THUNDER 78
This is a score that may harken back to the late 1990s except for one thing – these teams combined for 79 3-pointers and made only 17.
Oklahoma City took at least 39 3s for the 48th time and its 23.1 percent was by far the lowest tied the second-lowest, just missing the 22.7 percent (10 of 44) from Feb. 19, 2019 at New Orleans. Out of any game where the Thunder attempted at least 39 3’s, this was ninth time they were held under 100 and first time held under 80.
As for Dallas, it finished at 20 percent by going 8 of 40 in a game when Luka Doncic (back tightness) sat out. Out of the 115 times the Mavericks attempted 40 3’s, this was the 15th time they were under 100 points with the 87 points matching their second-lowest (also April 4, 2017 at Sacramento.