NBA roundup: LeBron breaks Michael Jordan’s record, Wembanyama shines in 100th game
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their 14th consecutive victory in the NBA, achieving a 117-107 win at home against the New York Knicks on Friday.
Meanwhile, LeBron James made history once again, and Victor Wembanyama celebrated his 100th NBA game in impressive fashion.
As the all-time leading scorer in the NBA, LeBron surpassed Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in league history, recording his 563rd such game by scoring 30 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 119-102 home win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Anthony Davis contributed significantly with 18 points, 17 of which came in the first half, along with 19 rebounds for the Lakers. Trae Young led the Hawks with 33 points.
The Thunder equaled the franchise's longest winning streak, originally set during the 1995-96 season when they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics, while also ending the Knicks' nine-game winning streak, their longest since 2013.
This matchup marked only the fourth occasion in the NBA's 79-year history where teams with winning streaks of nine or more games faced off against each other.
Canadian standout Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of 26 field goal attempts and was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 7 attempts. Jalen Williams added 20 points, and Aaron Wiggins contributed 19 points off the bench, as the Thunder's reserves outscored the Knicks' bench 35-5.
"They made significant plays throughout the game," remarked Gilgeous-Alexander regarding his bench. "We have a roster of 15 individuals, all professionals and highly skilled basketball players. Everyone was prepared for their opportunity."
The Knicks ended the second quarter with a 23-10 run, taking a 66-54 lead into halftime, with Mikal Bridges scoring 19 of his team-high 24 points in the first half.
However, the Thunder narrowed the gap to 88-80 by the start of the fourth quarter, and an 8-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Isaiah Joe, allowed Oklahoma City to take a 92-91 lead with 8:15 remaining.
The Thunder then extended their lead with a 10-0 run, featuring a three-point play and a three-pointer from Wiggins, bringing the score to 108-101 with 2:22 left, and they successfully maintained their advantage against the Knicks.
The message conveyed at halftime was to remain true to our identity. In the last two or three games, we have found ourselves trailing at halftime, but we have experienced this situation before. We understand that it is a lengthy game and many factors can shift the outcome, stated Gilgeous-Alexander.
"It is essential for us to adhere to our identity as much as possible, and when we do, we typically achieve victory."
Victor Wembanyama, the French sensation, celebrated a win in his 100th NBA game, contributing significantly in the final moments of San Antonio's 113-110 victory over Denver.
On the eve of his 21st birthday, the towering 7-foot-3 (2.21m) player assisted Chris Paul on a crucial jumper with 54 seconds left and intercepted a pass from Nikola Jokic with just four seconds remaining, leading to Devin Vassell's dunk for the decisive points.
In a matchup featuring two prominent big men, Wembanyama, the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, recorded 35 points and 18 rebounds along with four assists, while three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic tallied 41 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists.
Wembanyama's inaugural season was historic, marking the only instance in which an NBA player achieved over 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocked shots, and 100 three-pointers in a single campaign.
This season, "Wemby" is averaging 25.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.9 blocked shots, and 3.3 three-pointers per game.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, currently the best team in the NBA, improved their record to 30-4 with a 134-122 win against Dallas, extending their winning streak to nine games, led by Evan Mobley's impressive 34 points and 10 rebounds.
The Mavericks, who have now lost four straight games, were missing their star player Luka Doncic due to a left calf strain.
In Boston, Derrick White scored 23 points, while Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard each contributed 20 points, leading the reigning NBA champion Celtics (26-9) to a 109-86 victory over Houston.
The Rockets, coached by former Boston coach Ime Udoka, fell to 22-12 and suffered a setback with forward Jabari Smith expected to be sidelined for 4-8 weeks due.
In a contest featuring the NBA's least successful teams, C.J. McCollum achieved an impressive 50 points, shooting 18-of-27, as the New Orleans Pelicans triumphed over the Washington Wizards with a score of 132-120.
Tristan da Silva recorded a personal best of 25 points, guiding the Orlando Magic to a 106-97 win against the Toronto Raptors, while Tobias Harris contributed 24 points to propel the Detroit Pistons to a 98-94 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
SportsLigue