Josh Giddey

LeBron James and Luka Doncic returned Saturday…

Just to get overshadowed by Josh Giddey.

Leading the Bulls to a 31-point win over the Lakers, Giddey nearly had a quadruple-double – 15 points, 17 assists, 10 rebounds and eight steals.

On one hand, this was incredibly close to a quadruple-double.

The last time someone was just two units from a quadruple-double was Mookie Blaylock in 1998 (14 points, 11 assists, 10 steals, 8 rebounds vs. Philadelphia).

On the other hand, even including Saturday's swipe-fest, Giddey has averaged the two steals he needed every 49 minutes this season. That's more than a full game! Maybe not so close.

By that measure, Victor Wembanyama came closer to a quadruple three times last season!*

On the other other hand, don't let the generational Wembanyama distort everything. Before that, the closest was Draymond Green all the way back in 2017, when he had a triple-double with just four points (11 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals [and five blocks!].

We can do both – appreciate the incredibleness of a 15-17-10-8 stat line, but also recognize Giddey wasn't just on the verge of a quadruple-double. Two steals are hard to accumulate!

*For thorough subscribers, I have tweaked my formula for "minutes from a quadruple-double" since covering Wembanyama's close calls last year. Instead of counting only from the player's fourth-furthest stat, I sum his time away in his four closest stats. That way, a player gets more credit for coming closer or hitting double digits, even in the easier-to-achieve stats.

Tim Duncan

Though the playoffs don't count, Tim Duncan was also two units from a quadruple-double in Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks in the Spurs' closeout of the Nets.

The Big Kiwi makes an interesting case I hadn't seen before Duncan should have been credited for two more blocks – and gotten the only quadruple-double in postseason history.

One, deemed a deflection, looked like a New Jersey shot – and therefore should have been a block. The other? I'm legitimately unsure whether Duncan or David Robinson (who was credited) actually blocked the shot.

But those controversial scorekeeping decisions are the difference between a great game and an all-time unforgettable game.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant became the second player to score 40 points in a game against all 30 current NBA franchises.

However, he doesn't have 40-point games against all 30 current NBA franchises.

The distinction?

In 2009, Durant scored 47 against the New Orleans Hornets. In 2011, he added another 40-point game against the New Orleans Hornets, scoring 43.

However, in 2014, the NBA moved the New Orleans Hornets' historical records under the Pelicans, divorcing the franchise from its pre-move days. The nee-Bobcats Hornets assumed the original Charlotte Hornets' records. Essentially, New Orleans became viewed as one independent franchise, Charlotte another.

So, when Durant had those 40-point games against New Orleans, it counted as against the Hornets franchise. But now, those games count as against the Pelicans franchise.

For good measure, Durant added a 41-point game against the Pelicans in 2018.

But his high against Charlotte is just 38.

The Suns are done with the Hornets this season. For what it's worth, if he joins Miami this summer, Durant could guarantee four games against Charlotte, as the Heat and Hornets are in the same division.

Southeast Division

Speaking of the Southeast Division… the Hawks lead it – with a 35-36 record.

The Heat (and Wizards and Hornets) cannot finish with a winning record. Orlando must close 8-3 to finish with a winning record.

ESPN's BPI projects Atlanta for a division-best 40-42 finish.

That'd make the Hawks the first division winner without a winning record since the NBA-ABA merger. The only teams to do it at all:

1976 Midwest Division: Milwaukee Bucks (38-44)
1972 Central Division: Baltimore Bullets (38-44)
1957 Western Division: St. Louis Hawks (34-38)

Division titles don't really matter much anymore. But the Southeast's decrepitude is still pretty funny.

40 points

Back to 40-point games against all teams…

Players with 40-point games against the most franchises:

LeBron James 30
Kobe Bryant 29 (not Lakers)
James Harden 29 (not Rockets)
Kevin Durant 29 (not Hornets)
Michael Jordan 27 (not Bulls, Grizzlies, Raptors)
Stephen Curry 27 (not Warriors, Pistons, Spurs)

Obviously, Bryant couldn't have scored 40 against the team he spent his entire career with.

Harden has spent most of his career with the Rockets, but has had plenty of opportunity against them. However, his high in 21 games against Houston is just 29 points.

Jordan played six games against the Bulls with the Wizards, peaking at 29 points. The Raptors and Grizzlies emerged as expansion franchises late in his career, though he had chances against both. In 19 games against the Raptors, he twice scored 38. He reached just 33 in nine games against the Grizzlies.

Like Bryant, Curry couldn't have scored 40 against his only team. But Curry also didn't do it against the Pistons (high: 38) or Spurs (high: 37, twice).

Tyrese Haliburton

The latest in the ongoing "Is Tyrese Haliburton back?" saga: Haliburton has gone 10 straight games with a double-double with assists. That's the longest such streak in half a decade.

In 2019, Russell Westbrook went 11 straight games. If Haliburton does it again against the Timberwolves tonight, he'll be unsurpassed since John Wall in 2017 (13 straight).

John Stockton holds the record (37 straight). The most since Stockton – who also holds the second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-longest steaks – is Chris Paul in 2013 (14 straight).

Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is targeting returning tomorrow in New York or Thursday in Orlando, according to Marc Stein.

Hey, the Mavericks are in the thick of a postseason race, tied with the Suns for the final spot in the play-in tournament. I appreciate Davis pushing his way back to compete for it.

Dallas can't be as dangerous, not without Kyrie Irving and several role players. But if healthy, Davis is a difference-maker.

And if nothing else, he'll help ensure the Mavericks have the required eight available players for each game.

-Dan Feldman