FloaterDaily Brief
Sunday, December 23, 2018Regular season · 11 games
← Dec 22CalendarDec 25 →

11 games, 1 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: SAC trailed NOP by 11 after the first quarter and won 122–117.

Final · Box score
Hawks98
Pistons95
Q1 ATL +7; Q2 ATL +14; Q3 ATL +13; Q4 ATL +3
Final · Box score
Wizards89
Pacers105
Q1 IND +2; Q2 IND +7; Q3 IND +20; Q4 IND +16
Final · Box score
Suns103
Nets111
Q1 BKN +7; Q2 BKN +7; Q3 BKN +17; Q4 BKN +8
Final · Box score
Hornets103
Celtics119
Q1 BOS +3; Q2 BOS +21; Q3 BOS +27; Q4 BOS +16
Final · Box score
Bulls112
Cavs92
Q1 CHI -1; Q2 CHI -5; Q3 CHI +10; Q4 CHI +20
Final · Box score
Heat115
Magic91
Q1 MIA +11; Q2 MIA +9; Q3 MIA +19; Q4 MIA +24
Final · Box score
Pelicans117
Kings122
Q1 SAC -11; Q2 SAC -11; Q3 SAC -10; Q4 SAC +5
Final · Box score
Wolves114
Thunder112
Q1 MIN +10; Q2 MIN -10; Q3 MIN +6; Q4 MIN +2
Final · Box score
Clippers127
Warriors129
Q1 Warriors 0; Q2 GSW -4; Q3 GSW +9; Q4 GSW +2
Final · OT · Box score
Mavs118
Blazers121
Q1 POR -2; Q2 POR +10; Q3 POR +8; Q4 Blazers 0; OT1 POR +3
Final · Box score
Grizzlies107
Lakers99
Q1 MEM +6; Q2 MEM +4; Q3 MEM -3; Q4 MEM +8
On this day · 2017–18Dec 23, 2017: 13 games. Top scorer: Victor Oladipo (Pacers-Nets), 38 points.
Dec 23 in other seasons202520242023202220212020201920162015201420132012201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199719961995
The lead · Pelicans-Kings

Sacramento climbs back to beat New Orleans

Anthony Davis goes for 26 points

Game flow · SAC margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-11-11-10+5SAC AHEAD ↑NOP AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Pelicans36332721117
Kings25332836122
Who led
Buddy HieldPoints, last 10 games: 25, 20, 14, 20, 27, 28, 21, 37, 28, 28SAC28 PTS · 6 REB · 1 AST
Bogdan BogdanovicPoints, last 10 games: 14, 15, 11, 16, 20, 12, 15, 5, 14, 24SAC24 PTS · 4 REB · 7 AST
Jrue HolidayPoints, last 10 games: 32, 17, 20, 37, 7, 20, 22, 25, 18, 27NOP27 PTS · 7 REB · 6 AST
Anthony DavisPoints, last 10 games: 23, 27, 25, 6, 41, 44, 27, 27, 30, 26NOP26 PTS · 17 REB · 4 AST
Lead changes
Grizzlies-Lakers25
Bulls-Cavs18
Clippers-Warriors13
Mavs-Blazers11
Wolves-Thunder8
Heat-Magic5
Pelicans-Kings4
Hawks-Pistons3
Wizards-Pacers2
Suns-Nets1
Hornets-Celtics0
Shot of the night

Steph's jumper with 0.5 seconds left breaks the tie, 129-127 final

The night in charts
Clippers-Warriors combined for 256, 17 more than any other game
Points by game
Clippers-WarriorsClippers 127, Warriors 129
256
Pelicans-KingsPelicans 117, Kings 122
239
Mavs-BlazersMavs 118, Blazers 121
239
Wolves-ThunderWolves 114, Thunder 112
226
Hornets-CelticsHornets 103, Celtics 119
222
Suns-NetsSuns 103, Nets 111
214
Heat-MagicHeat 115, Magic 91
206
Grizzlies-LakersGrizzlies 107, Lakers 99
206
Bulls-CavsBulls 112, Cavs 92
204
Wizards-PacersWizards 89, Pacers 105
194
Hawks-PistonsHawks 98, Pistons 95
193
5 of 11 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Wolves-ThunderWolves 114, Thunder 112
+2 MIN
Clippers-WarriorsClippers 127, Warriors 129
+2 GSW
Hawks-PistonsHawks 98, Pistons 95
+3 ATL
Mavs-BlazersMavs 118, Blazers 121
+3 POR
Pelicans-KingsPelicans 117, Kings 122
+5 SAC
Suns-NetsSuns 103, Nets 111
+8 BKN
Grizzlies-LakersGrizzlies 107, Lakers 99
+8 MEM
Wizards-PacersWizards 89, Pacers 105
+16 IND
Hornets-CelticsHornets 103, Celtics 119
+16 BOS
Bulls-CavsBulls 112, Cavs 92
+20 CHI
Heat-MagicHeat 115, Magic 91
+24 MIA
SAC erased a 11-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Pelicans-KingsSAC won · Pelicans 117, Kings 122
11 pts
Wolves-ThunderMIN won · Wolves 114, Thunder 112
10 pts
Bulls-CavsCHI won · Bulls 112, Cavs 92
5 pts
Clippers-WarriorsGSW won · Clippers 127, Warriors 129
4 pts
Grizzlies-LakersMEM won · Grizzlies 107, Lakers 99
3 pts
Ayton shot 13-of-16 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
AytonPHX · 26 PTS, 18 REB, 3 BLK, 2 STL
81% (13-16)
KyrieBOS · 25 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK
75% (9-12)
WinslowMIA · 22 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 4 STL
75% (9-12)
HernangomezCHA · 19 PTS, 10 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK
73% (8-11)
DunnCHI · 17 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL
73% (8-11)
Final · Wolves-Thunder
Wolves 114Thunder 112
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Wolves35183328114
Thunder25381732112
The story
Andrew Wiggins' 30 points carried Minnesota past Oklahoma City, 114-112

For Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook had 23 PTS, 11 REB, 10 AST 30 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST · 11-20 FG, 2-4 3PT

The swing

The Timberwolves trailed by 10 going into the third, then won it 33-17.

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

Paul George was the fantasy play: 51.4 FPTS on 31 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST

Final · Clippers-Warriors
Clippers 127Warriors 129
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Clippers36352333127
Warriors36313626129
The story
Golden State beat LA 129-127 behind 35 points and 12 rebounds from Kevin Durant

Tobias Harris paced LA: 32 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST 35 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST, 3 BLK · 10-19 FG, 3-7 3PT

The swing

A 36-23 third quarter erased a 4-point hole for the Warriors.

GSW lead by quarter
200 0−4+9+2 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Mavs-Blazers
Mavs 118Blazers 121
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OTT
Mavs2725282711118
Blazers2537261914121
The story
Damian Lillard had 33 points as Portland beat Dallas 121-118 in OT

Luka Doncic led Dallas with 23 PTS, 11 REB, 6 AST 33 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB · 11-24 FG, 2-7 3PT

The swing

Down 2 after the first, the Trail Blazers took the second 37-25.

POR lead by quarter
200 −2+10+80+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+8.7points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
26.1Season avg34.8Last 5

34.8 points a game over his last five games, against 26.1 in 31 earlier games. Today: 31 points in 39 minutes.

Losing minutes
−18.7minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
23.6Season avg4.9Last 3

4.9 minutes a game over his last three games, against 23.6 in 19 earlier games. Today: 0 points in 4 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+24.0minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
8.9Season avg32.9Today

33 minutes today, against 8.9 a game in 12 earlier games. Line: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assists.

Second story · the whole slate

Four games go down to the wire

Four of 11 games were decided by four points or fewer. Widest margin: Miami by 24.

MIN over OKC2GSW over LAC2ATL over DET3POR over DAL3SAC over NOP5BKN over PHX8MEM over LAL8IND over WAS16BOS over CHA16CHI over CLE20MIA over ORL24Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer.
Top performances

Stephen Curry leads the day with 42

Stephen CurryPoints, last 10 games: 30, 42, 20, 38, 10, 35, 20, 32, 22, 42Warriors-Clippers · W
29.2 PPG season to date · +13.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Glenn Robinson MIL, Dec 18, 1996: 42 PTS · 6 REB · 2 AST
42 PTS · 6 REB · 2 AST
Kevin DurantPoints, last 10 games: 28, 25, 11, 22, 30, 33, 23, 30, 29, 35Warriors-Clippers · W
29.0 PPG season to date · +6.2 vs his regular-season average before tonight
35 PTS · 12 REB · 5 AST
Damian LillardPoints, last 10 games: 33, 25, 28, 34, 14, 24, 39, 24, 19, 33Blazers-Mavs · W
27.1 PPG season to date · +6.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
33 PTS · 2 REB · 7 AST
Tobias HarrisPoints, last 10 games: 7, 20, 33, 10, 17, 22, 39, 16, 21, 32Clippers-Warriors · L
21.6 PPG season to date · +10.7 vs his regular-season average before tonight
32 PTS · 9 REB · 2 AST
Paul GeorgePoints, last 10 games: 47, 19, 31, 25, 32, 33, 24, 43, 43, 31Thunder-Wolves · L
26.2 PPG season to date · +4.9 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 12 REB · 3 AST
Lauri MarkkanenPoints, last 10 games: 21, 24, 8, 13, 7, 23, 16, 8, 32, 31Bulls-Cavs · W
17.5 PPG season to date · +14.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 4 REB · 3 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Paul GeorgeOKC+6.6 32.8 last 10 · 26.2 season
Kevin KnoxNYK+5.2 16.8 last 10 · 11.6 season
Emmanuel MudiayNYK+5.1 19.5 last 10 · 14.4 season
Spencer DinwiddieBKN+4.8 22.4 last 10 · 17.6 season
Thaddeus YoungIND+4.6 16.4 last 10 · 11.8 season
Cold
Kemba WalkerCHA−5.0 19.8 last 10 · 24.8 season
E'Twaun MooreNOP−4.9 8.5 last 10 · 13.4 season
Victor OladipoIND−4.8 15.4 last 10 · 20.2 season
Josh RichardsonMIA−4.1 14.4 last 10 · 18.5 season
Joel EmbiidPHI−3.8 22.6 last 10 · 26.4 season