Best – TJ Warren F Indiana Pacers – 39PTS 15-22FG 4-4FT 5-8 3PT 5REB 1AST
TJ Warren would probably be considered the best player in the bubble if it were not for Luka Doncic. Before the bubble started back up, C Domantas Sabonis was the Pacers’ unquestioned leader and had all the numbers to back it up (18.5PPG 12.4RPG 5.0AST 54FG% 72.3FT% .5BPG .8SPG). Sabonis suffered a foot injury (plantar fasciitis), which forced him to leave the bubble and officially ended his season. The loss of Sabonis left a severe void in the Pacers, and TJ Warren stepped up to fill it.
The Pacers are seeded 5th right now but are in a close battle between the Heat (4th seed) and the 76ers (6th seed), all within half a game. Warren is leading the bubble in scoring right now at 34.8PPG, and that included Saturday night game against the number one seed in the west, the LA Lakers. The Pacers needed to find someone to replace Sabonis’s productivity. I do not think anyone would have pegged Warren to be the player to step in, but he has. Now that Warren is playing at this higher level, the Pacers have a great shot of doing some damage in the postseason.
Luka Doncic (G) Mavericks – 36PTS 12-24FG 3-9 3PT 9-10FT 14REB 19AST 1STL 2TO 42MIN
Luka Doncic earned yet another triple-double, his 17th for the 2020 season overall.
Other Notables: Nikola Jokic C Nuggets – 30PTS 11-21FG 2-6 3PT 6-6FT 11REB 7AST 3STL 4TO 42MIN.
Worst – Kyle Kuzma (F) Los Angeles Lakers – 11PTS 3-14FG 1-5 3PT 4-5FT 5REB 1AST 3STL 1BLK 2TO 25MIN
The Lakers’ supporting cast is looking extra shaky heading into the playoffs, and Kyle Kuzma’s play on Saturday night was not helping. Kuzma should be thriving in a system with defenses concentrated on LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He should be able to take advantage of the open space it creates.
Having LeBron on your team should have helped this young player have a career year. Instead, this has been Kuzma’s worst year. His lousy play was highlighted in the Lakers’ loss to the Pacers on Saturday. Kuzma has to play up to his talent level. The Lakers are desperate for a role player to step up, and they wanted that player to be Kuzma. Kuzma cannot seem to get it going despite the Lakers having two of the top five players in the league. But with nobody stepping up, and the playoffs looming, Kuzma has to prove his worth or his time up in Los Angeles.
Extra Trash: Anthony Davis (F) Lakers – 8PTS 3-14FG 0-4 3PT 2-2FT 8REB 4AST 2STL 2BLK 4TO 35MIN; Damian Lilliard (G) Blazers – 22PTS 10-23FG 2-10 3PT 0-2FT 3REB 5AST 1STL 3TO 39MIN.