NBA Player News

James logged 25 points (9-20 FG, 0-6 3Pt, 7-10 FT), three rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 39 minutes during Wednesday's 99-93 loss to Houston in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

It was another strong showing from the 41-year-old as he led all scorers on the night, but a returning Austin Reaves was the only other Laker to score 20 or more. James is averaging 22.2 points, 8.4 assists, 7.2 boards, 1.6 steals and 1.4 threes on the series, and he'll look to drag Los Angeles across the finish line and into the second round in Game 6 on Friday.

Thompson racked up 15 points (4-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-8 FT), seven rebounds, four assists and four steals over 46 minutes during Wednesday's 99-93 win over the Lakers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The third-year guard posted his highest steals total of the series while scoring at least 15 points for the fifth straight game. Thompson has been a stabilizing force in the Rockets' backcourt, averaging 19.4 points, 6.8 boards, 6.2 assists, 2.4 steals and 0.8 blocks on the series, and he'll likely need to be productive again in Game 6 on Friday back in Houston if his team is going to keep its season alive.

Eason posted 18 points (6-11 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one block across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 99-93 victory over the Lakers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Making his third straight start in place of Kevin Durant (ankle), Eason stepped up once again after he delivered 20 points in Game 4. The fourth-year forward is averaging 13.8 points, 7.0 boards, 2.4 steals, 1.6 assists and 1.6 threes in the first round so far, but the Rockets are still holding out hope Durant could return before the end of the series.

Smith notched 22 points (6-13 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 6-8 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks across 42 minutes during Wednesday's 99-93 victory over the Lakers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The 22 points led the Rockets on the night as they staved off elimination in Los Angeles. Smith has drained multiple three-pointers in every game of the first round so far, averaging 19.2 points, 7.8 boards, 3.6 threes, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals as his team continues to navigate the absence of Kevin Durant (ankle). Smith will look to stay productive as the series shifts back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday.

Mitchell provided 19 points (7-17 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 125-120 win over the Raptors in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Mitchell scored no more than 20 points for the third straight game, as he continues to deal with some inefficiencies on the offensive end. During that three-game span, he has averaged 18.0 points on 35.1 percent shooting from the field, well below his regular season average of 48.3 percent. Cleveland now leads the series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Friday in Toronto.

Merrill registered nine points (2-3 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), one rebound, two assists and one steal over 23 minutes during Wednesday's 125-120 victory over Toronto in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Merrill scored single digits for the fourth time in his past five games, providing Cleveland with very little on the offensive end. As a player whose appeal is built around an ability to score from the perimeter, Merrill has come up short thus far during the playoffs, averaging just 1.6 three-pointers per game.

Allen registered nine points (4-5 FG, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, one assist and three blocks over 25 minutes during Wednesday's 125-120 victory over Toronto in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Allen recorded at least three blocks for the third time in the past five games, a huge bonus given his season average of just 1.0 blocks per game. While the defensive contributions have been more than adequate, the same can't be said for the rest of his numbers. Through five games, he has averaged just 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game.

Barnes finished Wednesday's 125-120 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 17 points (6-16 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 5-6 FT), eight rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks and one steal over 39 minutes.

Barnes recorded his second double-double of the postseason, both of which have included 11 assists. With Immanuel Quickley still sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Barnes has served as a makeshift point guard, averaging 8.0 assists through five playoff games, adding 24.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 three-pointers and 2.6 combined steals and blocks.

Shead finished Wednesday's 125-120 loss to Cleveland in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 18 points (7-15 FG, 4-10 3Pt), one rebound, seven assists and two steals over 34 minutes.

Shead stepped into a larger role after Brandon Ingram was ruled out after just 11 minutes due to a heel injury. As he has done all season, Shead upped his production, providing the Raptors with a viable option off the bench. If Ingram is ruled out for Game 6, expect to see Shead playing a larger role once again, either as a starter or coming off the bench.

Harris chipped in 23 points (9-18 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-7 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and two steals across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 116-109 victory over Orlando in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Harris scored at least 20 points for the third straight game, continuing an excellent playoff series for the veteran. In five appearances, he has averaged 19.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 2.6 combined steals and blocks, a significant improvement over his season-long averages.