Today's NBA games were filled with impressive performances from various star players, including Gafford, Brunson, Mitchell, Cunningham, Tatum, McCollum, and LaVine, among others.
However, the title for today's best player is without a doubt, as we delve into the specifics of their remarkable achievements!
Shoulder to Shoulder with Legends, Gafford Achieves Career High
Despite the Mavericks' loss to the Hornets, Gafford delivered his career-best performance. In the first half, he made 7 out of 8 shots and 7 out of 7 free throws, scoring 21 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing out 2 assists, and blocking 3 shots. Throughout the game, Gafford played 34 minutes, shooting 12 out of 15 and making all 7 free throws, accumulating 31 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 6 blocks, setting a new career high in points (previously 27).
According to statistics, Gafford achieved at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks with a true shooting percentage of over 85%, putting him in the company of legends like O'Neal, Olajuwon, and Mourning.
Single Quarter 19 Points, Cunningham Outshines Jalen Green
The Pistons pulled off a surprising away victory against the Rockets, with the No. 1 pick from the 21st draft, Cunningham, outperforming the No. 2 pick, Jalen Green. In the first half, Cunningham made 5 out of 11 shots and 3 out of 3 free throws, scoring 13 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists, but also committing 6 turnovers.
However, in the third quarter, he switched to personal scoring mode, scoring 10 points in a row to halt the Rockets. Facing Amon's defense, he still managed to hit a buzzer-beating mid-range shot, scoring 19 points in the quarter, helping the Pistons re-establish a double-digit lead.
Throughout the game, Cunningham played 36 minutes, shooting 12 out of 22, making 3 out of 5 three-pointers, and 5 out of 5 free throws, tallying 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Big Win Over the Suns, Mitchell Easily Scores 33+5+5
The Cavaliers achieved a significant win over the Suns, with Mitchell adjusting quickly after a poor first quarter where he only made 1 out of 8 shots. In the following three quarters, especially the third, he scored 12 points to take control of the game, and in the fourth quarter, he scored another 11 points to secure the victory.
In total, he played 30 minutes, shooting 11 out of 25 (4 out of 9 three-pointers), and making all 7 free throws, scoring a game-high 33 points, along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal, with the highest plus-minus value of +28.
Plus-Minus Value of +28, Tatum Checks Out After Three Quarters
The Celtics achieved a 40-point away victory over the Warriors, with Tatum playing very relaxedly. In the first half, he made 4 out of 11 shots, 1 out of 6 three-pointers, and 1 out of 1 free throw, scoring 10 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, and making 1 steal.
Throughout the game, Tatum only played 28 minutes, shooting 9 out of 20, 3 out of 10 three-pointers, and 1 out of 1 free throw, scoring 22 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, dishing out 7 assists, and making 2 steals, with the highest plus-minus value of +28.
LaVine Scores 35+3 to Dominate the Clippers
The Bulls easily defeated the Clippers away, with LaVine only scoring 9 points and grabbing 2 rebounds in the first half. However, the turning point of the game came in the third quarter, where LaVine scored 15 points through a combination of inside drives and outside shooting, scoring just one point less than the entire Clippers team in that quarter, completely dominating them.
In the fourth quarter, Powell continuously scored to narrow the gap, but LaVine relied on free throws and three-pointers to stabilize the situation for the Bulls, with his final three-pointer sealing the game.
Throughout the game, LaVine played 34 minutes, shooting 11 out of 21, making 5 out of 12 three-pointers, and 8 out of 10 free throws, scoring 35 points and grabbing 3 rebounds.
Brunson Scores 34+6 But Misses Out on Today's Best Player
The Knicks secured a win against the Hawks, with Brunson achieving a decisive victory over Trae Young in their matchup.
In this game, Brunson was unstoppable on offense, playing 39 minutes, shooting 12 out of 18, making 3 out of 5 three-pointers, and scoring 34 points with 1 rebound, 6 assists, and 1 steal.
However, even with such an outstanding performance, today's best player title could not go to him, as his neighbor, McCollum, had an even more explosive game.
McCollum Scores 45+8+4+3 to Reverse a 25-Point Deficit
The person who could overshadow so many star players to be named today's best player must have done something extraordinary, and today, that person is undoubtedly McCollum of the Pelicans.
The Pelicans, once trailing by 25 points at home, managed to defeat the Jazz after overtime. McCollum delivered his best game of the season.
He scored 11 points in the first quarter and an additional 24 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, leading the great comeback! Throughout the game, he played 44 minutes, shooting 18 out of 31, making 5 out of 13 three-pointers, and all 4 free throws, accumulating 45 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks.
The 25-point comeback also set a new record for the largest comeback in Pelicans history!
Therefore, today's best player title undoubtedly belongs to him!