The NBA produced a historic — and lopsided — night on Friday, as a full slate of games resulted in an unprecedented average margin of victory.
According to OptaSTATS, Friday’s NBA games were decided by an average of 24.4 points, marking the largest average margin of victory on a single day with at least eight games in league history.
The trend was driven by a series of blowouts across the league. The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Indiana Pacers 129-108, while the Atlanta Hawks routed the Brooklyn Nets 141-107. The New York Knicks delivered one of the most dominant performances of the night, defeating the Chicago Bulls 136-96.
Elsewhere, the Houston Rockets overwhelmed the Utah Jazz 140-106, and the Toronto Raptors handled the Memphis Grizzlies 128-96. The Boston Celtics also contributed to the trend with a 133-101 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Closest games offer contrast as NBA’s historic blowout night still dominates headlines
While most contests were decided by wide margins, a few games remained relatively competitive. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103, while the Sacramento Kings edged the New Orleans Pelicans 117-113 in the closest matchup of the night.
The Orlando Magic’s 139-128 win over the Dallas Mavericks stood out for both its scoring output and individual performance. Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg scored 51 points in the loss, becoming the youngest player and first teenager in NBA history to record a 50-point game.
Despite that milestone, the overall theme of the night remained one-sided outcomes. Friday’s results highlighted a rare statistical anomaly across the league, with multiple teams securing decisive victories and contributing to a record-setting average margin.
The night underscores the unpredictability of regular-season play, as teams across the NBA experienced unusually unbalanced results on the same schedule.
