Here are the top performers on January 28 and the stats to highlight their impact:
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Alex Sarr WAS C 29 PTS | 12 REB | 6 BLK | 69.9 FPS (vs. POR)
Sarr is one of the few bright spots for the Wizards this season. He just recorded his 13th 20-point performance and tenth double-double, while cementing his status as an elite rim protector—averaging 2.2 blocks per game, which ranks second in the league. He has been on a strong run lately and should sustain this level of play until the team fully commits to tanking.
BREAKOUT:
Paul George PHI SF 32 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 50.5 FPS (vs. MIL)
The veteran forward continues to manage his knee injury, but he was available today and proved to be the difference-maker. He erupted for his best performance of the year, knocking down a season-best 9 three-pointers to record his second 30-point game. It hasn’t been the best season for George, but he remains a productive and reliable contributor.
SLEEPER:
Luguentz Dort OKC SF 12 PTS | 8 REB | 3 AST | 28.1 FPS (vs. NOP)
The defensive specialist made headlines today in a different way, yet still finished with a solid performance. This marked the fourth time in five games that Dort made a major impact, scoring in double figures while averaging four threes and contributing positively in other categories.
ELITE ASSET:
Joel Embiid PHI C 29 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 48.3 FPS (vs. MIL)
Even though he has missed a couple of games lately, The Process just keeps dominating. This was his fifth consecutive 29-point game and his tenth of the season.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Herbert Jones NOP SF 5 REB | 5 AST | 2 BLK | 34.5 FPS (vs. OKC)
Despite struggling with injuries this season, Jones is still a proven threat on the defensive end, averaging 3.3 stocks in his last three games. Though he continues to struggle offensively, he made up for it today with a solid all-around performance.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Ausar Thompson DET SF 14 PTS | 4 REB | 5 STL | 37.3 FPS (vs. DEN)
Despite inconsistent minutes, Thompson has surged lately, reaching double figures in three of his last four outings while averaging 6.7 rebounds and 3.2 steals over a six-game stretch.
STREAMER:
Kyle Kuzma MIL PF 17 PTS | 8 REB | 8 AST | 42.6 FPS (vs. PHI)
The forward has played really well lately, scoring in double figures and posting at least 15 RA in each of his last two games. With Giannis potentially out long-term, Kuzma should continue to see a bigger role in the rotation. However, if he misses time after dealing with cramps today, the Bucks will have to rely heavily on Portis.
FLOPPER:
John Collins LAC PF 11 PTS | 2 REB | 1 AST | 12.9 FPS (vs. UTA)
Collins had a standout stretch to start the month, but he hasn’t been as impactful lately. While he stayed solid on offense and added some rebounding value in select games, he didn’t do much today, finishing with one of his least productive games of the season.
