FloaterDaily Brief
Saturday, December 18, 2004Regular season · 9 games
← Dec 17CalendarDec 19 →

9 games, 2 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: BOS trailed CLE by 13 after three quarters and won 114–107.

Final · OT · Box score
Rockets100
Bobcats101
Q1 CHA -3; Q2 CHA -4; Q3 CHA -11; Q4 Bobcats 0; OT1 CHA +1
Final · Box score
Nuggets95
Magic117
Q1 ORL +10; Q2 ORL +14; Q3 ORL +31; Q4 ORL +22
Final · OT · Box score
Celtics114
Cavs107
Q1 Celtics 0; Q2 BOS -3; Q3 BOS -13; Q4 Celtics 0; OT1 BOS +7
Final · Box score
Blazers75
Pistons74
Q1 POR +1; Q2 POR +6; Q3 POR +8; Q4 POR +1
Final · Box score
Pacers71
Bulls85
Q1 CHI +8; Q2 CHI +6; Q3 CHI +8; Q4 CHI +14
Final · Box score
Hawks68
Mavs90
Q1 DAL +15; Q2 DAL +23; Q3 DAL +32; Q4 DAL +22
Final · Box score
Sixers116
Bucks97
Q1 PHI +12; Q2 PHI +16; Q3 PHI +9; Q4 PHI +19
Final · Box score
Warriors85
Spurs104
Q1 SAS -11; Q2 SAS +4; Q3 SAS +5; Q4 SAS +19
Final · Box score
Wizards96
Suns110
Q1 PHX +5; Q2 PHX +8; Q3 PHX +11; Q4 PHX +14
On this day · 2003–04Dec 18, 2003: 3 games. Top scorer: Kevin Garnett (Wolves-Mavs), 35 points.
Dec 18 in other seasons2025202320222021201920182017201620152014201320122010200920082007200620052002200120001999199719961995
The lead · Celtics-Cavs

Paul Pierce scores 34, Boston rallies past Cleveland

Shawn Marion goes for 36 points

Game flow · BOS margin at each break
-20-100+10+20OVERTIMETipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3End reg.Final00-3-130+7BOS AHEAD ↑CLE AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4OT1T
Celtics2727202812114
Cavs273030155107
Who led
Paul PiercePoints, last 10 games: 23, 20, 16, 26, 6, 22, 33, 31, 13, 34BOS34 PTS · 7 REB · 6 AST
Gary PaytonPoints, last 10 games: 10, 0, 9, 12, 14, 21, 15, 11, 27, 21BOS21 PTS · 4 REB · 3 AST
LeBron JamesPoints, last 10 games: 15, 17, 27, 27, 19, 23, 31, 25, 11, 31CLE31 PTS · 5 REB · 4 AST
Zydrunas IlgauskasPoints, last 10 games: 22, 8, 21, 19, 13, 14, 11, 6, 12, 21CLE21 PTS · 8 REB · 4 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Nine games, by the margins

Closest finish: 1. Widest: Orlando by 22.

CHA over HOU1POR over DET1BOS over CLE7CHI over IND14PHX over WAS14PHI over MIL19SAS over GSW19ORL over DEN22DAL over ATL22Final margin, points. Pink = closest and widest.
Lead changes
Celtics-Cavs15
Rockets-Bobcats11
Blazers-Pistons10
Wizards-Suns6
Warriors-Spurs4
Sixers-Bucks2
Nuggets-Magic1
Pacers-Bulls0
Hawks-Mavs0
The night in charts
Celtics-Cavs combined for 221, 8 more than any other game
Points by game
Celtics-CavsCeltics 114, Cavs 107
221
Sixers-BucksSixers 116, Bucks 97
213
Nuggets-MagicNuggets 95, Magic 117
212
Wizards-SunsWizards 96, Suns 110
206
Rockets-BobcatsRockets 100, Bobcats 101
201
Warriors-SpursWarriors 85, Spurs 104
189
Hawks-MavsHawks 68, Mavs 90
158
Pacers-BullsPacers 71, Bulls 85
156
Blazers-PistonsBlazers 75, Pistons 74
149
2 of 9 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Rockets-BobcatsRockets 100, Bobcats 101
+1 CHA
Blazers-PistonsBlazers 75, Pistons 74
+1 POR
Celtics-CavsCeltics 114, Cavs 107
+7 BOS
Wizards-SunsWizards 96, Suns 110
+14 PHX
Pacers-BullsPacers 71, Bulls 85
+14 CHI
Sixers-BucksSixers 116, Bucks 97
+19 PHI
Warriors-SpursWarriors 85, Spurs 104
+19 SAS
Hawks-MavsHawks 68, Mavs 90
+22 DAL
Nuggets-MagicNuggets 95, Magic 117
+22 ORL
BOS erased a 13-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Celtics-CavsBOS won · Celtics 114, Cavs 107
13 pts
Rockets-BobcatsCHA won · Rockets 100, Bobcats 101
11 pts
Warriors-SpursSAS won · Warriors 85, Spurs 104
11 pts
Curry shot 8-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
CurryCHI · 23 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK
80% (8-10)
MarionPHX · 36 PTS, 14 REB, 6 STL, 2 AST
72% (13-18)
ParkerSAS · 21 PTS, 9 AST, 4 REB
71% (10-14)
Grant HillORL · 16 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB
67% (8-12)
JamisonWAS · 25 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK
65% (11-17)
Final · Rockets-Bobcats
Rockets 100Bobcats 101
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OTT
Rockets312230116100
Bobcats282123227101
The story
Emeka Okafor had 23 points and 17 rebounds as Charlotte beat Houston 101-100 in OT

