FloaterDaily Brief
Wednesday, March 18, 2009Regular season · 11 games
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11 games, 2 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: Nuggets trailed Grizzlies by 10 after three quarters and won 111–109.

Final · OT · Box score
Heat108
Celtics112
Q1 Celtics +13; Q2 Celtics -5; Q3 Celtics -1; Q4 Celtics 0; OT1 Celtics +4
Final · Box score
Kings88
Bobcats104
Q1 Bobcats +8; Q2 Bobcats +5; Q3 Bobcats +8; Q4 Bobcats +16
Final · Box score
Blazers95
Pacers85
Q1 Blazers +11; Q2 Blazers +11; Q3 Blazers +21; Q4 Blazers +10
Final · Box score
Nets115
Knicks89
Q1 Nets -3; Q2 Nets +11; Q3 Nets +20; Q4 Nets +26
Final · Box score
Nuggets111
Grizzlies109
Q1 Nuggets -9; Q2 Nuggets -6; Q3 Nuggets -10; Q4 Nuggets +2
Final · Box score
Magic106
Bucks80
Q1 Magic +16; Q2 Magic +30; Q3 Magic +22; Q4 Magic +26
Final · Box score
Wolves93
Hornets94
Q1 Hornets +8; Q2 Hornets +4; Q3 Hornets +8; Q4 Hornets +1
Final · Box score
Bulls103
Thunder96
Q1 Bulls -7; Q2 Bulls -5; Q3 Bulls +5; Q4 Bulls +7
Final · 2OT · Box score
Pistons101
Rockets106
Q1 Rockets +2; Q2 Rockets +4; Q3 Rockets -1; Q4 Rockets 0; OT1 Rockets 0; OT2 Rockets +5
Final · Box score
Sixers116
Suns126
Q1 Suns -3; Q2 Suns -3; Q3 Suns +2; Q4 Suns +10
Final · Box score
Wizards108
Clippers123
Q1 Clippers -5; Q2 Clippers -8; Q3 Clippers 0; Q4 Clippers +15
On this day · 2007–08Mar 18, 2008: 7 games. Top scorer: Dirk Nowitzki (Mavs-Lakers), 35 points.
Mar 18 in other seasons2026202520242023202220212019201820172016201520142013201220112010200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
The lead · Nuggets-Grizzlies

Carmelo Anthony scores 35, Denver holds off Memphis

Yao Ming goes for 31 points

Game flow · Nuggets margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-9-6-10+2Nuggets AHEAD ↑Grizzlies AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Nuggets26272830111
Grizzlies35243218109
Who led
Carmelo AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 12, 20, 38, 20, 32, 21, 22, 18, 15, 35Nuggets35 PTS · 5 REB · 2 AST
JR SmithPoints, last 10 games: 3, 16, 17, 27, 19, 15, 11, 17, 19, 21Nuggets21 PTS · 3 REB · 0 AST
Rudy GayPoints, last 10 games: 20, 14, 35, 8, 21, 12, 26, 15, 17, 30Grizzlies30 PTS · 2 REB · 1 AST
Hakim WarrickPoints, last 10 games: 2, 1, 17, 9, 9, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16Grizzlies16 PTS · 5 REB · 1 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Three games go down to the wire

Three of 11 games were decided by four points or fewer. Widest margin: New Jersey by 26.

Hornets over Wolves1Nuggets over Grizzlies2Celtics over Heat4Rockets over Pistons5Bulls over Thunder7Blazers over Pacers10Suns over Sixers10Clippers over Wizards15Bobcats over Kings16Nets over Knicks26Magic over Bucks26Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer.
Lead changes
Heat-Celtics16
Pistons-Rockets12
Sixers-Suns12
Wolves-Hornets8
Bulls-Thunder6
Kings-Bobcats4
Magic-Bucks4
Nuggets-Grizzlies2
Blazers-Pacers1
Nets-Knicks1
Wizards-Clippers1
Shot of the night

West's dunk with 12 seconds left puts the Hornets ahead, 94-93 final

The night in charts
Sixers-Suns combined for 242, 11 more than any other game
Points by game
Sixers-SunsSixers 116, Suns 126
242
Wizards-ClippersWizards 108, Clippers 123
231
Heat-CelticsHeat 108, Celtics 112
220
Nuggets-GrizzliesNuggets 111, Grizzlies 109
220
Pistons-RocketsPistons 101, Rockets 106
207
Nets-KnicksNets 115, Knicks 89
204
Bulls-ThunderBulls 103, Thunder 96
199
Kings-BobcatsKings 88, Bobcats 104
192
Wolves-HornetsWolves 93, Hornets 94
187
Magic-BucksMagic 106, Bucks 80
186
Blazers-PacersBlazers 95, Pacers 85
180
4 of 11 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Wolves-HornetsWolves 93, Hornets 94
+1 Hornets
Nuggets-GrizzliesNuggets 111, Grizzlies 109
+2 Nuggets
Heat-CelticsHeat 108, Celtics 112
+4 Celtics
Pistons-RocketsPistons 101, Rockets 106
+5 Rockets
Bulls-ThunderBulls 103, Thunder 96
+7 Bulls
Blazers-PacersBlazers 95, Pacers 85
+10 Blazers
Sixers-SunsSixers 116, Suns 126
+10 Suns
Wizards-ClippersWizards 108, Clippers 123
+15 Clippers
Kings-BobcatsKings 88, Bobcats 104
+16 Bobcats
Magic-BucksMagic 106, Bucks 80
+26 Magic
Nets-KnicksNets 115, Knicks 89
+26 Nets
Nuggets erased a 10-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Nuggets-GrizzliesNuggets won · Nuggets 111, Grizzlies 109
10 pts
Wizards-ClippersClippers won · Wizards 108, Clippers 123
8 pts
Bulls-ThunderBulls won · Bulls 103, Thunder 96
7 pts
Heat-CelticsCeltics won · Heat 108, Celtics 112
5 pts
Sixers-SunsSuns won · Sixers 116, Suns 126
3 pts
Kaman shot 9-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
KamanClippers · 19 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST
90% (9-10)
D-RoseBulls · 25 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL
86% (12-14)
Grant HillSuns · 21 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
77% (10-13)
ThorntonClippers · 22 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL, 1 AST
75% (9-12)
OkaforBobcats · 16 PTS, 10 REB, 4 BLK
70% (7-10)
Final · Wolves-Hornets
Wolves 93Hornets 94
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Wolves1628222793
Hornets2424262094
The story
Hilton Armstrong had 12 points as New Orleans beat Minnesota 94-93

