Nikola Vučević 28 points vs Hornets (Jan 3, 2026): season-best Game Score
28 PTS · 11-of-15 FG · 3-of-4 3P · 3-of-4 FT · 34:00 MIN
Usual before this game: 16.1 PTS · 13.3 FGA · 30.2 MIN, from 33 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 34 games this season: 27.1 against a usual 13.9 (+13.2)
Matched the season high of 28 points, set on Oct 22, 2025 and Nov 22, 2025
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 Nikola Vučević score 28 points?
Nikola Vučević scored 28 points against the Hornets on Jan 3, 2026 in 34:00: 11-of-15 from the field (73.3%), 3-of-4 from three, 3-of-4 on free throws. Coming in, Vučević had averaged 16.1 points on 13.3 shots in 30.2 minutes, from 33 regular-season games. The 28 points matched the season high set on Oct 22, 2025 and Nov 22, 2025. By Game Score it was the best of 34 games this season. Vučević shot 73.3% from the field, against a usual 49.8%. By shot type: two-pointers 16 points (usual 9.6); threes 9 points (usual 5.4); free throws 3 points (usual 1.1). Minutes: 34:00, against a usual 30.2; Game Score per 36 minutes: 28.7, against a usual 16.6. Assists: 8, against a usual 3.4. At home against the Hornets, the Bulls lost 112-99. 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
Vučević in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (33 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 34:00 | 30.2 | +3.8 |
| Points | 28 | 16.1 | +11.9 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 15 · 73.3% | 13.3 · 49.8% | +1.7 · +23.5 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 3-of-4 | 4.7 · 37.8% | -0.7 |
| FTA · FT% | 3-of-4 | 1.4 · 78.7% | +2.6 |
| Rebounds | 7 | 8.9 | -1.9 |
| Assists | 8 | 3.4 | +4.6 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1.5 | +0.5 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 33 games | 25.4 | 21.2 | +4.2 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 28.7 | 16.6 | +12.1 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (33 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 9 (3-of-4) | 5.4 (1.8-of-4.7) | +3.6 |
| Twos | 16 (8-of-11) | 9.6 (4.8-of-8.6) | +6.4 |
| Free throws | 3 (3-of-4) | 1.1 (1.1-of-1.4) | +1.9 |
| Total | 28 | 16.1 | +11.9 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
27.1 against a usual 13.9 (+13.2)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +12.2 |
| Rebounds | -1.4 |
| Assists | +3.2 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.3 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -0.5 |
| Total | +13.2 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 34 games this season.
Previous best: 26.2, set on Oct 22, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Bulls lost 112-99 at home against the Hornets.
- Previous appearance: Jan 2, 2026, 1 day earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Hornets this season: 13 points (Nov 28, 2025), 13 points (Dec 12, 2025).
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.