Here are the top performers on February 12 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Jalen Johnson ATL PF 19 PTS | 13 REB | 9 AST| 60.1 FPS (vs. CHA)
The first-time All-Star missed his last game due to a knee issue, but he returned with his usual all-around dominant play, recording his eighth double-double in ten games while consistently threatening triple-doubles since last month.
BREAKOUT:
Jose Alvarado NYK PG 26 PTS | 4 AST | 5 STL | 48.6 FPS (vs. PHI)
The former Pelicans guard was a force on both ends, erupting for a season-high in points while hitting eight threes and showcasing his defensive upside. While maintaining this level of play may be a challenge, he should remain an impactful contributor with the Knicks missing key players.
SLEEPER:
Cam Thomas MIL SG 34 PTS | 4 3PM | 4 REB | 38.8 FPS (vs. ORL)
Thomas shone, recording his fourth 30-point game of the season and his best performance with the Bucks. Despite dealing with injuries, he’s remained dependable offensively this year, averaging 15.9 points on 40.8% shooting. He should also be able to maintain this level of production for enough minutes.
ELITE ASSET:
Kawhi Leonard LAC SF 27 PTS | 12 REB | 4 STL | 55.4 FPS (vs. HOU)
Now that he’s without Harden and Zubac, Kawhi has to carry an even bigger workload. The two-time Finals MVP is responding in typical fashion, recording his 38th 20-point game today and averaging 29.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.4 steals over his last five games.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Sam Merrill CLE SG 32 PTS | 5 REB | 1 BLK | 44.5 FPS (vs. WAS)
Merrill caught fire, converting 9-of-10 from deep for his seventh 20-point game of the season. His offensive game has been up and down lately, but he’s remained steady from long-range, averaging 4.2 threes this month.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Jalen Suggs ORL PG 16 PTS | 10 AST | 4 STL | 52.2 FPS (vs. MIL)
Injuries have been a problem for Suggs this year, but he appears to be in top form lately, finishing with his third double-double in four games. He was even more impressive defensively, averaging 6.5 stocks during that span.
STREAMER:
Micah Potter IND C 19 PTS | 12 REB | 2 BLK | 43.9 FPS (vs. BKN)
This was an outstanding performance for the big man, who finished with a season-high in points along with his third double-double of the season. He’s emerged as a key part of the rotation this year and should be poised for an even bigger role for the rest of the season.
FLOPPER:
Stephon Castle SAS PG 8 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 15.8 FPS (vs. GSW)
The last two games have been rough for Castle, who has averaged 5.0 points and 5.5 assists after putting up 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in his first three games of the month.
