Here are the top performers on March 30 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Alperen Sengun HOU C 36 PTS | 13 REB | 7 AST | 80.1 FPS (vs. NOP)
The big man is one of the most versatile players in the league, and he fully showcased that range with today’s performance. He finished with his third 30-point outing in his last four games and also notched his 29th game with double-digit rebounds, all while stuffing the stat sheet on defense. But what truly stood out the most was his superb three-point shooting, knocking down 5-of-7 from distance.
BREAKOUT:
Jayson Tatum BOS PF 32 PTS | 5 REB | 8 AST | 53.0 FPS (vs. CHA)
Since his return, the star forward has continued to produce at a high level. Despite some inefficiency, he has scored at least 20 points seven times and also recorded six double-doubles. Today, however, he took it a step further, posting season highs in points, shooting percentage and assists.
SLEEPER:
Scoot Henderson POR PG 21 PTS | 3 REB | 7 AST | 33.1 FPS (vs. WAS)
The third-year guard was back in the starting lineup today and took full advantage, posting his second 20-point outing in his last three games along with his second-best playmaking output of the year. This was a big step in the right direction after struggling for most of the month.
ELITE ASSET:
Jamal Murray DEN PG 20 PTS | 6 REB | 7 AST | 42.7 FPS (vs. GSW)
The star guard has been on another level over his past two games, finishing with 53 points and nine threes against the Mavs before following it up with a 30-point double-double against the Jazz. Though he couldn’t sustain that level today, he was still productive, contributing across the board while recording his 55th 20-point game of the year. He has been highly impressive throughout the season, ranking inside the top 10 in both points and assists while also placing fifth in three-pointers made.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Jamal Shead TOR PG 12 PTS | 10 AST | 3 STL | 38.4 FPS (vs. ORL)
Shead has been racking up assists in recent games, averaging 8.4 in his last five. But he was even better today, finishing with his sixth double-digit assist game of the year. He’s not much of a scoring threat, but he should still continue to play a key role for the team heading into the postseason.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Brandin Podziemski GSW PG 23 PTS | 5 REB | 2 STL | 41.0 FPS (vs. DEN)
Podz had really struggled offensively during a four-game stretch earlier this month. But he’s back on track over his last four outings, scoring at least 20 points in every game while also contributing nicely in the triple-double categories. With Curry still out, Podziemski should continue to lead the way for a while.
STREAMER:
Gary Trent Jr. MIL SG 36 PTS | 4 AST | 2 STL | 45.4 FPS (vs. LAC)
Trent caught fire from deep, knocking down 9 threes. This was the third time in his last four outings that he had a big offensive game. In that span, he also made 17 triples. With the Bucks officially out of playoff contention, Trent should continue to see a bigger role down the stretch.
FLOPPER:
Paolo Banchero ORL PF 9 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 14.5 FPS (vs. TOR)
Paolo had been dominating over the past three games, posting at least 30 points in each, but he was the complete opposite today, recording his second-worst scoring game of the year. Still, he has been a steady double-digit scorer throughout the season and has also been much better since the break, so he should return to form in no time.
