Wednesday, December 17, 2003Regular season · 10 games

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10 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: Celtics trailed Mavs by 8 after three quarters and won 105–103.

Final · Box score

Rockets89

Cavs85

Final · Box score

Magic94

Pacers90

Final · Box score

Heat76

Sixers87

Final · Box score

Warriors98

Hawks85

Final · Box score

Bulls73

Pistons77

Final · Box score

Jazz74

Nets87

Final · Box score

Mavs103

Celtics105

Final · Box score

Raptors70

Spurs73

Final · Box score

Nuggets99

Sonics98

Final · Box score

Bucks83

Clippers93

On this day · 2002–03Dec 17, 2002: 7 games. Top scorer: Jason Kidd (Nets-Knicks), 39 points.

Dec 17 in other seasons2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2001 2000 1999 1997 1996 1995

The lead · Mavs-Celtics

Boston fights back from 8 down against Dallas

Jermaine O'Neal goes for 24 points

Game flow · Celtics margin at each break

By quarter

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	T
Mavs	29	33	23	18	103
Celtics	24	32	21	28	105

Who led

Paul PierceCeltics25 PTS · 11 REB · 7 AST

Jiri WelschCeltics21 PTS · 3 REB · 0 AST

Dirk NowitzkiMavs30 PTS · 13 REB · 1 AST

Antawn JamisonMavs21 PTS · 9 REB · 0 AST

Top scorers tonight

Tim Duncan Spurs30

Dirk Nowitzki Mavs30

Mike Dunleavy Warriors25

Paul Pierce Celtics25

Jermaine O'Neal Pacers24

O'Neal tops the night at 65.9 FPTS

Top 8 FPTS

O'NealPacers · 24 PTS, 17 REB, 5 BLK, 3 AST

65.9

DuncanSpurs · 30 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST, 4 BLK

62.1

PierceCeltics · 25 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL

57.7

CambyNuggets · 15 PTS, 7 BLK, 6 REB, 4 AST

57.2

DirkMavs · 30 PTS, 13 REB, 2 STL, 1 AST

56.6

Ben WallacePistons · 15 REB, 8 BLK, 7 PTS, 2 AST

56.0

Andre MillerNuggets · 20 PTS, 11 REB, 9 AST, 3 STL

52.7

T-MacMagic · 21 PTS, 11 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL

50.7

Records so far

Lakers leads the league at 18–5

East

1. Pacers19-7

2. Hornets17-9

3. Pistons15-10

4. Sixers13-12

5. Raptors13-12

6. Celtics13-13

7. Nets12-12

8. Bucks12-14

9. Heat9-16

10. Knicks9-17

11. Wizards8-16

12. Bulls7-17

13. Hawks7-20

14. Cavs6-19

15. Magic5-21

West

1. Lakers18-5

2. Kings16-6

3. Nuggets16-9

4. Spurs17-10

5. Mavs15-9

6. Wolves15-9

7. Rockets14-10

8. Grizzlies14-10

9. Warriors12-11

10. Jazz13-12

11. Blazers11-11

12. Sonics11-12

13. Clippers10-11

14. Suns9-16

Lead changes

Bulls-Pistons14

Rockets-Cavs13

Magic-Pacers11

Nuggets-Sonics6

Jazz-Nets5

Raptors-Spurs4

Heat-Sixers1

Shot of the night

Melo's layup with 6 seconds left puts the Nuggets ahead, 99-98 final

The night in charts

Mavs-Celtics combined for 208, 11 more than any other game

Points by game

Mavs-CelticsMavs 103, Celtics 105

208

Nuggets-SonicsNuggets 99, Sonics 98

197

Magic-PacersMagic 94, Pacers 90

184

Warriors-HawksWarriors 98, Hawks 85

183

Bucks-ClippersBucks 83, Clippers 93

176

Rockets-CavsRockets 89, Cavs 85

174

Heat-SixersHeat 76, Sixers 87

163

Jazz-NetsJazz 74, Nets 87

161

Bulls-PistonsBulls 73, Pistons 77

150

Raptors-SpursRaptors 70, Spurs 73

143

6 of 10 games were decided by 5 or fewer

Closest finishes

Nuggets-SonicsNuggets 99, Sonics 98

+1 Nuggets

Mavs-CelticsMavs 103, Celtics 105

+2 Celtics

Raptors-SpursRaptors 70, Spurs 73

+3 Spurs

Magic-PacersMagic 94, Pacers 90

+4 Magic

Bulls-PistonsBulls 73, Pistons 77

+4 Pistons

Rockets-CavsRockets 89, Cavs 85

+4 Rockets

Bucks-ClippersBucks 83, Clippers 93

+10 Clippers

Heat-SixersHeat 76, Sixers 87

+11 Sixers

Jazz-NetsJazz 74, Nets 87

+13 Nets

Warriors-HawksWarriors 98, Hawks 85

+13 Warriors

Celtics rallied from 8 down, the night's biggest comeback

Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks

Mavs-CelticsCeltics won · Mavs 103, Celtics 105

8 pts

Warriors-HawksWarriors won · Warriors 98, Hawks 85

6 pts

Heat-SixersSixers won · Heat 76, Sixers 87

6 pts

Bucks-ClippersClippers won · Bucks 83, Clippers 93

2 pts

Nuggets-SonicsNuggets won · Nuggets 99, Sonics 98

1 pt

Kenyon Martin shot 7-of-10 for the night's hottest hand

Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA

Kenyon MartinNets · 22 PTS, 11 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK

