FloaterDaily Brief
Tuesday, February 28, 2012Regular season · 9 games
← Feb 23CalendarFeb 29 →

9 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: MIN trailed LAC by 9 after the first quarter and won 109–97.

Final · Box score
Celtics86
Cavs83
Q1 BOS +13; Q2 BOS +5; Q3 BOS -2; Q4 BOS +3
Final · Box score
Warriors78
Pacers102
Q1 IND +3; Q2 IND +14; Q3 IND +31; Q4 IND +24
Final · Box score
Sixers97
Pistons68
Q1 PHI +2; Q2 PHI +16; Q3 PHI +22; Q4 PHI +29
Final · Box score
Hornets95
Bulls99
Q1 CHI +4; Q2 CHI -3; Q3 CHI +6; Q4 CHI +4
Final · Box score
Raptors85
Rockets88
Q1 HOU +12; Q2 HOU +9; Q3 HOU +5; Q4 HOU +3
Final · Box score
Wizards118
Bucks119
Q1 MIL +9; Q2 MIL +14; Q3 MIL +3; Q4 MIL +1
Final · Box score
Nets93
Mavs92
Q1 NJN +5; Q2 NJN +11; Q3 NJN +3; Q4 NJN +1
Final · Box score
Jazz96
Kings103
Q1 SAC -2; Q2 SAC -3; Q3 SAC +3; Q4 SAC +7
Final · Box score
Wolves109
Clippers97
Q1 MIN -9; Q2 MIN -3; Q3 MIN -3; Q4 MIN +12
On this day · 2010–11Feb 28, 2011: 5 games. Top scorer: Marcus Thornton (Kings-Clippers), 29 points.
Feb 28 in other seasons20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
The lead · Wolves-Clippers

Minnesota climbs out of a 9-point hole against Clippers

Derrick Rose goes for 32 points

Game flow · MIN margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-9-3-3+12MIN AHEAD ↑LAC AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Wolves22292236109
Clippers3123222197
Who led
Derrick WilliamsPoints, last 10 games: 13, 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 5, 13, 27MIN27 PTS · 5 REB · 0 AST
Michael BeasleyPoints, last 10 games: 13, 20, 8, 13, 4, 6, 4, 17, 2, 27MIN27 PTS · 5 REB · 0 AST
Blake GriffinPoints, last 10 games: 25, 16, 21, 20, 23, 21, 22, 21, 27, 30LAC30 PTS · 7 REB · 4 AST
Chris PaulPoints, last 10 games: 16, 24, 18, 16, 16, 13, 21, 24, 36, 27LAC27 PTS · 4 REB · 6 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Five close finishes and one 76ers rout

Five of 9 games were decided by four points or fewer. Philadelphia beat Detroit by 29.

MIL over WAS1NJN over DAL1BOS over CLE3HOU over TOR3CHI over NOH4SAC over UTA7MIN over LAC12IND over GSW24PHI over DET29Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer, plus the widest win.
Lead changes
Jazz-Kings20
Wizards-Bucks11
Celtics-Cavs9
Hornets-Bulls8
Nets-Mavs4
Sixers-Pistons3
Warriors-Pacers2
Wolves-Clippers2
Raptors-Rockets1
Shot of the night

Ilyasova's tip-in with 2.2 seconds left puts the Bucks ahead, 119-118 final

The night in charts
Wizards-Bucks combined for 237, 31 more than any other game
Points by game
Wizards-BucksWizards 118, Bucks 119
237
Wolves-ClippersWolves 109, Clippers 97
206
Jazz-KingsJazz 96, Kings 103
199
Hornets-BullsHornets 95, Bulls 99
194
Nets-MavsNets 93, Mavs 92
185
Warriors-PacersWarriors 78, Pacers 102
180
Raptors-RocketsRaptors 85, Rockets 88
173
Celtics-CavsCeltics 86, Cavs 83
169
Sixers-PistonsSixers 97, Pistons 68
165
5 of 9 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Wizards-BucksWizards 118, Bucks 119
+1 MIL
Nets-MavsNets 93, Mavs 92
+1 NJN
Raptors-RocketsRaptors 85, Rockets 88
+3 HOU
Celtics-CavsCeltics 86, Cavs 83
+3 BOS
Hornets-BullsHornets 95, Bulls 99
+4 CHI
Jazz-KingsJazz 96, Kings 103
+7 SAC
Wolves-ClippersWolves 109, Clippers 97
+12 MIN
Warriors-PacersWarriors 78, Pacers 102
+24 IND
Sixers-PistonsSixers 97, Pistons 68
+29 PHI
MIN rallied from 9 down, the night's biggest comeback
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Wolves-ClippersMIN won · Wolves 109, Clippers 97
9 pts
Hornets-BullsCHI won · Hornets 95, Bulls 99
3 pts
Jazz-KingsSAC won · Jazz 96, Kings 103
3 pts
Celtics-CavsBOS won · Celtics 86, Cavs 83
2 pts
Derrick Williams shot 9-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
Derrick WilliamsMIN · 27 PTS, 5 REB, 1 BLK
90% (9-10)
BeasleyMIN · 27 PTS, 5 REB
73% (11-15)
Devin HarrisUTA · 18 PTS, 7 AST, 2 STL, 1 REB
70% (7-10)
HaywoodDAL · 18 PTS, 10 REB, 3 BLK, 1 AST
70% (7-10)
LowryHOU · 26 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB
67% (8-12)
Final · Nets-Mavs
Nets 93Mavs 92
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Nets2828231493
Mavs2322311692
The story
Deron Williams' 12 points and 12 assists carried New Jersey past Dallas, 93-92

