Here are the top performers on May 5 and the stats to highlight their impact.
BEST PLAYER OF THE DAY:
Victor Wembanyama SAS C 11 PTS | 15 REB | 12 BLK | 69.5 FPS (vs. MIN)
Throughout the year, the franchise superstar has produced plenty of these performances, showcasing his elite pedigree on the defensive end. But he took it up another notch today, setting a playoff record in blocks while also adding a playoff-high in rebounds. Unfortunately, he was far from that level offensively, shooting 5-for-17 from the field, including missing all eight attempts from deep, and recording his lowest scoring output in a full game in two months.
BREAKOUT:
Mike Conley MIN PG 12 PTS | 2 REB | 6 AST | 23.4 FPS (vs. SAS)
The Wolves have been in a tough spot lately with multiple key players sidelined by injuries. This resulted in a much bigger role for the veteran point guard and he has answered the call, contributing positively over the last three games of the first round. Today, however, he took it up another notch, knocking down four threes for a playoff-high scoring performance while also leading the team in assists.
SLEEPER:
Josh Hart NYK SG 8 PTS | 8 REB | 6 AST | 37.6 FPS (vs. PHI)
Obviously, scoring hasn’t been his biggest strength, but he’s been relatively productive in the playoffs, averaging close to 10 points per game. Still, he’s better with his ability to contribute in many areas, which was on full display today as he led all players in stocks while also matching his playoff high in assists.
ELITE ASSET:
Jalen Brunson NYK PG 35 PTS | 3 AST | 2 STL | 45.7 FPS (vs. PHI)
Through seven games in the playoffs, Brunson has continued to set the bar high offensively. He was exceptional today, shooting efficiently from all levels, highlighted by a 9-for-12 mark from two and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, to raise his playoff average to 27.6 points per game. The downside was his lack of overall contributions. Still, his performance was a major factor in the dominant opening win.
CATEGORY SPECIALIST:
Devin Vassell SAS SG 14 PTS | 5 REB | 3 STL | 35.5 FPS (vs. MIN)
So far in the playoffs, the shooting guard has consistently delivered at a very high level on both ends of the floor. In six games, he has averaged 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Julian Champagnie SAS SF 17 PTS | 7 REB | 1 TO | 24.4 FPS (vs. MIN)
In his first four games of the playoffs, the wing has been steady both as a scorer and a defender. However, he has been even more effective lately, averaging 18 points and four threes over his last two games. He didn’t make much of an impact in other areas, but this was still a big improvement nonetheless.
STREAMER:
Dylan Harper SAS SG 18 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 28.8 FPS (vs. MIN)
The rookie guard had a shaky start to the playoffs, with three underwhelming performances in his first four games. But he’s now starting to find his rhythm offensively, posting consecutive games with at least 17 points on solid shooting percentages. Harper should continue to play a significant role for the Spurs and have more of these performances moving forward.
FLOPPER:
Tyrese Maxey PHI PG 13 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST | 15.6 FPS (vs. NYK)
The Sixers guard had been consistently delivering at an MVP level against the Celtics, but he hit a wall in Game 1 of this series, shooting just 3-for-9 from the field and finishing with his worst game of the playoffs. Throughout the season, Maxey has had only a handful of these performances, so a quick turnaround performance wouldn’t be surprising.
