FloaterDaily Brief
Tuesday, December 18, 2001Regular season · 10 games
← Dec 17CalendarDec 19 →

10 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: DAL trailed MIN by 16 at halftime and won 107–103.

Final · Box score
Knicks100
Hornets95
Q1 NYK +2; Q2 NYK -1; Q3 NYK +10; Q4 NYK +5
Final · Box score
Bulls84
Cavs102
Q1 CLE +16; Q2 CLE +9; Q3 CLE +8; Q4 CLE +18
Final · Box score
Pacers103
Hawks100
Q1 IND +1; Q2 IND -5; Q3 IND -6; Q4 IND +3
Final · Box score
Jazz95
Heat56
Q1 UTA +8; Q2 UTA +24; Q3 UTA +29; Q4 UTA +39
Final · Box score
Bucks114
Grizzlies105
Q1 MIL +4; Q2 MIL +9; Q3 MIL -2; Q4 MIL +9
Final · Box score
Mavs107
Wolves103
Q1 DAL -11; Q2 DAL -16; Q3 DAL -13; Q4 DAL +4
Final · Box score
Clippers96
Suns92
Q1 LAC -2; Q2 LAC -7; Q3 LAC -8; Q4 LAC +4
Final · Box score
Blazers101
Rockets92
Q1 POR -6; Q2 POR -3; Q3 POR +7; Q4 POR +9
Final · Box score
Spurs102
Nuggets93
Q1 SAS -1; Q2 SAS +4; Q3 SAS -1; Q4 SAS +9
Final · Box score
Pistons98
Kings102
Q1 SAC +4; Q2 SAC +4; Q3 SAC +4; Q4 SAC +4
On this day · 2000–01Dec 18, 2000: 1 game. Top scorer: Dirk Nowitzki (Mavs-Celtics), 31 points.
Dec 18 in other seasons2025202320222021201920182017201620152014201320122010200920082007200620052004200320021999199719961995
The lead · Mavs-Wolves

Dallas erases 16-point lead, steals one from Minnesota

Tim Duncan goes for 24 points

Game flow · DAL margin at each break
-25-15-5+5+15+25TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-11-16-13+4DAL AHEAD ↑MIN AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs19262834107
Wolves30312517103
Who led
Michael FinleyPoints, last 10 games: 21, 14, 19, 11, 32, 6, 20, 22, 30, 26DAL26 PTS · 7 REB · 5 AST
Dirk NowitzkiPoints, last 10 games: 33, 29, 21, 32, 33, 27, 10, 15, 21, 24DAL24 PTS · 15 REB · 3 AST
Chauncey BillupsPoints, last 10 games: 6, 4, 16, 7, 11, 11, 7, 2, 6, 23MIN23 PTS · 2 REB · 7 AST
Joe SmithPoints, last 10 games: 6, 5, 11, 9, 18, 18, 15, 6, 15, 18MIN18 PTS · 7 REB · 2 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Four games go down to the wire

Four of 10 games were decided by four points or fewer. Widest margin: Utah by 39.

IND over ATL3DAL over MIN4LAC over PHX4SAC over DET4NYK over CHH5MIL over MEM9POR over HOU9SAS over DEN9CLE over CHI18UTA over MIA39Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer.
The night in charts
Bucks-Grizzlies combined for 219, 9 more than any other game
Points by game
Bucks-GrizzliesBucks 114, Grizzlies 105
219
Mavs-WolvesMavs 107, Wolves 103
210
Pacers-HawksPacers 103, Hawks 100
203
Pistons-KingsPistons 98, Kings 102
200
Spurs-NuggetsSpurs 102, Nuggets 93
195
Knicks-HornetsKnicks 100, Hornets 95
195
Blazers-RocketsBlazers 101, Rockets 92
193
Clippers-SunsClippers 96, Suns 92
188
Bulls-CavsBulls 84, Cavs 102
186
Jazz-HeatJazz 95, Heat 56
151
5 of 10 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Pacers-HawksPacers 103, Hawks 100
+3 IND
Mavs-WolvesMavs 107, Wolves 103
+4 DAL
Clippers-SunsClippers 96, Suns 92
+4 LAC
Pistons-KingsPistons 98, Kings 102
+4 SAC
Knicks-HornetsKnicks 100, Hornets 95
+5 NYK
Blazers-RocketsBlazers 101, Rockets 92
+9 POR
Spurs-NuggetsSpurs 102, Nuggets 93
+9 SAS
Bucks-GrizzliesBucks 114, Grizzlies 105
+9 MIL
Bulls-CavsBulls 84, Cavs 102
+18 CLE
Jazz-HeatJazz 95, Heat 56
+39 UTA
DAL erased a 16-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Mavs-WolvesDAL won · Mavs 107, Wolves 103
16 pts
Clippers-SunsLAC won · Clippers 96, Suns 92
8 pts
Blazers-RocketsPOR won · Blazers 101, Rockets 92
6 pts
Pacers-HawksIND won · Pacers 103, Hawks 100
6 pts
Bucks-GrizzliesMIL won · Bucks 114, Grizzlies 105
2 pts
Person shot 10-of-13 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
PersonCLE · 22 PTS, 5 AST, 2 STL, 1 REB
77% (10-13)
NorrisHOU · 22 PTS, 7 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL
73% (8-11)
MarshallUTA · 21 PTS, 13 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK
70% (7-10)
BibbySAC · 25 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL
69% (9-13)
TerryATL · 27 PTS, 6 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL
64% (9-14)
Final · Pacers-Hawks
Pacers 103Hawks 100
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Pacers28222528103
Hawks27282619100
The story
Reggie Miller's 26 points carried Indiana past Atlanta, 103-100

