Here are the top performers on April 27 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Victor Wembanyama SAS C 27 PTS | 11 REB | 7 BLK | 73.7 FPS (vs. POR)
The Defensive Player of the Year was back in the lineup today and picked up right where he left off. He was perfect from the free-throw line and efficient from two, finishing as the game’s second-leading scorer. But he remains a different monster on defense, tallying 11 stocks, which tied the entire Blazers team.
BREAKOUT:
Payton Pritchard BOS PG 32 PTS | 4 REB | 5 AST | 47.3 FPS (vs. PHI)
Pritchard completely took over on the scoring end today, hitting six threes and shooting close to 60% overall to post his seventh 30-point game of the year while also setting a new playoff-high. He clearly has a way of producing these types of performances, something that will be crucial for the team moving forward.
SLEEPER:
Tari Eason HOU PF 20 PTS | 8 REB | 5 STL | 48.6 FPS (vs. LAL)
The wing stepped up in a huge way today, helping the Rockets avoid elimination. He was a force on both ends of the court, shooting efficiently and finishing as the game’s second leading scorer while also posting a playoff career-high in steals. This level of play offensively could make a big difference in the series, if only he can keep it up.
ELITE ASSET:
Jayson Tatum BOS PF 30 PTS | 7 REB | 11 AST | 49.9 FPS (vs. PHI)
The superstar forward has been thriving on offense through three games in the series but he took it up another notch with today’s performance. He was excellent from all levels, converting 5-of-10 from three while going a perfect 9-for-9 from the line to finish with his second 30-point game since his return. He’s equally impressive in other areas, averaging 9.3 rebounds, which is second-most in the series, while also recording a playoff-high in assists.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Jabari Smith Jr. HOU PF 16 PTS | 8 REB | 3 STL | 38.1 FPS (vs. LAL)
This was his fourth consecutive game scoring above his season average, though it was also his least efficient performance. He struggled mightily from the field, shooting just 4-for-15 on two-pointers and an even worse 2-for-10 from the three-point area. Nonetheless, he’s having a strong run in the series and he should continue to be productive in their next games.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
De’Aaron Fox SAS PG 28 PTS | 6 REB | 7 AST | 51.7 FPS (vs. POR)
Fox was outstanding in every way today, but it’s his offensive performance that stood out the most. He was efficient throughout, finishing 11-of-17 from the field and adding four three-pointers to lead all players in scoring while also setting a new playoff-high.
STREAMER:
Reed Sheppard HOU PG 17 PTS | 3 AST | 3 STL | 30.7 FPS (vs. LAL)
The second-year guard has been producing in the series, posting 17 points and hitting at least four three-pointers for the third time in four games. This was also, by far, his most efficient outing, committing just a single turnover while shooting at 50% from the field. They’ll need a similar performance from him in Game 5 in order for them to extend the series.
FLOPPER:
LeBron James LAL SF 10 PTS | 4 REB | 9 AST | 20.3 FPS (vs. HOU)
In the first three games of the series, James was sensational, averaging 25.3 points on 47% shooting from the field to go along with 9.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.0 steals. However, he was far from that level today, shooting just 2-for-9 while also finishing with back-to-back 8 turnovers, for the first time in his playoff career.
