Zeke Nnaji: season-high 21 points vs 76ers (Jan 5, 2026)
21 PTS · 7-of-11 FG · 4-of-5 3P · 3-of-4 FT · 32:00 MIN
Usual before this game: 2.6 PTS · 1.7 FGA · 9.2 MIN, from 22 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 23 games this season: 20.2 against a usual 2.3 (+17.9)
Season-high 21 points (previous high 13, set on Jan 2, 2026)
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 Zeke Nnaji score 21 points?
Zeke Nnaji scored 21 points against the 76ers on Jan 5, 2026 in 32:00: 7-of-11 from the field (63.6%), 4-of-5 from three (80.0%), 3-of-4 on free throws. Before this game, Nnaji averaged 2.6 points on 1.7 shots in 9.2 minutes across 22 regular-season games. No earlier game this season reached 21 points. By Game Score it was the best of 23 games this season. The shot count was 11, against a usual 1.7. The 63.6% from the field compares with a usual 52.6%. Points by shot type, against the usual: threes 12 (0.5), two-pointers 6 (1.5), free throws 3 (0.6). Playing time was 32:00, against a usual 9.2 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 22.7, against a usual 8.8. Nnaji had 2 steals and 2 blocks, against a usual 0.3 and 0.3. The Nuggets won 125-124 at the 76ers. 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
Nnaji in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (22 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 32:00 | 9.2 | +22.8 |
| Points | 21 | 2.6 | +18.4 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 11 · 63.6% | 1.7 · 52.6% | +9.3 · +11.0 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 5 · 80.0% | 0.8 · 23.5% | +4.2 · +56.5 |
| FTA · FT% | 3-of-4 | 0.8 · 82.4% | +3.2 |
| Rebounds | 8 | 1.6 | +6.4 |
| Assists | 1 | 0.3 | +0.7 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0.3 | +1.7 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 20 games | 22.2 | 11.8 | +10.4 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 22.7 | 8.8 | +13.9 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (22 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 12 (4-of-5) | 0.5 (0.2-of-0.8) | +11.5 |
| Twos | 6 (3-of-6) | 1.5 (0.7-of-0.9) | +4.5 |
| Free throws | 3 (3-of-4) | 0.6 (0.6-of-0.8) | +2.4 |
| Total | 21 | 2.6 | +18.4 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
20.2 against a usual 2.3 (+17.9)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +14.0 |
| Rebounds | +2.6 |
| Assists | +0.5 |
| Steals and blocks | +2.9 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -2.1 |
| Total | +17.9 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 23 games this season.
Previous best: 12.1, set on Jan 2, 2026.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Nuggets won 125-124 at the 76ers.
- Previous appearance: Jan 4, 2026, 1 day earlier.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the 76ers this season.
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.