LaMelo Ball 37 points vs Wizards (Feb 22, 2026): 2nd-best of 48 games
37 PTS · 12-of-20 FG · 10-of-15 3P · 3-of-3 FT · 27:30 MIN
Usual before this game: 19.1 PTS · 16.9 FGA · 27.8 MIN, from 47 regular-season games
2nd-best Game Score of 48 games this season: 36.1 against a usual 13.9 (+22.2)
above usual
No more than 1 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 less than once a season.
How the score worksWhy did LaMelo Ball score 37 points?
In 27:30 against the Wizards on Feb 22, 2026, LaMelo Ball scored 37 points: 12-of-20 from the field (60.0%), 10-of-15 from three (66.7%), 3-of-3 on free throws. Coming in, Ball had averaged 19.1 points on 16.9 shots in 27.8 minutes, from 47 regular-season games. By Game Score it was the 2nd-best of 48 games this season. The shot count was 20, against a usual 16.9. The 60.0% from the field compares with a usual 39.6%. Points by shot type, against the usual: threes 30 (10.1), two-pointers 4 (6.7). Ball played 27:30 against a usual 27.8 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 47.3, against a usual 18.1. Turnovers and fouls: 0 and 1, against a usual 3.0 and 2.6. The Hornets won 129-112 at the Wizards. 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
Ball in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (47 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 27:30 | 27.8 | -0.3 |
| Points | 37 | 19.1 | +17.9 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 20 · 60.0% | 16.9 · 39.6% | +3.1 · +20.4 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 15 · 66.7% | 9.4 · 35.7% | +5.6 · +31.0 |
| FTA · FT% | 3-of-3 | 2.6 · 89.3% | +0.4 |
| Rebounds | 8 | 4.8 | +3.2 |
| Assists | 7 | 7.3 | -0.3 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3.0 | -3.0 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 47 games | 33.8 | 32.0 | +1.8 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 47.3 | 18.1 | +29.2 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (47 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 30 (10-of-15) | 10.1 (3.4-of-9.4) | +19.9 |
| Twos | 4 (2-of-5) | 6.7 (3.3-of-7.5) | -2.7 |
| Free throws | 3 (3-of-3) | 2.3 (2.3-of-2.6) | +0.7 |
| Total | 37 | 19.1 | +17.9 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
36.1 against a usual 13.9 (+22.2)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +18.0 |
| Rebounds | +1.0 |
| Assists | -0.2 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.2 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +3.6 |
| Total | +22.2 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
2nd-best Game Score of 48 games this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Hornets won 129-112 at the Wizards.
- Previous appearance: Feb 20, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Wizards this season: 38 points (Oct 26, 2025), 23 points (Dec 23, 2025), 20 points (Jan 24, 2026).
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.