According to our Basketball Power Index, there was an 0.3 percent chance that the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers would lose to the Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively, on Tuesday night.
How does something like this happen?
It was a bizarre night in the NBA, one in which the team with the worse record won all six games. But the big story was the big three teams that lost.
Magic 95, Spurs 83
Magic's chance to win: 8%
The 6-11 Magic snapped their four-game losing streak and the 14-3 Spurs’ nine-game winning streak with a relatively easy win. Orlando held the Spurs to 37 percent shooting, their worst shooting game at home since November 2012, when they shot 35 percent against the Clippers.
Serge Ibaka had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Magic. Ibaka has scored at least 18 points in three straight games for the second time in his career and first since 2012.
Nets 127, Clippers 122 (2 OT)
Nets' chance to win: 12%
The 4-12 Nets came back from 13 down entering the fourth quarter to beat the 14-4 Clippers. Sean Kilpatrick scored a career-high 38 points and became the first Nets player to score at least 20 points in a fourth quarter since Devin Harris in 2008.
Brook Lopez tied a career high with four 3-pointers in the game. He has 32 makes from beyond the arc this season. Entering the season, he had hit three treys in his career.
Bucks 118, Cavaliers 101
Bucks' chance to win: 32%
The 7-8 Bucks had lost three straight to the 13-2 Cavaliers, but they dominated in the second half of this one. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five steals. He joined LeBron James as the only players in the past 30 seasons to have a 30-10-5-5 game before their 22nd birthday.
The Bucks also got major contributions from Michael Beasley and Greg Monroe off the bench. They combined for 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting. Each was plus-23 in 26 minutes of play.
A true long shot
One additional perspective on this combination of unlikely events: A $100 three-team parlay on the Magic, Nets and Bucks in Las Vegas would have paid $20,712.50.
Stat of the Day
The Elias Sports Bureau reports that this is the second time in NBA history that the team with the worse record won every game in the NBA in a given day (minimum 15 games into the season, at least six games played). The other instance was Jan. 7, 1969 (six games).
