Here are the top performers on March 24 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Alperen Sengun HOU C 33 PTS | 13 REB | 10 AST | 73.6 FPS (vs. CHI)
There had been a noticeable drop in Sengun’s overall production since the break, but he looks to have regained his rhythm over his last four games, posting four consecutive double-doubles. He was even more impressive today, converting 16-of-19 from the field for his eighth 30-point performance and his fourth triple-double of the season. Despite dealing with a back issue lately, he appears to be in strong form and should be able to maintain this level of play in the coming games.
BREAKOUT:
VJ Edgecombe PHI SG 35 PTS | 6 REB | 4 AST | 50.2 FPS (vs. OKC)
The rookie guard has been stepping up big for the shorthanded Sixers. Over his last three games, he has set new career highs in points, rebounds and assists, and he kept it going today with a career-best performance from the three-point area, knocking down seven threes. While his inconsistency is still there, it’s unlikely to stop him from putting up more of these performances moving forward.
SLEEPER:
Jaxson Hayes LAL C 11 PTS | 2 STL | 4 BLK | 33.1 FPS (vs. DET)
The Lakers’ big man came up huge on both ends today, finishing with a perfect 5-for-5 shooting on offense while recording a game-high six stocks on defense. Over his last three games, he has averaged 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks.
ELITE ASSET:
Ace Bailey UTA SF 37 PTS | 6 REB | 2 BLK | 54.7 FPS (vs. TOR)
The rookie was lethal on the offensive end, tying his season-high in threes on 7-for-10 shooting to record his third 30-point outing of the month while also registering a new scoring high. He has completely taken his game to another level over his last three games, averaging 31.7 points, 6.0 threes, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.7 stocks.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Toumani Camara POR PF 35 PTS | 3 REB | 2 STL | 47.1 FPS (vs. BKN)
The forward is on a roll lately. Offensively, he has scored at least 15 points in four of his last five games while hitting multiple threes and also posting strong shooting percentages. But he took it up a notch today, recording a season-high in scoring while converting 9-of-11 from three-point range. He has emerged as one of the best shooters in the league this year, ranking inside the top 20 in threes made.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Daniss Jenkins DET PG 30 PTS | 4 REB | 8 AST | 44.8 FPS (vs. LAL)
This marked Jenkins’ second straight strong offensive performance since taking over the starting role. He finished with a new career-high while shooting a highly efficient 61% from the field. He’s been an excellent backup for Cunningham this season and should continue to be productive while he is out.
STREAMER:
Gary Payton II GSW SG 17 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL | 32.3 FPS (vs. DAL)
This was Payton’s eighth consecutive game scoring in double figures, capped by a perfect 8-for-8 shooting performance today. He’s been just as steady in rebounding and steals this month and should be poised for an even larger role following Moody’s injury.
FLOPPER:
Jabari Smith Jr. HOU PF 6 PTS | 5 REB | 1 AST | 11.5 FPS (vs. CHI)
Smith Jr. struggled to find his offensive rhythm today, finishing 2-for-10 overall and just 1-of-7 from three. He’s been a generally consistent scorer throughout the year, aside from a rough stretch in January, so he should be able to bounce back in the upcoming games.
