Jamal Cain 17 points vs Cavaliers (Mar 24, 2026): best of 29 games
17 PTS · 5-of-11 FG · 1-of-3 3P · 6-of-6 FT · 31:42 MIN
Usual before this game: 3.8 PTS · 3.1 FGA · 9.2 MIN, from 28 regular-season games
Best Game Score of the 29 games the source holds this season: 16.8 against a usual 2.5 (+14.3)
Season-high 17 points among the games the source holds (previous high 15, set on Mar 19, 2026)
above usual
No more than 2 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 once or twice a season.
How the score worksWhy did Jamal Cain score 17 points?
Jamal Cain scored 17 points against the Cavaliers on Mar 24, 2026 in 31:42: 5-of-11 from the field (45.5%), 1-of-3 from three, 6-of-6 on free throws (100.0%). Before this game, Cain averaged 3.8 points on 3.1 shots in 9.2 minutes across 28 regular-season games. No earlier game the source holds this season reached 17 points. By Game Score it was the best of the 29 games the source holds this season. Shot attempts: 11, against a usual 3.1. The 45.5% from the field compares with a usual 41.9%. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 8 (1.4), free throws 6 (0.6), threes 3 (1.8). Playing time was 31:42, against a usual 9.2 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 19.1, against a usual 9.9. Cain had 6 rebounds, against a usual 1.4. The Magic lost 136-131 at the Cavaliers. 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
Cain in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (28 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 31:42 | 9.2 | +22.5 |
| Points | 17 | 3.8 | +13.2 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 11 · 45.5% | 3.1 · 41.9% | +7.9 · +3.6 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 1-of-3 | 1.6 · 37.8% | +1.4 |
| FTA · FT% | 6 · 100.0% | 0.8 · 81.8% | +5.2 · +18.2 |
| Rebounds | 6 | 1.4 | +4.6 |
| Assists | 3 | 0.5 | +2.5 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0.4 | -0.4 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 19.1 | 9.9 | +9.2 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (28 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-3) | 1.8 (0.6-of-1.6) | +1.2 |
| Twos | 8 (4-of-8) | 1.4 (0.7-of-1.5) | +6.6 |
| Free throws | 6 (6-of-6) | 0.6 (0.6-of-0.8) | +5.4 |
| Total | 17 | 3.8 | +13.2 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
16.8 against a usual 2.5 (+14.3)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +9.2 |
| Rebounds | +3.2 |
| Assists | +1.8 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.3 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.4 |
| Total | +14.3 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of the 29 games the source holds this season.
Previous best: 10.2, set on Mar 19, 2026.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Magic lost 136-131 at the Cavaliers.
- Previous appearance: Mar 23, 2026, 1 day earlier.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Cavaliers this season.
- 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.