Zach LaVine
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 1 | 3 | 8/17 | 2/7 | 7/8 | 1 | 0 |
LaVine led the team with 25 points as the Chicago Bulls outlasted the Cleveland Cavaliers, 98-94. DeMar DeRozan returned to the lineup after missing the last game with a groin injury and added 20 points but the key to this game for the Bulls was defense. Chicago held the Cavs to only 35 points in the first half and stifled their try at a fourth quarter comeback. With this win, the Bulls got their first road victory since March 9th as they maintain control of the 5th seed in the East.
Darius Garland
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 28 | 6 | 5 | 9/22 | 1/7 | 9/11 | 2 | 0 |
In the loss, Garland led all scorers with 28 points while Caris LeVert added 17 points in his second start for Cleveland since being acquired back in February. They just came out sloppy in the first half and it cost them. In the first half, not only were they held to 35 points, but they also had eight turnovers and shot 1-of-18 from three. This game was pretty costly for the Cavs because, by losing to Chicago and the Toronto Raptors, Cleveland now has fallen into Play-In tournament range as they now sit in the 7th spot in the East.
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 35 | 12 | 8 | 13/15 | 0/1 | 9/10 | 2 | 2 |
Jokic finished with 35 points and nearly posted a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 113-107. He was automatic in the second half, going 6-of-6 from both the field and the free throw line to help the Nuggets protect an almost blown 16-point lead. Aaron Gordon also played well with 20 points and hit a big pair of free throws late to tie the game at 105 followed by a Monte Morris three-pointer to ice the game.
Theo Maledon
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 20 | 4 | 3 | 6/13 | 2/4 | 6/6 | 2 | 0 |
This Thunder team continues to be a tough out and last night was further proof of that. With no Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and news that Josh Giddey will not be returning this season from his hip injury, they still managed to be in this game up until the final minute. Maledon led the team with 20 points as six Thunder players finished in double-figures. As a team that was a 16-point underdog and most assumed would tank these final two weeks, the Thunder played much harder than one would have anticipated. Then again, despite their record they have been pretty scrappy all year.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 15 | 11 | 13 | 4/19 | 0/5 | 7/8 | 3 | 0 |
Murray dropped a triple-double to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the New Orleans Pelicans, 107-103. Keldon Johnson also had a big game finishing with 21 points and eight rebounds. But the unsung hero of this game was Jake Landale. Off the bench, Landale finished with ten points, seven rebounds and a pair of threes. He also had the game clinching rebound that led to his assist on a Keldon Johnson bucket to ice the game. With this win, San Antonio is now only one game behind New Orleans for the final Play-In spot.
CJ McCollum
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 32 | 6 | 4 | 12/25 | 4/10 | 4/4 | 1 | 1 |
Crucial loss for the New Orleans Pelicans as they now are just barely holding onto the 10th spot in the West. McCollum finished with a game-high 32 points. But it was undrafted rookie guard Jose Alvarado who burst onto the scene with a career-high 23 points along with five rebounds and five assists. Jonas Valanciunas also had a solid night with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Not only are the Pelicans a game ahead of the Spurs, but this loss also stopped them from jumping the Lakers who are only a half-game ahead of them. New Orleans still has the opportunity to take that leap as they play Los Angeles next.
Davion Mitchell
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 7 | 9 | 10/23 | 2/8 | 0/0 | 1 | 1 |
With no De’Aaron Fox, rookie Mitchell stepped up with a game-high 22 points as the Sacramento Kings hung on to beat the Orlando Magic, 114-110 in overtime. Mitchell was one of seven Sacramento players who scored in double figures. Trey Lyles also stepped up in the front court without Domantas Sabonis as he recorded 11 points and 15 rebounds. Sacramento is on the brink of elimination from Play-In tournament contention, but they just continue to hang around.
Franz Wagner
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 19 | 9 | 3 | 9/21 | 0/3 | 1/1 | 2 | 0 |
Orlando finished this game with five players scoring in double figures led by Wagner, who led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds despite shooting 9-of-21 from the field. Mo Bamba also had a good performance with 18 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, and a block. The Magic might not be playing for a Playoff spot, but their young players continue to show flashes of what may be an interesting young core to watch next season.
