FloaterDaily Brief
Thursday, December 31, 2020Regular season · 7 games
← Dec 30CalendarJan 1 →

7 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: Bulls trailed Wizards by 6 after the first quarter and won 133–130.

Final · Box score
Cavs99
Pacers119
Q1 Pacers +11; Q2 Pacers +6; Q3 Pacers +20; Q4 Pacers +20
Final · Box score
Bulls133
Wizards130
Q1 Bulls -6; Q2 Bulls +3; Q3 Bulls +7; Q4 Bulls +3
Final · Box score
Sixers116
Magic92
Q1 Sixers +16; Q2 Sixers +35; Q3 Sixers +29; Q4 Sixers +24
Final · Box score
Kings119
Rockets122
Q1 Rockets -1; Q2 Rockets +4; Q3 Rockets +1; Q4 Rockets +3
Final · Box score
Knicks83
Raptors100
Q1 Raptors +4; Q2 Raptors 0; Q3 Raptors +7; Q4 Raptors +17
Final · Box score
Pelicans113
Thunder80
Q1 Pelicans +4; Q2 Pelicans +11; Q3 Pelicans +12; Q4 Pelicans +33
Final · Box score
Suns106
Jazz95
Q1 Suns -1; Q2 Suns +13; Q3 Suns +13; Q4 Suns +11
On this day · 2019–20Dec 31, 2019: 7 games. Top scorer: Luka Doncic (Mavs-Thunder), 35 points.
Dec 31 in other seasons2025202420232022202120182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001997
The lead · Bulls-Wizards

Chicago holds off Washington, 133–130

Otto Porter Jr. goes for 28 points

Game flow · Bulls margin at each break
-15-10-50+5+10+15TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-6+3+7+3Bulls AHEAD ↑Wizards AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Bulls35363626133
Wizards41273230130
Who led
Otto Porter Jr.Points, last 5 games: 14, 10, 12, 16, 28Bulls28 PTS · 12 REB · 3 AST
Zach LaVinePoints, last 5 games: 22, 17, 33, 23, 22Bulls22 PTS · 6 REB · 7 AST
Bradley BealPoints, last 5 games: 31, 39, 29, 29, 28Wizards28 PTS · 4 REB · 3 AST
Thomas BryantPoints, last 5 games: 10, 19, 16, 13, 28Wizards28 PTS · 3 REB · 0 AST
Second story · Kings-Rockets

Houston wins a tight one over Sacramento

122–119. Neither team led by more than 4 at any break. James Harden led Houston with 33 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists.

The whole night · final margins
Bulls over Wizards3Rockets over Kings3Suns over Jazz11Raptors over Knicks17Pacers over Cavs20Sixers over Magic24Pelicans over Thunder33Final margin, points. Pink = Rockets over Kings.
Lead changes
Kings-Rockets19
Bulls-Wizards16
Pelicans-Thunder9
Suns-Jazz9
Sixers-Magic2
Cavs-Pacers1
The night in charts
Bulls-Wizards combined for 263, 22 more than any other game
Points by game
Bulls-WizardsBulls 133, Wizards 130
263
Kings-RocketsKings 119, Rockets 122
241
Cavs-PacersCavs 99, Pacers 119
218
Sixers-MagicSixers 116, Magic 92
208
Suns-JazzSuns 106, Jazz 95
201
Pelicans-ThunderPelicans 113, Thunder 80
193
Knicks-RaptorsKnicks 83, Raptors 100
183
2 of 7 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Bulls-WizardsBulls 133, Wizards 130
+3 Bulls
Kings-RocketsKings 119, Rockets 122
+3 Rockets
Suns-JazzSuns 106, Jazz 95
+11 Suns
Knicks-RaptorsKnicks 83, Raptors 100
+17 Raptors
Cavs-PacersCavs 99, Pacers 119
+20 Pacers
Sixers-MagicSixers 116, Magic 92
+24 Sixers
Pelicans-ThunderPelicans 113, Thunder 80
+33 Pelicans
Bulls rallied from 6 down, the night's biggest comeback
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Bulls-WizardsBulls won · Bulls 133, Wizards 130
6 pts
Suns-JazzSuns won · Suns 106, Jazz 95
1 pt
Kings-RocketsRockets won · Kings 119, Rockets 122
1 pt
Bryant shot 10-of-11 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
BryantWizards · 28 PTS, 3 REB, 3 BLK, 1 STL
91% (10-11)
HolmesKings · 22 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL
77% (10-13)
Otto Porter Jr.Bulls · 28 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL
71% (10-14)
SabonisPacers · 25 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST
71% (10-14)
WoodRockets · 21 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK
64% (9-14)
Final · Bulls-Wizards
Bulls 133Wizards 130
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Bulls35363626133
Wizards41273230130
The story
Zach LaVine had 22 points as Chicago beat Washington 133-130

Thomas Bryant led Washington with 28 PTS, 3 REB 22 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB · 6-17 FG, 1-7 3PT

The swing

Down 6 after the first, the Bulls took the second 36-27.

Bulls lead by quarter
200 −6+3+7+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Kings-Rockets
Kings 119Rockets 122
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Kings33262733119
Rockets32312435122
The story
John Wall's 22 points and 9 assists carried Houston past Sacramento, 122-119

For Sacramento, Richaun Holmes had 22 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST 22 PTS, 9 AST, 6 REB · 8-20 FG, 2-8 3PT

The swing

The Rockets trailed by 1 going into the second, then won it 31-26.

Rockets lead by quarter
200 −1+4+1+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Cavs-Pacers
Cavs 99Pacers 119
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Cavs2130173199
Pacers32253131119
The story
Indiana beat Cleveland 119-99 behind 25 points and 11 rebounds from Domantas Sabonis

Collin Sexton paced Cleveland: 28 PTS, 4 AST 25 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST · 10-14 FG, 2-2 3PT

The swing

A 31-17 third quarter did the most damage for the Pacers.

Pacers lead by quarter
200 +11+6+20+20 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+11.9points, last 3 vs 2019–20 avg
Points per game
13.12019–20 avg25.0Last 3

25.0 points a game over his last three games, against 13.1 in 2019–20 (62 games). Today: 21 points in 32 minutes.

Losing minutes
−17.0minutes, last 2 vs 2019–20 avg
Minutes per game
22.52019–20 avg5.5Last 2

5.5 minutes a game over his last two games, against 22.5 in 2019–20 (56 games). Today: 0 points in 4 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+14.3minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
19.7Season avg34Today

34 minutes today, against 19.7 a game in 3 earlier games. Line: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assists.

Top performances

James Harden leads the day with 33

James HardenPoints, last 3 games: 44, 34, 33Rockets-Kings · W
37.0 PPG season to date
33 PTS · 6 REB · 8 AST
Otto Porter Jr.Points, last 5 games: 14, 10, 12, 16, 28Bulls-Wizards · W
16.0 PPG season to date
28 PTS · 12 REB · 3 AST
Bradley BealPoints, last 5 games: 31, 39, 29, 29, 28Wizards-Bulls · L
31.2 PPG season to date
28 PTS · 4 REB · 3 AST
Collin SextonPoints, last 5 games: 27, 32, 22, 20, 28Cavs-Pacers · L
25.8 PPG season to date
28 PTS · 1 REB · 4 AST
Thomas BryantPoints, last 5 games: 10, 19, 16, 13, 28Wizards-Bulls · L
17.2 PPG season to date
28 PTS · 3 REB · 0 AST
Domantas SabonisPoints, last 5 games: 32, 22, 19, 14, 25Pacers-Cavs · W
22.4 PPG season to date
25 PTS · 11 REB · 7 AST