Here are the top performers on March 11 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Bam Adebayo MIA C 83 PTS | 9 REB | 2 BLK | 105.3 FPS (vs. WAS)
Offensively, Bam has been on a roll lately, scoring at least 20 points in each of his previous six games. But he took it to a whole new level today, erupting for the second-highest scoring performance in league history. He’s just as steady on the defensive end, averaging 9.2 rebounds and 3.4 stocks this month.
BREAKOUT:
Cameron Payne PHI PG 32 PTS | 10 AST | 3 STL | 65.6 FPS (vs. MEM)
The veteran guard delivered a standout performance today. He made all eight of his attempts from three-point range and also went 6-for-6 at the line to notch the best scoring game of his career. While it’s unlikely for him to sustain this kind of efficiency, he should continue to see a significant role through the rest of the month, with Maxey set to miss more time.
SLEEPER:
Aaron Nesmith IND SF 29 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 41.3 FPS (vs. SAC)
Overall, it’s been a rough year for Nesmith, as he has battled multiple injuries while also struggling offensively. But he remains more than capable of producing at this level, as he did in January when he averaged close to 18 points and 3 threes over a five-game stretch.
ELITE ASSET:
Dyson Daniels ATL SG 14 PTS | 7 REB | 10 AST| 46.4 FPS (vs. DAL)
Daniels continues to produce solid numbers across the board, ranking 36th in rebounds, 12th in assists, and third in steals in the league this season. His offensive game still needs work, but he’s been very effective lately, scoring in double-figures in each of his last five games while shooting at 65% from the field.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Nick Richards CHI C 10 PTS | 10 REB | 2 BLK | 28.5 FPS (vs. GSW)
Over the last two weeks, the big man has been productive, posting double-digit points five times and double-digit rebounds six times, though he’s not as impactful in other areas.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Matas Buzelis CHI SF 41 PTS | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 62.2 FPS (vs. GSW)
The sophomore forward has been playing at an elite level offensively lately, notching a career-high in scoring and his fifth 20-point game in his last six. He has paired that surge with strong defensive production, averaging 6.5 rebounds this month while climbing to seventh in the league in total blocks this season.
STREAMER:
Kelly Oubre PHI SF 30 PTS | 12 REB | 2 STL | 51.9 FPS (vs. MEM)
It wasn’t the most efficient offensive outing for the forward, but he was still highly productive, posting season highs in points and rebounds while recording his fourth double-double of the year. With most of the core players unavailable, Oubre should continue to shoulder a larger role for the time being.
FLOPPER:
Jaden McDaniels MIN PF 6 PTS | 2 REB | 1 STL | 9.4 FPS (vs. LAL)
McDaniels has hit a rough patch, totaling just 17 points while shooting 6-for-24 from the field and a dismal 1-for-12 from three over his last three games. His limited contributions in other areas also made it worse. While he has had a few of these slumps this year, he remains just as likely to produce big performances.