Yao Ming led Houston with 16 PTS, 9 REB 23 PTS, 17 REB, 2 AST · 10-26 FG

The swing

Down 11 after the third, the Bobcats took the fourth 22-11.

CHA lead by quarter
200 −3−4−110+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT
Fantasy angle

Tracy McGrady led the game in fantasy with 59.9 FPTS (29 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB)

Final · Blazers-Pistons
Blazers 75Pistons 74
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Blazers2022171675
Pistons1917152374
The story
Portland beat Detroit 75-74 behind 14 points and 8 assists from Nick Van Exel

Chauncey Billups paced Detroit: 16 PTS, 8 AST, 4 REB 14 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB · 4-10 FG, 2-4 3PT

The swing

A 22-17 second quarter did the most damage for the Trail Blazers.

POR lead by quarter
200 +1+6+8+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Rasheed Wallace topped the game at 47.4 FPTS: 17 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST

Final · Celtics-Cavs
Celtics 114Cavs 107
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OTT
Celtics2727202812114
Cavs273030155107
The story
Gary Payton's 21 points carried Boston past Cleveland, 114-107 in OT

For Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 21 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST 21 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST · 8-16 FG, 2-5 3PT

The swing

The Celtics trailed by 13 going into the fourth, then won it 28-15.

BOS lead by quarter
200 0−3−130+7 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+9.0points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
15.6Season avg24.6Last 5

24.6 points a game over his last five games, against 15.6 in 17 earlier games. Today: 33 points in 41 minutes.

Losing minutes
−10.1minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
31.3Season avg21.2Last 3

21.2 minutes a game over his last three games, against 31.3 in 22 earlier games. Today: 14 points in 20 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+25.3minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
10.0Season avg35.3Today

35 minutes today, against 10.0 a game in 15 earlier games. Line: 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists.

Top performances

Allen Iverson leads the day with 54

Allen IversonPoints, last 10 games: 14, 25, 20, 36, 14, 22, 40, 31, 24, 54Sixers-Bucks · W
27.2 PPG season to date · +28.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high54 PTS · 8 REB · 5 AST
Shawn MarionPoints, last 10 games: 10, 21, 16, 23, 19, 20, 19, 16, 22, 36Suns-Wizards · W
20.3 PPG season to date · +16.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high36 PTS · 14 REB · 2 AST
Paul PiercePoints, last 10 games: 23, 20, 16, 26, 6, 22, 33, 31, 13, 34Celtics-Cavs · W
22.6 PPG season to date · +12.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
34 PTS · 7 REB · 6 AST
Jamaal TinsleyPoints, last 10 games: 13, 29, 20, 16, 22, 21, 18, 29, 22, 33Pacers-Bulls · L
16.6 PPG season to date · +17.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Career high33 PTS · 7 REB · 4 AST
LeBron JamesPoints, last 10 games: 15, 17, 27, 27, 19, 23, 31, 25, 11, 31Cavs-Celtics · L
24.8 PPG season to date · +6.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 5 REB · 4 AST
Tracy McGradyPoints, last 10 games: 14, 16, 48, 17, 18, 33, 15, 25, 27, 29Rockets-Bobcats · L
22.5 PPG season to date · +6.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
29 PTS · 7 REB · 9 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Eric WilliamsNJN+4.5 17.1 last 10 · 12.6 season
Matt HarpringUTA+4.0 16.1 last 10 · 12.1 season
Quentin RichardsonPHX+4.0 18.6 last 10 · 14.6 season
Emeka OkaforCHA+3.2 18.0 last 10 · 14.8 season
Andre MillerDEN+2.9 17.3 last 10 · 14.4 season
Cold
Jarvis HayesWAS−3.9 6.1 last 10 · 10.0 season
Chris WilcoxLAC−3.7 7.9 last 10 · 11.6 season
Hedo TurkogluORL−3.4 9.8 last 10 · 13.2 season
Darrell ArmstrongDAL−3.1 5.2 last 10 · 8.3 season
Stromile SwiftMEM−2.9 7.0 last 10 · 9.9 season