With the NFL and The Walking Dead stealing headlines, the NBA put forth a quietly powerful effort. 16 teams took part in eight games, with some of the league’s best achieving significant feats.
One of the game’s all-time greats continued to pad his resume with legendary feats. The team with the top record in the association continued to build upon the greatest month in franchise history.
Here’s how it all transpired.
1. Kobe Bryant caught fire and put forth 31 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds and one block as the Los Angeles Lakers pulled out a 129-122 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors. Kyle Lowry had 29 points and nine assists for the Raptors, but it was Los Angeles which won on a legendary day for The Black Mamba.
In the course of his performance, Bryant became the first player in NBA history to reach 30,000 points and 6,000 assists.
2. This was Bryant’s first triple-double since April 2, 2013.
3. Zach Randolph posted 22 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals to guide the Memphis Grizzlies to a 97-85 win against the Sacramento Kings. Rudy Gay scored 20 points, Ben McLemore had 18 and Reggie Evans put up 17 points and 20 rebounds for the Kings, but they ultimately fell to 9-8.
Memphis is an NBA-best 15-2.
4. Jimmy Butler went off for 26 points and Pau Gasol posted 25 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks and one steal as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Brooklyn Nets 102-84. Nikola Mirotic added 12 points, 12 rebounds, one block and a steal for Chicago, while Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets with 13 points.
Chicago are 9-3 on the road. The Toronto Raptors are the only NBA team with nine home wins.
5. Chicago improves to 7-2 when Derrick Rose plays. It’s 4-4 when he doesn’t.
6. Dwyane Wade scored 27 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, as the Miami Heat beat the New York Knicks 86-79 at Madison Square Garden. Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 31 points and Amar’e Stoudemire posted 19 points, 12 rebounds and a block for the Knicks, while Chris Bosh scored 20 points and Luol Deng tallied 10 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for Miami.
Wade’s 27 points are his most in a regular season game since February 3.
7. Draymond Green had 20 points and Stephen Curry posted 16 points and 10 assists to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Detroit Pistons 104-93. Curry did that in 28 minutes, but he left the game early due to an apparent ankle injury.
Chicago isn’t the only team with nine road wins; Golden State is a league-best 9-1 on the road.
8. Tobias Harris put up 21 points, eight rebounds and two steals as the Orlando Magic worked past the Phoenix Suns 93-90. Goran Dragic posted 22 points and eight rebounds, and Markieff Morris picked up 18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and one block, but it was Orlando which emerged victorious.
Orlando is 5-7 in road games. It was 4-37 away from home in 2013-14.
9. LaMarcus Aldridge erupted for 26 points and 15 rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers picked up a 107-93 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Wesley Matthews added 23 points for Portland, while Mo Williams tallied 21 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and two steals against his former team.
Williams has four double-doubles in 14 games. The last time he had at least four double-doubles in a single season was 2010-11.
10. Danny Green scored 18 points and Tony Parker dished out nine assists to give the San Antonio Spurs a 111-89 victory over the Boston Celtics. Rajon Rondo dished out 10 assists and Jeff Green scored 16 points for the Celtics, but it was San Antonio which picked up the victory.
San Antonio outscored Boston by a margin of 66-40 in the second half.
Bonus Fact: Shabazz Muhammad finished with a career-high 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting for the Timberwolves.