For the first time in NBA history, five players tallied at least 43 points on the same day of activity. The feat occurred on Friday with, as leader, Luka Doncic, of the Dallas Mavericks, author of 50 points against the Houston Rockets.
The other four are Canadians Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (44) of the Oklahoma City Thunder against the New Orleans Pelicans, and RJ Barrett (44) of the New York Knicks against the Chicago Bulls, as well as Joel Embiid (44) of 76ers of Philadelphia against the Los Angeles Clippers, and Tyrese Haliburton (43) of the Indiana Pacers against the Miami Heat.
“Luka is Luka,” summed up Jason Kidd, the Mavericks head coach. “He is the best player in the world and he showed it tonight (Friday) by taking the attack in hand again. »
As usual, Doncic transferred the tributes.
“My teammates trusted me,” he explained after a night where he shot 17 of 30, in addition to amassing 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Perhaps the most important shot in the Mavericks’ 112-106 victory was Doncic’s shot from outside the three-point line with 19 seconds remaining to give Dallas a five-point lead.
However, it wasn’t even the most dramatic three-pointer by one of the five stars on Friday night.
That honor went to Haliburton, who made 10 3-point shots, including the last one, scored with 4.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, that gave the Pacers a 111-108 win over the Heat.
“Tyrese Haliburton is an artist,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said when asked about Haliburton’s shots.
“And you know, when some people manage to have success in this sport through unconventional methods, you have to leave them alone and allow them to do what they do. His artistic side comes from the way he sends the ball into the basket, the way he sees the game, the way he is in unison with his teammates and the special person he is. »
Embiid’s prolific evening helped the 76ers to win a seventh game in a row. Barrett and the Knicks eventually lost to the Bulls, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s 44 points came in an overtime loss to New Orleans.
Elsewhere, Gilgeous-Alexander came close to forcing a second overtime when his shot, taken from 40 feet in desperation just before the beep sounded signaling the end of period, hit the front of the hoop.
The Thunder finally lost 128-125.
There are now just over 4,400 cases where a player has amassed at least 40 points during an NBA season game. Friday was only the fifth time in league history that five such performances have been listed on the same day, and the second time in 2022.
On April 10, on the last day of the 2021-2022 season, Obi Toppin of the Knicks scored 42 points, one more than Jalen Green (Houston), Malik Monk (Los Angeles Lakers) and Klay Thompson (Golden State). The Heat’s Victor Oladipo had 40.
The other three days where five players have amassed at least 40 points are those of December 25, 1961, February 2, 2001 and February 21, 2003.