FloaterDaily Brief
Sunday, February 23, 1997Regular season · 10 games
← Feb 22CalendarFeb 24 →

10 games, 2 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: DAL trailed PHX by 13 after three quarters and won 88–86.

Final · Box score
Spurs85
Rockets95
Q1 HOU +2; Q2 HOU +11; Q3 HOU +10; Q4 HOU +10
Final · Box score
Magic99
Pacers90
Q1 ORL +6; Q2 ORL -4; Q3 ORL +10; Q4 ORL +9
Final · 2OT · Box score
Knicks127
Lakers121
Q1 NYK +2; Q2 NYK +9; Q3 NYK +10; Q4 Knicks 0; OT1 Knicks 0; OT2 NYK +6
Final · Box score
Nuggets86
Heat95
Q1 Heat 0; Q2 MIA +9; Q3 MIA -5; Q4 MIA +9
Final · Box score
Clippers99
Bucks86
Q1 LAC -8; Q2 LAC -4; Q3 Clippers 0; Q4 LAC +13
Final · Box score
Celtics93
Nets109
Q1 NJN -7; Q2 NJN +3; Q3 NJN +11; Q4 NJN +16
Final · Box score
Mavs88
Suns86
Q1 DAL -1; Q2 DAL -7; Q3 DAL -13; Q4 DAL +2
Final · OT · Box score
Sonics89
Jazz87
Q1 SEA +8; Q2 SEA +2; Q3 SEA -2; Q4 Sonics 0; OT1 SEA +2
Final · Box score
Cavs91
Grizzlies84
Q1 Cavs 0; Q2 CLE -8; Q3 CLE -8; Q4 CLE +7
Final · Box score
Pistons85
Bullets79
Q1 DET +1; Q2 DET +1; Q3 DET +12; Q4 DET +6
On this day · 1995–96Feb 23, 1996: 9 games. Top scorer: Rex Chapman (Heat-Bulls), 39 points.
Feb 23 in other seasons2026202520242023202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
The lead · Mavs-Suns

Dallas climbs out of a 13-point hole against Phoenix

Patrick Ewing goes for 34 points

Game flow · DAL margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-1-7-13+2DAL AHEAD ↑PHX AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs2025172688
Suns2131231186
Who led
Michael FinleyPoints, last 10 games: 11, 11, 18, 15, 13, 21, 18, 33, 20, 20DAL20 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Shawn BradleyPoints, last 10 games: 16, 14, 8, 9, 9, 14, 8, 10, 19, 18DAL18 PTS · 10 REB · 2 AST
Cedric CeballosPoints, last 10 games: 18, 19, 20, 14, 24, 16, 19, 18, 20, 22PHX22 PTS · 14 REB · 1 AST
Wesley PersonPoints, last 10 games: 18, 18, 20, 33, 10, 15, 22, 20, 22, 15PHX15 PTS · 3 REB · 3 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Two games need overtime

Two of 10 games went past regulation.

DAL over PHX2SEA over UTA2NYK over LAL6DET over WSB6CLE over VAN7ORL over IND9MIA over DEN9HOU over SAS10LAC over MIL13NJN over BOS16Final margin, points. Pink = went to overtime.
The night in charts
Knicks-Lakers combined for 248, 46 more than any other game
Points by game
Knicks-LakersKnicks 127, Lakers 121
248
Celtics-NetsCeltics 93, Nets 109
202
Magic-PacersMagic 99, Pacers 90
189
Clippers-BucksClippers 99, Bucks 86
185
Nuggets-HeatNuggets 86, Heat 95
181
Spurs-RocketsSpurs 85, Rockets 95
180
Sonics-JazzSonics 89, Jazz 87
176
Cavs-GrizzliesCavs 91, Grizzlies 84
175
Mavs-SunsMavs 88, Suns 86
174
Pistons-BulletsPistons 85, Bullets 79
164
2 of 10 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Sonics-JazzSonics 89, Jazz 87
+2 SEA
Mavs-SunsMavs 88, Suns 86
+2 DAL
Knicks-LakersKnicks 127, Lakers 121
+6 NYK
Pistons-BulletsPistons 85, Bullets 79
+6 DET
Cavs-GrizzliesCavs 91, Grizzlies 84
+7 CLE
Nuggets-HeatNuggets 86, Heat 95
+9 MIA
Magic-PacersMagic 99, Pacers 90
+9 ORL
Spurs-RocketsSpurs 85, Rockets 95
+10 HOU
Clippers-BucksClippers 99, Bucks 86
+13 LAC
Celtics-NetsCeltics 93, Nets 109
+16 NJN
DAL erased a 13-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Mavs-SunsDAL won · Mavs 88, Suns 86
13 pts
Cavs-GrizzliesCLE won · Cavs 91, Grizzlies 84
8 pts
Clippers-BucksLAC won · Clippers 99, Bucks 86
8 pts
Celtics-NetsNJN won · Celtics 93, Nets 109
7 pts
Nuggets-HeatMIA won · Nuggets 86, Heat 95
5 pts
Fox shot 7-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
FoxBOS · 22 PTS, 3 AST, 2 REB
70% (7-10)
PhillsCLE · 23 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL
64% (9-14)
BarkleyHOU · 19 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL
62% (8-13)
SchrempfSEA · 20 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL
62% (8-13)
Lorenzen WrightLAC · 14 PTS, 10 REB, 2 BLK, 1 STL
60% (6-10)
Final · Sonics-Jazz
Sonics 89Jazz 87
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OTT
Sonics241918171189
Jazz16252215987
The story
Gary Payton's 28 points carried Seattle past Utah, 89-87 in OT

