FloaterDaily Brief
Wednesday, December 26, 2012Regular season · 12 games
← Dec 25CalendarDec 27 →

12 games, 1 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: 4 points, by NOH (vs ORL) and CLE (vs WAS).

Final · Box score
Heat105
Bobcats92
Q1 MIA +9; Q2 MIA +17; Q3 MIA +7; Q4 MIA +13
Final · Box score
Hornets97
Magic94
Q1 NOH +2; Q2 NOH -4; Q3 NOH +2; Q4 NOH +3
Final · Box score
Cavs87
Wizards84
Q1 CLE -4; Q2 CLE +2; Q3 Cavs 0; Q4 CLE +3
Final · 2OT · Box score
Pistons119
Hawks126
Q1 ATL +15; Q2 ATL +5; Q3 ATL +19; Q4 Hawks 0; OT1 Hawks 0; OT2 ATL +7
Final · Box score
Sixers99
Grizzlies89
Q1 PHI -3; Q2 PHI +2; Q3 PHI +5; Q4 PHI +10
Final · Box score
Nets93
Bucks108
Q1 MIL -2; Q2 MIL +13; Q3 MIL +11; Q4 MIL +15
Final · Box score
Rockets87
Wolves84
Q1 HOU +5; Q2 HOU -3; Q3 HOU -3; Q4 HOU +3
Final · Box score
Raptors80
Spurs100
Q1 SAS +4; Q2 SAS +7; Q3 SAS +13; Q4 SAS +20
Final · Box score
Lakers114
Nuggets126
Q1 DEN +3; Q2 DEN +3; Q3 DEN +9; Q4 DEN +12
Final · Box score
Knicks99
Suns97
Q1 NYK -2; Q2 NYK +10; Q3 Knicks 0; Q4 NYK +2
Final · Box score
Warriors94
Jazz83
Q1 GSW +5; Q2 GSW +12; Q3 GSW +17; Q4 GSW +11
Final · Box score
Kings91
Blazers109
Q1 POR +5; Q2 POR +18; Q3 POR +24; Q4 POR +18
On this day · 2011–12Dec 26, 2011: 12 games. Top scorer: Kevin Durant (Thunder-Wolves), 33 points.
Dec 26 in other seasons2025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199719961995
The lead · Hornets-Magic

New Orleans holds off Orlando, 97–94

LeBron James goes for 27 points

Game flow · NOH margin at each break
-10-50+5+10TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0+2-4+2+3NOH AHEAD ↑ORL AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Hornets2623291997
Magic2429231894
Who led
Robin LopezPoints, last 10 games: 20, 2, 6, 10, 8, 6, 22, 10, 24, 29NOH29 PTS · 3 REB · 0 AST
Greivis VasquezPoints, last 10 games: 8, 5, 9, 15, 23, 20, 5, 14, 14, 27NOH27 PTS · 6 REB · 8 AST
Jameer NelsonPoints, last 10 games: 17, 4, 12, 10, 16, 6, 8, 9, 14, 28ORL28 PTS · 5 REB · 10 AST
Nikola VucevicPoints, last 10 games: 3, 12, 8, 12, 13, 14, 8, 16, 16, 19ORL19 PTS · 9 REB · 1 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Four games go down to the wire

Four of 12 games were decided by four points or fewer. Widest margin: San Antonio by 20.

NYK over PHX2NOH over ORL3CLE over WAS3HOU over MIN3ATL over DET7PHI over MEM10GSW over UTA11DEN over LAL12MIA over CHA13MIL over BKN15POR over SAC18SAS over TOR20Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer.
Lead changes
Hornets-Magic14
Knicks-Suns10
Rockets-Wolves7
Pistons-Hawks7
Lakers-Nuggets6
Sixers-Grizzlies5
Raptors-Spurs4
Nets-Bucks2
Kings-Blazers2
Warriors-Jazz1
Heat-Bobcats0
Shot of the night

