The all-time record for most points scored in an NBA quarter is 58, set by the Buffalo Braves in 1972. After Tuesday night, the record still stands, but just barely. During the third quarter alone, by virtue of hitting 20 of 21 field goals, the Pacers racked up 54 points against the Nuggets. Matt Moore over at CBS Sports took the liberty of compiling a video.
VIDEO: Pacers Dump 54-Point Third Quarter On Nuggets
Some statistical curiosities are after the jump.
- Mathematically speaking, the Pacers averaged a point every 23 seconds or so.
- We can't really malign the Nuggets' defense too much. Apart from two bad passes from Chauncey Billups, they didn't give up any steals. From our own Mike Prada:
Denver defended OK. The Pacers were just on fire. Marvel at it if you wish, and you should, but let’s not indict Denver’s defense unnecessarily. Sometimes, your opponent just has it going.
- If you want to put up 54 points in a single quarter and you’re not stealing much, you need to hope for your opponent to move quickly up the court and fire away -- whether they’re actually scoring is of secondary importance. The Nuggets were offensively sound, scoring 27 points within the 12-minute period.
- Josh McRoberts' heave as the buzzer sounded was the Pacers' only missed field goal of the quarter, and it didn't miss by much. If it had hit, and if the Pacers had managed to hit each of their nine free throws rather than just six, it would have been a record-breaking 60-point quarter. You heard it here first: more points is better than fewer points!
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