Peyton Watson 31 points vs Pelicans (Jan 13, 2026): season-best Game Score
31 PTS · 11-of-16 FG · 1-of-4 3P · 8-of-9 FT · 39:18 MIN
Usual before this game: 13.2 PTS · 9.5 FGA · 29.1 MIN, from 37 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 38 games this season: 28.9 against a usual 10.4 (+18.5)
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 Peyton Watson score 31 points?
Peyton Watson scored 31 points against the Pelicans on Jan 13, 2026 in 39:18: 11-of-16 from the field (68.8%), 1-of-4 from three, 8-of-9 on free throws (88.9%). Coming in, Watson had averaged 13.2 points on 9.5 shots in 29.1 minutes, from 37 regular-season games. This game had the best Game Score of 38 games this season. Shot attempts: 16, against a usual 9.5. Watson shot 68.8% from the field, against a usual 50.3%. By shot type: two-pointers 20 points (usual 6.9); free throws 8 points (usual 2.3); threes 3 points (usual 4.0). Minutes: 39:18, against a usual 29.1; Game Score per 36 minutes: 26.5, against a usual 12.9. Assists: 5, against a usual 1.8. At the Pelicans, the Nuggets won 122-116. 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
Watson in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (37 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 39:18 | 29.1 | +10.2 |
| Points | 31 | 13.2 | +17.8 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 16 · 68.8% | 9.5 · 50.3% | +6.5 · +18.5 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 1-of-4 | 3.3 · 41.3% | +0.7 |
| FTA · FT% | 9 · 88.9% | 3.1 · 73.0% | +5.9 · +15.9 |
| Rebounds | 7 | 5.0 | +2.0 |
| Assists | 5 | 1.8 | +3.2 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1.6 | +0.4 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 37 games | 25.5 | 19.0 | +6.5 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 26.5 | 12.9 | +13.6 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (37 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-4) | 4.0 (1.3-of-3.3) | -1.0 |
| Twos | 20 (10-of-12) | 6.9 (3.4-of-6.2) | +13.1 |
| Free throws | 8 (8-of-9) | 2.3 (2.3-of-3.1) | +5.7 |
| Total | 31 | 13.2 | +17.8 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
28.9 against a usual 10.4 (+18.5)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +15.7 |
| Rebounds | +0.2 |
| Assists | +2.2 |
| Steals and blocks | +1.0 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -0.6 |
| Total | +18.5 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 38 games this season.
Previous best: 26.2, set on Nov 19, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Nuggets won 122-116 at the Pelicans.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Pelicans this season: 5 points (Oct 29, 2025), 32 points (Nov 19, 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.