Here are the top performers on February 27 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Tyrese Maxey PHI PG 28 PTS | 11 AST | 5 STL | 66.3 FPS (vs. MIA)
The star guard led the team again in scoring with his nine-straight 20-point performance and his 51st overall. He also recorded his 7th game this year with double-digit assists and his 11th with at least 4 steals. The only downside is his poor shooting percentages.
BREAKOUT:
Saddiq Bey NOP SF 42 PTS | 5 REB | 7 AST | 56.5 FPS (vs. UTA)
It’s been a standout year for the forward, who finished with not only his season-high, but also his 20th game this year with at least 20 points. He’s now averaging a career-best 17.2 points per game and should be poised for more down the stretch.
SLEEPER:
Precious Achiuwa SAC C 29 PTS | 12 REB | 3 STL | 61.4 FPS (vs. DAL)
Precious has been incredible over the last five games, recording four 10-rebound games and averaging 17.0 points highlighted by a career-high 29 points today. While it’s unlikely that he maintains this level of production, he should continue to play a significant role for the Kings for the remainder of the season.
ELITE ASSET:
Kon Knueppel CHA SF 28 PTS | 8 3PM | 4 REB | 40.8 FPS (vs. IND)
The rookie has been on a tear over his last four games, averaging 27.5 points and 5.8 threes. With that performance, he now has 209 threes—the most in the league—while also breaking the previous record for most three-pointers in a season by a rookie.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
John Konchar UTA SG 5 REB | 5 STL | 2 BLK | 30.5 FPS (vs. NOP)
Konchar has seen a larger role over the last four games and has taken full advantage, averaging 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 1.0 blocks. His offensive game remains limited, but his defensive upside is obvious.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Reed Sheppard HOU PG 20 PTS | 4 AST | 2 STL | 40.6 FPS (vs. ORL)
Sheppard’s production has surged lately. He’s hit at least 5 threes in three straight games and is averaging 21 points while making a strong defensive impact. Inconsistency can be a problem, but he is clearly capable of producing on an elite level.
STREAMER:
Devin Carter SAC PG 15 PTS | 5 AST | 4 STL | 39.9 FPS (vs. DAL)
Now that the Kings’ season is likely over, Carter should see a much bigger role the rest of the way. In the six games before his injury, he was very reliable, scoring in double figures while making a solid all-around impact in each outing. However, his three-point shooting remains a work in progress.
FLOPPER:
Julius Randle MIN PF 4 PTS | 3 REB | 6 AST | 14.6 FPS (vs. LAC)
It was a brutal performance for Randle, as he went 1-for-10 from the field and finished with his worst scoring game of the season. This was also the first time he had scored fewer than 10 points all year.
