Lithuanian beast: Valanciunas was smashing records in a historic show against Clippers / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: USA TODAY Sports-SCANPIX Credit USA TODAY Sports-SCANPIX

Jonas Valanciunas isn’t your traditional type of center anymore.

Player of the Game EFF 47 Jonas Valančiūnas Points 39 Accuracy 15-24 Rebounds 15 Assists 3

In a 123-104 win against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lithuanian big accumulated career-high 39 points (8/16 2PT, 7/8 3PT, 2/2 FT), 15 rebounds, and 3 assists.

39 points are the second-best performance by a Lithuanian NBA player. Linas Kleiza remains the top scorer, who scored 41 points against the Utah Jazz back in 2008.

Up until now, Valanciunas’ career-high was 34 points against the Phoenix Suns in 2019.

However, after scoring 39 points tonight, Valanciunas leapfrogged Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Sarunas Marciulionis, and Domantas Sabonis in the Lithuanian best performances chart.

Top-scoring games by the Lithuanians in the NBA

Player Points Date and opponent Linas Kleiza 41 2008, vs Jazz Jonas Valanciunas 39 2021, vs Clippers Domantas Sabonis 36 2021, vs Timberwolves Sarunas Marciulionis 35 1992, vs Nets Zydrunas Ilgauskas 35

2003 & 2004, vs Magic & Pacers

Arvydas Sabonis 33 1997, vs Mavericks Donatas Motiejunas 26 2015, vs Celtics

Seven made 3-pointers are also another Valanciunas’ career-high. Before tonight, only three players finished the game with at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and seven 3-pointers: James Harden (3 times), Vince Carter, and Aron Baynes.

Moreover, JV took the least time of all these players, as he spent 32 minutes on the floor.

At the moment, the Lithuanian big is shooting 3-pointers at 51.7% accuracy on 2.5 attempts per game.

If Valanciunas keep up this number, he will become the first center in the NBA history who shoots 3-pointers at 45% or higher accuracy on 2 attempts per game.

He also became only the sixth player since the 1996-97 season who made seven 3-pointers in the first half. Valanciunas joined Stephen Curry, Trevor Ariza, Ben Gordon, Shawn Williams, and Raef LaFrentz company.

Finally, Valanciunas joined Curry as the only player who finished the game with at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and seven made threes.

This season Valanciunas averages 19.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

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