FloaterDaily Brief
Saturday, January 3, 1998Regular season · 10 games
← Jan 2CalendarJan 4 →

10 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: 6 points, by UTA (vs ATL) and POR (vs HOU).

Final · Box score
Nets81
Cavs95
Q1 CLE +5; Q2 CLE -1; Q3 CLE +7; Q4 CLE +14
Final · Box score
Bulls105
Pistons96
Q1 CHI +1; Q2 Bulls 0; Q3 CHI +3; Q4 CHI +9
Final · Box score
Blazers97
Rockets95
Q1 POR +2; Q2 POR -6; Q3 POR +1; Q4 POR +2
Final · Box score
Raptors77
Pacers89
Q1 IND +3; Q2 IND +13; Q3 IND +10; Q4 IND +12
Final · Box score
Mavs88
Clippers97
Q1 LAC +6; Q2 LAC +13; Q3 LAC +5; Q4 LAC +9
Final · Box score
Spurs84
Heat77
Q1 SAS +1; Q2 SAS +6; Q3 SAS -2; Q4 SAS +7
Final · Box score
Celtics106
Bucks99
Q1 BOS -4; Q2 BOS -3; Q3 BOS +3; Q4 BOS +7
Final · Box score
Nuggets87
Wolves109
Q1 MIN +22; Q2 MIN +17; Q3 MIN +13; Q4 MIN +22
Final · Box score
Magic84
Knicks88
Q1 Knicks 0; Q2 NYK +4; Q3 NYK +10; Q4 NYK +4
Final · Box score
Hawks82
Jazz97
Q1 UTA -6; Q2 UTA -1; Q3 UTA +9; Q4 UTA +15
On this day · 1996–97Jan 3, 1997: 8 games. Top scorer: Latrell Sprewell (Warriors-Sixers), 39 points.
Jan 3 in other seasons2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001996
The lead · Blazers-Rockets

Portland holds off Houston, 97–95

Clyde Drexler goes for 34 points

Game flow · POR margin at each break
-15-10-50+5+10+15TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0+2-6+1+2POR AHEAD ↑HOU AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Blazers2422272497
Rockets2230202395
Who led
Isaiah RiderPoints, last 10 games: 10, 21, 31, 19, 9, 19, 14, 10, 2, 27POR27 PTS · 8 REB · 2 AST
Rasheed WallacePoints, last 10 games: 16, 7, 14, 14, 10, 16, 14, 10, 5, 20POR20 PTS · 9 REB · 3 AST
Clyde DrexlerPoints, last 10 games: 16, 22, 0, 26, 17, 15, 26, 18, 21, 34HOU34 PTS · 6 REB · 5 AST
Charles BarkleyPoints, last 10 games: 22, 11, 23, 22, 14, 11, 18, 14, 21, 12HOU12 PTS · 12 REB · 3 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Ten games, by the margins

Closest finish: 2. Widest: Minnesota by 22.

POR over HOU2NYK over ORL4SAS over MIA7BOS over MIL7CHI over DET9LAC over DAL9IND over TOR12CLE over NJN14UTA over ATL15MIN over DEN22Final margin, points. Pink = closest and widest.
The night in charts
Celtics-Bucks combined for 205, 4 more than any other game
Points by game
Celtics-BucksCeltics 106, Bucks 99
205
Bulls-PistonsBulls 105, Pistons 96
201
Nuggets-WolvesNuggets 87, Wolves 109
196
Blazers-RocketsBlazers 97, Rockets 95
192
Mavs-ClippersMavs 88, Clippers 97
185
Hawks-JazzHawks 82, Jazz 97
179
Nets-CavsNets 81, Cavs 95
176
Magic-KnicksMagic 84, Knicks 88
172
Raptors-PacersRaptors 77, Pacers 89
166
Spurs-HeatSpurs 84, Heat 77
161
2 of 10 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Blazers-RocketsBlazers 97, Rockets 95
+2 POR
Magic-KnicksMagic 84, Knicks 88
+4 NYK
Spurs-HeatSpurs 84, Heat 77
+7 SAS
Celtics-BucksCeltics 106, Bucks 99
+7 BOS
Bulls-PistonsBulls 105, Pistons 96
+9 CHI
Mavs-ClippersMavs 88, Clippers 97
+9 LAC
Raptors-PacersRaptors 77, Pacers 89
+12 IND
Nets-CavsNets 81, Cavs 95
+14 CLE
Hawks-JazzHawks 82, Jazz 97
+15 UTA
Nuggets-WolvesNuggets 87, Wolves 109
+22 MIN
UTA rallied from 6 down, the night's biggest comeback
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Hawks-JazzUTA won · Hawks 82, Jazz 97
6 pts
Blazers-RocketsPOR won · Blazers 97, Rockets 95
6 pts
Celtics-BucksBOS won · Celtics 106, Bucks 99
4 pts
Spurs-HeatSAS won · Spurs 84, Heat 77
2 pts
Nets-CavsCLE won · Nets 81, Cavs 95
1 pt
Ellis shot 8-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
EllisDEN · 16 PTS, 7 REB, 1 STL
80% (8-10)
Rasheed WallacePOR · 20 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST
75% (9-12)
SabonisPOR · 16 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK
73% (8-11)
KempCLE · 21 PTS, 10 REB, 5 BLK, 2 AST
71% (10-14)
SeikalyORL · 28 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
69% (9-13)
Final · Blazers-Rockets
Blazers 97Rockets 95
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Blazers2422272497
Rockets2230202395
The story
Isaiah Rider had 27 points as Portland beat Houston 97-95

