FloaterDaily Brief
Friday, February 28, 2025Regular season · 10 games
← Feb 27CalendarMar 1 →

10 games, 1 went to overtime. Biggest comeback: Cavs trailed Celtics by 12 after the first quarter and won 123–116.

Final · Box score
Nuggets134
Pistons119
Q1 Nuggets +8; Q2 Nuggets +5; Q3 Nuggets +20; Q4 Nuggets +15
Final · Box score
Thunder135
Hawks119
Q1 Thunder +17; Q2 Thunder +7; Q3 Thunder +24; Q4 Thunder +16
Final · Box score
Blazers121
Nets102
Q1 Blazers +8; Q2 Blazers +17; Q3 Blazers +9; Q4 Blazers +19
Final · Box score
Cavs123
Celtics116
Q1 Cavs -12; Q2 Cavs -10; Q3 Cavs -3; Q4 Cavs +7
Final · OT · Box score
Raptors115
Bulls125
Q1 Bulls -3; Q2 Bulls -9; Q3 Bulls -9; Q4 Bulls 0; OT1 Bulls +10
Final · Box score
Knicks114
Grizzlies113
Q1 Knicks -7; Q2 Knicks -3; Q3 Knicks -6; Q4 Knicks +1
Final · Box score
Pacers120
Heat125
Q1 Heat -6; Q2 Heat -1; Q3 Heat +5; Q4 Heat +5
Final · Box score
Pelicans108
Suns125
Q1 Suns +22; Q2 Suns +21; Q3 Suns +22; Q4 Suns +17
Final · Box score
Wolves116
Jazz117
Q1 Jazz -2; Q2 Jazz -11; Q3 Jazz +2; Q4 Jazz +1
Final · Box score
Clippers102
Lakers106
Q1 Lakers -1; Q2 Lakers +5; Q3 Lakers +6; Q4 Lakers +4
On this day · 2023–24Feb 28, 2024: 6 games. Top scorer: DeMar DeRozan (Bulls-Cavs), 35 points.
Feb 28 in other seasons20262023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
The lead · Cavs-Celtics

Donovan Mitchell scores 41, Cleveland rallies past Boston

Jayson Tatum goes for 46 points

Game flow · Cavs margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-12-10-3+7Cavs AHEAD ↑Celtics AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Cavs26383128123
Celtics38362418116
Who led
Donovan MitchellPoints, last 10 games: 12, 31, 33, 23, 21, 26, 27, 33, 11, 41Cavs41 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Darius GarlandPoints, last 10 games: 26, 17, 25, 25, 23, 17, 15, 18, 9, 20Cavs20 PTS · 3 REB · 7 AST
Jayson TatumPoints, last 10 games: 22, 17, 40, 33, 32, 15, 25, 19, 27, 46Celtics46 PTS · 16 REB · 9 AST
Jaylen BrownPoints, last 10 games: 28, 28, 21, 16, 25, 12, 20, 24, 24, 37Celtics37 PTS · 5 REB · 2 AST
Lead changes
Pacers-Heat14
Wolves-Jazz10
Knicks-Grizzlies5
Blazers-Nets3
Clippers-Lakers3
Nuggets-Pistons1
Cavs-Celtics1
Thunder-Hawks0
Pelicans-Suns0
Shot of the night

OG's three with 5.1 seconds left puts the Knicks ahead, 114-113 final

The night in charts
Thunder-Hawks combined for 254, 1 more than any other game
Points by game
Thunder-HawksThunder 135, Hawks 119
254
Nuggets-PistonsNuggets 134, Pistons 119
253
Pacers-HeatPacers 120, Heat 125
245
Raptors-BullsRaptors 115, Bulls 125 · OT
240
Cavs-CelticsCavs 123, Celtics 116
239
Pelicans-SunsPelicans 108, Suns 125
233
Wolves-JazzWolves 116, Jazz 117
233
Knicks-GrizzliesKnicks 114, Grizzlies 113
227
Blazers-NetsBlazers 121, Nets 102
223
Clippers-LakersClippers 102, Lakers 106
208
4 of 10 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Knicks-GrizzliesKnicks 114, Grizzlies 113
+1 Knicks
Wolves-JazzWolves 116, Jazz 117
+1 Jazz
Clippers-LakersClippers 102, Lakers 106
+4 Lakers
Pacers-HeatPacers 120, Heat 125
+5 Heat
Cavs-CelticsCavs 123, Celtics 116
+7 Cavs
Raptors-BullsRaptors 115, Bulls 125 · OT
+10 Bulls
Nuggets-PistonsNuggets 134, Pistons 119
+15 Nuggets
Thunder-HawksThunder 135, Hawks 119
+16 Thunder
Pelicans-SunsPelicans 108, Suns 125
+17 Suns
Blazers-NetsBlazers 121, Nets 102
+19 Blazers
Cavs erased a 12-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Cavs-CelticsCavs won · Cavs 123, Celtics 116
12 pts
Wolves-JazzJazz won · Wolves 116, Jazz 117
11 pts
Raptors-BullsBulls won · Raptors 115, Bulls 125 · OT
9 pts
Knicks-GrizzliesKnicks won · Knicks 114, Grizzlies 113
7 pts
Pacers-HeatHeat won · Pacers 120, Heat 125
6 pts
Zubac shot 13-of-15 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
ZubacClippers · 27 PTS, 16 REB, 1 BLK
87% (13-15)
Duncan RobinsonHeat · 20 PTS, 5 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL
80% (8-10)
MissiPelicans · 24 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK
79% (11-14)
OkongwuHawks · 23 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK
75% (9-12)
BolSuns · 25 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK
75% (9-12)
Final · Wolves-Jazz
Wolves 116Jazz 117
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Wolves40272524116
Jazz38183823117
The story
John Collins had 29 points and 12 rebounds as Utah beat Minnesota 117-116