For Dallas, Brendan Haywood had 18 PTS, 10 REB 12 PTS, 12 AST, 4 REB · 3-15 FG, 2-9 3PT

The swing

The second quarter, 28-22, was where the Nets built it.

NJN lead by quarter
200 +5+11+3+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Dirk Nowitzki was the fantasy play: 47.0 FPTS on 24 PTS, 10 REB

Final · Wizards-Bucks
Wizards 118Bucks 119
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Wizards24293629118
Bucks33342527119
The story
Milwaukee beat Washington 119-118 behind 28 points from Mike Dunleavy

John Wall paced Washington: 19 PTS, 15 AST, 5 REB 28 PTS, 3 STL, 2 REB, 1 AST · 9-17 FG, 5-10 3PT

The swing

A 33-24 first quarter did the most damage for the Bucks.

MIL lead by quarter
200 +9+14+3+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Drew Gooden topped the game at 45.5 FPTS: 15 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST

Final · Celtics-Cavs
Celtics 86Cavs 83
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Celtics2815212286
Cavs1523281783
The story
Kevin Garnett had 18 points as Boston beat Cleveland 86-83

Tristan Thompson led Cleveland with 13 PTS, 10 REB 18 PTS, 8 REB, 1 AST · 5-11 FG

The swing

The Celtics won the first 28-15, their biggest quarter edge.

BOS lead by quarter
200 +13+5−2+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Kyrie Irving led the game in fantasy with 35.8 FPTS (24 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST)

Fantasy angle
Heating up
+9.9points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
9.3Season avg19.2Last 5

19.2 points a game over his last five games, against 9.3 in 30 earlier games. Today: 18 points in 39 minutes.

Losing minutes
−12.3minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
20.7Season avg8.4Last 3

8.4 minutes a game over his last three games, against 20.7 in 29 earlier games. Today: 5 points in 8 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+21.1minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
18.9Season avg40.0Today

40 minutes today, against 18.9 a game in 33 earlier games. Line: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists.

Top performances

Brook Lopez leads the day with 38

Brook LopezPoints, last 3 games: 9, 15, 38Nets-Mavs · W
20.7 PPG season to date
38 PTS · 6 REB · 1 AST
Derrick RosePoints, last 10 games: 34, 35, 18, 32, 26, 4, 6, 23, 16, 32Bulls-Hornets · W
22.2 PPG season to date · +10.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
32 PTS · 2 REB · 9 AST
Blake GriffinPoints, last 10 games: 25, 16, 21, 20, 23, 21, 22, 21, 27, 30Clippers-Wolves · L
21.7 PPG season to date · +8.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
30 PTS · 7 REB · 4 AST
Mike DunleavyPoints, last 10 games: 18, 12, 14, 5, 10, 7, 2, 18, 2, 28Bucks-Wizards · W
11.0 PPG season to date · +17.7 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high28 PTS · 2 REB · 1 AST
Chris PaulPoints, last 10 games: 16, 24, 18, 16, 16, 13, 21, 24, 36, 27Clippers-Wolves · L
19.5 PPG season to date · +7.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
27 PTS · 4 REB · 6 AST
Derrick WilliamsPoints, last 10 games: 13, 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 5, 13, 27Wolves-Clippers · W
7.8 PPG season to date · +19.7 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Career high27 PTS · 5 REB · 0 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Jeremy LinNYK+7.4 21.8 last 10 · 14.4 season
Ersan IlyasovaMIL+5.7 16.2 last 10 · 10.5 season
Tony ParkerSAS+5.3 24.7 last 10 · 19.4 season
Channing FryePHX+5.2 14.9 last 10 · 9.7 season
Dirk NowitzkiDAL+5.2 24.9 last 10 · 19.7 season
Cold
Carmelo AnthonyNYK−6.3 15.1 last 10 · 21.4 season
LeBron JamesMIA−4.3 23.1 last 10 · 27.4 season
Byron MullensCHA−4.0 5.7 last 10 · 9.7 season
Stephen JacksonMIL−3.9 6.6 last 10 · 10.5 season
Anthony MorrowNJN−3.9 9.1 last 10 · 13.0 season