BBNBA: Jamal Murray scores his jersey number, 27, in his first game after his 27th birthday
Jamal Murray wears the somewhat unique number, 27, in part as a tribute to his mother. She worked for 27 years at Tim Hortons coffee shop in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada to help provide for the family and that work ethic and dedication to her job inspired Jamal to work hard and pursue his own dreams, ones he has fulfilled and then some. On Sunday, all the stars aligned around Murray and the number that means so much to him.
Murray turned 27 years old on Friday but had to celebrate his birthday from the bench, as he sat out of the Nuggets’ game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a strained tibia. He returned to action on Sunday and in his first game back as a 27-year-old, he dropped 27 points, the same number on his jersey.
Normally, I would roll my eyes at those who seek spiritual enlightenment from coincidental number alignments, but I have to admit this specific coincidence is kind of cool.
For those really looking to go down the numerology rabbit hole, if you take the number of minutes he played, subtract the number of field goal attempts (16), and add his rebounds (4) and assists (3), you also get 27.
And he did it on 2/25, which when added together you get…yep…27. Spooky, spooky.
On top of the serendipitous performance, the Nuggets got the win over the Golden State Warriors, 119-103.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hangs 36 in win over the Rockets
While Jamal Murray was making NBA numerologists giddy, Nikola Jokic was busy doing his own brand of domination. The Joker had 32 points, 16 rebounds, and 16 assists, giving him his third 30-15-15 triple-double of his career.
It is numbers like these that make Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s quest for NBA MVP a tough hill to crest, despite his best effort. On Sunday, SGA had 36 points, seven assists, five boards, and three steals in another convincing win, this time over the Houston Rockets.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder remained tied atop the Western Conference standings alongside the even more surprisingly good Minnesota Timberwolves, and don’t appear in danger of letting go of the rope any time soon.
De’Aaron Fox carries Kings to win over Clippers
When talking about the seven former Kentucky players who made the NBA All-Star team this season, Devin Booker said, “It should be eight. [De’Aaron Fox] should be [an All-Star] too.”
He’s right.
Fox is averaging a career high in both points and steals per game and he added to those totals on Sunday. The reigning NBA Clutch Player of the Year poured in 33 points win the Kings’ win over the Clippers, to go along with his six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
After the game, his teammate said, Domantas Sabonis, who had a triple-double said, “It was the Fox show tonight…he basically won us the game.”
Other BBNBA Notes:
- Tyrese Maxey scored 24 points for the Philadelphia 76ers, but without Joel Embiid in the lineup, it has been a tough haul for him to do it all as the Sixers fell to the Bucks, to lose seven of their last 10 games.
- 4th year Nick Richards continued his recent surge in play on Sunday, as he dropped 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had three blocks in the Hornets’ win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Charlotte decided to keep their budding big man after rumors floated around his trade deadline departure, and so far it is paying off.
- Devin Booker got the best of Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday as his 21 points and nine rebounds were enough to displace Davis’ 22 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks and give the Suns their 8th-straight home victory.
BBNBA Statistics for 2/25/2024
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | P/M | MIN |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | 123-110 W vs. HOU | 36 | 13-23 (2-3) | 5 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | +17 | 37 |
| De’Aaron Fox (SAC) | 123-107 W vs. LAC | 33 | 12-22 (0-4) | 6 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | +23 | 33 |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 119-103 W vs. GSW | 27 | 9-16 (3-5) | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | +18 | 36 |
| Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | 98-119 L vs. MIL | 24 | 8-19 (3-8) | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | -11 | 38 |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 113-123 L vs. PHX | 22 | 11-17 (0-0) | 14 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 42 |
| Nick Richards (CHA) | 93-80 W vs. POR | 21 | 8-11 (0-0) | 10 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | +9 | 33 |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 123-113 W vs. LAL | 21 | 8-18 (1-4) | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | +9 | 38 |
| Malik Monk (SAC) | 123-107 W vs. LAC | 12 | 4-11 (2-6) | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| Cason Wallace (OKC) | 123-110 W vs. HOU | 6 | 2-7 (2-5) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Trey Lyles (SAC) | 123-107 W vs. LAC | 3 | 1-2 (0-0) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +5 | 11 |
| Ashton Hagans (POR) | 80-93 L vs. CHA | 3 | 1-4 (0-0) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +8 | 11 |
| PJ Washington (DAL) | 111-133 L vs. IND | 2 | 1-6 (0-3) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -17 | 31 |
| Isaiah Jackson (IND) | 133-111 W vs. DAL | 2 | 1-1 (0-0) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
| Johnny Juzang (UTA) [Two-way] | 128-109 W vs. SAS | 0 | 0-1 (0-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 |
| Keldon Johnson (SAS) | 109-128 L vs. UTA | 0 | 0-0 (0-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC) | 107-123 L vs. SAC | 0 | 0-0 (0-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Olivier Sarr (OKC) [Two-way] | 123-110 W vs. HOU | DNP-G League | ||||||||
| TyTy Washington (MIL) | 98-119 L vs. MIL | DNP-G League | ||||||||
| Chris Livingston (MIL) | 98-119 L vs. MIL | DNP-G League | ||||||||
| Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | 113-123 L vs. PHX | DNP-Foot | ||||||||
| Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | 80-93 L vs. CHA | DNP-Core | ||||||||
| Oscar Tshiebwe (IND) | 133-111 W vs. DAL | DNP-CD |
Tonight in the NBA:
7:00: Raptors (Quickley) @ Pacers (Jackson, Tshiebwe)
7:30: Pistons @ Knicks (Randle, Toppin)
8:00: Nets @ Grizzlies
10:00: Heat (Herro, Adebayo) @ Kings (Fox, Lyles, Monk)
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