December 10, 2024 at 2:06 am

Monday Daily Duncs (12/9/24)

Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic just had one of the best back-to-backs in NBA history.

  • In a loss to the Wizards on Saturday: 56 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists
  • In a win over the Hawks on Sunday: 48 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists

Jokic's combined Game Score is the fifth-highest on record in a back-to-back (since 1983-84, as far back as Basketball-Reference has records):

Coincidentally (?), six of the top seven spots on the list came over a weekend.

Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN:

"Depressing," Embiid told ESPN when asked what the past couple of months have been like for him. "Just trying to figure it out. There's no injury. Just between the swelling ... we've got to get it figured out. That's it.
"I've been saying it for the last few months. It's been extremely depressing. It's something that hasn't been figured out, and it's been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game."

Man, Embiid is really going through it.

From the moment they enter the league, players are racing to learn how to win – how to prepare, how to play smart – before their athleticism declines. For as great as Embiid has been, I'm not sure he has fully figured out all those nuances. See his lack of playoff success. See all the reports about his work ethic and diligence.

And now his body is breaking down.

Embiid might never get the window of everything coming together for him.

Trivia

Trivia: Which five players has Chris Paul assisted most in his career?

Chris Paul

Chris Paul – now up to 12,099 career assists – passed Jason Kidd for second all-time in assists:

With an incredible combination of basketball intelligence and precision, Paul is a great passer. He is The floor general of his generation.

But he's not catching John Stockton for No. 1.

In his most-prolific passing season, Paul dished 925 assists (for New Orleans in 2007-08). If the 39-year-old somehow did that FOUR more times… he still wouldn't pass Stockton.

Trivia answer

Trivia answer: The five players Chris Paul has assisted most in his career:

  • Blake Griffin
  • David West
  • J.J. Redick
  • DeAndre Jordan
  • Peja Stojakovic

The full leaderboard:

I'm surprised Eric Gordon ranks highest from Paul's Rockets days, especially that Clint Capela or even James Harden didn't rank higher. Really speaks to how much Harden Hardened the offense.

Anthony Edwards

The NBA fined Anthony Edwards $25,000 for saying after the Timberwolves' win over the Warriors on Friday, "Naz and Julius is fuckin' playing defense. I've never seen them play defense before. So that's fucking incredible."

After Minnesota's loss to Golden State yesterday, Edwards declined to speak to the media, citing previous fines for swearing during interviews, via Chris Hine of The Minnesota StarTribune.

The NBA could also fine Edwards for not speaking to the media, but that is less regularly enforced. Seems counterproductive to hammer players more for cursing not directed at someone than for not speaking at all.

But it's also reasonable for the NBA to hold players to the standard of both speaking publicly and maintaining family-friendly language. Edwards can do it. After Friday's game, he also delivered a pep talk to the Georgia football team on ESPN, saying, "Do your" before pausing and continuing, "M.F.ing thing."

Jazz-Trail Blazers

Friday, the Jazz beat Portland by 42 to improve their record to… 5-17.

This was just fourth time in NBA history a team won by 40+ while still having a win percentage 25% or lower:

  • 2024: Utah Jazz (5-17) 141, Portland Trail Blazers 99
  • 2017: Atlanta Hawks (3-12) 126, Sacramento Kings 80
  • 1972: Portland Trail Blazers (18-62) 133, New York Knicks 86
  • 1962: Detroit Pistons (4-16) 143, New York Knicks 101

A new low for Portland.

Jazz-Kings

The Jazz followed their 42-point over the Trail Blazers by… losing by 44 to the Kings yesterday.

That wild of a swing hasn't happened in decades. It's just the third time in NBA history a team had a 40-point win and a 40-point loss in consecutive games:

  • 2024: Utah Jazz beat Portland Trail Blazers by 42, lost to Sacramento Kings by 44
  • 1994: Miami Heat beat Los Angeles Clippers by 43, lost to Chicago Bulls by 45
  • 1970: Baltimore Bullets beat beat Portland Trail Blazers by 52, lost to Boston Celtics by 46

The Jazz play Phoenix on Friday. FYI just in case their rollercoaster continues.

Mike Brown

Kings coach Mike Brown:

"One of the things that we continue to talk about with our guys is we can't be bored stacking plays the right way. And what I mean by that is, we don't need the home run steal. We don't need the home run 3. We just need to be methodical by stacking or playing the right way possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession, after possession. You guys got what I'm saying."

Does Brown talk to his players that way? I'm not sure the best way to inspire someone not to get bored is saying "possession" 26 times in a sentence.

Yes, I counted.

Pistons-Knicks

The Pistons didn't beat the Knicks the entire Troy Weaver era.

Detroit finally bested New York on Saturday, 120-111, ending the longest active losing streak by one team against another at 16 games.

The Rockets now hold the active record with 15 straight losses to the Warriors.

-Dan Feldman