Harden's Latest Triple-Double Helps The Nets Win the Damn Thing
James, Antetokounmpo also get triple-doubles
NETS 117, KNICKS 112
In July 1990, Bob Murphy famously said the “Mets Win the Damn Thing” after a close win at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
If you watched the fourth quarter of this one and were rooting for the Nets, you might have felt the same way.
Anyway, onto the stat particulars.
James Harden got another triple-doubles with 21 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. It his 10th triple-double with the Nets – two shy of Jason Kidd’s franchise record set in 2006-07 and matched the following year (which we might note Kidd was traded to Dallas in the middle of the 2007-08 season).
Harden totaled at least 15 rebounds for the ninth time in his career with three of those games against the Knicks. Before Monday, he reached 15 rebounds in his 61-point game on Jan. 23, 2019 and 16 boards in his 53-point game on Dec. 31, 2016.
Harden’s 15 assists also marked the 22nd time he reached that total with three of those games coming against the Knicks on Nov. 2, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2016.
In terms of a Net getting 15 assists and 15 boards against the Knicks, it is the sixth time a Net totaled 15 assists against the Knicks. Kidd was the last to do it when he got 17 on Jan. 16, 2008. It is the 31st time a Net totaled at least 15 boards on the Knicks with the two instances in the Brooklyn era being Ed Davis on Jan. 25, 2019 and Reggie Evans on Dec. 11, 2012.
Harden also owns two of the five instances of someone getting 15 assists and 15 rebounds on the Knicks. Harden did it Dec. 31, 2016, Rajon Rondo achieved it March 4, 2012 (20 assists, 17 rebounds), Oscar Robertson did it for Cincinnati on Jan. 6, 1965 (20 rebounds, 16 assists) and Donnie Butcher did it for Detroit on March 14, 1964 (15 assists and 15 rebounds).
LAKERS 128, WARRIORS 97
LeBron James got his 98th career triple-double and 25th with the Lakers. It also was his second triple-double with the Warriors, though the other was Jan. 22, 2005 and that was his second career triple-double.
It was the 28th Laker triple-double against the Warriors and the fifth since Magic Johnson compiled 10 triple-doubles. The last instance of a Laker triple-double against Golden State was Pau Gasol on April 12, 2013.
James achieved his triple-double in 30 minutes, the second-fewest by a Laker against the Warriors. Johnson got a triple-double in 29 minutes on Oct. 30, 1984. He also has three of the nine Laker triple-doubles in 30 minutes or less.
Montrzel Harrell’s 27 points were the third time this season (all since Feb. 22) he scored at least 25 points as a reserve. It was the 11th instance by a Laker reserve against Golden State and first time Kyle Kuzma on Dec. 18, 2017
The Lakers shot an impressive 62.8 percent, their second-highest percentage against the Warriors. It was the 36th time they shot at least 62.8 percent and the highest since shooting 63.4 percent in a 131-96 win over Dallas on Jan. 3, 2010.
The Warriors allowed a team to shoot that well against them for the 19th time. The last time was towards the end of Stephen Curry’s rookie season when the Spurs shot 64.6 percent in a 147-116 win on March 19, 2010 in a game the Warriors started Monta Ellis, C.J. Watson, Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow and Anthony Tolliver.
BUCKS 133, WIZARDS 122
Giannis Antetokounmpo got another triple-double with 31, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, marking his third straight triple-double.
In those triple-doubles, Antetokounmpo has 88 points, 36 rebounds and 31 assists. Out of his 25 career triple-doubles, he has 30 points seven times and 15 rebounds seven times. In terms of 30-15 games, this was his 36th such game and third this season.
Bradley Beal scored 37 points and has three of Washington’s 13 games against Milwaukee with at least 37. Before he did it twice last season and Russell Westbrook did it Saturday, the last instance was Caron Butler’s 40-point night on Jan. 27, 2008.
HORNETS 122, KINGS 116
There was nothing remarkable that stood out of this one but the Hornets got it done down the stretch.
Terry Rozier scored 26, marking the 25th time he scored more than 25 points and ninth time this season. Gordon Hayward finished with 25 and eight boards, marking his 25th instance with at 25 and 8 and third time this season.
SPURS 109, PISTONS 99
The latest rematch of the 2005 finals saw the Spurs shoot 56.6 percent while committing 22 turnovers.
In terms of their illustrious history, this was the 29th instance but the first since shooting 59.1 percent and committing 28 turnovers in a 19-point win over Charlotte on Dec. 11, 2009. This was also the first time since Dec. 28, 2019 in a 136-109 win the Spurs shot at least 56.6 percent.
As for the Pistons, they were awful on 3-pointers Saturday in a five-point loss to the Nets and bad again from deep, hitting 7 of 25 (28 percent), marking the fifth time this season and 13th instance since the start of last season.
CLIPPERS 109, MAVERICKS 99
There was nothing remarkable from a stat perspective but by scoring 22 points, Kawhi Leonard has scored at least 15 in 51 straight games. It is the longest since Danny Manning did it in 54 straight games during the 1992-93 games.
As for this it was the Ivica Zubac this was his 31st career double-double and second against Dallas. In terms of Clippers history, a center has 20 games of at least 15 and 11 rebounds against the Mavericks with DeAndre Jordan being the leader with six such games.
Luka Doncic posted a triple-double of 25, 16 assists and 10 rebounds and he has two of the Mavericks’ four triple-doubles against the Clippers. The others were done by Michael Finley on March 28, 2000 and Jason Kidd on Jan. 30, 1996.
Doncic also had seven turnovers. It is the 30th such instance of someone getting 25 points, 16 assists and seven turnovers and 16th time since the start of the 2014-15 season.
SUNS 122, GRIZZLIES 99
Nobody had a huge game and the Suns did not need it in a routine blowout to continue their roll.
Devin Booker’s 27 points marked the ninth time he scored at least 25 against the Grizzlies. The Suns are 6-3 in those games with the losses coming in his three-highest scoring games of 48, 40 and 36 points.
Phoenix’s 56.6 percent marked its sixth-highest against the Grizzlies. The last time the Suns shot 56.6 percent or better against the Grizzlies before Monday was Nov. 25, 2009
NUGGETS 121, PACERS 109
Nikola Jokic was spectacular with a stat line of 32 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals.
In terms of team history it was the first time that stat line was ever produced. All-time it is the 41st instance. James Harden was the last to achieve it when he totaled 35 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and four steals.
It was the third time it happened against Indiana. The other instances are Charles Barkley on March 5, 1996 and Karl Malone on Feb. 2, 2002.
It also was the ninth such instance by a center. The most recent instance was David Robinson on Dec. 17, 1994 against the Lakers.