FloaterDaily Brief
Sunday, December 26, 2021Regular season · 8 games
← Dec 25CalendarDec 27 →

8 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: PHI trailed WAS by 6 after the first quarter and won 117–96.

Final · Box score
Magic83
Heat93
Q1 MIA -2; Q2 MIA +3; Q3 MIA +12; Q4 MIA +10
Final · Box score
Raptors99
Cavs144
Q1 CLE +1; Q2 CLE +17; Q3 CLE +40; Q4 CLE +45
Final · Box score
Grizzlies127
Kings102
Q1 MEM -4; Q2 MEM -1; Q3 MEM +12; Q4 MEM +25
Final · Box score
Sixers117
Wizards96
Q1 PHI -6; Q2 PHI +8; Q3 PHI +20; Q4 PHI +21
Final · Box score
Pelicans112
Thunder117
Q1 OKC +14; Q2 OKC +8; Q3 OKC +8; Q4 OKC +5
Final · Box score
Pistons109
Spurs144
Q1 SAS +8; Q2 SAS +24; Q3 SAS +39; Q4 SAS +35
Final · Box score
Pacers105
Bulls113
Q1 CHI +6; Q2 CHI +15; Q3 CHI +8; Q4 CHI +8
Final · Box score
Nuggets103
Clippers100
Q1 DEN +2; Q2 DEN +9; Q3 DEN -4; Q4 DEN +3
On this day · 2020–21Dec 26, 2020: 10 games. Top scorer: James Harden (Rockets-Blazers), 44 points.
Dec 26 in other seasons2025202420232022201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199719961995
The lead · Sixers-Wizards

Joel Embiid scores 36 as Philadelphia wins in Washington

Nikola Jokic goes for 26 points

Game flow · PHI margin at each break
-30-20-100+10+20+30TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-6+8+20+21PHI AHEAD ↑WAS AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Sixers25382925117
Wizards3124172496
Who led
Joel EmbiidPoints, last 10 games: 28, 43, 32, 19, 26, 17, 32, 41, 23, 36PHI36 PTS · 13 REB · 1 AST
Tobias HarrisPoints, last 10 games: 21, 18, 17, 16, 12, 24, 11, 25, 16, 23PHI23 PTS · 7 REB · 3 AST
Spencer DinwiddiePoints, last 10 games: 3, 5, 9, 12, 12, 9, 4, 0, 21, 17WAS17 PTS · 3 REB · 6 AST
Montrezl HarrellPoints, last 10 games: 6, 11, 4, 9, 8, 14, 12, 11, 15, 15WAS15 PTS · 4 REB · 3 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Cleveland posts the night's biggest win

Cleveland beat Toronto by 45, the widest margin of 8 games.

DEN over LAC3OKC over NOP5CHI over IND8MIA over ORL10PHI over WAS21MEM over SAC25SAS over DET35CLE over TOR45Final margin, points. Pink = the widest win.
Lead changes
Pistons-Spurs10
Grizzlies-Kings8
Nuggets-Clippers5
Sixers-Wizards4
Pelicans-Thunder4
Pacers-Bulls4
The night in charts
Pistons-Spurs combined for 253, 10 more than any other game
Points by game
Pistons-SpursPistons 109, Spurs 144
253
Raptors-CavsRaptors 99, Cavs 144
243
Pelicans-ThunderPelicans 112, Thunder 117
229
Grizzlies-KingsGrizzlies 127, Kings 102
229
Pacers-BullsPacers 105, Bulls 113
218
Sixers-WizardsSixers 117, Wizards 96
213
Nuggets-ClippersNuggets 103, Clippers 100
203
Magic-HeatMagic 83, Heat 93
176
2 of 8 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Nuggets-ClippersNuggets 103, Clippers 100
+3 DEN
Pelicans-ThunderPelicans 112, Thunder 117
+5 OKC
Pacers-BullsPacers 105, Bulls 113
+8 CHI
Magic-HeatMagic 83, Heat 93
+10 MIA
Sixers-WizardsSixers 117, Wizards 96
+21 PHI
Grizzlies-KingsGrizzlies 127, Kings 102
+25 MEM
Pistons-SpursPistons 109, Spurs 144
+35 SAS
Raptors-CavsRaptors 99, Cavs 144
+45 CLE
PHI rallied from 6 down, the night's biggest comeback
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Sixers-WizardsPHI won · Sixers 117, Wizards 96
6 pts
Nuggets-ClippersDEN won · Nuggets 103, Clippers 100
4 pts
Grizzlies-KingsMEM won · Grizzlies 127, Kings 102
4 pts
Magic-HeatMIA won · Magic 83, Heat 93
2 pts
Keldon Johnson shot 10-of-12 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
Keldon JohnsonSAS · 27 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST
83% (10-12)
WigginsOKC · 24 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST
80% (8-10)
EmbiidPHI · 36 PTS, 13 REB, 2 BLK, 1 AST
71% (12-17)
VucevicCHI · 16 PTS, 15 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
70% (7-10)
MarkkanenCLE · 20 PTS, 7 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK
69% (9-13)
Final · Nuggets-Clippers
Nuggets 103Clippers 100
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Nuggets32321524103
Clippers30252817100
The story
Will Barton had 17 points as Denver beat LA 103-100

