FloaterDaily Brief
Tuesday, December 23, 2003Regular season · 12 games
← Dec 22CalendarDec 25 →

12 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: 12 points, by SAC (vs MEM) and ATL (vs BOS) and CLE (vs NOH).

Final · Box score
Hornets86
Cavs97
Q1 CLE -6; Q2 CLE -12; Q3 CLE -4; Q4 CLE +11
Final · Box score
Celtics88
Hawks93
Q1 ATL -10; Q2 ATL -12; Q3 ATL -1; Q4 ATL +5
Final · Box score
Wizards72
Heat79
Q1 MIA +10; Q2 MIA +4; Q3 MIA -2; Q4 MIA +7
Final · Box score
Bulls78
Nets95
Q1 Nets 0; Q2 NJN +8; Q3 NJN +12; Q4 NJN +17
Final · Box score
Wolves98
Knicks92
Q1 Wolves 0; Q2 MIN +4; Q3 MIN +1; Q4 MIN +6
Final · Box score
Pistons78
Bucks83
Q1 MIL +10; Q2 MIL +12; Q3 MIL +9; Q4 MIL +5
Final · Box score
Pacers79
Rockets71
Q1 IND +5; Q2 IND +11; Q3 IND +8; Q4 IND +8
Final · Box score
Clippers90
Spurs111
Q1 SAS +13; Q2 SAS +21; Q3 SAS +16; Q4 SAS +21
Final · Box score
Mavs88
Blazers97
Q1 POR +2; Q2 POR +7; Q3 POR +9; Q4 POR +9
Final · Box score
Grizzlies97
Kings114
Q1 SAC -12; Q2 SAC -2; Q3 SAC +5; Q4 SAC +17
Final · Box score
Suns90
Sonics116
Q1 SEA +8; Q2 SEA +5; Q3 SEA +19; Q4 SEA +26
Final · Box score
Lakers98
Warriors107
Q1 GSW -8; Q2 GSW +15; Q3 GSW +12; Q4 GSW +9
On this day · 2002–03Dec 23, 2002: 8 games. Top scorer: Al Harrington (Pacers-Hawks), 40 points.
Dec 23 in other seasons202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122010200920082007200620052004200120001999199719961995
The lead · Celtics-Hawks

Atlanta rallies from 12 down to beat Boston

Elton Brand goes for 22 points

Game flow · ATL margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-10-12-1+5ATL AHEAD ↑BOS AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Celtics2624172188
Hawks1622282793
Who led
Shareef Abdur-RahimPoints, last 10 games: 43, 22, 12, 19, 25, 16, 16, 21, 20, 25ATL25 PTS · 4 REB · 4 AST
Dion GloverPoints, last 10 games: 11, 4, 7, 10, 16, 19, 9, 11, 11, 18ATL18 PTS · 7 REB · 4 AST
Walter McCartyPoints, last 10 games: 5, 5, 9, 3, 0, 17, 18, 14, 6, 16BOS16 PTS · 4 REB · 5 AST
Paul PiercePoints, last 10 games: 33, 14, 36, 33, 41, 15, 25, 19, 31, 15BOS15 PTS · 5 REB · 5 AST
Lead changes
Wolves-Knicks21
Celtics-Hawks7
Lakers-Warriors7
Clippers-Spurs6
Bulls-Nets4
Wizards-Heat2
Hornets-Cavs1
Pistons-Bucks1
Mavs-Blazers1
Grizzlies-Kings1
Pacers-Rockets1
Suns-Sonics0
The night in charts
Grizzlies-Kings combined for 211, 5 more than any other game
Points by game
Grizzlies-KingsGrizzlies 97, Kings 114
211
Suns-SonicsSuns 90, Sonics 116
206
Lakers-WarriorsLakers 98, Warriors 107
205
Clippers-SpursClippers 90, Spurs 111
201
Wolves-KnicksWolves 98, Knicks 92
190
Mavs-BlazersMavs 88, Blazers 97
185
Hornets-CavsHornets 86, Cavs 97
183
Celtics-HawksCeltics 88, Hawks 93
181
Bulls-NetsBulls 78, Nets 95
173
Pistons-BucksPistons 78, Bucks 83
161
Wizards-HeatWizards 72, Heat 79
151
Pacers-RocketsPacers 79, Rockets 71
150
2 of 12 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Pistons-BucksPistons 78, Bucks 83
+5 MIL
Celtics-HawksCeltics 88, Hawks 93
+5 ATL
Wolves-KnicksWolves 98, Knicks 92
+6 MIN
Wizards-HeatWizards 72, Heat 79
+7 MIA
Pacers-RocketsPacers 79, Rockets 71
+8 IND
Mavs-BlazersMavs 88, Blazers 97
+9 POR
Lakers-WarriorsLakers 98, Warriors 107
+9 GSW
Hornets-CavsHornets 86, Cavs 97
+11 CLE
Grizzlies-KingsGrizzlies 97, Kings 114
+17 SAC
Bulls-NetsBulls 78, Nets 95
+17 NJN
Clippers-SpursClippers 90, Spurs 111
+21 SAS
Suns-SonicsSuns 90, Sonics 116
+26 SEA
SAC erased a 12-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Grizzlies-KingsSAC won · Grizzlies 97, Kings 114
12 pts
Celtics-HawksATL won · Celtics 88, Hawks 93
12 pts
Hornets-CavsCLE won · Hornets 86, Cavs 97
12 pts
Lakers-WarriorsGSW won · Lakers 98, Warriors 107
8 pts
Wizards-HeatMIA won · Wizards 72, Heat 79
2 pts
Brand shot 9-of-11 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
BrandLAC · 22 PTS, 13 REB, 4 BLK, 3 AST
82% (9-11)
ParkerSAS · 19 PTS, 14 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL
75% (9-12)
CassellMIN · 31 PTS, 5 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL
74% (14-19)
RandolphPOR · 27 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL
71% (12-17)
Joe JohnsonPHX · 21 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL
64% (9-14)
Final · Celtics-Hawks
Celtics 88Hawks 93
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Celtics2624172188
Hawks1622282793
The story
Atlanta beat Boston 93-88 behind 25 points from Shareef Abdur-Rahim

