It’s almost playoff time in the NBA. Teams are scratching and clawing to get the highest seed they possibly can and in order to do that, everybody needs to step up to the plate. For teams that won’t be competing in the postseason this year, players will be trying to make a name for themselves in the limited amount of regular season games left. Check out some performances from this past week that you might not have expected in this week’s Sleepers of the Week.
Toumani Camara vs. Brooklyn on Feb 28
Once the Portland Trail Blazers traded franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, they officially entered rebuild mode. Fans did expect much of Portland going into the past two seasons, but the Blazers have shown they have some young players who will excite fans for the future.
One of those players is forward Toumani Camara. Against the Brooklyn Nets, Camara had 19 points and made four 3-pointers in Portland’s 121-102 victory. Camara is in his second season in the league and has established himself as one of the game’s best defenders. He leads the league in charges drawn this season and has also improved his offensive skillset. This season, Camara is averaging 10.7 points per game and shooting 37% from the 3-point line. Camara is a key piece in a young core for Portland that features dynamic guards Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, who will be looking to do even more damage next season.
Stephon Castle vs. Memphis on March 1
The San Antonio Spurs’ season went up in flames after star big man Victor Wembanyama was sidelined for the remainder of the year with a blood clot in his shoulder. But the Spurs still have enough firepower to make games interesting, particularly as it pertains to rookie guard Stephon Castle. In San Antonio’s 130-128 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Castle scored 24 points and dished out seven assists.
Castle has proven to be one of the most promising rookies in the league, averaging 13.2 points per game—the most among rookies this season. If Castle takes a leap next year, the Spurs could be a very dangerous team with a healthy Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox running the show.
Collin Gillespe vs. Los Angeles on March 4
Most NBA fans probably had never heard of Collin Gillespe before the Phoenix Suns came back from 23 down in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. Gillespie’s numbers from this game do not even jump out at you, but it was the timely nature of his makes that helped put the Clippers away.
With 2:16 left in the game, Gillespie made a layup to put Phoenix up 112-108. Then, with 40 seconds left, Gillespie made a dagger 3-pointer to give the Suns a 119-114 lead that essentially put the game on ice. Kevin Durant’s 31 points made headlines in arguably Phoenix’s most pivotal win of the year, but the victory might not have been possible without Gillespie’s clutch shots in the fourth quarter.
Derrick White and Payton Pritchard vs. Portland on March 5
I might be breaking my own rules with this selection, not because I am picking two players, but because most basketball fans know who Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are. However, if you were to tell someone they would combine for 84 points against the Blazers, it would still be pretty hard to believe.
Pritchard finished the game with 43 points and 10 made threes. Pritchard joined legendary company alongside Lillard and James Harden as the only players in NBA history to have a 40/10/5 game with 10 made 3-pointers.
White was not so bad himself, dropping 41 points with nine makes from 3-point range. Games like this demonstrate why it will be extremely difficult to beat the Boston Celtics four times in a seven game series come postseason time if they’re healthy.
Kevin Porter Jr. vs Dallas on March 5
A lot of Bucks fans (myself included) questioned Milwaukee’s decision to trade for Kevin Porter Jr. at this year’s trade deadline. But, Porter Jr. has proven to be the spark the Bucks needed off the bench. With forward Bobby Portis currently serving a 25-game suspension, KPJ has played his backup point guard role to perfection.
Against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Porter Jr. put up a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists. The Bucks cruised to victory over Dallas and Milwaukee has quietly been one of the hottest teams in the league as they now sit 11 games over .500 and hold the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.