Today in the NBA, there were many games and impressive performances from various star players, including Sabonis, McCollum, Alexander, LaVine, Jokic, Westbrook, Haliburton, and Isaiah Joe, among others.
However, when it comes to selecting today's best player, there is no doubt about who takes the title. Let's take a closer look at the standout performances:
Haliburton led the Pacers to an easy victory over the depleted Warriors, showcasing his offensive and defensive prowess. In the first half, he played 19 minutes, shooting 4-for-6, including 1-for-3 from three-point range and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, scoring 14 points with 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 3 steals.
Over the entire game, Haliburton played 35 minutes, shooting 8-for-10, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc and 7-for-7 from the charity stripe, tallying 25 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals, with a plus-minus of +18.
Isaiah Joe came off the bench to shoot down the Knicks with 8 three-pointers. In the first half, he played only 13 minutes, shooting 8-for-11, including 6-for-7 from downtown and 1-for-1 from the free-throw line, amassing 23 points and 1 rebound.
For the whole game, he played 30 minutes, shooting 11-for-16, including 8-for-11 from three-point land and 1-for-1 from the free-throw line, exploding for a season-high 31 points, along with 1 rebound and 2 assists.
Alexander, currently atop the MVP rankings, continued his dominant play, scoring 39 points in just three quarters. In the first half, he shot 8-for-12, converting all 3 free throws, scoring 19 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists, leading his team to a commanding lead.
In the third quarter, he erupted for another 20 points, allowing him to rest in the final period. Overall, Alexander played 29 minutes, shooting 15-for-21, including 1-for-1 from three-point range and 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, finishing with 39 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
McCollum stepped up in Zion's absence, delivering an explosive performance to lead his team to victory over the 76ers on the road. In the first quarter, he went full throttle, playing all 12 minutes, shooting 6-for-10, including 3-for-4 from deep and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, accumulating 18 points with 1 rebound and 1 assist.
In the first half, CJ shot 7-for-13, hitting 4 three-pointers and converting 5-of-7 free throws, scoring 23 points with 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
In the second half, he maintained his scoring pace, adding another 15 points. For the game, McCollum played 35 minutes, shooting 13-for-24, including 6-for-11 from three-point range and 6-for-11 from the free-throw line, totaling 38 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
LaVine continued his hot streak as the Bulls trounced the Wizards. In the first half, he engaged in a scoring duel with Poole, shooting 7-for-12, including 2-for-4 from three-point range and 2-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 18 points with 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
Over the entire game, LaVine played 33 minutes, shooting 14-for-21, including 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and 2-for-4 from the free-throw line, scoring 33 points with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, boasting a plus-minus of +34.
Jokic returned from illness to deliver a dominant performance against the Nets, akin to a "dimensional reduction" attack. In the first half, he shot 8-for-13 and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line, scoring 20 points with 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. By the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets had built a substantial lead, but the Nets closed the gap to 5 points in the fourth quarter, prompting Jokic to re-enter the game and exert his influence.
For the game, Jokic played 38 minutes, shooting 14-for-21, including 1-for-1 from three-point range and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line, amassing 35 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, and 4 steals. This was his 15th triple-double of the season, leading the league.
Westbrook also achieved a triple-double, making this the second time both Jokic and Westbrook have recorded a triple-double in the same game, which is the 17th occurrence in NBA history of teammates achieving triple-doubles in the same game.
In the first half, Westbrook displayed his intensity, shooting 4-for-9, missing all three-point attempts and converting 3-of-5 free throws, scoring 11 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
In the fourth quarter, he teamed up with Jokic to put the game out of reach. For the game, Westbrook played 36 minutes, shooting 8-for-17, including 2-for-5 from deep and 7-for-9 from the free-throw line, exploding for 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Westbrook now has 202 career triple-doubles, continuing to hold the record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history.
Despite Sabonis' impressive performance of 23 points, 28 rebounds, and 3 assists in the Kings' away victory over the Celtics, he was not selected as today's best player due to the even more explosive performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With Fox still sidelined, Sabonis took charge, shooting 3-for-5 in the first half, including 2-for-3 from three-point range, scoring 8 points with 15 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.
In the second half, he continued to dominate in both scoring and rebounding. Over the entire game, Sabonis played 39 minutes, shooting 10-for-15, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, exploding for 23 points, 28 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block, with a plus-minus of +16. His 28 rebounds also set a new career high.
However, today's best player award could not go to him because Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered an even more explosive performance.
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a narrow 3-point victory over the Magic, delivering a complete two-way performance. In the first half, he shot 8-for-15, accumulating 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block.
In the second half, he unleashed even more firepower, scoring another 25 points. For the game, Antetokounmpo played 36 minutes, shooting 19-for-29, missing all three-point attempts and converting 3-of-10 free throws, scoring 41 points with 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.
This game also saw Antetokounmpo break two records:
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With today's 41 points, Antetokounmpo surpassed Jamal Crawford (19,419 points) to rank 59th in NBA history and 9th among active players in career points.
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According to statistics, this was Antetokounmpo's 43rd time scoring 40 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a single game, tying him with Shaquille O'Neal and Joel Embiid for 5th place in NBA history!
Therefore, today's best player award undoubtedly belongs to him!