Every day, we bring you the best and worst performers from the previous night in the NBA. Last night’s slate featured a breakout star in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, who posted a career-high 24 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals on 10-of-17 shooting, earning a stellar RAT of 35.58 to top the daily leaderboard. Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden came through in clutch moments, tallying 19 points, 7 assists, and 2 rebounds while shooting 8-of-14 from the field, helping his team secure a key win.
Among the best performers, Donovan Mitchell of the Cavaliers exploded for 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points and 9 assists for the Thunder. Jarrett Allen contributed 18 points and 4 boards on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting, and Evan Mobley chipped in 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Other notables included Chet Holmgren (18 points, 9 rebounds) and Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points, 9 rebounds). On the Lakers side, Rui Hachimura scored 21 points, and Luke Kennard poured in 18 points, while LeBron James had 19 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds but also committed 3 turnovers.
On the downside, the worst performers included Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins, who managed just 2 points on 1-of-5 shooting with 3 assists but 1 turnover, earning a negative RAT. Cleveland’s Dean Wade scored only 3 points and grabbed 1 rebound, while Max Strus posted 7 points but had 2 turnovers. Lakers guard Marcus Smart had 10 points but shot 3-of-7, and Detroit’s Caris LeVert scored 6 points on 2-of-6. Cade Cunningham recorded a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, but his 8 turnovers and inefficient 10-of-27 shooting placed him in the bottom half of the worst list.
In the breakout player category, Mitchell surged with a difference of 21.43 in RAT compared to his season average, leading all players. Jarrett Allen (+14.85), Donovan Mitchell (+10.79), and Isaiah Joe (+7.97) also showed significant improvement. Luke Kennard of the Lakers and Evan Mobley of the Cavaliers also had notable positive swings. The night’s action highlighted rising talent and veteran resilience, setting the stage for an exciting stretch of the season.