FloaterDaily Brief
Friday, December 23, 2022Regular season · 14 games
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14 games, 1 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: Sixers trailed Clippers by 12 at halftime and won 119–114.

Final · Box score
Spurs113
Magic133
Q1 Magic +6; Q2 Magic 0; Q3 Magic +5; Q4 Magic +20
Final · Box score
Clippers114
Sixers119
Q1 Sixers -9; Q2 Sixers -12; Q3 Sixers 0; Q4 Sixers +5
Final · Box score
Pistons105
Hawks130
Q1 Hawks -2; Q2 Hawks -3; Q3 Hawks +14; Q4 Hawks +25
Final · Box score
Bucks100
Nets118
Q1 Nets +7; Q2 Nets +13; Q3 Nets +10; Q4 Nets +18
Final · Box score
Wolves109
Celtics121
Q1 Celtics -7; Q2 Celtics -2; Q3 Celtics +2; Q4 Celtics +12
Final · Box score
Raptors118
Cavs107
Q1 Raptors +8; Q2 Raptors +16; Q3 Raptors +20; Q4 Raptors +11
Final · Box score
Bulls118
Knicks117
Q1 Bulls +7; Q2 Bulls -2; Q3 Bulls -3; Q4 Bulls +1
Final · Box score
Mavs112
Rockets106
Q1 Mavs +6; Q2 Mavs +11; Q3 Mavs -3; Q4 Mavs +6
Final · Box score
Pacers111
Heat108
Q1 Pacers +3; Q2 Pacers -2; Q3 Pacers +2; Q4 Pacers +3
Final · OT · Box score
Pelicans128
Thunder125
Q1 Pelicans +10; Q2 Pelicans +18; Q3 Pelicans +3; Q4 Pelicans 0; OT1 Pelicans +3
Final · Box score
Blazers107
Nuggets120
Q1 Nuggets +5; Q2 Nuggets -6; Q3 Nuggets +13; Q4 Nuggets +13
Final · Box score
Grizzlies125
Suns100
Q1 Grizzlies +19; Q2 Grizzlies +21; Q3 Grizzlies +28; Q4 Grizzlies +25
Final · Box score
Wizards125
Kings111
Q1 Wizards +1; Q2 Wizards +18; Q3 Wizards +19; Q4 Wizards +14
Final · Box score
Hornets134
Lakers130
Q1 Hornets -4; Q2 Hornets 0; Q3 Hornets +10; Q4 Hornets +4
On this day · 2021–22Dec 23, 2021: 11 games. Top scorer: Stephen Curry (Warriors-Grizzlies), 46 points.
Dec 23 in other seasons202520242023202020192018201720162015201420132012201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199719961995
The lead · Clippers-Sixers

Joel Embiid scores 44 as Philadelphia beats Clippers

Luka Doncic goes for 50 points

Game flow · Sixers margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-9-120+5Sixers AHEAD ↑Clippers AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Clippers33302229114
Sixers24273434119
Who led
Joel EmbiidPoints, last 10 games: 19, 35, 39, 38, 53, 31, 34, 28, 22, 44Sixers44 PTS · 7 REB · 3 AST
James HardenPoints, last 10 games: 23, 24, 21, 28, 19, 21, 27, 14, 15, 20Sixers20 PTS · 11 REB · 21 AST
Kawhi LeonardPoints, last 10 games: 11, 8, 16, 14, 13, 25, 19, 31, 16, 28Clippers28 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Paul GeorgePoints, last 10 games: 16, 21, 19, 11, 29, 36, 26, 17, 22, 22Clippers22 PTS · 3 REB · 4 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Fourteen games, by the margins

Closest finish: 1. Widest: Atlanta by 25.

