Saturday, February 22 was yet another day of extraordinary action in the NBA. A superstar known for statistical greatness saw his play reach new heights, a veteran sank a game-winner and multiple players achieved new career-highs in scoring.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. Kevin Love recorded his first career triple-double in style with 37 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and a steal as the Minnesota Timberwolves earned a 121-104 road victory over the Utah Jazz. Enes Kanter scored 25 points for the second straight night, which matches his career-high.
It was Love’s all-around brilliance that made the difference on a night in which no other T-Wolves player scored more than 15 points.
2. Love joins Kevin Garnett as the only players in T-Wolves history to record a 30-10-10 game.
3. Despite leading by 17 points in the third quarter, the New York Knicks found a way to fall 107-98 to the Atlanta Hawks. Mike Scott led the charge with a career-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting and DeMarre Carroll set a career-high, as well, with 24.
Carmelo Anthony posted 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists for New York, but it was another disappointing result for New York. Behind new career-highs and Jeff Teague’s 28 points, Atlanta snapped an eight-game losing streak.
4. Thus far in 2013-14, seven separate players have set career-highs in scoring against the Knicks: Marco Belinelli, DeMarre Carroll, Jimmer Fredette, Brandon Knight—who set a new career-high in a future game—Lance Stephenson, Mike Scott and Evan Turner.
Victor Oladipo also set a career-high in assists against New York.
5. Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points and three of his teammates recorded double-doubles as the Dallas Mavericks took down the Detroit Pistons 113-102. Monta Ellis tallied 12 points and 13 assists, Shawn Marion had 10 points and 11 boards, and Samuel Dalembert put up 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Josh Smith scored a season-high 32 points for Detroit, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Dallas from earning its eighth win in 10 games.
6. Nene Hilario ripped off 30 points and a game-winning dunk as the Washington Wizards escaped the New Orleans Pelicans 94-93. John Wall finished with 10 points and 12 assists, and Anthony Davis put up 26 points and 11 rebounds in a clash between two former No. 1 overall draft choices from the University of Kentucky.
At 27-28, this is Washington’s best record through 55 games since 2006-07, when it finished at 41-41 and made the playoffs—something the Wizards haven’t done since 2007-08.
7. Paul George scored 32 points and David West poured in 30 as the Indiana Pacers won a 110-100 offensive battle with the Milwaukee Bucks. Lance Stephenson, the league’s leader in triple-doubles, added 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Pacers.
At 42-13, the Pacers have become the second team in the NBA to clinch a winning record. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the other squad to do so.
8. The Memphis Grizzlies followed up a statement win with a surprising letdown during a 92-89 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Kemba Walker led all scorers with 31 points and Memphis’ starting lineup combined to shoot 21-of-60 from the field and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc.
At 15-14, Charlotte has matched its home win total from 2012-13.
9. Isaiah Thomas recorded 21 points and 12 assists to lead the Sacramento Kings past the short-handed Boston Celtics, 105-98. Jeff Green scored a game-high 29 points, but shot just 7-of-25 from the field
As for Thomas, the 5’9″ rising star has more double-doubles in 2013-14, six, than he had in each of his first two seasons combined, five.
10. Jermaine O’Neal erupted for season-high marks of 23 points and 13 rebounds on 10-of-13 shooting as the Golden State Warriors downed the Brooklyn Nets 93-86. Draymond Green added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the victorious Warriors, while Deron Williams tallied 20 points for the Nets.
This was O’Neal’s first double-double since February 27, 2013.
Bonus Facts
- Prior to February 20, 2014, Jermaine O’Neal hadn’t recorded a single double-digit rebounding performance since February 27, 2013. He’s posted 10-plus rebounds twice in the past three days.
- Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics was ejected for the first time in his coaching career at any level.