With Round 1 all wrapped up, the 2019 NBA Playoffs are heating up even more with the Conference Semifinals action!
Every day from now until the end of the postseason, our NBA.com Staff will bring you one top performer following the completion of the playoff games on that night.
You'll be able to see the best performance and three honourable mentions from each night, while also having access to all prior "Player of the Day" files, as we see who can tally the most honours these playoffs.
Today's player of the day is...
Team's result: Sixers 94, Raptors 89 (Series tied at 1-1)
Stat line: 30 points (9-22 FG, 4-10 3PT, 8-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
Jimmy Butler put on a show in Game 2, scoring 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, when the Sixers needed it most.
Jimmy Butler (28 PTS) connects from downtown to put the @sixers up by 7!#PhilaUnite 88#WeTheNorth 81
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2019
2:11 left on @NBAonTNT! pic.twitter.com/Luunp3eGju
Butler commanded the game on both ends, hitting some big shots down the stretch, while shadowing Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard on the defensive end, picking the perfect time to break out of his three-game slump.
Honourable Mentions:
Nikola Jokic
Team's result: Nuggets 121, Blazers 113 (Nuggets lead series 1-0)
Stat line: 37 points (11-18 FG, 3-5 3PT, 12-12 FT), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, two blocks
Jokic was a close runner-up, stuffing the stat sheet in Game 1 to lead the Nuggets to a 1-0 series lead.
The Serbian was in attack mode all night, doing most of his damage in the third quarter, scoring 15 of his 37 points to help the Nuggets take 92-85 lead into the fourth.
The Joker connecting from distance!#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/jf04ofQgU5
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 30, 2019
Damian Lillard
Team's result: Blazers 113, Nuggets 121 (Nuggets lead series 1-0)
Stat line: 39 points (12-21 FG, 4-12 3PT, 11-13 FT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal
Damian Lillard put the Blazers on his back once again, with a game-high 39 points in Denver.
Damian Lillard (15 PTS) pulls up and drills his third 3-pointer of the game. #RipCity 51#MileHighBasketball 50
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2019
📺: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/Obu901Ok92
Lillard scored 14 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets held on to secure the W.
Kawhi Leonard
Team's result: Raptors 89, Sixers 94 (Series tied at 1-1)
Stat line: 35 points (13-24 FG, 3-10 3PT, 6-7 FT), 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal
Kawhi Leonard saw a lot more defensive attention in Game 2, with Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons doing their best to limit his impact, but he just found ways to score at every turn.
Leonard scored 11 of his 35 points in the third quarter as the Raptors overturned an early 19-point deficit to get them back into the game, willing his way into the paint.
BEAST MODE: ACTIVATED pic.twitter.com/GX2fdPsks0
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 30, 2019
Previous winners
April 15 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
April 23 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