Jaden McDaniels led Minnesota with 20 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST 29 PTS, 12 REB, 1 AST · 12-18 FG, 3-6 3PT

The swing

Down 11 after the second, the Jazz took the third 38-25.

Jazz lead by quarter
200 −2−11+2+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Naz Reid led the game in fantasy with 60.7 FPTS (27 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST)

Final · Knicks-Grizzlies
Knicks 114Grizzlies 113
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Knicks25312632114
Grizzlies32272925113
The story
New York beat Memphis 114-113 behind 23 points from Jalen Brunson

Desmond Bane paced Memphis: 24 PTS, 12 REB, 4 AST 23 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL · 10-23 FG, 2-6 3PT

The swing

A 32-25 fourth quarter erased a 6-point hole for the Knicks.

Knicks lead by quarter
200 −7−3−6+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Cavs-Celtics
Cavs 123Celtics 116
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Cavs26383128123
Celtics38362418116
The story
Jaylen Brown had 37 points, but Cleveland won 123-116

For Cleveland, Evan Mobley had 17 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST 37 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST · 13-24 FG, 4-6 3PT

The swing

The Cavaliers trailed by 3 going into the fourth, then won it 28-18.

Cavs lead by quarter
200 −12−10−3+7 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+10.2points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
13.0Season avg23.2Last 5

23.2 points a game over his last five games, against 13.0 in 55 earlier games. Today: 19 points in 40 minutes.

Losing minutes
−15.5minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
27.8Season avg12.3Last 3

12.3 minutes a game over his last three games, against 27.8 in 49 earlier games. Today: 4 points in 11 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+26.9minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
13.1Season avg40Today

40 minutes today, against 13.1 a game in 41 earlier games. Line: 15 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists.

Second story · the whole slate

Three games go down to the wire

Three of 10 games were decided by four points or fewer. Widest margin: Portland by 19.

Knicks over Grizzlies1Jazz over Wolves1Lakers over Clippers4Heat over Pacers5Cavs over Celtics7Bulls over Raptors10Nuggets over Pistons15Thunder over Hawks16Suns over Pelicans17Blazers over Nets19Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer.
Top performances

Jayson Tatum leads the day with 46

Jayson TatumPoints, last 10 games: 22, 17, 40, 33, 32, 15, 25, 19, 27, 46Celtics-Cavs · L
27.0 PPG season to date · +19.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Vince Carter Nets, Apr 7, 2007: 46 PTS · 16 REB · 10 AST
Season high46 PTS · 16 REB · 9 AST
Donovan MitchellPoints, last 10 games: 12, 31, 33, 23, 21, 26, 27, 33, 11, 41Cavs-Celtics · W
24.3 PPG season to date · +17.0 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Gary Payton Sonics, Feb 15, 2000: 41 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Season high41 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Jaylen BrownPoints, last 10 games: 28, 28, 21, 16, 25, 12, 20, 24, 24, 37Celtics-Cavs · L
23.2 PPG season to date · +14.1 vs his regular-season average before tonight
37 PTS · 5 REB · 2 AST
Pascal SiakamPoints, last 10 games: 16, 33, 23, 24, 15, 16, 12, 19, 15, 36Pacers-Heat · L
20.6 PPG season to date · +15.7 vs his regular-season average before tonight
36 PTS · 6 REB · 2 AST
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderPoints, last 10 games: 25, 32, 31, 32, 24, 21, 37, 39, 27, 31Thunder-Hawks · W
32.3 PPG season to date · −1.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 3 REB · 5 AST
Jamal MurrayPoints, last 10 games: 20, 10, 30, 17, 55, 34, 19, 16, 20, 31Nuggets-Pistons · W
21.3 PPG season to date · +9.9 vs his regular-season average before tonight
31 PTS · 3 REB · 4 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Stephen CurryWarriors+7.4 31.4 last 10 · 24.0 season
Josh GiddeyBulls+6.7 19.8 last 10 · 13.1 season
Jaden McDanielsWolves+6.1 18.3 last 10 · 12.2 season
Aaron WigginsThunder+5.8 17.2 last 10 · 11.4 season
Nick Smith Jr.Hornets+4.7 13.3 last 10 · 8.6 season
Cold
LaMelo BallHornets−8.6 17.7 last 10 · 26.3 season
Dennis SchroderPistons−5.6 8.0 last 10 · 13.6 season
Nikola VucevicBulls−4.6 14.5 last 10 · 19.1 season
Gradey DickRaptors−4.4 10.2 last 10 · 14.6 season
De'Aaron FoxSpurs−4.4 19.6 last 10 · 24.0 season