Ryan Gomes led Minnesota with 17 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST 12 PTS, 8 REB, 4 BLK, 1 AST · 6-8 FG

The swing

The Hornets won the first 24-16, their biggest quarter edge.

Hornets lead by quarter
200 +8+4+8+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Nuggets-Grizzlies
Nuggets 111Grizzlies 109
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Nuggets26272830111
Grizzlies35243218109
The story
Chauncey Billups' 18 points and 12 assists carried Denver past Memphis, 111-109

For Memphis, Rudy Gay had 30 PTS, 2 REB 18 PTS, 12 AST, 5 REB · 5-10 FG, 1-3 3PT

The swing

The Nuggets trailed by 10 going into the fourth, then won it 30-18.

Nuggets lead by quarter
200 −9−6−10+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Darrell Arthur was the fantasy play: 46.9 FPTS on 10 PTS, 7 REB

Final · Pistons-Rockets
Pistons 101Rockets 106
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OT1OT2T
Pistons18202717910101
Rockets20222218915106
The story
Houston beat Detroit 106-101 in OT behind 26 points from Metta World Peace

Rodney Stuckey paced Detroit: 21 PTS, 10 AST, 5 REB 26 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST · 11-24 FG, 1-4 3PT

The swing

The Rockets settled it in second overtime, 15-10.

Rockets lead by quarter
200 +2+4−100+5 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT1OT2
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+8.4points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
14.4Season avg22.8Last 5

22.8 points a game over his last five games, against 14.4 in 65 earlier games. Today: 23 points in 35 minutes.

Losing minutes
−14.8minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
35.9Season avg21.1Last 3

21.1 minutes a game over his last three games, against 35.9 in 53 earlier games. Today: 35 points in 34 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+29.8minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
15.6Season avg45.4Today

45 minutes today, against 15.6 a game in 59 earlier games. Line: 24 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists.

Top performances

Paul Pierce leads the day with 36

Paul PiercePoints, last 10 games: 16, 26, 31, 29, 16, 16, 17, 15, 37, 36Celtics-Heat · W
20.6 PPG season to date · +15.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
36 PTS · 11 REB · 5 AST
Danny GrangerPoints, last 10 games: 28, 18, 33, 29, 16, 26, 20, 12, 10, 35Pacers-Blazers · L
24.9 PPG season to date · +10.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
35 PTS · 10 REB · 0 AST
Carmelo AnthonyPoints, last 10 games: 12, 20, 38, 20, 32, 21, 22, 18, 15, 35Nuggets-Grizzlies · W
22.1 PPG season to date · +13.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
35 PTS · 5 REB · 2 AST
Yao MingPoints, last 10 games: 17, 20, 19, 15, 24, 15, 16, 23, 18, 31Rockets-Pistons · W
19.8 PPG season to date · +11.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 15 REB · 2 AST
Rudy GayPoints, last 10 games: 20, 14, 35, 8, 21, 12, 26, 15, 17, 30Grizzlies-Nuggets · L
18.8 PPG season to date · +11.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
30 PTS · 2 REB · 1 AST
Rashad McCantsPoints, last 10 games: 6, 12, 17, 20, 7, 13, 5, 2, 4, 30Kings-Bobcats · L
9.4 PPG season to date · +21.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high30 PTS · 1 REB · 1 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Steve NashSuns+6.9 22.2 last 10 · 15.3 season
Thabo SefoloshaThunder+6.7 12.6 last 10 · 5.9 season
Jarrett JackPacers+6.0 18.7 last 10 · 12.7 season
Dwyane WadeHeat+5.9 35.8 last 10 · 29.9 season
Larry HughesKnicks+5.9 18.9 last 10 · 13.0 season
Cold
Quentin RichardsonKnicks−6.2 3.4 last 10 · 9.6 season
Elton BrandSixers−5.6 8.2 last 10 · 13.8 season
Tim DuncanSpurs−5.1 14.8 last 10 · 19.9 season
Kenyon MartinNuggets−4.8 7.1 last 10 · 11.9 season
Chris DuhonKnicks−4.5 7.2 last 10 · 11.7 season