FloaterDaily Brief
Saturday, December 8, 2001Regular season · 10 games
← Dec 7CalendarDec 9 →

10 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: CHI trailed BOS by 13 at halftime and won 87–84.

Final · Box score
Magic104
Hawks107
Q1 ATL -12; Q2 ATL -9; Q3 ATL -2; Q4 ATL +3
Final · Box score
Nuggets99
Cavs109
Q1 CLE -4; Q2 CLE +16; Q3 CLE +19; Q4 CLE +10
Final · Box score
Pacers99
Knicks101
Q1 NYK -5; Q2 NYK +8; Q3 NYK +7; Q4 NYK +2
Final · Box score
Sixers83
Grizzlies92
Q1 MEM +11; Q2 MEM +13; Q3 MEM +11; Q4 MEM +9
Final · Box score
Rockets97
Wolves107
Q1 MIN +12; Q2 MIN +14; Q3 MIN +10; Q4 MIN +10
Final · Box score
Celtics84
Bulls87
Q1 CHI -9; Q2 CHI -13; Q3 Bulls 0; Q4 CHI +3
Final · Box score
Wizards102
Mavs95
Q1 WAS +5; Q2 WAS +17; Q3 WAS +4; Q4 WAS +7
Final · Box score
Nets79
Bucks95
Q1 MIL +13; Q2 MIL +17; Q3 MIL +19; Q4 MIL +16
Final · Box score
Warriors101
Jazz111
Q1 UTA +7; Q2 UTA +11; Q3 UTA +6; Q4 UTA +10
Final · Box score
Sonics92
Blazers113
Q1 POR +13; Q2 POR +10; Q3 POR +14; Q4 POR +21
On this day · 2000–01Dec 8, 2000: 9 games. Top scorer: Chris Webber (Kings-Rockets), 37 points.
Dec 8 in other seasons20252024202320222021201920182017201620152014201320122010200920082007200620052004200320021999199719961995
The lead · Celtics-Bulls

Chicago climbs back to beat Boston

Karl Malone goes for 39 points

Game flow · CHI margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-9-130+3CHI AHEAD ↑BOS AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Celtics2725181484
Bulls1821311787
Who led
Brad MillerPoints, last 10 games: 28, 13, 23, 13, 12, 11, 5, 8, 13, 20CHI20 PTS · 16 REB · 0 AST
Greg AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 9, 4, 4, 8, 11, 6, 10, 10, 10, 14CHI14 PTS · 5 REB · 5 AST
Antoine WalkerPoints, last 10 games: 27, 25, 24, 28, 33, 25, 17, 28, 17, 27BOS27 PTS · 10 REB · 4 AST
Paul PiercePoints, last 10 games: 16, 24, 23, 33, 26, 48, 9, 35, 26, 12BOS12 PTS · 4 REB · 2 AST
The night in charts
Warriors-Jazz combined for 212, 1 more than any other game
Points by game
Warriors-JazzWarriors 101, Jazz 111
212
Magic-HawksMagic 104, Hawks 107
211
Nuggets-CavsNuggets 99, Cavs 109
208
Sonics-BlazersSonics 92, Blazers 113
205
Rockets-WolvesRockets 97, Wolves 107
204
Pacers-KnicksPacers 99, Knicks 101
200
Wizards-MavsWizards 102, Mavs 95
197
Sixers-GrizzliesSixers 83, Grizzlies 92
175
Nets-BucksNets 79, Bucks 95
174
Celtics-BullsCeltics 84, Bulls 87
171
3 of 10 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Pacers-KnicksPacers 99, Knicks 101
+2 NYK
Celtics-BullsCeltics 84, Bulls 87
+3 CHI
Magic-HawksMagic 104, Hawks 107
+3 ATL
Wizards-MavsWizards 102, Mavs 95
+7 WAS
Sixers-GrizzliesSixers 83, Grizzlies 92
+9 MEM
Nuggets-CavsNuggets 99, Cavs 109
+10 CLE
Warriors-JazzWarriors 101, Jazz 111
+10 UTA
Rockets-WolvesRockets 97, Wolves 107
+10 MIN
Nets-BucksNets 79, Bucks 95
+16 MIL
Sonics-BlazersSonics 92, Blazers 113
+21 POR
CHI erased a 13-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Celtics-BullsCHI won · Celtics 84, Bulls 87
13 pts
Magic-HawksATL won · Magic 104, Hawks 107
12 pts
Pacers-KnicksNYK won · Pacers 99, Knicks 101
5 pts
Nuggets-CavsCLE won · Nuggets 99, Cavs 109
4 pts
Cummings shot 12-of-16 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
CummingsPHI · 28 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST
75% (12-16)
WellsPOR · 27 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL
72% (13-18)
PattersonPOR · 19 PTS, 4 REB, 1 STL
64% (7-11)
CassellMIL · 28 PTS, 6 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL
62% (13-21)
Ray AllenMIL · 21 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL
62% (8-13)
Final · Pacers-Knicks
Pacers 99Knicks 101
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Pacers2512293399
Knicks20252828101
The story
New York beat Indiana 101-99 behind 13 points and 12 rebounds from Kurt Thomas

Jermaine O'Neal paced Indiana: 22 PTS, 12 REB 13 PTS, 12 REB, 5 BLK, 3 AST · 5-13 FG

The swing

A 25-12 second quarter erased a 5-point hole for the Knicks.

