Here are the top performers on February 5 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Jalen Brunson NYK PG 42 PTS | 8 REB | 9 AST | 66.1 FPS (vs. DEN)
The superstar guard has been one of the best offensive players in the league this season, ranking sixth in total points and placing around the top 20 in both total assists and total three-pointers made. He was just as impressive today, erupting for his third 40-point game of the season and the 21st of his career while coming close to a triple-double.
BREAKOUT:
Jaylin Williams OKC PF 24 PTS | 12 REB | 2 BLK | 48.4 FPS (vs. SAS)
The Thunder are going to be shorthanded over the next few weeks, providing Williams with plenty of opportunities to step up again. He certainly did so today, finishing with a season-high in points while also making a big impact in defense.
SLEEPER:
Keldon Johnson SAS SF 25 PTS | 6 REB | 1 BLK | 38.2 FPS (vs. OKC)
Inconsistencies aside, Johnson remains a capable offensive contributor, knocking down 4 threes and finishing with his eighth 20-point performance of the season.
ELITE ASSET:
Jamal Murray DEN PG 39 PTS | 5 REB | 6 AST | 53.0 FPS (vs. NYK)
Murray got back on track over his last two games, averaging 35.5 points and seven assists after being limited to just 12 points on 1-for-8 three-point shooting in a loss to the Thunder. Despite some inconsistency from deep, he remained a reliable contributor, finishing with his 13th 20-point game since last month.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Neemias Queta BOS C 10 PTS | 19 REB | 5 BLK | 54.8 FPS (vs. HOU)
This has been a breakout season for Queta, ranking 12th in the league total rebounds and 13th in total blocks this season. Both his role and production are likely to see a decline with the addition of Vucevic, but he should still remain an impactful contributor on defense.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Aaron Wiggins OKC SG 20 PTS | 6 AST | 5 STL | 45.8 FPS (vs. SAS)
The versatile guard has provided a steady impact lately, consistently scoring in double figures and hitting two threes per game over a recent six-game stretch. With many key players sidelined, he took it up a notch today, finishing with a season-high in points and solid numbers across the board. He clearly has the ceiling for this level of production and should be able to maintain it as long as the minutes are there.
STREAMER:
GG Jackson II MEM PF 16 PTS | 7 REB | 1 BLK | 31.4 FPS (vs. SAC)
Jackson has been trending up lately, scoring in double-figures for the fifth time in six games while also making a positive impact in other areas. With the team trading away two key players in the frontcourt, he should be poised for a much bigger role moving forward.
FLOPPER:
Devin Vassell SAS SF 5 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 10.6 FPS (vs. OKC)
It was another rough performance for the Spurs guard, who shot 2-for-10 from the field and made just 1-of-7 from three-point range. This marked his eighth game of the season scoring 8 points or fewer.