Bulls over Knicks1Pacers over Heat3Pelicans over Thunder3Hornets over Lakers4Sixers over Clippers5Mavs over Rockets6Raptors over Cavs11Celtics over Wolves12Nuggets over Blazers13Wizards over Kings14Nets over Bucks18Magic over Spurs20Hawks over Pistons25Grizzlies over Suns25Final margin, points. Pink = closest and widest.
Lead changes
Mavs-Rockets19
Pistons-Hawks15
Bulls-Knicks11
Pacers-Heat9
Wolves-Celtics8
Bucks-Nets7
Clippers-Sixers6
Raptors-Cavs6
Hornets-Lakers4
Pelicans-Thunder3
Blazers-Nuggets2
Wizards-Kings1
Grizzlies-Suns0
Shot of the night

DeRozan's jumper at the buzzer puts the Bulls ahead, 118-117 final

The night in charts
Hornets-Lakers combined for 264, 11 more than any other game
Points by game
Hornets-LakersHornets 134, Lakers 130
264
Pelicans-ThunderPelicans 128, Thunder 125 · OT
253
Spurs-MagicSpurs 113, Magic 133
246
Wizards-KingsWizards 125, Kings 111
236
Bulls-KnicksBulls 118, Knicks 117
235
Pistons-HawksPistons 105, Hawks 130
235
Clippers-SixersClippers 114, Sixers 119
233
Wolves-CelticsWolves 109, Celtics 121
230
Blazers-NuggetsBlazers 107, Nuggets 120
227
Raptors-CavsRaptors 118, Cavs 107
225
Grizzlies-SunsGrizzlies 125, Suns 100
225
Pacers-HeatPacers 111, Heat 108
219
Mavs-RocketsMavs 112, Rockets 106
218
Bucks-NetsBucks 100, Nets 118
218
5 of 14 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Bulls-KnicksBulls 118, Knicks 117
+1 Bulls
Pelicans-ThunderPelicans 128, Thunder 125 · OT
+3 Pelicans
Pacers-HeatPacers 111, Heat 108
+3 Pacers
Hornets-LakersHornets 134, Lakers 130
+4 Hornets
Clippers-SixersClippers 114, Sixers 119
+5 Sixers
Mavs-RocketsMavs 112, Rockets 106
+6 Mavs
Raptors-CavsRaptors 118, Cavs 107
+11 Raptors
Wolves-CelticsWolves 109, Celtics 121
+12 Celtics
Blazers-NuggetsBlazers 107, Nuggets 120
+13 Nuggets
Wizards-KingsWizards 125, Kings 111
+14 Wizards
Bucks-NetsBucks 100, Nets 118
+18 Nets
Spurs-MagicSpurs 113, Magic 133
+20 Magic
Pistons-HawksPistons 105, Hawks 130
+25 Hawks
Grizzlies-SunsGrizzlies 125, Suns 100
+25 Grizzlies
Sixers erased a 12-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Clippers-SixersSixers won · Clippers 114, Sixers 119
12 pts
Wolves-CelticsCeltics won · Wolves 109, Celtics 121
7 pts
Blazers-NuggetsNuggets won · Blazers 107, Nuggets 120
6 pts
Hornets-LakersHornets won · Hornets 134, Lakers 130
4 pts
Bulls-KnicksBulls won · Bulls 118, Knicks 117
3 pts
Claxton shot 9-of-10 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
ClaxtonNets · 19 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL
90% (9-10)
AnthonyMagic · 23 PTS, 10 REB, 9 AST
80% (8-10)
AytonSuns · 18 PTS, 5 REB
75% (9-12)
RJKnicks · 44 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST
70% (14-20)
HaliburtonPacers · 43 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL
70% (14-20)
Final · Pelicans-Thunder
Pelicans 128Thunder 125
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4OTT
Pelicans3331163216128
Thunder2323313513125
The story
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 44 points and 10 rebounds in a 128-125 in OT loss to New Orleans

CJ McCollum led New Orleans with 17 PTS, 11 AST, 6 REB 44 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST · 17-29 FG, 3-4 3PT

The swing

The Pelicans won the first 33-23, their biggest quarter edge.

Pelicans lead by quarter
200 +10+18+30+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4OT
Final · Clippers-Sixers
Clippers 114Sixers 119
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Clippers33302229114
Sixers24273434119
The story
James Harden's a 20-11-21 triple-double carried Philadelphia past LA, 119-114

For LA, Kawhi Leonard had 28 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB 21 AST, 20 PTS, 11 REB · 6-17 FG, 3-6 3PT

The swing

The 76ers trailed by 12 going into the third, then won it 34-22.

