Here are the top performers on January 3 and the stats to highlight their impact:
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Deni Avdija POR SF 34 PTS | 7 REB | 11 AST | 62.9 FPS
Deni has quietly put together a standout season, notching his ninth 30-point performance, his eighth 10-assist game and his 11th double-double of the year—his third in the last four games. He currently ranks fifth in the league in total assists and seventh in total points. The only issue is his turnovers, sitting at third in the league with close to 4 per game.
BREAKOUT:
Jake LaRavia LAL PF 21 PTS | 9 REB | 2 STL | 42.8 FPS
LaRavia has been solid off the bench this season but has recently stepped into the starting lineup with the Lakers missing key players. Against the Pistons, he made his mark on defense by racking up five stocks. Today, he stood out on offense, recording 18 points in the first half to finish with his third 20-point game of the year.
SLEEPER:
Ryan Rollins MIL PG 29 PTS | 8 AST | 3 STL | 56.8 FPS
This season has marked a career year for the guard. He took over again vs. the Hornets and was nearly unstoppable on offense, finishing 11-for-13 from the floor and missing just one of his seven attempts from long-range to notch his 13th 20-point game of the season, while also delivering strong production in multiple key areas. With this performance, he also climbed to 3rd in the league in total steals, 16th in total assists and 21st in total three-pointers made.
ELITE ASSET:
Russell Westbrook SAC PG 17 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 35.8 FPS
Over his last seven games, Brodie is averaging an impressive 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He continues to be a strong scoring option this year, notching his 15th 15-point performance and making history by climbing to 15th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer among point guards.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Kon Knueppel CHA SF 26 PTS | 3 3PM | 4 REB | 32.3
Knueppel continues to have an outstanding rookie year, scoring at least 19 points for the eighth time in his last nine games. With his consistent play, he’s emerged as one of the Hornets’ most reliable contributors this season and is currently the second-best three-point shooter in the league, hitting a total of 120 threes.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Nickeil-Alexander Walker ATL SG 23 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL | 37.3 FPS
NAW finished with his 19th 20-point outing of the season and currently ranks just outside the top 20 in total points. He’s been a reliable contributor this year and should continue to play a significant role for the Hawks, especially with Young dealing with several injuries.
STREAMER:
Caleb Love POR SG 22 PTS | 6 3PM | 2 AST | 26.4 FPS
Injuries in the Blazers’ backcourt have created an opportunity for the rookie and he’s taken full advantage, averaging 17.5 points and 4 three-pointers over his last six games.
FLOPPER:
De’Andre Ayton LAL C 4 PTS | 6 REB | 1 STL | 13.2 FPS
After posting 2 rebounds twice in his last three games, Ayton continues to perform poorly, finishing with 6 points or fewer for the fourth time this season.
