Desmond Bane 31 points vs Pacers (Jan 4, 2026): 3rd-best of 35 games
31 PTS · 12-of-17 FG · 3-of-6 3P · 4-of-4 FT · 36:36 MIN
Usual before this game: 19.0 PTS · 15.4 FGA · 33.7 MIN, from 34 regular-season games
3rd-best Game Score of the 35 games the source holds this season: 29.4 against a usual 13.7 (+15.7)
above usual
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Desmond Bane score 31 points?
Desmond Bane scored 31 points against the Pacers on Jan 4, 2026 in 36:36: 12-of-17 from the field (70.6%), 3-of-6 from three (50.0%), 4-of-4 on free throws. Coming in, Bane had averaged 19.0 points on 15.4 shots in 33.7 minutes, from 34 regular-season games. This game had the 3rd-best Game Score of the 35 games the source holds this season. Bane shot 70.6% from the field, against a usual 44.5%. By shot type: two-pointers 18 points (usual 10.3); threes 9 points (usual 5.2). Playing time was 36:36, against a usual 33.7 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 28.9, against a usual 14.6. The Magic won 135-127 at home against the Pacers. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Bane in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (34 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 36:36 | 33.7 | +2.9 |
| Points | 31 | 19.0 | +12.0 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 17 · 70.6% | 15.4 · 44.5% | +1.6 · +26.1 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 6 · 50.0% | 5.1 · 33.9% | +0.9 · +16.1 |
| FTA · FT% | 4-of-4 | 3.8 · 93.0% | +0.2 |
| Rebounds | 6 | 4.6 | +1.4 |
| Assists | 6 | 4.5 | +1.5 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2.1 | -0.1 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 34 games | 25.7 | 24.0 | +1.7 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 28.9 | 14.6 | +14.3 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (34 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 9 (3-of-6) | 5.2 (1.7-of-5.1) | +3.8 |
| Twos | 18 (9-of-11) | 10.3 (5.1-of-10.3) | +7.7 |
| Free throws | 4 (4-of-4) | 3.5 (3.5-of-3.8) | +0.5 |
| Total | 31 | 19.0 | +12.0 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
29.4 against a usual 13.7 (+15.7)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +13.1 |
| Rebounds | +0.3 |
| Assists | +1.0 |
| Steals and blocks | +1.6 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -0.3 |
| Total | +15.7 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
3rd-best Game Score of the 35 games the source holds this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Magic won 135-127 at home against the Pacers.
- Previous appearance: Jan 2, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Pacers this season: 18 points (Dec 31, 2025).
- The source holds fewer Magic games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.