Sixers lead by quarter
200 −9−120+5 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Mavs-Rockets
Mavs 112Rockets 106
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Mavs30312031112
Rockets24263422106
The story
Dallas won 112-106 despite 24 points and 10 rebounds from Jabari Smith Jr.

Alperen Sengun backed him with 19 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST 24 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST · 10-17 FG, 3-8 3PT

The swing

A 31-22 fourth quarter erased a 3-point hole for the Mavericks.

Mavs lead by quarter
200 +6+11−3+6 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
CJ McCollumPelicans
+9.2points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
19.4Season avg28.6Last 5

28.6 points a game over his last five games, against 19.4 in 27 earlier games. Today: 17 points in 36 minutes.

Losing minutes
−8.9minutes, last 3 vs 2021–22 avg
Minutes per game
24.92021–22 avg16.0Last 3

16.0 minutes a game over his last three games, against 24.9 in 2021–22 (45 games). Today: 0 points in 17 minutes.

Stepped-up role
Jaxson HayesPelicans
+20.5minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
7.5Season avg28Today

28 minutes today, against 7.5 a game in 11 earlier games. Line: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists.

Top performances

Luka Doncic leads the day with 50

Luka DoncicPoints, last 10 games: 30, 33, 22, 33, 38, 30, 33, 19, 25, 50Mavs-Rockets · W
32.8 PPG season to date · +17.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: LeBron James Cavs, Mar 5, 2008: 50 PTS · 8 REB · 10 AST
Season high50 PTS · 8 REB · 10 AST
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderPoints, last 10 games: 33, 35, 26, 23, 42, 27, 35, 35, 27, 44Thunder-Pelicans · L
31.6 PPG season to date · +12.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: James Harden Rockets, Nov 4, 2019: 44 PTS · 10 REB · 6 AST
Career high44 PTS · 10 REB · 6 AST
RJ BarrettPoints, last 10 games: 15, 15, 26, 27, 22, 27, 24, 18, 30, 44Knicks-Bulls · L
20.4 PPG season to date · +24.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Larry Johnson Hornets, Nov 22, 1995: 44 PTS · 7 REB · 4 AST
Season high44 PTS · 7 REB · 4 AST
Joel EmbiidPoints, last 10 games: 19, 35, 39, 38, 53, 31, 34, 28, 22, 44Sixers-Clippers · W
33.0 PPG season to date · +11.5 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Michael Jordan Wizards, Nov 16, 2001: 44 PTS · 7 REB · 3 AST
44 PTS · 7 REB · 3 AST
Tyrese HaliburtonPoints, last 10 games: 14, 26, 23, 35, 1, 29, 17, 15, 33, 43Pacers-Heat · W
20.7 PPG season to date · +23.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Tracy McGrady Magic, Mar 11, 2003: 43 PTS · 2 REB · 6 AST
Career high43 PTS · 2 REB · 7 AST
Jaylen BrownPoints, last 10 games: 34, 22, 25, 31, 21, 25, 26, 24, 19, 36Celtics-Wolves · W
26.5 PPG season to date · +9.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
36 PTS · 7 REB · 3 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Jordan PooleWarriors+5.8 24.9 last 10 · 19.1 season
Nicolas BatumClippers+5.0 11.4 last 10 · 6.4 season
D'Angelo RussellWolves+4.7 21.3 last 10 · 16.6 season
RJ BarrettKnicks+4.4 24.8 last 10 · 20.4 season
Zion WilliamsonPelicans+4.0 29.2 last 10 · 25.2 season
Cold
Max StrusHeat−4.8 8.1 last 10 · 12.9 season
Anfernee SimonsBlazers−4.7 17.8 last 10 · 22.5 season
Stephen CurryWarriors−3.7 26.3 last 10 · 30.0 season
Ja MorantGrizzlies−3.4 23.1 last 10 · 26.5 season
P.J. WashingtonHornets−3.3 11.3 last 10 · 14.6 season