For Atlanta, Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 28 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST 26 PTS, 3 AST, 2 REB · 8-15 FG, 4-8 3PT

The swing

The Pacers trailed by 6 going into the fourth, then won it 28-19.

IND lead by quarter
200 +1−5−6+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Jason Terry was the fantasy play: 46.8 FPTS on 27 PTS, 6 AST, 4 REB

Final · Mavs-Wolves
Mavs 107Wolves 103
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs19262834107
Wolves30312517103
The story
Michael Finley had 26 points as Dallas beat Minnesota 107-103

Chauncey Billups led Minnesota with 23 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB 26 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 3 BLK · 9-22 FG, 1-4 3PT

The swing

Down 13 after the third, the Mavericks took the fourth 34-17.

DAL lead by quarter
200 −11−16−13+4 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Pistons-Kings
Pistons 98Kings 102
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Pistons2126262598
Kings25262625102
The story
Sacramento beat Detroit 102-98 behind 19 points and 14 rebounds from Chris Webber

Mike Bibby backed him with 25 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB 19 PTS, 14 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL · 8-22 FG

The swing

A 25-21 first quarter did the most damage for the Kings.

SAC lead by quarter
200 +4+4+4+4 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+10.1points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
9.3Season avg19.4Last 5

19.4 points a game over his last five games, against 9.3 in 16 earlier games. Today: 24 points in 36 minutes.

Losing minutes
−14.3minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
22.6Season avg8.3Last 3

8.3 minutes a game over his last three games, against 22.6 in 23 earlier games. Today: 4 points in 9 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+24.7minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
16.3Season avg41.0Today

41 minutes today, against 16.3 a game in 22 earlier games. Line: 23 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists.

Top performances

Jerry Stackhouse leads the day with 35

Jerry StackhousePoints, last 10 games: 19, 4, 26, 31, 25, 14, 19, 19, 26, 35Pistons-Kings · L
22.9 PPG season to date · +12.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high35 PTS · 5 REB · 4 AST
Latrell SprewellPoints, last 10 games: 25, 26, 23, 28, 25, 49, 22, 13, 12, 30Knicks-Hornets · W
20.4 PPG season to date · +10.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
30 PTS · 1 REB · 6 AST
Shareef Abdur-RahimPoints, last 10 games: 26, 20, 19, 22, 18, 6, 2, 19, 20, 28Hawks-Pacers · L
20.0 PPG season to date · +8.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
28 PTS · 10 REB · 3 AST
Jason TerryPoints, last 10 games: 10, 15, 9, 4, 22, 21, 28, 23, 16, 27Hawks-Pacers · L
16.6 PPG season to date · +10.9 vs his regular-season average before tonight
27 PTS · 4 REB · 6 AST
Stromile SwiftPoints, last 10 games: 12, 8, 17, 24, 7, 13, 9, 16, 9, 27Grizzlies-Bucks · L
14.4 PPG season to date · +13.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Career high27 PTS · 5 REB · 0 AST
Ray AllenPoints, last 10 games: 13, 25, 26, 10, 30, 21, 30, 7, 21, 26Bucks-Grizzlies · W
21.4 PPG season to date · +4.9 vs his regular-season average before tonight
26 PTS · 9 REB · 7 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Latrell SprewellNYK+4.9 25.3 last 10 · 20.4 season
Richard HamiltonWAS+4.8 25.1 last 10 · 20.3 season
Oscar TorresHOU+4.7 13.9 last 10 · 9.2 season
Lee NailonCHH+4.1 15.1 last 10 · 11.0 season
Al HarringtonIND+3.8 17.2 last 10 · 13.4 season
Cold
Nick Van ExelDEN−3.7 20.8 last 10 · 24.5 season
Elton BrandLAC−3.6 15.9 last 10 · 19.5 season
Juwan HowardDAL−3.2 8.2 last 10 · 11.4 season
Michael JordanWAS−3.0 20.5 last 10 · 23.5 season
Clifford RobinsonDET−3.0 13.5 last 10 · 16.5 season