TRAIL BLAZERS 123, KINGS 119
Damian Lillard was spectacular with a showing of 44 points, seven assists and eight 3-pointers.
It was Lillard’s ninth game with at least 44 points, seven assists and eight 3-pointers. Eight of those games are since the start of last season.
If you go by only 44 points and seven assists, it’s the 16th instance and Lillard has 13 of those games.
Enes Kanter was spectacular with a 22-point, 21 rebound showing. Out of the 46 20-20 games in Blazers’ history, this was the second against Sacramento with Kanter joining Jusuf Nurkic on Jan. 1, 2019.
This was the 10th 20-20 game in the NBA this season. Last year there were 26 and in 2018-19 there 47 20-20 games.
CELTICS 132, RAPTORS 125
Shooting percentage was the story for the Celtics in an entertaining win as they made 60.8 percent from the field.
It was their highest field goal percentage since shooting 62.1 percent in a 134-106 win over Charlotte on Feb. 28, 2018.
It was the 55th time in team history and third time against Toronto (62.3 percent on 11/27/2009 and 61.6 percent on 11/23/2008). In terms of eras the Celtics shot 60.8 percent 10 times during the Pierce-Garnett-Allen era from 2007-2012 and 38 times during the Bird era from 1979 to 1992.
We’d be remiss not to mention Chris Boucher’s 30 points for Toronto, which allowed at least 60.8 percent from the field for the 14th time and first time since Chicago shot 60.8 percent in Toronto on March 25, 2015.
As for Boucher, it was the 12th time a Raptors reserve scored at least 30. The most recent was Terence Davis getting 31 Feb. 2, 2020 against Chicago. The only time a Raptor did it against Boston was John Wallace on Nov. 18, 1997.
Kyle Lowry handed out 19 assists, joining Draymond Green as the second player in the last week to get 19 assists. He matched the mark held by Damon Stoudemire (Feb. 27, 1996 at Houston) and Jose Calderon (March 29, 2009 vs Chicago, Feb. 4, 2011 vs Minnesota).
It was the 12th time someone got 19 assists on the Celtics. The last time was Jason Kidd for the Nets on Dec. 1, 2001.
WIZARDS 119, CLIPPERS 117
This time the Wizards got the win over the Clippers aided by Bradley Beal’s 33 points, his second-most against the Clippers.
For all the times Beal has had a 30-point game, this was only the second time he scored at least 30 in 15 career games against Los Angeles. The most is 41 on Dec. 18, 2016.
Beal also made 14 of 15 free throws, marking his sixth game of at least 30 points and 14 free throws. Each of those games has been achieved since the start of last season, including 35 points and 14 free throws on Feb. 8, 2021.
KNICKS 114, PISTONS 104
The big story here is the Knicks reaching the All-Star with a winning record for the first time since their 54-win season in 2012-13.
In 2012-13, the Knicks reached the All-Star break at 32-18. Since then, their combined record at the All-Star break in the previous seven seasons was 127-252.
In terms of the starts like it does most games, it starts with Julius Randle, who delivers All-Star showings like the 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. For Randle, this was the third time he produced that kind of stat line and it is not surprising each time is this season – Jan 4 at Atlanta (28 points, 17 boards, nine assists) and Jan. 6 vs. Utah (30 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists)
In terms of a Knick doing this, Randle’s three showings this year give the Knicks 13 such games. Before this season this is the kind of line last produced by David Lee on April 4, 2010 at Golden State when he produced 37 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Knicks headed into the break shooting 54.2 percent, marking their second-highest percentage this season and 10th time over 50 percent, matching their total from last year’s 21-45 team.
This was New York’s highest field goal percentage against the Pistons since shooting 54.4 percent in a 108-96 win on Dec. 29, 2015 and it was the 21st time they shot 54.2 percent or higher against Detroit.
NUGGETS 113, PACERS 103
Nikola Jokic did not get the triple-double but came close with 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Out of the 30 times Jokic finished with exactly eight assists, he has gotten at least 20 points in 13 games.
Michael Porter Jr. led the Nuggets with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Out of his 81 career games, this was the fourth time with at least 24 points and 11 rebounds and what is interesting they occurred in a four-day span in the bubble last summer from Aug. 3-6 against Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Portland.
Denver shot 58.4 percent, the second time it shot that well and its highest against Indiana. The highest shooting percentage for Denver against Indiana was 60.3 percent on March 31, 1995.
BUCKS 112, GRIZZLIES 111
Milwaukee owns 25 all-time wins over the Grizzlies and this was the second win ever decided by one-point. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a fairly routine 26-11-8 game and it is the 34th such game for him.
Before Antetokounmpo started doing this on occasion, it has not been achieved by a Buck since Ray Allen on Feb. 22, 2002 against Golden State.
Ja Morant scored 35 and it was the 10th time in franchise history someone totaled 35, six boards and five rebounds. The most recent instance was Marc Gasol on Nov. 15, 2017 at Indiana.
Morant’s outing marked the third time the Grizzlies got a 35-point game on Milwaukee. Before Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 43 on Dec. 13, 2019, the other instance was Shareef Abdur-Rahim on Jan. 7, 2001.
HEAT 103, PELICANS 93
Jimmy Butler was the star as Miami reached the All-Star as a .500 team.
His 29 points and nine assists marked his fifth time with at least 29 and nine. The first three were in the 2016-17 season with Chicago and the other instance was Feb. 15 at the Los Angeles Clippers.
Miami has produced four of these games against New Orleans. The other three were done by Dwyane Wade from 2005 to 2008.
THUNDER 107, SPURS 102
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be an All-Star someday and he produced 33 points and eight assists.
This was his third career game with 33 and eight. All have been this season and this was the second one against San Antonio, which saw him total 42 and eight on Feb. 24.
Mike Muscala hit four threes in a night that saw him get 18 and seven rebounds. It is the fifth time in Thunder history a reserve totaled 18 points, seven rebounds and hit at least four 3’s. Before Darius Bazley did it twice and Hamidou Diallo did it once in the bubble between Aug. 9-14, the only instance was James Harden, who totaled 40 and seven boards on five 3’s on April 18, 2012 at Phoenix.
SUNS 120, WARRIORS 98
The Suns produced a noteworthy blowout over the Warriors, who held out Stephen Curry.
It was noteworthy because the seven Suns who scored double figures finished between 10 and 17 points.
Cameron Payne posted 17 points, 10 assists and three steals in 26:41, making the second time a reserve had 10 assists this season. The other instance was LaMelo Ball getting his 22-11-12 triple-double on Jan. 9 vs. Atlanta.
Payne has two of the 37 games with 10 assists by a Phoenix reserve in team history. He now has the third such game in team history against the Warriors, joining Jeff Hornacek on Jan. 28, 1987 (18 assists) and Danny Ainge on Jan. 17, 1994 (12 assists).