Best – Jarrett Allen (C) Brooklyn Nets – 17PTS 5-8FG 7-10FT 11REB 8AST 1BLK 1TO 36 MIN
When the bubble started, the Brooklyn Nets had a many of their team opt-out, from superstars like Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Spencer Dinwiddie, and DeAndre Jordan to role players Taurean Prince and Wilson Chandler. Even still, the Nets won Friday night and clinched their spot in the playoffs. The most significant contribution to the win against the Sacramento Kings was the massive game by starting center Jarrett Allen. The Nets will either be playing the Toronto Raptors or the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, depending on if the Raptors stay in 7th place or slide into 8th place. I am not going to say that Allen is enough to lead the Nets to any titles, but if he plays like this, they can push through a tough series for either of the top seeds in the East.
Other Notables: Jakob Poeltl (C) Spurs – 19PTS 9-12FG 1-2FT 10REB 2AST 3BLK 1TO 31MIN; Jrue Holiday (G) Pelicans – 28PTS 11-16FG 2-4 3PT 4-5FT 3REB 6AST 2STL 1BLK 7TO 37MIN.
Worst – Pascal Siakim (F) Raptors – 11PTS 5-15FG 1-5 3PT 2REB 1STL 2TO
Pascal Siakim is a front-runner to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award when the season ends, but on Friday night, he looked like one of the worst players in the NBA. The Raptors took on the Boston Celtics in a mammoth matchup of teams considered contenders to win it all. The Raptors were not ready for this matchup at all. It seemed like with Siakim looking the worst( 28MIN) of all the Raptors starters on Friday night. People were early to declare Siakim as a superstar in this league, and I’ve always thought that was a little premature for the young forward. He has the skills and intangibles to be among the best in the league, but the consistency has to be there more often than it is. The Raptors still hold the second seed in the eastern conference and have a great team with a good chance of repeating as champions, but they can’t have these clunkers from Siakim once the playoffs start to want a chance at back-to-back titles.
Extra Trash: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (G) Thunder – 10PTS 3-13FG 1-8 3PT 3-4 FT 3REB 3AST 1STL 3TO 34MIN; Tyson Ross (F) Magic – 0PTS 0-10FG 0-4 3PT 3REB 2AST 2STL 1BLK 26MIN.