Here are the top performers on May 22 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Josh Hart NYK SG 26 PTS | 7 AST | 2 STL | 46.3 FPS
For much of the playoffs, things hadn’t gone smoothly for Hart on the scoring end, and that seemed to be the case again in this game, as he shot just 2-for-6 in the first quarter. However, he completely flipped the script after that and finished with playoff career highs in both three-pointers and points. Since the Cavs are prioritizing Brunson on defense, his scoring will definitely be crucial in this matchup.
BREAKOUT:
Jalen Brunson NYK PG 19 PTS | 3 REB | 14 AST | 40.6 FPS
In a way, the Cavs accomplished their job on the defensive end. After nearly dropping 40 points on 51% shooting in Game 1, Brunson was less productive today, scoring just four points on 1-for-6 shooting in the first half and finishing with his second-worst playoff marks in both field-goal attempts and points. Despite that, Brunson still found ways to impact the game, recording a playoff career-high in assists.
SLEEPER:
Mikal Bridges NYK SF 19 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST | 30.1 FPS
Throughout the season, Bridges has been largely reliable on offense, averaging 14.4 points on 49% shooting from the field. While it took some time for him to find his rhythm offensively in the playoffs, it has paid off in a big way, as he’s now averaging close to 19 points on 68% shooting from the field over their last seven games.
ELITE ASSET:
Karl Anthony-Towns NYK C 18 PTS | 13 REB | 1 AST | 35.1 FPS
In terms of rebounding, Towns has been outstanding, posting double-digit rebounds for the eighth time in his last ten games. He was just as effective in scoring, knocking down six threes and shooting 60% from the field. The downside, however, is that he was a non-factor in other areas. His performance was still a big positive nonetheless.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Evan Mobley CLE PF 14 PTS | 6 REB | 2 BLK | 30.7 FPS
Mobley was dominant to open Game 2, scoring 10 points on a perfect 2-for-2 shooting from deep in the first quarter. However, he faded after that, attempting just two shots over the final three quarters. This was just problematic, considering Mobley is one of the Cavs’ most effective contributors, and they will certainly need to fix that if they want a better chance at winning.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
OG Anunoby NYK PF 14 PTS | 3 AST | 3 BLK | 35.3 FPS
In two games since returning from a hamstring injury, Anunoby has continued to make his presence felt, posting back-to-back well-rounded outputs. While he has only put up modest numbers in both games, his impact has been clearly significant. Today, however, he was sharper, shooting close to 60% from the field while also leading all players in blocks.
STREAMER:
Jarrett Allen CLE C 13 PTS | 10 REB | 2 BLK | 34.0 FPS
Overall, this was a strong performance from the big man. He was efficient on offense and also delivered on the boards, recording his third double-double of the playoffs. Down 0–2, the Cavs will certainly need more from Allen going forward, and he is more than capable of providing it, as he has shown in the closing games of their previous two series.
FLOPPER:
Sam Merrill CLE SG 4 PTS | 1 TO | 3.0 FPS
Through 14 games in the playoffs, Merrill has been effective, shooting 40% from deep. In his last two games, he’s been especially hot, averaging 4 threes and 17.5 points. However, he struggled mightily in Game 2, missing all of his seven attempts and finishing with his worst performance of the postseason.