Walter McCarty paced Boston: 16 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB 25 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST · 8-15 FG

The swing

A 28-17 third quarter erased a 12-point hole for the Hawks.

ATL lead by quarter
200 −10−12−1+5 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Jason Terry topped the game at 38.7 FPTS: 13 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB

Final · Hornets-Cavs
Hornets 86Cavs 97
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Hornets2725181686
Cavs2119263197
The story
LeBron James' 22 points carried Cleveland past New Orleans, 97-86

For New Orleans, Baron Davis had 27 PTS, 4 AST, 3 REB 22 PTS, 6 REB, 6 STL, 2 AST · 7-22 FG, 1-6 3PT

The swing

The Cavaliers trailed by 4 going into the fourth, then won it 31-16.

CLE lead by quarter
200 −6−12−4+11 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Grizzlies-Kings
Grizzlies 97Kings 114
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Grizzlies3222162797
Kings20322339114
The story
Brad Miller had 20 points and 17 rebounds as Sacramento beat Memphis 114-97

Pau Gasol led Memphis with 23 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST 20 PTS, 17 REB, 6 AST, 3 BLK · 5-10 FG, 0-2 3PT

The swing

The Kings won the fourth 39-27, their biggest quarter edge.

SAC lead by quarter
200 −12−2+5+17 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+9.2points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
5.0Season avg14.2Last 5

14.2 points a game over his last five games, against 5.0 in 23 earlier games. Today: 16 points in 31 minutes.

Losing minutes
−21.6minutes, last 2 vs 2002–03 avg
Minutes per game
32.92002–03 avg11.3Last 2

11.3 minutes a game over his last two games, against 32.9 in 2002–03 (79 games). Today: 2 points in 10 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+22.7minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
3.2Season avg25.9Today

26 minutes today, against 3.2 a game in 7 earlier games. Line: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists.

Second story · Hornets-Cavs

Cleveland climbs out of a 12-point hole against New Orleans

Down 12 at the half, the Cavaliers won the fourth quarter 31–16 and the game 97–86. LeBron James led Cleveland with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.

Top-scorer duel · Cavs-Hornets
LeBron James · CLEBaron Davis · NOHPTS2227REB63AST24Top scorer on each side. Bars scale within each stat. Pink = the winning side.
Top performances

Peja Stojakovic leads the day with 41

Peja StojakovicPoints, last 10 games: 18, 27, 26, 24, 36, 27, 17, 31, 29, 41Kings-Grizzlies · W
24.9 PPG season to date · +16.7 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Career high41 PTS · 5 REB · 1 AST
Sam CassellPoints, last 10 games: 27, 26, 24, 17, 25, 27, 25, 26, 18, 31Wolves-Knicks · W
20.1 PPG season to date · +11.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high31 PTS · 2 REB · 5 AST
Latrell SprewellPoints, last 10 games: 21, 37, 27, 27, 21, 14, 14, 8, 17, 31Wolves-Knicks · W
17.7 PPG season to date · +13.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 3 REB · 1 AST
Zach RandolphPoints, last 10 games: 22, 29, 31, 22, 24, 30, 29, 29, 26, 27Blazers-Mavs · W
23.6 PPG season to date · +3.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
27 PTS · 9 REB · 5 AST
Baron DavisPoints, last 10 games: 16, 19, 18, 29, 27, 16, 25, 23, 25, 27Hornets-Cavs · L
23.7 PPG season to date · +3.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
27 PTS · 3 REB · 4 AST
Richard JeffersonPoints, last 10 games: 24, 18, 18, 31, 19, 4, 6, 18, 17, 26Nets-Bulls · W
15.8 PPG season to date · +10.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
26 PTS · 2 REB · 5 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Jiri WelschBOS+6.4 14.1 last 10 · 7.7 season
Donyell MarshallTOR+6.3 19.8 last 10 · 13.5 season
Shawn MarionPHX+5.1 23.7 last 10 · 18.6 season
Dwyane WadeMIA+5.0 21.8 last 10 · 16.8 season
Sam CassellMIN+4.5 24.6 last 10 · 20.1 season
Cold
Predrag DrobnjakLAC−3.8 4.6 last 10 · 8.4 season
Ricky DavisBOS−3.6 10.6 last 10 · 14.2 season
Richard HamiltonDET−3.3 14.7 last 10 · 18.0 season
Chauncey BillupsDET−3.1 15.6 last 10 · 18.7 season
Jon BarryDEN−2.9 3.7 last 10 · 6.6 season