Here are the top performers on June 9 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Victor Wembanyama SAS C 32 PTS | 8 REB | 6 AST | 64.6 FPS
The Knicks had no way of stopping Wemby in Game 3. Offensively, he dominated, shooting 11-for-18 from the field and 8-for-9 from the line to match the game-high in points. He also contributed heavily in the secondary categories while only committing a single turnover. Wemby should be in line for more of these performances in this series.
BREAKOUT:
OG Anunoby NYK SF 28 PTS | 5 REB | 2 BLK | 40.5 FPS
Offensively, the forward has been excellent in this matchup, but he elevated his game even further today, shooting 9-for-13 from the field and posting his highest scoring game since the first round. Through three games, he has emerged as the Knicks’ best scorer, averaging 20.7 points while shooting 64.7% from two-point range, 44.4% from deep, and 88.9% from the free-throw line.
SLEEPER:
Dylan Harper SAS SG 13 PTS | 9 REB | 4 AST | 29.8 FPS
Through the first two games of this series, Harper thrived offensively, shooting 50% or better from the field and scoring at least 15 points in both contests. In Game 3, however, he failed to maintain that standard, shooting under 30%. The biggest issue was his three-point shooting, as he finished 1-for-8 from deep and is now 2-for-15 in the series. Regardless, Harper should continue to contribute on offense in the games ahead.
ELITE ASSET:
Jalen Brunson NYK PG 32 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 40.5 FPS
Compared to his first two performances in this series, Brunson was much better in Game 3, shooting 44% from the field and recording his seventh 30-point outing of the playoffs. As in the previous games, he also did most of his damage in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points, including hitting a big three-pointer to pull his team back into the game. Brunson is averaging close to 11 points on 48% shooting in fourth quarters during this series.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
De’Aaron Fox SAS PG 12 PTS | 8 AST | 2 BLK | 34.6 FPS
Fox was brilliant on the scoring end in Game 2, posting his first 20-point outing since the last series. Today, however, he was off again, going 4-for-14 from the field and missing all five of his attempts from three. Despite that, he stayed impactful, posting a full stat line while leading all players in assists. He also came up big in the fourth quarter, converting a crucial two-pointer to keep his team ahead.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Stephon Castle SAS PG 23 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 40.5 FPS
The Spurs were rolling to start Game 3, and Castle was a major reason why, posting 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting in the first half. Although he went quiet in the third quarter, he was able to pick his game back up in the final period, where he knocked down a clutch three-pointer and a pair of free throws to lead his team to the win. This was his best game of the series, but he’s definitely capable of even bigger performances going forward.
STREAMER:
Jordan Clarkson NYK SG 10 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 16.1 FPS
Clarkson was sidelined for the first two games of the series, but he returned to the rotation in Game 3 and made the most of it. He stepped up in a huge way offensively, finishing with a playoff-high in points while also contributing positively in other areas. The Knicks will definitely need his shooting to continue throughout this series.
FLOPPER:
Mikal Bridges NYK SF 5 REB | 2 AST | 1 BLK | 13.0 FPS
Since the second round of the playoffs, Bridges has been huge for the Knicks, consistently producing at a high level on the scoring end. In the Finals, however, he’s struggled to maintain that standard. Though he delivered in Game 2, he had a rough time again today, shooting just 1-for-5 from the field and finishing with one of his lowest-scoring performances of the playoffs.