Pascal Siakam
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 23 | 6 | 7 | 10/15 | 1/3 | 2/4 | 3 | 0 |
Overcoming an electrical fire that delayed the game, the Toronto Raptors dominated the Indiana Pacers, 131-91. Toronto finished with six players scoring in double figures including Siakam, who led the way with 23 points, six rebounds and seven assists. This was a must-win game for the Raptors as they came into this game as the 7th seed sitting only a game behind Cleveland. Now they have briefly hurdled the Cavaliers in the standings as they occupy a top-6 seed, keeping them out of the Play-In tournament. For now.
Oshae Brissett
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 8 | 2 | 9/16 | 1/5 | 2/5 | 4 | 0 |
The Indiana Pacers are eliminated from the playoff hunt but, unlike the Thunder or the Magic, Indiana didn’t even keep it close. Rough night for Tyrese Haliburton, who did have 12 assists, but also only had seven points on 2-of-7 shooting. But the Pacers did get good performances from Brissett and Jalen Smith. Brissett led the way with 21 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Smith had 15 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Rough loss but at least some guys showed some flashes.
Kevin Durant
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 23 | 3 | 5 | 7/14 | 0/2 | 9/10 | 3 | 1 |
Durant led with 23 points to hand the Miami Heat their fourth straight loss. Kyrie Irving had a quiet night with only 11 points, but Seth Curry stepped up big time with 17 points while shooting 5-of-6 from three. The Nets continue to hold onto the 8th spot in the East, but they still only sit a game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets. If the season ended today and the seeding stayed as is, we would have a Brooklyn-Philly first round. Must-see TV.
Bam Adebayo
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 14 | 6 | 2 | 5/8 | 0/1 | 4/6 | 1 | 2 |
To put it bluntly, the Miami Heat didn’t play well. 21 turnovers. 10-of-34 from beyond the arc. They didn’t have a single player score at least 15 points. Adebayo was probably the team’s best performer with 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks. This loss hands the 76ers brief control of the No. 1 seed and also left Miami only half a game ahead of both the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks.
De’Anthony Melton
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 3 | 2 | 8/11 | 6/9 | 2/4 | 3 | 0 |
Despite missing All Star guard Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies dominated the Milwaukee Bucks, 127-102. The Grizzlies were led by Melton who scored 24 points in 21 minutes off the bench. In the starting backcourt, Desmond Bane scored 20 points while Tyus Jones finished with 13 points and ten assists. With this win, Memphis has locked up the 2nd seed in the West with the second-best record in the NBA on the backs of the 2nd youngest team in the league.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 30 | 11 | 4 | 11/20 | 0/1 | 8/10 | 0 | 4 |
Milwaukee was completely dismantled in this game. Antetokounmpo did his usual thing as he finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. But aside from him and maybe Khris Middleton, who added 16 points, the Bucks were pretty much held in check. They were out-rebounded, out shot from three, and Memphis even scored more points in the paint then them. This win could have helped them jump up to the top spot but, for now, they sit in 4th place only a half game back of No. 1 seed.
Alperen Sengun
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 27 | 7 | 3 | 10/16 | 2/4 | 5/8 | 0 | 1 |
Monster performance from rookies Sengun and Jalen Green as the Houston Rockets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 115-98. In the Rockets vs. Blazers matchup on Friday night, Sengun only had four points on three attempts and, despite winning that game, clearly Sengun felt the need to bounce back in a major way, as he led all scorers in this game with 27 points in 25 minutes off the bench on 10-of-16. His fellow 2021 draft class teammate Green also had a big game with 25 points and six rebounds while knocking down 6-of-11 threes. This win gives them their first two-game winning streak since mid-January.
Trendon Watford
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 15 | 10 | 5 | 7/11 | 0/2 | 1/2 | 2 | 0 |
Things just continue to get worse for Portland as they add to their injury report. After scoring 15 points along with ten rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting in 29 minutes, Watford went down with a knee injury with 3:01 left to play. Watford awkwardly stepped on Dennis Schroder’s foot, dropping Watford to the floor as he required help from teammates and coaches to get him back to the locker room. Rookie Keon Johnson was another player who had a solid night for the Blazers as he finished with 14 points and hit 4-of-9 threes. Portland “remains” in the playoff hunt as they sit four games back of the 10th seed. But it seems inevitable that they will be removed from the playoff picture with yet another player down with only a few weeks left to play.
