Now we're back to what will be the more common format of this daily feature: only 1 Stat Line of the Day. Some days, multiple performances are good (or bad or interesting) enough to warrant the top spot. Usually, though, we're going to stick with one top dog and a couple of runners-up for the best/worst/coolest statistical performance of the day. Here's what we thought was pretty awesome/terrible/weird from yesterday, including a center who put up his first career triple-double...find out who after the break!
Chuck Hayes (HOU): 38 Min, 13 points (5-11 fg, 3-7 ft), 14 rebs, 11 assists vs. Warriors
What a game from Rockets Center Chuck Hayes! This was his first career triple-double and first career game with double-digit assists. The undrafted free agent and D-League alum put up some big numbers in the Rockets' big victory over the Warriors, continuing Houston's push for a playoff birth in the Western Conference. Though his shooting numbers weren't great, Hayes (see right) put up big assists numbers for the first time in his career. Prior to last night's game, Hayes had never dished out more then 8 assists in a game, and he had only gotten more than five dimes in a game six times. In compiling a career-high in assists, Hayes really did it all: he set up his teammates for 3 pointers, for mid-range jumpers, and for a handful of layups. For a guy who's averaging 2.4 assists per game this season (a career high, by the way), Hayes really broke out last night. Perhaps this won't be an isolated incident for Hayes: he's racked up 5 assists or more in a game four times in the last month, in addition to last night's performance. The NBA D-League is usually a purgatory for players who, likely, will never make an impact on the Association itself. Chuck Hayes' triple-double from last night shows that there are some rare exceptions to that rule, and I'm sure Rockets fans are grateful.
Honorable Mentions:
Boris Diaw (CHA): 24 Min, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3P, 0-0 FT vs. Pacers
Bobcats veteran Boris Diaw has never been a shy player, averaging 8.2 field goals and 1.7 free throws attempted per game for his career. Last night, he accomplished something for the first time since November 26, 2008 against the Timberwolves: Diaw did not attempt a single field goal the entire game. In that game he took 2 free throws, though. The last time Diaw went an entire game without taking either a field goal or a free throw? April 11, 2005 with the Hawks - Diaw's second year in the league - when he played only 4 minutes. Last night, though, Diaw played 24 minutes and did not take a field goal or a free throw. For a player averaging close to 10 field goals attempted per game this season, that's quite an accomplishment.
George Sherrill (ATL): 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 0 K's vs. Marlins
Sherrill had a particularly awful inning yesterday, giving up 3 earned runs with a WHIP of 5.0 (plus a hit batter) for the Braves. This outing is interesting not so much for how bad it was - pretty terrible for this point in Spring Training - but for how it is the continuation of an unfortunate pattern. If Sherrill is to reclaim the form that made him an All-Star in 2008, he has to establish some consistency for Atlanta. However, this Spring, he has failed to string together more than 2 quality appearances in a row. Three times this spring, Sherrill has had one or two scoreless outings in a row in Florida. All three times, he has followed up those strong appearances with a multi-run appearance, giving up 2 earned runs on March 4th and 16th, and giving up 3 yesterday. Sherrill has been the poster-boy for inconsistency this Spring, and yesterday's awful showing is just another reason why his career has been going downhill for the last few years.
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