As the season winds down, we continue to see new milestones reached and clubs making the call to shut down injured players. In this article, we will look into a bit of both and also touch on intriguing performances from a busy week of NBA action.
Notable Achievements
DeMar DeRozan took a significant step in cementing himself in the NBA history books as he reached the impressive milestone of 25,000 career (regular season) points in a loss against the Bulls on Thursday. He is in the midst of his 12th consecutive season averaging at least 20 points per game, and he averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals over four outings last week. DeRozan should continue to shine as he must lead the way for the Kings as they pursue their postseason hopes.
Jimmy Butler is making his presence felt with his new squad as he became the fastest player in Warriors history to rack up 100 rebounds and 100 assists, reaching the milestone on Tuesday, in just his 17th appearance with the team. He has reached the 20-point mark in eight of his 19 outings since joining the club, including in three out of four games played last week, averaging 22.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.3 steals over that span. He should continue to thrive as he looks increasingly more comfortable with each game played in the new setting.
After becoming the seventh player in NBA history to score at least 20 points in 60 consecutive games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pushed the streak up to 64 games and is averaging 33.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks over that span. His impressive achievement makes a great case for him to earn his first MVP award, and he can be expected to continue to lead the charge for his energetic squad as they look to keep their momentum going into the postseason. The Thunder also clinched first place in the Western Conference and are sitting on a 59-12 record.
Sandro Mamukelashvili made history on Wednesday, as he set the record for most points scored by a player in under 20 minutes of action. He shot a blistering 13-for-14 from the field and 7-for-7 from beyond the arc on his way to 34 points in 19 minutes. The big man saw on-and-off minutes through the majority of the season but has earned more consistent time since Victor Wembanyama was injured. Mamukelashvili is averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.8 minutes per game over the last five games. He should continue to see a similar amount of opportunity through the final stretch of the campaign, especially after his massive performance.
Bronny James turned some heads as he accumulated 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, three rebounds, five assists and a block in 30 minutes of action during a blowout loss to the Bucks on Thursday. As a result of his efforts, he earned a place in Lakers history, becoming the youngest Lakers rookie since Magic Johnson to achieve 17 points and five assists while shooting 70 percent from the field. James continues to see sparse action, usually late in blowout situations, and will have to continue to make the most of the limited opportunity.
Stand-Out Performers
Jaylin Williams opened the week by recording his second triple-double of the season, as he finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds, 11 assists and two steals in a 33-point win over the 76ers on Monday. He kept up his solid play through the rest of the week and averaged 15.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists over the three games played. His big game on Monday was partially a result of him picking up a bigger role in the absence of Jalen Williams. However, he is averaging 16.9 minutes per game on the season, which is plenty of time for him to continue to make his presence felt and provide important support off the bench.
Stephon Castle has started in the last six games and is averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks over that span, including topping the 20-point mark in two of the Spurs' four games played last week. Castle has been a key part of the Spurs' rotation all season and is likely to continue to handle a significant role down the stretch as the club is no longer in the playoff mix and focusing on development is their only meaningful goal that remains.
Josh Giddey was two steals away from a quadruple-double in his last outing, as he tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists and eight steals in 33 minutes of action in a 31-point win over the Lakers on Saturday. He played in just two of the Bulls' four games last week but shined in both outings, as he had 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block in a loss to the Suns on Wednesday. Giddey is averaging 14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals on the season and has hit the 20-point mark on 12 occasions. He also has 24 double-doubles and four triple-doubles. He is in a great position to continue to grow with the team's young core and is on track to help lead the way as they are set for a run at the postseason.
Donovan Mitchell is noted here for the opposite reason as the above-mentioned players, as he is coming off his worst stretch of the season, averaging 16.8 points on 30.3 percent shooting over four games last week. His struggles coincided with the Cavs' first four-game losing streak of the season, which spanned from March 16 to March 21, before they managed to get back on track with a win over the Jazz on Sunday. Despite the rough patch, the Cavs maintain a 5.0-game hold on first place in the East and should be able to cruise the rest of the way without losing their grip on the top spot. Mitchell has been a major factor in their success, averaging 23.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals on the campaign, maintaining his streak of averaging at least 20 points per game in every season of his career. Mitchell is likely to get his groove back and should continue to be the leading force in his club's push through the postseason.
Shut Down
It was announced early last week that Paul George would be shut down for the season after receiving injections to deal with injuries to his left adductor muscle and knee. The news puts an end to arguably the most disappointing season of his career, as his debut campaign with the 76ers could not have gone much worse. In his defense, the team's struggles mostly hinged on the unavailability of Joel Embiid. However, George was not able to carry the torch in the big man's absence, as he averaged less than 20 points per game for the first time in 10 seasons. At 34 years old, George still has time to get his game back on track, as long as he can recover to full health. Additionally, with a healthy Embiid and Tyrese Maxey by his side, he could help lead the 76ers to a quick turnaround next year.
Trey Murphy was working on a stellar season, averaging career highs of 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, but it came to an abrupt end last week, as he suffered a torn labrum and partial rotator cuff tear early in a meeting with the Pistons on Monday. Murphy reached the 30-point mark seven times, including two games with at least 40, as he established himself as a legitimate scoring threat from the wing this season. As long as he comes back healthy, he will be a key figure for the Pelicans' next campaign and should continue to build on his impressive progress in what will be his fifth NBA season.
