Here are the top performers on January 15 and the stats to highlight their impact:
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Trey Murphy NOP SF 34 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 61.3 FPS (vs. BKN)
Murphy has been a consistent contributor this season, but he’s been playing at a higher level this month, averaging 32 points and five threes over six games. He’s recorded four 30-point games in his last five and now ranks 22nd in the league in total points.
BREAKOUT:
Brice Sensabaugh UTA SF 43 PTS | 5 REB | 2 STL | 56.0 FPS (vs. CHI)
Sensabaugh put on a show, exploding for 21 points in the first quarter and finishing with a career-best performance and the most points off the bench this season. He’s become an important part of the rotation lately and should continue to have plenty of opportunities to shine again on offense.
SLEEPER:
Brandon Williams DAL PG 20 PTS | 7 REB | 1 BLK | 34.9 FPS (vs. DEN)
In his last six games playing at least 24 minutes, Williams averaged an efficient 19.1 points while also contributing well in other areas. With all the injuries the Mavericks are dealing with, he should continue to play a key role for the team.
ELITE ASSET:
Kawhi Leonard LAC SF 33 PTS | 4 AST | 4 STL | 53.6 FPS (vs. WAS)
Kawhi continues to lead the way offensively, hitting a career-high seven threes and recording his fourth consecutive game with at least four to finish with his 12th 30-point outing of the season and his 22nd straight game with at least 20 points. He’s been playing at an MVP level and is a big reason why the Clippers continue to rise.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Jalen Smith CHI C 12 PTS | 10 REB | 1 AST | 24.5 FPS (vs. UTA)
Despite his inconsistent minutes, Smith continues to be a reliable contributor at his position. He grabbed at least 8 rebounds for the seventh time in his last nine games while scoring in double figures for the 16th time this season.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Nikola Vucevic CHI C 35 PTS | 7 REB | 5 AST | 55.9 FPS (vs. UTA)
The veteran center stole the spotlight, finishing with his first 30-point game of the season. He’s been highly productive this month, averaging 20.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in seven games, while also making a big impact on defense, putting up multiple blocks in each of his last three outings.
STREAMER:
Precious Achiuwa SAC C 20 PTS | 14 REB | 2 BLK | (vs. NYK)
Precious has made a lot of impact in his previous two games and took it to another level today, recording game-highs and season-highs in scoring and rebounding. He’s also been excellent defensively, averaging 2.5 stocks over his last six games.
FLOPPER:
Klay Thompson DAL SG 8 PTS | 1 REB | 1 AST | 10.7 FPS (vs. DEN)
Thompson had a good start but was limited to just two points over the final three quarters of the game. This marked his fourth single-digit scoring performance of the month after scoring at least 18 points and hitting six threes in two recent games.
