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 Night" files, as we see who can tally the most honours these playoffs.
Today's player of the day is...
Lou Williams
Team's result: Clippers 129, Warriors 121 (Warriors lead series 3-2)
Stat line: 33 points (12-19 FG, 1-2 3PT, 8-9 FT), 10 assists and four rebounds
Sweet Lou took over down the stretch for the Clippers, scoring 11 of his team-high 33 points in the fourth quarter, scoring nine unanswered points himself to turn a one-point deficit into a seven-point lead.
Oh so SWEET, Lou! 💦#ClipperNation | #NBAPlaypffs pic.twitter.com/V3sIBnPFep
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 25, 2019
Honourable Mentions:
Kevin Durant
Team's result: Warriors 121, Clippers 129 (Warriors lead series 3-2)
Stat line: 45 points (14-26 FG, 5-12 3PT, 12-12 FT), 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 block
KD was in his bag from jump, scoring 21 points in the first half and he didn't take his foot off the gas, needing just 26 shots to reach 45 points.
It marked the 58th career playoff game Durant has scored 30 or more points, with today's effort moving him into 12th on the NBA's all-time playoff scoring list and 10th on the NBA's all-time playoff three-pointers made list.
Another one!
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2019
Congrats to @KDTrey5 of the @warriors for moving up to 10th on the #NBAPlayoffs all-time 3PM list! #StrengthInNumbers pic.twitter.com/jGw9j6zC9g
Montrezl Harrell
Team's result: Clippers 129, Warriors 121 (Warriors lead series 3-2)
Stat line: 24 points (11-14 FG, 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block
The Clippers scored 54 points in the paint and it felt like Harrell scored every single one of them.
The Warriors simply didn't have an answer for Harrell inside as he played off Williams in the pick-and-roll, throwing down dunk after dunk with yet another trademark high energy performance.
Shake and b̶a̶k̶e̶ score. @TeamLou23 → @MONSTATREZZ pic.twitter.com/oa3tRr4Cpk
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 25, 2019
James Harden
Team's result: Rockets 100, Jazz 93 (Rockets win series 4-1)
Stat line: 26 oints (10-26 FG, 3-12 3PT, 3-5 FT), 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks
After starting the game struggling with his shot, Harden turned things around down the stretch.
Houston's reigning MVP opened Game 5 by missing 10 of his first 11 shot attempts, but as the game came down to the wire, he closed the game by knocking down nine of his final 15 shots
While he finished with a game-high 26 points on 10-for-26 shooting, he impressed impressed on the defensive end, recording three steals and four blocks, the most blocks he's ever had in a playoff game.
CLUTCH STEAL FROM JAMES HARDEN! pic.twitter.com/jQfkFJpuRA
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 25, 2019
Previous winners
April 15 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
April 23 - Giannis Antetokounmpo
