BBNBA: SGA drops 43, Adebayo posts 30-point double-double
It’s never too early to start the MVP hype train. That’s especially true when you’re averaging 28.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 2.3 steals per outing through your first seven games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off to a monster start in just his sixth NBA season.
Wednesday night was arguably his best performance so far, too. Gilgeous-Alexander led all BBNBA scorers out of a 14-game slate with a season-high 43 points (15 in the third quarter) on 15-22 shooting and a 12-13 mark from the free throw line. The former Kentucky guard came up just a point shy of his career-best, but his efforts were more than enough to power his Oklahoma City Thunder past the Cleveland Cavaliers, 128-120. The most impressive part of SGA’s performance? He only needed two three-point attempts to reach the 43 points. The 6-foot-6 point guard also chipped in seven rebounds and six assists.
He wasn’t the only one-time Kentucky guard to play well for OKC though. Rookie Cason Wallace saw 23 minutes of action for the Thunder, finishing with 14 points, three rebounds, and two steals. Through eight games for OKC — including one start — he’s averaging 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting just a hair under 70 percent from the field. Not too bad for a rook.
After a surprise season in 2022-23 saw the Thunder win 40 games, the vibes are already looking good early into 2023-24 for a young and talented OKC franchise.
Bam’s double-double overwhelms Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies will continue to be without All-Star point guard Ja Morant for a little bit longer, but even if he did play on Wednesday, there’s nothing he would have been able to do against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.
In a 108-102 win for the now 4-4 Heat, Adebayo exploded for 30 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks on 8-15 shooting in 36 minutes. He was special in the fourth quarter, dropping in 16 of those points across the final 12 minutes as Miami was able to fend off Memphis’ multiple comeback attempts. It was the third straight win for the Heat, which have leaned on Adebayo as of late. He posted a triple-double line of 22 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists in Miami’s win on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
It wasn’t all good news for the Heat though. Starting shooting guard Tyler Herro only saw eight minutes of action before he incidentally rolled his ankle after landing on Memphis center Jaren Jackson Jr. Herro added six points and two assists before the injury and he did not return following his first-quarter exit. He was spotted on crutches after the game with a wrap covering his hurt ankle.
“It was something I felt right away when it happened,” Herro said. “I heard something crunching and cracking in my ankle.” The Heat announced on Thursday morning that he has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 ankle sprain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
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No Fox, no problem for Sacramento
A theme throughout Wednesday night’s schedule was the absence of multiple former Kentucky players due to injuries. Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox was one of them, as the ’22-23 All-Star was sidelined for the fourth consecutive game to a right ankle sprain. Fellow Kings player Trey Lyles was also watching from the bench as he recovers from a left calf strain.
Malik Monk, the third one-time ‘Cat on the Kings roster, didn’t seem to care though. Although he didn’t have the best shooting night (4-16 from the field, 0-7 from deep), he lived at the charity stripe, going 15-19 from the line (he hit 15 in a row after missing his first four) in Sacramento’s 121-118 overtime win over Shaedon Sharpe and the Portland Trail Blazers.
“He had a huge game for us and he found a way to get something done,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said of Monk. “He attacked and attacked and he got to the free throw line. We needed every single one of those free throws.”
Monk still managed 23 points thanks to his efforts in the paint, also chipping in seven rebounds and a career-best 10 assists for his first double-double of the season. He drilled the two biggest shots of the night with 13 seconds left in overtime, a pair of freebies that put the game away for good. Monk scored Sacramento’s final nine points in regulation to help get his team to the extra period. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Kings.
Meanwhile, for the Trail Blazers, Sharpe continued his solid start to year two in the NBA, finishing with 18 points and three assists in 40 minutes played. However, he did go 5-14 from the field and 1-5 from long range in the loss.
Other BBNBA notes
- Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray is going to miss a few weeks due to a right hamstring injury. Multiple reports indicate that Murray is expected to sit out 3-4 weeks after suffering the injury during Saturday’s win over the Chicago Bulls. He also missed some time during training camp with a similar injury. Murray was averaging 16.3 points and 7.4 assists per contest for Denver through seven games before getting sidelined.
- Tyrese Maxey is on pace to play in the All-Star Game. The 23-year-old point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers didn’t have the best shooting night on Wednesday, but his overall showing was more than enough to help his squad beat the rival Boston Celtics 106-103. Maxey went for 25 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on 11-27 shooting in 39 minutes of action as Philly won its sixth in a row.
- Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley combined for 42 points in the New York Knicks’ 126-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Randle went for 23 points (8-19 FG), 16 rebounds, and five assists in what might have been his best game of the young season after a rough start. Quickley wasn’t too far behind with 19 points and five assists off the bench. Keldon Johnson contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and eight assists for the Spurs.
- Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt were both sidelined with injuries in the Los Angeles Lakers’ embarrassing 128-94 loss to the Houston Rockets. Davis is dealing with a groin injury he suffered in L.A.’s previous game while Vanderbilt has still yet to make his season debut as he recovers from a left heel issue.
11/8/23 statistics
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | +/- | MIN |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | 128-120 W vs. CLE | 43 | 15-22 (1-2) | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 37 |
| Bam Adebayo (MIA) | 108-102 W @ MEM | 30 | 8-15 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 36 |
| Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | 106-103 W vs. BOS | 25 | 11-27 (3-11) | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -3 | 39 |
| Julius Randle (NYK) | 126-105 W vs. SAS | 23 | 8-19 (2-6) | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 31 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) | 122-101 W vs. NOP | 23 | 9-12 (4-5) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 27 |
| Malik Monk (SAC) | 121-118 (OT) W vs. POR | 23 | 4-16 (0-7) | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 30 |
| Immanuel Quickley (NYK) | 126-105 W vs. SAS | 19 | 8-17 (3-9) | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 27 |
| Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | 121-118 (OT) L @ SAC | 18 | 5-14 (1-5) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 40 |
| PJ Washington (CHA) | 132-116 L vs. WAS | 14 | 4-11 (0-5) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -8 | 35 |
| Cason Wallace (OKC) | 128-120 W vs. CLE | 14 | 5-7 (2-3) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 23 |
| Keldon Johnson (SAS) | 126-105 L @ NYK | 9 | 4-9 (1-4) | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -2 | 33 |
| Nick Richards (CHA) | 132-116 L vs. WAS | 7 | 2-3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -9 | 15 |
| Tyler Herro (MIA) | 108-102 W @ MEM | 6 | 2-4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 128-94 L @ HOU | DNP-Hip | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | 128-94 L @ HOU | DNP-Heel | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 108-105 W vs. GSW | DNP-Hamstring | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Isaiah Jackson (IND) | 134-118 W vs. UTA | DNP-CD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chris Livingston (MIL) | 120-118 W vs. DET | DNP-CD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 116-115 (OT) W @ CHI | DNP-Calf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Trey Lyles (SAC) | 121-118 (OT) W vs. POR | DNP-Calf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| De’Aaron Fox (SAC) | 121-118 (OT) W vs. POR | DNP-Ankle | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oscar Tshiebwe (IND) | 134-118 W vs. UTA | DNP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC) | 100-93 L @ BKN | DNP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Olivier Sarr (OKC) | 128-120 W vs. CLE | DNP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TyTy Washington (MIL) | 120-118 W vs. DET | DNP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Johnny Juzang (UTA) | 134-118 L @ IND | DNP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Tonight in the NBA
- 7:00 (NBA TV) | Bucks (Livingston, Washington) @ Pacers (Jackson)
- 9:30 (NBA TV) | Hawks @ Magic
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