Here are the top performers on April 28 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Nikola Jokic DEN C 27 PTS | 12 REB | 16 AST | 68.4 FPS (vs. MIN)
The three-time MVP is in a class of his own, recording his fifth straight 20-point, 10-rebound performance of the series. As usual, he led all players in both rebounding and playmaking while matching the game-high in points. Through five games, he’s been exceptional from the line, going 35-for-37, though it’s been the opposite from deep, where he’s shooting just 19.4%.
BREAKOUT:
Spencer Jones DEN SF 20 PTS | 3 STL | 3 BLK | 42.1 FPS (vs. MIN)
The sophomore forward stepped up in a big way today, providing excellent two-way contributions. He was on fire offensively, hitting 4-of-5 from three to record his best scoring performance in the last five months. Defensively, he was even more impressive, nearly matching the Wolves’ total stocks by himself. With key players sidelined, he should continue to play an important role moving forward.
SLEEPER:
Isaiah Stewart DET C 8 PTS | 3 REB | 8 BLK | 35.1 FPS (vs. ORL)
It was an excellent performance for Stewart on both sides of the court. He was efficient on two-pointers while also finishing with a career-high in blocks. While he won’t sustain this level of production on defense, he should continue to be an impactful contributor off the bench for the Pistons.
ELITE ASSET:
Cade Cunningham DET PG 25 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 42.8 FPS (vs. ORL)
Though he has maintained a relatively high floor throughout the series, the former #1 overall pick has largely been ineffective. He had a tough time offensively today, converting just 2-of-11 attempts from the field in the second half. Over the last three games, he’s shot just 25% from long range while also averaging eight turnovers.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Isaiah Hartenstein OKC C 18 PTS | 12 REB | 3 AST | 37.9 FPS (vs. PHX)
Known for his strong contributions inside the paint, the big man has done just that, averaging 8.7 points and 7.0 rebounds over three games in the series. Today, however, he reached a new gear, putting up a superb scoring performance to finish with his first double-double in the playoffs and his 12th of the season, helping the Thunder advance to the next round.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Julius Randle MIN PF 27 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 44.8 FPS (vs. DEN)
By his standards, it has been a mostly subpar series for the three-time All-star, who averaged 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists over four games. However, with key players sidelined, he stepped up today, matching the game-high in points while also leading the team in both rebounds and assists.
STREAMER:
Cameron Johnson DEN PF 18 PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST | 40.7 FPS (vs. MIN)
Through the first four games, Johnson has underwhelmed, averaging just 10 points while also making little impact overall. But he fully showed what he’s capable of today, going a perfect 6-for-6 from two-point range in his best game of the series. The performance should give him the momentum heading into the next game.
FLOPPER:
Jalen Duren DET C 12 PTS | 8 REB | 1 BLK | 28.1 FPS (vs. ORL)
On the whole, it was still a decent performance for Duren. He’s remained steady in rebounding and also made contributions defensively. However his offensive play has been disappointing, finishing with a playoff-high total today and averaging just 9.75 over four games. The team will certainly need him to be much better if they want to turn the series around.