NYK lead by quarter
200 −5+8+7+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Magic-Hawks
Magic 104Hawks 107
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Magic34252223104
Hawks22282928107
The story
Jason Terry had 28 points as Atlanta beat Orlando 107-104

Mike Miller led Orlando with 16 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST 28 PTS, 5 STL, 3 REB, 3 AST · 7-12 FG, 3-5 3PT

The swing

Down 9 after the second, the Hawks took the third 29-22.

ATL lead by quarter
200 −12−9−2+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Celtics-Bulls
Celtics 84Bulls 87
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Celtics2725181484
Bulls1821311787
The story
Marcus Fizer's 13 points carried Chicago past Boston, 87-84

For Boston, Paul Pierce had 12 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST 13 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST · 4-13 FG, 0-1 3PT

The swing

The Bulls trailed by 13 going into the third, then won it 31-18.

CHI lead by quarter
200 −9−130+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Antoine Walker was the fantasy play: 49.5 FPTS on 27 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST

Fantasy angle
Heating up
+7.7points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
10.9Season avg18.6Last 5

18.6 points a game over his last five games, against 10.9 in 18 earlier games. Today: 18 points in 37 minutes.

Losing minutes
−16.7minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
37.2Season avg20.5Last 3

20.5 minutes a game over his last three games, against 37.2 in 19 earlier games. Today: 2 points in 7 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+30.6minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
12.4Season avg43Today

43 minutes today, against 12.4 a game in 15 earlier games. Line: 28 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists.

Second story · the whole slate

Three close finishes and one Trail Blazers rout

Three of 10 games were decided by four points or fewer. Portland beat Seattle by 21.

NYK over IND2ATL over ORL3CHI over BOS3WAS over DAL7MEM over PHI9CLE over DEN10MIN over HOU10UTA over GSW10MIL over NJN16POR over SEA21Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer, plus the widest win.
Top performances

Tracy McGrady leads the day with 40

Tracy McGradyPoints, last 10 games: 39, 24, 31, 24, 22, 26, 22, 14, 32, 40Magic-Hawks · L
25.2 PPG season to date · +15.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
40 PTS · 11 REB · 4 AST
Karl MalonePoints, last 10 games: 30, 34, 24, 27, 19, 15, 18, 22, 29, 39Jazz-Warriors · W
23.6 PPG season to date · +16.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high39 PTS · 7 REB · 5 AST
Lamond MurrayPoints, last 10 games: 27, 21, 4, 15, 14, 21, 18, 19, 24, 33Cavs-Nuggets · W
17.1 PPG season to date · +16.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high33 PTS · 5 REB · 3 AST
Michael FinleyPoints, last 10 games: 26, 22, 15, 20, 39, 21, 14, 19, 11, 32Mavs-Wizards · L
21.2 PPG season to date · +11.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
32 PTS · 5 REB · 3 AST
Vonteego CummingsPoints, last 10 games: 5, 0, 0, 0, 8, 1, 10, 0, 6, 28Sixers-Grizzlies · L
5.2 PPG season to date · +24.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Career high28 PTS · 4 REB · 4 AST
Sam CassellPoints, last 10 games: 22, 16, 18, 23, 5, 23, 14, 12, 23, 28Bucks-Nets · W
18.3 PPG season to date · +10.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high28 PTS · 1 REB · 6 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Moochie NorrisHOU+3.9 11.5 last 10 · 7.6 season
Rodney RogersPHX+3.7 15.5 last 10 · 11.8 season
Latrell SprewellNYK+2.4 21.7 last 10 · 19.2 season
John StocktonUTA+2.4 14.7 last 10 · 12.2 season
Tracy McGradyORL+2.2 27.4 last 10 · 25.2 season
Cold
Jalen RoseIND−3.6 16.6 last 10 · 20.2 season
Morris PetersonTOR−2.8 9.3 last 10 · 12.2 season
Gary PaytonSEA−2.4 19.6 last 10 · 22.0 season
Kevin WillisHOU−2.3 6.2 last 10 · 8.5 season
Anfernee HardawayPHX−2.1 16.0 last 10 · 18.1 season