Here are the top performers on May 27 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC PG 32 PTS | 9 AST | 2 STL | 50.9 FPS
It wasn’t the best start for SGA offensively, as he shot just 1-for-5 from the field while committing three turnovers in the first quarter. But he got going in the middle quarters and recorded his sixth 30-point game of the playoffs. He also had his best performance at the free-throw line today, converting 16-of-17, which is half of his total output. All in all, this was a strong bounce-back performance from Game 4, and the Thunder will surely need another performance like this to close out the series.
BREAKOUT:
Julian Champagnie SAS SF 22 PTS | 8 REB | 3 STL | 40.1 FPS
The Spurs had a rough night overall, but Champagnie provided a bright spot. The forward was absolutely locked in during the opening quarter, knocking down three triples and racking up 13 points, which was already his best output of the series. He kept the momentum rolling, finishing with a new playoff high. This was a big step forward after he struggled heavily in the first four games of the series.
SLEEPER:
Jared McCain OKC SG 20 PTS | 3 3PM | 3 REB | 21.6 FPS
Things didn’t go smoothly in the first half for McCain, as he scored just 2 points on 1-for-5 shooting from the field. But he completely turned it around in the final two quarters, finishing with his second 20-point outing of the postseason. With several key players sidelined, he should continue to see a major role in this series whether a starter or coming off the bench.
ELITE ASSET:
Stephon Castle SAS PG 24 PTS | 6 AST | 3 STL | 45.0 FPS
Offensively, Castle has largely struggled in this series, and that has been even more evident over the last two games, during which he scored just 27 points on 6-for-19 shooting from the field. Today, however, he found his groove again, shooting efficiently from all levels to lead the team in scoring and record his sixth 20-point game of the playoffs. Still, his issues have been glaring throughout the series. In the first two games, he averaged 10 turnovers, and in each of the last three games, he finished with five fouls. Though Castle has still produced strong numbers in the series, he could be poised for an even bigger performance if he can avoid those mistakes.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Alex Caruso OKC SG 22 PTS | 6 AST | 3 STL | 40.4 FPS
Except for his performance in Game 4, Caruso has been lethal offensively throughout this series, and he showed that form again today, knocking down four threes and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line for his second 20-point game of the playoffs while also recording a playoff-high in assist. Clearly, Caruso has been a huge asset for the Thunder in this series and a major reason they’re now just one win away from the Finals.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Isaiah Hartenstein OKC C 12 PTS | 15 REB | 4 AST | 36.0 FPS
For most of the playoffs, Hartenstein has been dependable. Over the last two games of this matchup, however, he has elevated his play even further, going 12-for-19 on two-point attempts while also standing out in the boards today, posting six offensive rebounds for his best rebounding performance of the postseason.
STREAMER:
Cason Wallace OKC SG 5 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 31.3 FPS
Though Wallace moved to the bench today with McCain taking his spot in the starting lineup, he still made his presence felt with a strong two-way performance. Offensively, he scored seven points in just the first 13 minutes of the game and also finished with a playoff-high number of assists. On defense, he has been very consistent, posting four stocks today and averaging 2.6 steals in this matchup.
FLOPPER:
De’Aaron Fox SAS PG 9 PTS | 8 AST | 3 STL | 33.8 FPS
On the whole, Fox made a significant impact today, leading the team in playmaking while committing just a single turnover. In terms of scoring, however, his struggles were hard to ignore, shooting just 4-for-15 from the field in his lowest scoring game of the playoffs. Through three games in this matchup, he’s underwhelmed, averaging just 12.0 points on 38% shooting from the field and a dismal 16.7% shooting from three.
