The 2019 NBA Playoffs are heating up!
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 day.
You'll be able to see the best performance and three honourable mentions from each day, 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...
Nikola Jokic
Team's result: Spurs 120, Nuggets 103
Stat line: 43 points (19-30 FG, 2-6 3PT, 3-4 FT), 12 rebounds, nine assists, three steals
It came in a loss, but Jokic was absolutely spectacular in Game 6. His 43 points were both a career-high and a franchise playoff record, and he did it efficiently by making 19 of his 30 shot attempts.
Jokic was at his best in the third quarter, when he scored 17 of Denver's 25 points to keep the Nuggets in the game.
Jokic also pulled down 12 rebounds and dished out nine assists, putting him an assist shy of recording his second triple-double of the series.
Overall, it was one of the best games of Jokic's career so far.
Honourable Mentions
DeMar DeRozan
Team's result: Spurs 120, Nuggets 103
Stat line: 25 points (12-16 FG, 1-2 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists
DeRozan did it all for the Spurs in the win. He recorded all seven of his assists in the first half and then scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half to help San Antonio pull away.
DeRozan went toe-to-toe with Jokic in the third quarter with 12 points of his own on an almost perfect 6-for-7 shooting from the field.
LaMarcus Aldridge
Team's result: Spurs 120, Nuggets 103
Stat line: 26 points (10-16 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, five assists, one block
Aldridge led the Spurs in scoring with 26 points. He set the tone with an impressive first quarter, in which he scored 13 of his points.
Aldridge finished with a team-high 10 rebounds to go along with five assists.
Rudy Gay
Team's result: Spurs 120, Nuggets 103
Stat line: 19 points (7-11 FG, 3-3 3PT, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, two assists, two blocks
Gay gave the Spurs a huge boost off the bench with 19 points. He was a perfect 3-for-3 from the perimeter and also made a couple of plays on defence, coming up with two blocks.
Led by Gay, San Antonio's second unit was a big reason why the Spurs got the win.
“Rudy Gay off the bench was a huge factor tonight," Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said after the game, per Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. "Their bench dominated our bench, first time that happened in the series.”
Previous winners
April 15 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
April 23 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
