Here are the top performers on May 20 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Jalen Brunson NYK PG 38 PTS | 6 AST | 3 STL | 59.0 FPS
The only real issue for Brunson today was his three-point shooting, where he converted just 1-of-6. Overall, he played at a high level. Offensively, he was excellent, especially in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting to help his team get back into the game. This performance also marked the second time he has scored near the 40-point mark this playoffs, and he should be in line for more moving forward.
BREAKOUT:
Dean Wade CLE PF 10 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 20.5 FPS
Despite making only modest contributions in their first two series, Wade has generally had a positive impact overall. Today, he stepped up once again, knocking down three triples to match his best scoring performance of the playoffs. Three-point shooting will certainly be a key factor for the Cavs if they are going to win this series, so they will need more of this from him going forward.
SLEEPER:
Mikal Bridges NYK SF 18 PTS | 5 REB | 2 STL | 28.5 FPS
Bridges struggled through their first five games of the playoffs, averaging just 7.6 points but he has completely turned things around since then. Over his last six games, he’s propelled the Knicks, putting up 18.7 points on 67.1% shooting along with 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game to go undefeated.
ELITE ASSET:
Evan Mobley CLE PF 15 PTS | 14 REB | 3 BLK | 42.3 FPS
This was another impressive performance from Mobley. Despite shooting poorly, he continues to contribute offensively, finishing with his fifth straight game, scoring at least 15 points. Defensively, however, he continues to stand out, ranking second in the league in total rebounds and blocks.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Karl Anthony Towns NYK C 13 PTS | 13 REB | 5 AST | 35.1 FPS
So far this postseason, Towns has been highly productive, and that was the case again today as he recorded his seventh double-double, the most in the league. Yet, it was a wildly inefficient performance, as he finished with one of his worst scoring games of the playoffs and also recorded seven turnovers.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Donovan Mitchell CLE SG 29 PTS | 5 REB | 6 STL | 56.5 FPS
Reaching his first conference finals, Mitchell has certainly risen to the moment, making a huge impact on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he was outstanding, setting a new playoff career-high in steals. Offensively, while he led the team in scoring, he wasn’t able to maintain his hot start, scoring just three points combined in the fourth quarter and overtime. Still, Mitchell has been on a tear lately and should continue to dominate in this series.
STREAMER:
Sam Merrill CLE SG 12 PTS | 2 AST | 1 STL | 19.2 FPS
The sharpshooting guard showed up today, knocking down three triples for his fifth double-digit scoring game of the playoffs. Over his last five games, he has averaged 2.8 threes, and that level of production will surely be crucial in their next games.
FLOPPER:
James Harden CLE SG 15 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 24.3 FPS
Though Harden has largely delivered in the playoffs, he has certainly had trouble maintaining efficiency. Today, however, was entirely different, as he shot just 1-for-8 from three-point range while also committing six turnovers and finishing with a subpar overall performance. Despite that, Harden generally responds well after a bad game, and he should be able to do the same in this series.
