NBA Player News

Ayton contributed 19 points (8-10 FG, 3-3 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists and one block over 35 minutes during Saturday's 107-98 win over the Rockets in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Ayton's scoring total was engineered in part by LeBron James, who found his big man often and generated a few assists by connecting with him. Ayton has had his share of inconsistencies this season, but he went toe-to-toe with Alperen Sengun and finished with the better rebound result. It's all hands on deck for the Lakers, who need balanced output from everyone with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) sidelined. Ayton needs to keep the volume up and assume additional responsibility as a scoring threat to keep ahead of the Rockets in the first-round series.

James ended with 19 points (9-15 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 0-2 FT), eight rebounds, 13 assists, one block and two steals in 38 minutes during Saturday's 107-98 win over the Rockets in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

James racked up eight assists before the end of the first quarter, fully embracing his role as a ball distributor. He had time to perform his own heroics as a scorer as well. He converted 60 percent of his shots in the contest and was only two rebounds shy of his fourth triple-double of the season. With Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) absent, James is expected to keep turning back the clock, churning out solid totals as the Lakers try to sweep the Rockets.

Kennard finished Saturday's 107-98 win over the Rockets in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs with 27 points (9-13 FG, 5-5 3Pt, 4-6 FT), four rebounds and three assists across 38 minutes.

Kennard has cemented himself as the primary beneficiary amidst the Lakers' injury woes. The team faced a bleary outlook, with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) absent for the first-round series against the Rockets. Kennard has carried over his late-season heroics into the postseason and appears more than ready to continue the charge. He led all scorers in the game by a wide margin. If he can keep the stellar production going, the Lakers' chance of advancing will skyrocket.

Robinson registered three points (1-1 FG, 1-4 FT), four rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 14 minutes during Saturday's 113-102 win over the Hawks in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Robinson played just 14 minutes, a slightly reduced role, as New York opted to run with some smaller lineups. Given that the Hawks don't really have a viable backup center, there is a chance Robinson will continue to be used sparingly, assuming Karl-Anthony Towns can stay out of foul trouble.

Hart chipped in 11 points (4-8 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists and three steals across 37 minutes during Saturday's 113-102 victory over Atlanta in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Hart got it done on both ends of the floor, helping the Knicks to an impressive victory in Game 1 against the Hawks. After some ups and downs over the past month, Hart recorded his first double-double in his past 13 games, with his 14 rebounds the most he has pulled down since late December.

Clarkson contributed eight points (4-6 FG), two rebounds and one assist over 11 minutes during Saturday's 113-102 win over Atlanta in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Clarkson logged no more than 15 minutes for the fifth time in his past seven appearances, continuing to serve as more of an emergency piece, as opposed to a reliable contributor. In 13 appearances over the past month, he has averaged just 6.9 points in 16.4 minutes per game.

Kuminga had eight points (3-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four rebounds and one assist in 27 minutes during Saturday's 113-102 loss to the Knicks in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Kuminga failed to produce anything of note, despite playing 27 minutes off the bench. Outside of a couple of encouraging performances, Kuminga has been unable to be a key contributor for his new team. Should Atlanta have visions of upsetting New York, Kuminga is going to have to be more of an all-around contributor.

Risacher racked up zero points (0-3 FG) and four rebounds over two minutes during Saturday's 113-102 loss to New York in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Risacher barely saw the court, failing to score in three minutes. Despite his draft pedigree, Risacher has seemingly fallen out of favor in Atlanta, averaging just 15.7 minutes per game in 13 appearances over the past month. At this stage, it doesn't appear as though he will play any sort of meaningful role during the playoffs.

McCollum notched 26 points (11-20 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 0-2 FT), four rebounds and one assist over 34 minutes during Saturday's Game 1 loss to New York.

McCollum was responsible for nearly half of Atlanta's 12 turnovers, coughing up the rock five times in the defeat, and he also bricked both of his free throws. He'll need to do a better job of taking care of the ball in Game 2 on Monday if the Hawks hope to steal one on the road.

Brunson logged 28 points (9-22 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 7-8 FT), seven assists, five rebounds and one steal in 36 minutes of Saturday's 113-102 Game 1 win over the Hawks.

Brunson was back in his usual role after missing the regular season finale with an ankle issue, though it's likely his absence was precautionary. Brunson averaged 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 threes and 0.8 steals during the regular season and carried that momentum over into the playoffs.