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Jakob Poeltl C | TOR
Raptors' Jakob Poeltl: Muted role continues
Poeltl closed Thursday's 126-104 victory over Cleveland in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with eight points (4-6 FG), six rebounds, two assists and one block across 18 minutes.
Poeltl continues to play limited minutes, resulting in what can only be described as modest production. Through three games, Poeltl has averaged just 4.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. Despite Cleveland running with a sizeable lineup, Poeltl's apparent limitations have forced Toronto to counter with some small-ball looks.
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Collin Murray-Boyles PF | TOR
Raptors' Collin Murray-Boyles: Another strong performance
Murray-Boyles ended Thursday's 126-104 win over the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 22 points (11-15 FG), eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 28 minutes.
Murray-Boyles got it done on both ends of the floor, scoring at least 14 points for the third straight game, helping Toronto to a much-needed victory. Cleveland now holds a 2-1 advantage, with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday in Toronto.
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Ja'Kobe Walter SG | TOR
Raptors' Ja'Kobe Walter: Struggles despite spot start
Walter accumulated zero points (0-6 FG, 0-3 3Pt) and two rebounds over 26 minutes during Thursday's 126-104 victory over the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Walter overcame illness to suit up Thursday, moving into the starting lineup after it was announced Immanuel Quickley would miss his third straight game due to a hamstring injury. Despite the promotion, Walter had a poor night, going scoreless in 26 minutes. Although Toronto was able to walk away with a much-needed victory, Walter is going to have to elevate his game should the team have hopes of going toe-to-toe with the Cavaliers.
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Keon Ellis SG | BKN
Cavaliers' Keon Ellis: Scoreless again Friday
Ellis closed with four rebounds and one block over 15 minutes during Thursday's 126-104 loss to the Raptors in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Ellis continues to offer very little on a nightly basis, having now scored a total of just 10 points in his past five appearances. For a player whose reputation is built around an ability to contribute on the defensive end, the fact that Ellis has averaged 1.0 combined steals and blocks during that time is a real worry.
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Tyrese Proctor PG | CLE
Cavaliers' Tyrese Proctor: Rare appearance in loss
Proctor totaled two points (2-2 FT) in three minutes during Thursday's 126-104 loss to the Raptors in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Proctor was back in the rotation, albeit during garbage-time only. Despite a couple of bright spots throughout his rookie season, Proctor has been mostly a non-factor. Given that he failed to leave the bench during the first two games in the series, Proctor is unlikely to feature heavily moving forward.
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Dennis Schroder PG | CHA
Cavaliers' Dennis Schroder: Barely sees floor
Schroder recorded three points (1-2 FG, 1-2 3Pt) and one rebound across five minutes during Thursday's 126-104 loss to the Raptors in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Schroder was used sparingly, logging just five minutes Thursday. Although he has been a part of the rotation on most nights since arriving in Cleveland, it's fair to say that Schroder's impact has been limited. Barring a reversal of fortunes, don't expect to see too much of Schroder outside of lopsided results.
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RJ Barrett SG | TOR
Raptors' RJ Barrett: Buries six treys in win
Barrett finished Thursday's 126-104 victory over the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 33 points (12-19 FG, 6-8 3Pt, 3-7 FT), five rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals in 39 minutes.
Barrett showed up for the Raptors in a big way on the offensive end. He combined with Scottie Barnes for 66 points, though it was Barrett who drilled a team-high six triples. The 25-year-old's production on the offensive end proved to be one of the key difference makers in Game 3 to keep his squad's playoff hopes alive. Barrett is averaging 26.3 points while hitting at a clip of 64.4 percent from the field through the first three games of the first round.
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Anthony Edwards SG | MIN
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards: Doesn't return to Game 3
Edwards (undisclosed) didn't return to Thursday's Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round series against the Nuggets. He finished with 17 points (6-15 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes.
Edwards checked out of the game with 7:47 remaining in the fourth quarter to go to the locker room, but he was spotted on the Minnesota bench shortly after, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com. The star guard has been listed on the injury report with a knee injury ahead of all three games of the series thus far, so it's unclear if he's battling the same knee issue or if he picked up a new injury. Edwards can be considered day-to-day until more news emerges.
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Anthony Edwards SG | MIN
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards: Walks to locker room
Edwards went to the locker room during the fourth quarter of Thursday's Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round series against Denver with an undisclosed injury, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Siegel notes that Edwards appeared to have a slight limp on his way to the locker room, but the nature of the injury is unclear at this point. Minnesota had a comfortable lead when he departed with 7:47 remaining, so it's unclear if he'll return even if he's cleared.
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Jonathan Kuminga PF | MIN
Hawks' Jonathan Kuminga: Provides 21 points off bench
Kuminga supplied 21 points (9-14 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, one block and one steal in 28 minutes during Thursday's 109-108 victory over New York in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Kuminga found success on the offensive end for a second straight appearance. He's scored 40 combined points over that brief stretch, resulting in a pair of victories. This Atlanta squad is clearly dangerous when Kuminga is firing on all cylinders off the bench while CJ McCollum and Jalen Johnson lead the charge with the first unit.