For Utah, John Stockton had 12 AST, 9 PTS, 5 REB 28 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST · 11-26 FG, 2-5 3PT

The swing

The first quarter, 24-16, was where the SuperSonics built it.

SEA lead by quarter
200 +8+2−20+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT
Fantasy angle

Karl Malone was the fantasy play: 58.0 FPTS on 32 PTS, 10 REB

Final · Mavs-Suns
Mavs 88Suns 86
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs2025172688
Suns2131231186
The story
Dallas beat Phoenix 88-86 behind 20 points from Michael Finley

Kevin Johnson paced Phoenix: 14 PTS, 11 AST 20 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB · 9-20 FG, 2-4 3PT

The swing

A 26-11 fourth quarter erased a 13-point hole for the Mavericks.

DAL lead by quarter
200 −1−7−13+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Cedric Ceballos topped the game at 44.8 FPTS: 22 PTS, 14 REB

Final · Knicks-Lakers
Knicks 127Lakers 121
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OT1OT2T
Knicks20282530717127
Lakers18212440711121
The story
Charles Oakley had 20 points and 16 rebounds as New York beat Los Angeles 127-121 in OT

Eddie Jones led Los Angeles with 22 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST 20 PTS, 16 REB, 6 AST · 7-16 FG

The swing

The Knicks won the second 28-21, their biggest quarter edge.

NYK lead by quarter
200 +2+9+1000+6 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT1OT2
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+12.1points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
12.9Season avg25.0Last 5

25.0 points a game over his last five games, against 12.9 in 53 earlier games. Today: 40 points in 46 minutes.

Losing minutes
−13.9minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
31.5Season avg17.6Last 3

17.6 minutes a game over his last three games, against 31.5 in 51 earlier games. Today: 13 points in 29 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+32.9minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
17.1Season avg50Today

50 minutes today, against 17.1 a game in 45 earlier games. Line: 18 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assists.

Top performances

Elden Campbell leads the day with 40

Elden CampbellPoints, last 10 games: 10, 15, 20, 34, 21, 19, 20, 23, 23, 40Lakers-Knicks · L
13.4 PPG season to date · +27.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high40 PTS · 10 REB · 4 AST
Patrick EwingPoints, last 10 games: 26, 24, 18, 18, 17, 23, 31, 24, 7, 34Knicks-Lakers · W
21.5 PPG season to date · +12.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high34 PTS · 25 REB · 4 AST
Karl MalonePoints, last 10 games: 32, 36, 24, 26, 30, 24, 15, 37, 34, 32Jazz-Sonics · L
26.7 PPG season to date · +5.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
32 PTS · 10 REB · 0 AST
LaPhonso EllisPoints, last 10 games: 15, 18, 10, 15, 22, 37, 13, 18, 24, 29Nuggets-Heat · L
21.0 PPG season to date · +8.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
29 PTS · 9 REB · 2 AST
Allan HoustonPoints, last 10 games: 23, 28, 22, 17, 28, 15, 14, 16, 11, 29Knicks-Lakers · W
15.2 PPG season to date · +14.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
29 PTS · 1 REB · 5 AST
Dominique WilkinsPoints, last 10 games: 14, 19, 8, 8, 22, 11, 32, 17, 18, 28Spurs-Rockets · L
18.8 PPG season to date · +9.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
28 PTS · 8 REB · 1 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Elden CampbellLAL+9.1 22.5 last 10 · 13.4 season
Eric WilliamsBOS+7.8 22.0 last 10 · 14.2 season
Kevin WillisHOU+6.8 17.2 last 10 · 10.4 season
Bryant ReevesVAN+6.5 21.9 last 10 · 15.4 season
Dean GarrettMIN+6.5 12.6 last 10 · 6.1 season
Cold
Shawn KempSEA−6.6 13.8 last 10 · 20.4 season
George McCloudLAL−5.1 8.4 last 10 · 13.5 season
Hakeem OlajuwonHOU−4.9 18.5 last 10 · 23.4 season
Jayson WilliamsNJN−4.5 8.9 last 10 · 13.4 season
Dale EllisDEN−4.4 12.7 last 10 · 17.1 season