Five Fast Facts From NBA Games 1.23.13

Stephen Curry poured in his fourth 30-point game of the season, netting 31 in Golden State’s 104-99 home win over Oklahoma City. The Thunder were the last team to reach double digits in losses this season. Despite the loss, they still head the pack in the latest power rankings. Sitting at 26-15 after the win, read where the Warriors grade among the California four at the NBA midway mark.

Seven players scoring in double figures wasn’t enough for the Toronto Raptors to hold of the Miami Heat last night in the 305. Behind a triple-double from LeBron James (the 34th of his career) and 35 points, five rebounds and seven assists from Dwyane Wade, the Heat rallied from 15 down in the first half to defeat the Raptors, 123-116, in OT. It was the fourth time in the “Big Three” era (since 2010–11) that two Miami players have recorded at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists while shooting better than 50 percent.  It was the third such game for James and Wade, and James and Chris Bosh have also done it once.  The other 29 NBA teams have combined for just two such games over the last three seasons.

The Chicago Bulls rallied to defeat the Detroit Pistons for the 17th straight time (the second-longest active streak by one team vs. another), 85-82.  Nate Robinson scored nine points and handed out four assists in the fourth quarter as the Bulls overcame an 11-point deficit entering the final period.  It was the third time that Robinson has recorded at least nine points and four assists in the fourth quarter while his team overcame a double-digit deficit entering the period.  He did it twice for the Knicks: at Detroit on March 11, 2009 and at Atlanta on New Year’s Day 2010.  No other NBA player has had three such fourth quarters since Robinson entered the NBA in 2005.  LeBron James, Steve Nash and Deron Williams are tied for second over that span with two such performances.

While this last note isn’t a fact from the games last night, the New Orleans Hornets plan to announce the official change of their nickname to the Pelicans and unveil their new colors and logo during a news conference Thursday. The new nickname, colors and logo will be used during the 2013-14 season. The colors will be blue, gold and red.

Stat Mann is the nom de guerre of our research statistician, who spends a lot of time watching basketball in central Connecticut. Someone would be angry if they discovered he was moonlighting here.