Smith's jumper at the buzzer breaks the tie, 99-97 final

The night in charts
Pistons-Hawks combined for 245, 5 more than any other game
Points by game
Pistons-HawksPistons 119, Hawks 126
245
Lakers-NuggetsLakers 114, Nuggets 126
240
Nets-BucksNets 93, Bucks 108
201
Kings-BlazersKings 91, Blazers 109
200
Heat-BobcatsHeat 105, Bobcats 92
197
Knicks-SunsKnicks 99, Suns 97
196
Hornets-MagicHornets 97, Magic 94
191
Sixers-GrizzliesSixers 99, Grizzlies 89
188
Raptors-SpursRaptors 80, Spurs 100
180
Warriors-JazzWarriors 94, Jazz 83
177
Cavs-WizardsCavs 87, Wizards 84
171
Rockets-WolvesRockets 87, Wolves 84
171
4 of 12 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Knicks-SunsKnicks 99, Suns 97
+2 NYK
Hornets-MagicHornets 97, Magic 94
+3 NOH
Cavs-WizardsCavs 87, Wizards 84
+3 CLE
Rockets-WolvesRockets 87, Wolves 84
+3 HOU
Pistons-HawksPistons 119, Hawks 126
+7 ATL
Sixers-GrizzliesSixers 99, Grizzlies 89
+10 PHI
Warriors-JazzWarriors 94, Jazz 83
+11 GSW
Lakers-NuggetsLakers 114, Nuggets 126
+12 DEN
Heat-BobcatsHeat 105, Bobcats 92
+13 MIA
Nets-BucksNets 93, Bucks 108
+15 MIL
Kings-BlazersKings 91, Blazers 109
+18 POR
Raptors-SpursRaptors 80, Spurs 100
+20 SAS
NOH rallied from 4 down, the night's biggest comeback
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Hornets-MagicNOH won · Hornets 97, Magic 94
4 pts
Cavs-WizardsCLE won · Cavs 87, Wizards 84
4 pts
Sixers-GrizzliesPHI won · Sixers 99, Grizzlies 89
3 pts
Rockets-WolvesHOU won · Rockets 87, Wolves 84
3 pts
Nets-BucksMIL won · Nets 93, Bucks 108
2 pts
Robin Lopez shot 9-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
Robin LopezNOH · 29 PTS, 3 REB, 3 BLK
90% (9-10)
Dorell WrightPHI · 28 PTS, 6 REB, 2 BLK, 1 AST
73% (8-11)
FariedDEN · 21 PTS, 15 REB, 1 AST
69% (9-13)
WarrickCHA · 18 PTS, 9 REB, 1 STL
67% (8-12)
NelsonORL · 28 PTS, 10 AST, 5 REB
65% (11-17)
Final · Knicks-Suns
Knicks 99Suns 97
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Knicks2727222399
Suns2915322197
The story
JR Smith had 27 points as New York beat Phoenix 99-97

Jared Dudley led Phoenix with 36 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST 27 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 5 STL · 11-27 FG, 0-4 3PT

The swing

Down 2 after the first, the Knicks took the second 27-15.

NYK lead by quarter
200 −2+100+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Cavs-Wizards
Cavs 87Wizards 84
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Cavs2223231987
Wizards2617251684
The story
Kyrie Irving's 26 points and 8 assists carried Cleveland past Washington, 87-84

For Washington, Emeka Okafor had 17 PTS, 10 REB 26 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB · 8-23 FG, 3-9 3PT

The swing

The Cavaliers trailed by 4 going into the second, then won it 23-17.

CLE lead by quarter
200 −4+20+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Rockets-Wolves
Rockets 87Wolves 84
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Rockets2222172687
Wolves1730172084
The story
Houston beat Minnesota 87-84 behind 12 points from Chandler Parsons

J.J. Barea paced Minnesota: 18 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST 12 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST · 5-12 FG, 2-5 3PT

The swing

A 26-20 fourth quarter erased a 3-point hole for the Rockets.

HOU lead by quarter
200 +5−3−3+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+9.7points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
10.9Season avg20.6Last 5

20.6 points a game over his last five games, against 10.9 in 28 earlier games. Today: 36 points in 42 minutes.

Losing minutes
−13.3minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
21.6Season avg8.3Last 3

8.3 minutes a game over his last three games, against 21.6 in 18 earlier games. Today: 2 points in 11 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+26.8minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
11.2Season avg38Today

38 minutes today, against 11.2 a game in 12 earlier games. Line: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 0 assists.

Top performances

Kobe Bryant leads the day with 40

Kobe BryantPoints, last 10 games: 35, 34, 42, 31, 30, 34, 30, 34, 34, 40Lakers-Nuggets · L
30.2 PPG season to date · +10.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Mike Bibby SAC, Jan 19, 2006: 40 PTS · 4 REB · 6 AST
40 PTS · 4 REB · 6 AST
Jared DudleyPoints, last 10 games: 11, 8, 15, 15, 22, 20, 20, 8, 19, 36Suns-Knicks · L
11.8 PPG season to date · +25.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Career high36 PTS · 5 REB · 3 AST
Josh SmithPoints, last 10 games: 24, 22, 16, 18, 3, 17, 17, 17, 12, 31Hawks-Pistons · W
17.0 PPG season to date · +14.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high31 PTS · 10 REB · 6 AST
Will BynumPoints, last 10 games: 4, 0, 9, 2, 0, 0, 6, 8, 5, 31Pistons-Hawks · L
6.6 PPG season to date · +25.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high31 PTS · 4 REB · 4 AST
James HardenPoints, last 10 games: 29, 39, 31, 21, 28, 28, 33, 31, 26, 30Rockets-Wolves · W
25.8 PPG season to date · +4.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
30 PTS · 6 REB · 3 AST
Dwyane WadePoints, last 10 games: 13, 26, 26, 14, 13, 24, 19, 21, 21, 29Heat-Bobcats · W
20.2 PPG season to date · +9.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
29 PTS · 9 REB · 5 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Marco BelinelliCHI+5.7 15.5 last 10 · 9.8 season
Jared DudleyPHX+5.6 17.4 last 10 · 11.8 season
Kobe BryantLAL+4.2 34.4 last 10 · 30.2 season
Rodney StuckeyDET+4.1 16.2 last 10 · 12.1 season
JR SmithNYK+4.1 19.8 last 10 · 15.7 season
Cold
Wesley MatthewsPOR−3.4 11.6 last 10 · 15.0 season
Al-Farouq AminuNOH−3.1 5.1 last 10 · 8.2 season
Kevin SeraphinWAS−2.7 7.8 last 10 · 10.5 season
Vince CarterDAL−2.7 9.1 last 10 · 11.8 season
Brendan HaywoodCHA−2.6 2.2 last 10 · 4.8 season