Breaking Down Nik Stauskas' Wild Two-Game Stretch

Stauskas continues historic G League run

Two things might not go together as well as Nik Stauskas and making history. As if his record-setting 57-point performance on Tuesday night wasn't enough, the man they call "Sauce Castillo" scored 43 points less than 24 hours later Wednesday night. He's the second player in G League history to combine for 100+ points in two consecutive games (Russ Smith combined for 105 with the Delaware 87ers back in March 2016) and the first player ever to do it in a back-to-back. https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1499217964549255168 The NBA vet shot 16-21 from the field Wednesday, connecting on nine triples, leading Grand Rapids to its fourth straight win to improve to 13-9 (No. 6 in the Eastern Conference). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0S9pep5E0s

Tuesday night: 57 points against Wisconsin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP6YJwuIS9A Stauskas came out HOT against the Wisconsin Herd on Tuesday night. He cooled off as the game went on, but it's hard not to cool off when you start a game by making your first 12 shots. The Grand Rapids Gold swingman put on a shooting display for the ages in DeltaPlex Arena, pouring in 57 points on 11 3-pointers made to help his team hold off a late Herd rally to earn a 131-127 win. Stauskas set all kinds of records with his incredible start, shooting a perfect 9-for-9 from the field in the first quarter - including 6 triples. https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1498818021460221954?s=20&t=SwQFE29_L1LbxapneYAXHQ He finished the quarter with 24 points by himself, equaling the Herd's total as a team. The scorching-hot start was just the 2nd time in G League history that a player scored 24+ points on 100% shooting in a quarter, joining Maine Celtics guard Chris Clemons, who accomplished the feat earlier this season with 27 points in the 4th quarter against the Westchester Knicks on Jan. 22, 2022. https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1498827252058009603?s=20&t=SwQFE29_L1LbxapneYAXHQ Stauskas sat the last 2 minutes of the 1st quarter after a substitution but picked up right where he left off to begin the 2nd quarter. The Michigan alum and former 8th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft hit his first 12 shots in total, tallying 34 points with 7 made threes... in just over 13 minutes of action. https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1498819097555095554?s=20&t=SwQFE29_L1LbxapneYAXHQ The sharpshooter finished the first half with 38 points, tying his previous career-high and setting a new G League record for most points in the first half of a game. His total fell one shy of the all-time record for points in any half.

Most Points in a Half, G League History

RANK	POINTS	PLAYER	DATE	OPPONENT
1	39	Tarik Phillip, Memphis Hustle	2/24/2019	Long Island Nets (2nd Half)
T-2	38	Pierre Jackson, Idaho Stampede	2/4/2014	Texas Legends (2nd Half)
T-2	38	Nik Stauskas, Grand Rapids Gold	3/1/2022	Wisconsin Herd (1st Half)

Stauskas finished the night with 57 points, setting a new franchise record for points in a game while tying for 6th on the G League's all-time single-game scoring list. His 11 3-pointers made is also tied for 5th for a single game. Up by as many as 25 points, Grand Rapids saw its lead slowly shrink to as little as six early in the 4th quarter. Jalen Lecque dropped a career-high 34 points for the Herd to bring them back into it, but Stauskas had an answer every time they drew close. The guard hit back-to-back pull-up 3s late in the 4th quarter to extend the lead back out to double-digits and surpass 50 points, the first time a G League player has broken the milestone this season. Lecque drew an offensive foul with 10 seconds remaining to give the Herd a chance to tie or take the lead, but Grand Rapids put the clamps on and hit free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win. https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1498851582607253504?s=20&t=SwQFE29_L1LbxapneYAXHQ

Most Points in a Single Game, G League History

RANK	PLAYER	POINTS	DATE
1	Russ Smith, Delaware 87ers	65	3/23/2016
2	Jordan McRae, Delaware 87ers	61	1/26/2016
T-3	Tyler Harvey, Memphis Hustle	58	2/2/2019
T-3	Dar Tucker, Reno Bighorns	58	3/28/2015
T-3	Pierre Jackson, Idaho Stampede	58	2/4/2014
T-6	Nik Stauskas, Grand Rapids Gold	57	3/2/2022
T-6	Trey Davis, Maine Red Claws	57	3/18/2018

Most 3-Pointers Made in a Single Game, G League History

RANK	PLAYER	3-POINTERS	DATE
T-1	Tyler Harvey, Memphis Hustle	13	2/2/2019
T-1	Brady Heslip, Reno Bighorns	13	11/29/2014
T-3	Andre Dawkins, Texas Legends	12	3/13/2017
T-3	Andre Dawkins, Sioux Falls Skyforce	12	12/20/2014
T-5	Nik Stauskas, Grand Rapids Gold	11	3/2/2022
T-5	6 Others	11	Multiple