If the duel that the Warriors and Mavericks gave us this morning was not the best of the year, it was very close. One of the best offensive recitals in the history of the league that ended with Dallas assaulting the Golden State court thanks to a Luka Doncic is a sidereal player, his triple-double of 45 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, and the best attacking display of the season. They combined for 276 points, 48 three-pointers (in 95 attempts), the highest figure ever seen in an NBA game, and with both teams shooting above 60% in effective shooting. A night that no one will forget, and that also had the return of Klay.
He was also differential, with 29 points. Between Luka, Thompson and Kyrie Irving (21) they scored 95 points and distributed 25 assists and open the debate about whether they are the best big-3 in the NBA. One of the fittest ones, for sure. They started the game scoring 46 points in the first quarter and went into halftime with 81. What was incredible was Golden State’s ability to stay close while seeing Dallas’ offensive power. Steph Curry scored 26, Andrew Wiggins 29 and Draymond Green, still a substitute, 21 with 7 rebounds. They were able to respond to every blow until the last three minutes, when the dagger was delivered by an old friend, Klay Thompson.
The record for triples was 44, achieved four times, the last two nights before. They surpassed that number when there were still six minutes left in the game, Klay Thompson of course. It couldn’t be anyone else, on his return to San Francisco. Three more arrived, until they broke the record and separated themselves from second. Dallas put solo 21 of the 41 he tried, with Klay Thompson (7/11) and Luka Doncic (6/11) leading the rain. For the Warriors, in addition to Steph Curry’s seven, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green (both 5/9) and Lindy Waters (4/7) contributed to the 27 they scored, exactly 50% correct. There were only two players, Spencer Dinwiddie (0/1) and Gary Payton II (0/2), who shot a three-pointer and missed. And the 48 combined triples become a difficult mark to match.
The list of records and marks they left is not short. For example, only once in history, on February 5, we had had a game with both teams shooting over 50% from the triple and exceeding 20 made. It was Clippers and Hawks. Last night they repeated. The Warriors have also become the twelfth team to make 27+ triples in a game… and the first to lose. The other 11 have achieved it in the last six years in the midst of the triple revolution. Six times, before the duel in San Francisco, both teams had exceeded 60% effective shooting with 20+ three-pointers made. Three have come since November in the NBA with the most three-pointers in history.
Last night was the epitome of bringing together players capable of scoring from any point on the court with a night of very high percentages in attack. Steph, and Klay, and Kyrie, and Doncic got together. An explosive cocktail that ended with 48 triples, with a record for history and the proclamation of the new NBA.
Results of the night
- New Orleans Pelicans 104-119 Indiana Pacers
- Boston Celtics 112-98 Washington Wizards
- New York Knicks 100-91 Orlando Magic
- Minnesota Timberwolves 106-92 San Antonio Spurs
- Portland Trail Blazers 109-116 Phoenix Suns
- Dallas Mavericks 143-133 Golden State Warriors
- Memphis Grizzlies 110-116 LA Lakers
The rest of the day
While the NBA universe waits to proclaim an NBA Cup champion, with Oklahoma and Milwaukee isolated in Las Vegas, the rest of the competition continues. And Sunday presented a more conventional day, with seven games and little excitement. All the favorites won, some comfortably. For example, the Knicks, who regain third place after winning in Orlando. They took advantage of the losses of Banchero and Wagner, and with the help of a Karl-Anthony Towns unstoppable, with 22 points and 22 rebounds, and a 29-19 run in the second quarterNew York is already chasing Cleveland and Boston.
The Celtics also did their homework. They won in Washington, in the capital, in an excursion that feels like a formality. Jayson Tatum scored 28 with 12 rebounds and Payton Pritchard was important again with 15 points off the bench. They are just one game behind the Cavaliers after leaving the Wizards at 98 points despite not having any of their interiors available. Kevin Durant was available in Phoenix, and that’s why the Suns won. He scored 20, only Booker (29) surpassed him, and they got rid of Portland to regain sixth place.
Just behind are the Timberwolves who won against a Victor Wembanyama who continues to grow. The Frenchman had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 7 blocks, but he was very alone against the Timberwolves who were little by little recovering the defensive level of yesteryear. Combined with Anthony Edwards’ 28 points, they are enough to win in San Antonio. Even easier was the Pacers’ victory. Haliburton smiled again with 21 points and 10 assists, taking advantage of the Pelicans’ playing crisis, who continue to be the worst team in the West. And it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change in the short term.
The night was closed by the Lakers and Grizzlies in an antagonistic game to the one seen in San Francisco, but in which LeBron James returned. Between the two of them they made just 19 triples (and because Marcus Smart made one at the buzzer with the game decided) and They shot 69 free throws. 57 points from the triple, 53 from the penalty line. 58 fouls were called, 42 balls were lost and neither of them reached 50% effectiveness. Anthony Davis shone, as always, with 40 points and 16 rebounds against a Santi Aldama who was off: 6 points (1/8 shooting) and 3 rebounds in just 19 minutes. Zach Edey, his teammate, won the game with a double-double off the bench.