Sunday Beat is a weekly post featuring the most remarkable performances of the week, z-point-wise.

PHOENIX @ PHILADELPHIA 119-115

Jared Dudley (PHO)
18 pts, 100% 2PT%, 0.8 3PT%, 0.5 FT%
26 z-pts (0.65), 100% z2PT%, 0.87 z3PT%, 0.5 zFT%

Great game by Dudley, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the 4th quarter, including three 3s (two of them in a 30-second span).

UTAH @ NEW YORK 95-93

Toney Douglas (NYK)
21 pts, 0.86 2PT%, 0.43 3PT%
27 z-pts (0.62), 0.6 z2PT%, 0.37 z3PT%

The rookie from Florida State was just a jumper away from being the Knicks hero against the Jazz. He scored back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 93, but missed a shot with 2 seconds on the clock that would have sent the game to overtime.

DENVER @ CHICAGO 90-89

Carmelo Anthony (DEN)
20 pts, 0.35 2PT%, 0.5 3PT%, 100% FT%
26 z-pts (0.86), 0.46 z2PT%, 0.48 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Melo was far from great against the Bulls, going 3 of 9 in the 4th, along with two offensive fouls, two turnovers and two of his shots blocked in consecutive plays by Luol Deng. But he still managed to score 6 points in the 4th quarter, including the bucket that put the Nuggets ahead with 13 seconds left in the game.

Chauncey Billups (DEN)
17 pts, 0.56 2PT%, 0.0 3PT%, 0.87 FT%
25 z-pts (0.83), 0.56 z2PT%, 0.0 z3PT%, 0.71 zFT%

Chauncey Billups hit one of his two free throws with the game tied at 89 and less than 1 second left in the game to give the Nuggets the W. Note how most of his z-points (0.58 out of 0.83) come from FTs, indicating that he was clutch from the free throw line.

Derrick Rose (CHI)
22 pts, 0.59 2PT%, 0.0 3PT%, 100% FT%
33 z-pts (1.09), 0.63 z2PT%, 0.0 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Rose stepped up for the Bulls in the 4th quarter, scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. He tied the game at 87 with a jumper and then again at 89 with a couple of clutch free throws with 10 seconds remaining.

Luol Deng (CHI)
21 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 100% 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
15 z-pts (0.50), 0.51 z2PT%, 100% z3PT%, 0.57 zFT%

Despite scoring nearly as many points as Derrick Rose, Deng was a non-factor in crunch time. He scored his only 4 points in the 4th at the beginning of the quarter and was invisible offensively down the stretch. That’s why he’s got fewer z-points than Rose (15 vs. 33).

OKLAHOMA CITY @ SACRAMENTO 98-101

Tyreke Evans (SAC)
20 pts, 0.36 2PT%, 100% FT%
29 z-pts (0.78), 0.33 z2PT%, 100% zFT%

The rookie showed nerves of steel as he sank a couple of free throws with 3 seconds remaining, sealing the game for the Kings.

DENVER @ MILWAUKEE 102-108

Brandon Jennings (MIL)
32 pts, 0.53 2PT%, 100% 3PT%, 100% FT%
44 z-pts (1.12), 0.54 z2PT%, 100% z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Another rookie that doesn’t cease to amaze. Second consecutive appearance by Mr. Brandon Jennings on our weekly Sunday Beat, this time courtesy of a 4th quarter performance that included 14 points and a couple of three-pointers that helped the Bucks pull away late in the game. I bet some GMs must be pulling their hair now, but who could possibly know back in June that the kid would be so darn good?

HOUSTON @ SACRAMENTO 100-109

Shane Battier (HOU)
23 pts, 0.8 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 100% FT%
30 z-pts (0.72), 0.72 z2PT%, 0.71 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

11 points from Battier helped the Rockets stay in the game in the 4th quarter, but in the end that wouldn’t be enough to beat the Kings.

DETROIT @ WASHINGTON 106-103

Ben Gordon (DET)
29 pts, 0.38 2PT%, 0.62 3PT%, 0.8 FT%
49 z-pts (1.41), 0.65 z2PT%, 0.48 z3PT%, 0.85 zFT%

Gordon scored eight of the Piston’s final 10 points, showing once again his ability to perform in the clutch and getting credit for it with 49 z-pts (1.41).

UTAH @ CLEVELAND 103-107

LeBron James (CLE)
21 pts, 0.35 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
40 z-pts (1.19), 0.58 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%, 0.75 zFT%

LeBron scored the Cavs final eight points over the last 52 seconds, including a three-point play that put Cleveland two points up with 28 secs to go.

GOLDEN STATE @ MILWAUKEE 125-129

Brandon Jennings (MIL)
55 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.87 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
62 z-pts (1.79), 0.58 z2PT%, 0.91 z3PT%, 0.86 zFT%

After going scoreless in the first period, Brandon Jennings scored 55 points to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s franchise rookie record. Brandon scored 29 points in the third quarter and 16 in the fourth, putting up an unbelievable performance that is already one of the best ever by a rookie.

Corey Maggette (GSW)
25 pts, 0.62 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 100% FT%
37 z-pts (1.06), 0.67 z2PT%, 0.56 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Great game by Maggette, who scored 21 of his 25 points in the 4th. All in all, he went 6-of-9 in that period -including a couple of 3’s- and was perfect from the line (7 of 7).

NEW JERSEY @ MIAMI 80-81

Dwyane Wade (MIA)
22 pts, 0.58 2PT%, 0.2 3PT%, 0.72 FT%
27 z-pts (1.09), 0.5 z2PT%, 0.69 z3PT%, 0.7 zFT%

Wade was pretty bad from behind the arc, going 1 of 5, but the one he hit was super-clutch, giving Miami the victory over the Nets. Note the difference between his real 3PT% and his z3PT%, as the latter accounts for clutchness.

Brook Lopez (NJN)
17 pts, 0.44 2PT%, 0.33 FT%
28 z-pts (1.10), 0.66 z2PT%, 0.33 zFT%

A tip shot by Lopez with 4 seconds remaining would have won the game for the Nets if it weren’t for Dwyane Wade’s last second shot on the next play.

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