Charles Barkley led Houston with 12 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST 27 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST · 11-22 FG, 4-7 3PT

The swing

Down 6 after the second, the Trail Blazers took the third 27-20.

POR lead by quarter
200 +2−6+1+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Spurs-Heat
Spurs 84Heat 77
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Spurs2520172284
Heat2415251377
The story
San Antonio beat Miami 84-77 behind 22 points and 11 rebounds from Tim Duncan

Voshon Lenard paced Miami: 16 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST 22 PTS, 11 REB, 4 AST · 10-19 FG

The swing

A 22-13 fourth quarter erased a 2-point hole for the Spurs.

SAS lead by quarter
200 +1+6−2+7 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Nuggets-Wolves
Nuggets 87Wolves 109
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Nuggets1626222387
Wolves38211832109
The story
Kevin Garnett's a 18-13-10 triple-double carried Minnesota past Denver, 109-87

For Denver, LaPhonso Ellis had 14 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST 18 PTS, 13 REB, 10 AST, 3 BLK · 6-10 FG

The swing

The first quarter, 38-16, was where the Timberwolves built it.

MIN lead by quarter
300 +22+17+13+22 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+11.3points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
28.5Season avg39.8Last 5

39.8 points a game over his last five games, against 28.5 in 31 earlier games. Today: 34 points in 47 minutes.

Losing minutes
−14.1minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
28.4Season avg14.3Last 3

14.3 minutes a game over his last three games, against 28.4 in 9 earlier games. Today: 2 points in 8 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+25.6minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
9.4Season avg35Today

35 minutes today, against 9.4 a game in 6 earlier games. Line: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists.

Top performances

Glenn Robinson leads the day with 35

Glenn RobinsonPoints, last 10 games: 28, 24, 21, 27, 22, 30, 29, 32, 42, 35Bucks-Celtics · L
22.9 PPG season to date · +12.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
35 PTS · 7 REB · 2 AST
Michael JordanPoints, last 10 games: 31, 36, 24, 27, 24, 47, 41, 33, 44, 34Bulls-Pistons · W
28.7 PPG season to date · +5.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
34 PTS · 9 REB · 9 AST
Clyde DrexlerPoints, last 10 games: 16, 22, 0, 26, 17, 15, 26, 18, 21, 34Rockets-Blazers · L
19.1 PPG season to date · +15.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
34 PTS · 6 REB · 5 AST
Antoine WalkerPoints, last 10 games: 19, 17, 18, 23, 10, 21, 28, 28, 27, 32Celtics-Bucks · W
22.2 PPG season to date · +10.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high32 PTS · 10 REB · 5 AST
Grant HillPoints, last 10 games: 10, 25, 20, 18, 22, 15, 27, 29, 11, 31Pistons-Bulls · L
20.2 PPG season to date · +11.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 7 REB · 6 AST
Rony SeikalyPoints, last 10 games: 26, 11, 12, 20, 37, 16, 25, 9, 9, 28Magic-Knicks · L
17.1 PPG season to date · +11.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
28 PTS · 8 REB · 3 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Glenn RobinsonMIL+6.1 29.0 last 10 · 22.9 season
Michael JordanCHI+5.4 34.1 last 10 · 28.7 season
Derek AndersonCLE+4.9 17.1 last 10 · 12.2 season
Corliss WilliamsonSAC+4.7 20.8 last 10 · 16.1 season
Lorenzen WrightLAC+4.7 16.0 last 10 · 11.3 season
Cold
Wesley PersonCLE−6.0 10.2 last 10 · 16.2 season
Ike AustinMIA−5.9 9.6 last 10 · 15.5 season
John WallaceTOR−4.6 10.1 last 10 · 14.7 season
Malik SealyDET−3.5 6.4 last 10 · 9.9 season
Jamal MashburnMIA−3.3 11.7 last 10 · 15.0 season