We’re back with another edition of Winners and Losers. Some of the faces are the same, and some are new. Many have seen significant price action. And one thing has remained constant: winning counts, especially during the playoffs.
With the first round in our rear-view and the second underway, who’s winning and who’s losing?
Winners
Trae Young
The Knicks certainly have a new villain to fear. In the first round Young put on a show each and every night, ultimately leading the Hawks to a 4-1 series win.
So far, the second round has been no different. In game 1, Young lit up the Sixers, putting up 35 points and 10 assists. So it’s no surprise that his Player Collection was up 9% between Saturday, June 5th and Tuesday, June 8th.
Fans seemed skeptical that Young could convert his talent into team success. But Young has been controlling the game each night, and he’s clearly having a lot of fun doing it. Just imagine how much fun he’d have if the Hawks pulled off the second round upset.
Devin Booker
Booker has been the other breakout star this time around. Since knocking out LeBron and the Lakers on Thursday, June 3rd, Booker’s Player Collection has been steadily rising in value. After taking game 1 vs the Nuggets, it’s up 2.5%.
We had a preview from last season’s bubble as Booker led the Suns to an 8-0 record and a late push for the playoffs. He’s carried that momentum into the current season, even garnering a bit of MVP chatter.
Booker’s playoff performance may be pushing him towards elite Superstar status. Through 7 games, he is averaging over 28 points and 5 assists per game…on 50% shooting from the field.
Booker certainly has a lot to gain in these playoffs, and it doesn’t look like he plans on taking his foot off the gas pedal any time soon.
Chris Paul
The Player Collection of Booker’s partner-in-crime Chris Paul also appreciated demonstrably following game 1 vs the Nuggets. After a typically hyper-efficient game, Paul’s Player Collection went up 7.1%.
Paul’s veteran leadership savvy should not be discounted. When the Suns went down 10 points in the third quarter, Paul stayed calm and they ultimately clawed their way back into the game.
Once the fourth quarter rolled around, CP3 took over. He scored 14 points without missing a shot, adding 3 assists.
No one in the league deserves a championship run more than Paul, and it would certainly be fun to see how it might impact his card prices.
Kevin Durant
Have you noticed a trend here? Each of these guys has helped carry their team to round 2 series leads.
Kevin Durant is no different. Remarkably, he has not missed a beat in his first playoffs back since tearing his Achilles. He remains virtually unstoppable.
After leading the Nets to a 39-point win over the Bucks in game 2, his Player Collection is up 4.5%. Typically for him, Durant scored 32 points while making domination look easy.
The Nets certainly look like the title favorites at this point. How might Dibbs collectors respond if he wins one with the Nets?
Kyrie Irving
We can’t be surprised by this one. Kyrie has also been awesome during these playoffs. As usual he’s been a magician with the ball, and is on his way to averaging over 24 points and 4 assists per game.
Since game 2, Irving’s Player Collection has appreciated 4.2%.
It’s amazing how the Nets have dominated without James Harden. When a player of Harden’s caliber seems like a luxury, you know your team is sitting pretty.
Losers
Luka Dončić
It does seem cruel to put Luka on this list. He was so ridiculously good against the Clippers in the first round. He averaged over 35 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists per game…on 49% shooting. And he did this against a team with debatably the two best perimeter defenders in the league.
But as we’ve seen recently with Steph Curry in the last edition of Winners and Losers, the cards can be cruel.
Luka’s Player Collection is down 5.8% since the Mavericks season-ending loss. Once again we see the importance of winning, and the price volatility brought on by playoff basketball.
Let’s just use this dip as a petition to get Dončić some help in Dallas ASAP!
Michael Porter Jr.
Porter Jr.’s Player Collection has had a winding journey over the past week, which included both a series-clinching win over the Blazers, and a game 1 loss vs the Suns.
Since that loss, his Player Collection is down 1%. Not a significant decline by any stretch. That said, the price volatility on his cards since the playoffs began demonstrates that at least some collectors think there is value here.
Volatile price action in Porter Jr.’s Player Collection should come as no surprise given that he is himself a rather volatile player. One night he can score 40 points and on the next he can go cold.
Forced into being the second option with Jamal Murray out, Porter Jr. has a lot to gain in these playoffs.
Where Does This Leave Us?
Just as we said after our first edition of Winners and Losers blog, price action definitely comes alive during the playoffs.
Strong on-court performance, especially when it leads to wins, seems to boost Player Collection values. Naturally, the opposite seems true for poor performance that leads to losses.
When you watch the next game be sure to keep your Dibbs app open so you can watch how on-court action affects card price action. Take the opportunity to capitalize on your perspectives.
*The data quoted represents past performance of specific cards which may or may not be representative of the performance of other cards. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Card values will fluctuate so that they may be worth more or less than their original cost.*