Ivica Zubac led LA with 17 PTS, 11 REB 17 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST · 7-18 FG, 2-9 3PT

The swing

The Nuggets won the second 32-25, their biggest quarter edge.

DEN lead by quarter
200 +2+9−4+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Pelicans-Thunder
Pelicans 112Thunder 117
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Pelicans18313231112
Thunder32253228117
The story
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 31 points carried Oklahoma City past New Orleans, 117-112

For New Orleans, Garrett Temple had 22 PTS, 6 REB 31 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB, 3 BLK · 11-20 FG, 1-5 3PT

The swing

The first quarter, 32-18, was where the Thunder built it.

OKC lead by quarter
200 +14+8+8+5 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Josh Hart was the fantasy play: 57.5 FPTS on 29 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST

Final · Sixers-Wizards
Sixers 117Wizards 96
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Sixers25382925117
Wizards3124172496
The story
Philadelphia beat Washington 117-96 behind 23 points from Tobias Harris

Kyle Kuzma paced Washington: 12 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST 23 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST · 10-16 FG

The swing

A 38-24 second quarter erased a 6-point hole for the 76ers.

PHI lead by quarter
300 −6+8+20+21 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+11.7points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
10.9Season avg22.6Last 5

22.6 points a game over his last five games, against 10.9 in 26 earlier games. Today: 13 points in 35 minutes.

Losing minutes
−13.4minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
26.7Season avg13.3Last 3

13.3 minutes a game over his last three games, against 26.7 in 23 earlier games. Today: 0 points in 13 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+25.8minutes, today vs 2020–21 avg
Minutes per game
9.22020–21 avg35Today

35 minutes today, against 9.2 a game in 2020–21 (26 games). Line: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists.

Top performances

Joel Embiid leads the day with 36

Joel EmbiidPoints, last 10 games: 28, 43, 32, 19, 26, 17, 32, 41, 23, 36Sixers-Wizards · W
25.5 PPG season to date · +11.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
36 PTS · 13 REB · 1 AST
Zach LaVinePoints, last 10 games: 28, 21, 16, 25, 27, 31, 32, 23, 33, 32Bulls-Pacers · W
26.2 PPG season to date · +6.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
32 PTS · 4 REB · 5 AST
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderPoints, last 10 games: 30, 26, 11, 18, 33, 18, 23, 27, 29, 31Thunder-Pelicans · W
22.4 PPG season to date · +8.9 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 4 REB · 5 AST
Josh HartPoints, last 10 games: 6, 4, 12, 14, 13, 11, 11, 20, 22, 29Pelicans-Thunder · L
12.7 PPG season to date · +17.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high29 PTS · 10 REB · 4 AST
Desmond BanePoints, last 10 games: 14, 23, 19, 5, 23, 24, 9, 25, 12, 28Grizzlies-Kings · W
16.7 PPG season to date · +11.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
28 PTS · 4 REB · 2 AST
Hamidou DialloPoints, last 10 games: 5, 12, 11, 11, 12, 8, 15, 10, 12, 28Pistons-Spurs · L
8.7 PPG season to date · +20.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high28 PTS · 3 REB · 2 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Gary HarrisORL+5.8 16.0 last 10 · 10.2 season
Caris LeVertIND+5.0 22.1 last 10 · 17.1 season
Jrue HolidayMIL+4.5 22.3 last 10 · 17.8 season
Malik BeasleyMIN+4.4 16.7 last 10 · 12.2 season
Patty MillsBKN+4.4 18.7 last 10 · 14.3 season
Cold
Montrezl HarrellWAS−4.0 10.5 last 10 · 14.5 season
Ja MorantMEM−3.8 19.5 last 10 · 23.3 season
Spencer DinwiddieWAS−3.6 9.2 last 10 · 12.8 season
Grayson AllenMIL−3.3 9.2 last 10 · 12.5 season
Harrison BarnesSAC−3.2 14.1 last 10 · 17.3 season