Saturday’s NBA Cup slate had history written all over it. The Miami Heat duo of Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo matched one of the most famous pairings in franchise history, the Memphis Grizzlies shared the ball like it was going out of style, and the Houston Rockets saw Alperen Sengun join some very exclusive company. Let’s break it down.
Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo Join a Heat Club With Only Two Other Members
The Miami Heat have a new duo to talk about. Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo each scored 37 points in Miami’s 133-121 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming only the second pair of Heat teammates to score 35 or more in the same game. The first? LeBron James and Dwyane Wade back in 2013. Adebayo added 14 rebounds to his 37.
Davion Mitchell was the third wheel in this show, with 22 points and a career-high-tying 17 assists. The win gave Miami control of its NBA Cup group.
Grizzlies Tie the NBA Record With 10 Double-Figure Scorers
The Memphis Grizzlies did not rely on one star against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizz had 10 players score in double figures in a 142-111 rout of the Pels, matching the NBA record and setting a franchise mark. The game was played at the Smoothie King Center, and Memphis entered 7-4.
Jerami Grant led the way with 22 points, followed by Ty Jerome with 17 and several teammates scoring 14, 12, 11, and 10. The Grizzlies were also excellent from deep, shooting 18-for-45 from three-point range as the game turned into a blowout.
Alperen Sengun Explodes for 43, Joins Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming
The Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun is having a monster season, and this was his masterpiece. He poured in a season-high 43 points on 17-for-24 shooting, to go with 12 rebounds and 5 assists, as the Rockets beat the Utah Jazz, 125-118, for a West Group A win in the NBA Cup. It was his second career 40-point game.
The line is also historic. Sengun became the third player in franchise history to record 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting 70 percent or better from the field since 1956–57, the first season field goal percentage was tracked. The other two? Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994 and Yao Ming in 2004. Kevin Durant added 22 points for Houston, while the Jazz dropped their 11th straight game.
