For the primary time in NBA history, 5 gamers scored a minimum of 43 factors on the identical day. It occurred Friday, with Dallas’ Luka Doncic main the best way with 50 factors in opposition to Houston.
The others: Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored 44 in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma Metropolis’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a career-high 44 in opposition to New Orleans, New York’s RJ Barrett had 44 in opposition to Chicago and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton scored a career-best 43 in opposition to Miami.
“Luka is Luka,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd mentioned. “He’s the most effective participant on the planet and he confirmed that tonight, carrying the load offensively once more.”
As he normally does, Doncic deferred the credit score.
“My teammates trusted me,” he mentioned after his 17-for-30 evening that additionally included 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The most important shot of the evening in Dallas’ 112-106 win over Houston may need been Doncic hitting a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to provide the Mavericks a five-point lead.
And that wasn’t even essentially the most dramatic 3 that the evening’s large scorers had.
That honor went to Haliburton, who made 10 3-pointers — the final of them with 4.3 seconds left to provide the Pacers a 111-108 win over the Warmth.
“Tyrese Haliburton is an artist,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned when requested about Haliburton’s different-than-most taking pictures stroke. “And you realize, some people who have unconventional methods to achieve success on this recreation, it’s a must to simply depart them alone and permit them to do what they do. His artistry is the best way he will get the ball within the basket, the best way he sees the sport, the best way he connects teammates and the particular individual that he’s.”
Embiid’s large evening got here in Philadelphia’s seventh consecutive win. Barrett and the Knicks wound up falling to the Bulls, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s 44 got here in an additional time loss to New Orleans — which he almost prolonged into double additional time, with a 40-foot desperation shot on the finish hitting the entrance rim on the buzzer of a 128-125 ultimate.
“It was shut. Not shut sufficient,” mentioned Gilgeous-Alexander, whose nice begin to this season has cemented himself as an early front-runner for NBA’s Most Improved Participant honors — to not point out different postseason accolades, and certain a visit to the All-Star Recreation as effectively.
There now have been simply over 4,400 cases of a participant scoring 40 or extra factors in a regular-season recreation. Friday was solely the fifth time that 5 of these occurred on the identical day — and the second time it occurred in 2022.
On April 10, the ultimate day of the 2021-22 common season, Obi Toppin had 42 for New York, Jalen Inexperienced had 41 for Houston, Malik Monk scored 41 for the Los Angeles Lakers, Klay Thompson had 41 for Golden State and Victor Oladipo scored 40 for Miami.
The opposite three cases of 5 40-point scorers:
— Feb. 21, 2003 — Tracy McGrady scored 52 for Orlando, Jamal Mashburn 50 for the New Orleans Hornets, Michael Jordan 43 for Washington, Allen Iverson 41 for Philadelphia and Kobe Bryant 40 for the Lakers.
— Feb. 2, 2001 — Allen Iverson scored 47 for Philadelphia, Bryant 44 for the Lakers, Chris Webber 41 for Sacramento, Paul Pierce 40 for Boston and Jerry Stackhouse 40 for Detroit.
— Dec. 25, 1961 — Wilt Chamberlain scored 59 for the Philadelphia Warriors, Tom Heinsohn 45 for Boston, Elgin Baylor 40 for the Lakers, Richie Guerin 40 for New York and Oscar Robertson 40 for Cincinnati.