NBA Playoffs 2019: Philadelphia 76ers' Jimmy Butler earns Player of the Night

and others

• 3 min read

With Round 1 all wrapped up, the 2019 NBA Playoffs are heating up even more with the Conference Semifinals action!

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 night.

You'll be able to see the best performance and three honourable mentions from each night, 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 night is...

Jimmy Butler

Team's result: Sixers 94, Raptors 89 (Series tied at 1-1)

Stat line: 30 points (9-22 FG, 4-10 3PT, 8-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Jimmy Butler put on a show in Game 2, scoring 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, when the Sixers needed it most.

Butler commanded the game on both ends, hitting some big shots down the stretch, while shadowing Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard on the defensive end, picking the perfect time to break out of his three-game slump.

Honourable Mentions

Nikola Jokic

Team's result: Nuggets 121, Blazers 113 (Nuggets lead series 1-0)

Stat line: 37 points (11-18 FG, 3-5 3PT, 12-12 FT), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, two blocks

Jokic was a close runner-up, stuffing the stat sheet in Game 1 to lead the Nuggets to a 1-0 series lead.

The Serbian was in attack mode all night, doing most of his damage in the third quarter, scoring 15 of his 37 points to help the Nuggets take 92-85 lead into the fourth.

The Joker connecting from distance!#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/jf04ofQgU5
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 30, 2019

Damian Lillard

Team's result: Blazers 113, Nuggets 121 (Nuggets lead series 1-0)

Stat line: 39 points (12-21 FG, 4-12 3PT, 11-13 FT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal

Damian Lillard put the Blazers on his back once again, with a game-high 39 points in Denver.

Damian Lillard (15 PTS) pulls up and drills his third 3-pointer of the game. #RipCity 51#MileHighBasketball 50

📺: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/Obu901Ok92
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2019

Lillard scored 14 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets held on to secure the W.

Kawhi Leonard

Team's result: Raptors 89, Sixers 94 (Series tied at 1-1)

Stat line: 35 points (13-24 FG, 3-10 3PT, 6-7 FT), 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal

Kawhi Leonard saw a lot more defensive attention in Game 2, with Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons doing their best to limit his impact, but he just found ways to score at every turn.

Leonard scored 11 of his 35 points in the third quarter as the Raptors overturned an early 19-point deficit to get them back into the game, willing his way into the paint.