By the numbers: Standout stats from a record-breaking night in the NBA
Fresh off the excitement of the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals, Wednesday’s NBA slate had the makings of a humdrum evening. Thanks to a slew of matchups that provided some astounding numbers, it was anything but.
In that spirit, here’s a look at some standout stats from an electrifying night in the Association:
1: Luka Doncic became the first player in NBA history to record a 25-point first-half triple-double. The Dallas Mavericks star posted 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the opening half of a 147-97 blowout victory over the Utah Jazz. He finished the contest with 40 points, and Dallas now has a perfect 7-0 mark when he records a 40-point triple-double.
3: The Jazz’s blowout loss to the Mavericks was the third margin of defeat of 50 or more points in 2023, tying a league record with 25 days remaining in the year. The Indiana Pacers lost to the Boston Celtics by 51 points in November, while the Golden State Warriors blew out the Portland Trail Blazers by 56 in April. Utah head coach Will Hardy called the Jazz’s performance a “masterclass of dogshit.” Poetic stuff.
6: The Miami Heat have six games of eight or fewer turnovers after the 112-103 win over the Toronto Raptors – a stat that leads the NBA. Seven teams don’t have one result this season with eight or fewer turnovers.
15: Things aren’t going swimmingly in San Antonio. The Spurs dropped their 15th straight contest, falling 102-94 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Another defeat would tie the franchise’s record of 16 consecutive losses. Someone save Victor Wembanyama.
18: The Detroit Pistons slumped to an 18th consecutive defeat with a 116-102 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. It’s the longest losing streak in the league since the Grizzlies recorded 19 straight during the 2017-18 campaign. Detroit has a .095 winning percentage so far in Monty Williams’ first season as head coach.
23: Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic went 9-of-32 from the field in a 111-102 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers. The two-time MVP’s 23 missed field goals are a career high. A rare inefficient outing for the king of efficiency.
35: With a 35-point showing in a 121-111 win over the Orlando Magic, Donovan Mitchell is now third in Cleveland Cavaliers history for 35-plus point performances. He sits behind LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in just 84 games with the franchise. Decent company.
42: Paolo Banchero dropped a career-high 42 points in a 121-111 loss to the Cavaliers. The 21-year-old is now the youngest player in franchise history to score 40-plus points since Shaquille O’Neal. Despite the loss, Banchero’s play has Orlando on track to secure its first playoff berth since 2020.
43: The number of lead changes in Nets-Hawks, the most since play-by-play statistics were first tracked during the 1996-97 season. The Nets eventually won the contest 114-113 thanks to a tough mid-range shot from Mikal Bridges, offsetting Trae Young’s 3-pointer the possession prior.
49: Desmond Bane went off against the Pistons, scoring a career-high 49 points in a 116-102 victory. The 25-year-old has taken on the scoring load with Ja Morant suspended, averaging 23.8 points this season – a career best. Bane has been the lone bright spot for the underwhelming Grizzlies.
50: It was another night at the office for Joel Embiid. The reigning MVP dropped a season-best 50 points for the Philadelphia 76ers in a 131-126 win over the Washington Wizards. Embiid currently leads the league in scoring (32 PPG) for the third straight season. If that holds, he’ll become the first player since James Harden (2017-20) to win the scoring title for three consecutive campaigns.
