The NBA did its best to rival the NFL playoffs on Saturday, January 11, 2014 with nine games featuring 18 teams. In the process, a legend turned back the hands of time and some of the league’s brightest rising stars shined.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. The star of the evening was Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 40 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 110-107 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Nowitzki was 10-of-20 from the field, 5-of-9 from distance and 15-of-19 from beyond the arc. It’s the 19th time that Dirk has topped 40 points and the first time since April 16, 2012.
He’s the first player age 35 or older to score 40 since Paul Pierce on December 19, 2012. The other players to achieve said feat are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Larry Bird, Walter Davis, Clyde Drexler, Alex English, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Reggie Miller and Shaquille O’Neal.
Need I tell you that Nowitzki is headed to the Hall of Fame?
2. Terrence Jones stepped up with 19 points, a career-high 17 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Houston Rockets past the Washington Wizards 114-107. Jeremy Lin added 18 points and eight assists, James Harden scored 25 and Dwight Howard posted 23.
For Washington, Trevor Ariza stepped up with 23 points, 14 rebounds and five steals. Ariza has six double-doubles in 2013-14 after registering five from 2010-11 to 2012-13.
3. The New York Knicks continued their hot start in January by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 102-92. Amar’e Stoudemire scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting and Carmelo Anthony posted 18 on a mark of 8-of-21.
New York has won four in a row and five of six. It’s just .5 games out of the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
4. D.J. Augustin ripped off season-high marks of 20 points and 12 assists as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 103-97. Augustin has two double-doubles in 15 games with the Bulls after registering zero in his previous 98 appearances.
Gerald Henderson scored 30 points and Kemba Walker added 29 for Charlotte in the loss.
5. For the second consecutive game, all three of the Detroit Pistons’ front court members registered double-doubles. Josh Smith led the charge with 25 points and 11 rebounds, Greg Monroe added 20 points and 12 boards, and Andre Drummond tallied 13 and 13 as Detroit defeated Phoenix Suns 110-108.
Brandon Jennings starred with eight points, eight rebounds and a season-high 18 assists, including a franchise-record tying 11 in the first quarter. Isiah Thomas is the other player who holds that mark.
6. Quincy Miller ripped off his first ever double-double with career-high marks of 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Denver Nuggets past the Orlando Magic 120-94. It was the first time Miller had ever seen more than 21 minutes of game action and his second start.
The upside is legitimate with this former Baylor Bears star.
7. Kevin Durant flirted with a triple-double and Serge Ibaka put on his best performance of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder toppled the Milwaukee Bucks 101-85. Durant finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and a block on 12-of-15 shooting from the charity stripe.
Ibaka had 17 points and 17 rebounds with three blocks for his career-best 16th double-double of the season.
8. All five starters were in double-figures and two had double-doubles for the Portland Trail Blazers as they improved to a Western Conference-best 28-9 with a 112-104 victory over the Boston Celtics. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Robin Lopez added 15 and 13.
Rookie scoring guard C.J. McCollum chipped in a career-high 10 points in 14 minutes for Portland in his second appearance of the regular season.
9. Patrick Patterson picked up his first double-double of the year as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets 96-80. Patterson finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 26 points to lead Toronto.
Patterson hadn’t registered a double-double since March 28, 2013. Brooklyn hadn’t lost during the month of January.
10. With its win over Brooklyn, the Raptors became the fourth team in the Eastern Conference to earn a record above .500. Toronto is 18-17 and in sole possession of the No. 4 seed.
By comparison, the Western Conference has nine teams with a record above .500 and six with a mark better than .600.
Bonus Fact: P.J. Tucker of the Suns tallied his third double-double of the year with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He had three in all of 2012-13.