70% (7-10)

KiddNets · 19 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL

70% (7-10)

CambyNuggets · 15 PTS, 7 BLK, 6 REB, 4 AST

70% (7-10)

DunleavyWarriors · 25 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST

67% (10-15)

HowardMagic · 19 PTS, 7 REB, 1 AST

67% (8-12)

Final · Nuggets-Sonics

Nuggets 99Sonics 98

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	T
Nuggets	35	26	22	16	99
Sonics	25	29	30	14	98

The story

Marcus Camby had 15 points as Denver beat Seattle 99-98

Flip Murray led Seattle with 19 PTS, 3 REB 15 PTS, 7 BLK, 6 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL · 7-10 FG, 0-1 3PT

The swing

The Nuggets won the first 35-25, their biggest quarter edge.

Nuggets lead by quarter

Final · Mavs-Celtics

Mavs 103Celtics 105

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	T
Mavs	29	33	23	18	103
Celtics	24	32	21	28	105

The story

Boston beat Dallas 105-103 behind 25 points and 11 rebounds from Paul Pierce

Dirk Nowitzki paced Dallas: 30 PTS, 13 REB 25 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST · 7-19 FG, 4-7 3PT

The swing

A 28-18 fourth quarter erased a 8-point hole for the Celtics.

Celtics lead by quarter

Final · Raptors-Spurs

Raptors 70Spurs 73

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	T
Raptors	19	9	32	10	70
Spurs	22	19	20	12	73

The story

Tony Parker's 16 points carried San Antonio past Toronto, 73-70

For Toronto, Vince Carter had 16 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB 16 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST · 5-11 FG, 1-2 3PT

The swing

The second quarter, 19-9, was where the Spurs built it.

Spurs lead by quarter

Fantasy angle

Heating up

Donyell MarshallRaptors

+9.6points, last 5 vs season avg

Points per game

22.6 points a game over his last five games, against 13.0 in 24 earlier games. Today: 19 points in 42 minutes.

Losing minutes

Rasual ButlerHeat

−18.3minutes, last 2 vs 2002–03 avg

Minutes per game

3.0 minutes a game over his last two games, against 21.3 in 2002–03 (71 games). Today: 0 points in 4 minutes.

Stepped-up role

Rick BrunsonBulls

+24.0minutes, today vs season avg

Minutes per game

29 minutes today, against 5.0 a game in 4 earlier games. Line: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists.

Second story · Heat-Sixers

Philadelphia handles Miami by 11

The 76ers won the fourth quarter 26–18. Final: 87–76. Aaron McKie led Philadelphia with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.

The whole night · final margins

Top performances

Tim Duncan leads the day with 30

Tim DuncanSpurs-Raptors · W

22.1 PPG season to date · +8.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight

30 PTS · 13 REB · 5 AST

Dirk NowitzkiMavs-Celtics · L

19.4 PPG season to date · +11.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight

Ties season high30 PTS · 13 REB · 1 AST

Mike DunleavyWarriors-Hawks · W

13.6 PPG season to date · +12.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight

25 PTS · 14 REB · 6 AST

Paul PierceCeltics-Mavs · W

24.0 PPG season to date · +1.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight

25 PTS · 11 REB · 7 AST

Jermaine O'NealPacers-Magic · L

20.5 PPG season to date · +3.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight

24 PTS · 17 REB · 3 AST

Kenyon MartinNets-Jazz · W

17.9 PPG season to date · +4.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight

22 PTS · 11 REB · 1 AST

Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot

Donyell MarshallRaptors+6.7 19.9 last 10 · 13.2 season

Voshon LenardNuggets+5.3 20.8 last 10 · 15.5 season

Jiri WelschCeltics+5.1 11.9 last 10 · 6.8 season

Sam CassellWolves+4.2 23.7 last 10 · 19.5 season

Michael FinleyMavs+3.8 21.1 last 10 · 17.3 season

Cold

Flip MurraySonics−4.3 14.2 last 10 · 18.5 season

Predrag DrobnjakClippers−3.8 4.6 last 10 · 8.4 season

Udonis HaslemHeat−3.5 3.0 last 10 · 6.5 season

Quentin RichardsonClippers−3.2 13.5 last 10 · 16.7 season

Chauncey BillupsPistons−3.2 16.2 last 10 · 19.4 season

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