This blowout was largely due to the Knicks having field goal and three-point percentage differentials of +28.39 and +22.5 percentage points (respectively). Since the start of 2012-2013, this is just the third time that a regular season winner has achieved margins as good or better in these areas.

The Spurs attempted 22 more field goals and 23 more threes than Houston last night. Regular season losers have only met or bettered those margins five other times (in 16,316 games) since the start of 2012-2013. The problem: As Gregg Popovich would say, “The ball didn’t go in the hole.”

Since the start of 2012-2013, the Bucks vs. Hawks game last night market just the 47th regular season contest (out of 16,309) in which the winner had shot attempt differentials as bad or worse than -17 from the field, -6 from three, and +1 from the free throw line.

Sacramento actually outscored the Blazers by seven points from the field, partly due to much better accuracy from distance. However, the Kings struggled with fouling, which helped Portland generate huge advantages in free throw attempts (+15) and makes (+14).

Miami got destroyed by OKC in terms of shooting efficiency in this game. However, they were able to win by attempting 34 more field goals and 21 more threes. That winner-loser field goal differential (+34) ranks 2nd highest in the set of 16,294 regular season games played since 2012-2013.

Since the start of the 2012-2013 NBA season, this game marks just the 88th time (0.54% of games) that a regular season winner has had at least seven more turnovers and an offensive rebound differential of -3 or worse and at least five fewer free made free throws.

Orlando had a worse overall shooting percentage and much worse three-point percentage than Memphis in Berlin yesterday. However, the Magic used a big advantage in offensive boards (+12) to attempt significantly more shots from the field (+12), which played a big role in their win.

In the 16,270 regular season games since the start of the 2012-2013 NBA season, Denver’s win last night marked just the 60th time (0.37% of games) in which the winning team had field goal attempt and free throw attempt margins of -8 or worse and -11 or worse (respectively).

In a dominant performance, the Lakers actually took 17 fewer shots and 12 fewer threes than Atlanta. However, their vastly superior shooting efficiency and a significant edge at the free throw line (+12 attempts, +13 makes) allowed Los Angeles to win by 25.

In this low-scoring affair, Boston had advantages in field goals and free throws made (+1 and +3, respectively). However, Indiana was dominant from distance, shooting 17.53 percentage points better from three and making seven more.

Milwaukee made more overall field goals in this game (+3) by being more efficient from the field. However, the Nuggets were saved by a very good performance from the free throw line, where they had more attempts (+11), a better shooting percentage (+7.42 percentage points), and more makes (+10).

In the most lopsided victory of the NBA season to date, there is no basic box score statistic in which The Charlotte Hornets did not outshine their opponent. Furthermore, in almost every case the Hornets outperformed the differentials that typical NBA winners have achieved in recent history.

In a throwback Warriors blowout, Golden State had 18 more attempts from distance and a three-point percentage 16.3 percentage points higher, yielding 12 more made threes.

Despite taking four fewer field goal attempts and 17 fewer threes, the Pacers saved themselves last night by being more efficient from everywhere, including +4.65 percentage points from the field overall, +8.08 percentage points from three, and +20.24 percentage points from the free throw line.

Despite having five more turnovers, the Celtics used nine more offensive rebounds to create more field goal attempts (+8) and makes (+4). Even so, Denver overcame these shortcomings with greater volume and efficiency from both the free throw line (+7 makes) and three (+5 makes).

Washington prevailed over the Magic last night despite taking and making fewer field goals. The key: more free throw attempts (+9) and especially greater efficiency from the line (+27.27 percentage points), resulting in 15 more free throws made.

Charlotte took 16 fewer shots than OKC, largely because they turned the ball over 13 more times. This should have spelled disaster against the reigning champs, but the Hornets powered to an easy win with much better offensive efficiency from all over the court.

Phoenix handed OKC its sixth loss of the year last night despite making more turnovers (+7) and being less efficient from both the field (-3.26 percentage points) and the free throw line (-17.06 percentage points). How did they do it? An important piece of the puzzle was making seven more threes.

Review Team Graded Box Scores for all of yesterday's games here: open.substack.com/pub/boxscore...

Final: Rockets 104 Mavericks 110

The Memphis Grizzlies attempted 19 more field goals than the Lakers yesterday, which is generally an excellent recipe for winning. However, they were much less efficient with those shots, and the Lakers maintained a big advantage in made free throws (+12). #NBA

Introducing Box Score History's Team Graded Box Scores, which provide quick, intuitive looks at how NBA winners win games. Read more about how they are created at open.substack.com/pub/boxscore.... The underlying data used to produce these box scores come from Basketball Reference.