NBA Player News

Grant supplied 12 points (2-6 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 7-8 FT), one rebound, one assist and two steals in 17 minutes during Tuesday's 114-95 loss to San Antonio in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Grant's 12 points were enough to earn the second-highest total on the team amid anemic performances from the first unit. The Trail Blazers will now look to the offseason, and one of the biggest hurdles for team improvement is Grant's terrible contract. Grant has one year left of a five-year, $160M deal, a price that's almost unheard of for a guy who spent half of the season with the second unit. Grant certainly adds value to the team, but his contract limits the moves they can make while he is still on the payroll.

Holiday supplied eight points (3-14 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 1-1 FT), six rebounds and seven assists across 40 minutes during Tuesday's 114-95 loss to the Spurs in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Holiday couldn't find the bottom of the basket in the Game 5 loss. He made a decent contribution in secondary categories, but the backcourt combo of Holiday and Scoot Henderson was anemic in the scoring column. Holiday is still under contract with Portland for another year, so he's expected to return to the team and continue with the first unit. Over 53 games, Holiday averaged 16.3 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals.

Avdija totaled 22 points (7-15 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 7-11 FT), three rebounds, three assists and one block over 32 minutes during Tuesday's 114-95 loss to the Spurs in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Avdija was the only first-unit player to register more than 10 points in the series final. The team was clearly outmatched, and although they were successful in containing Victor Wembanyama for most of the game, he roared back to life in the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach alongside a spirited performance from Julian Champagnie and the rest of the starters. There will likely be significant changes to Portland's roster in the offseason, but Avidja will remain as the team's centerpiece. Avidja achieved career highs in several categories this season, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists over 66 games.

Castle logged 15 points (6-11 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, five assists and one block across 33 minutes before fouling out of Tuesday's 114-95 victory over the Trail Blazers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Although Caatle's total wasn't his best, he made a solid contribution on both sides of the ball. Castle's dynamic skill set is a nightmare for opposing defenses, and he took the Trail Blazers to task, averaging 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 0.8 steals over the five-game span.

Fox posted 21 points (8-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, nine assists and one steal across 34 minutes during Tuesday's 114-95 win over the Trail Blazers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Fox finished one assist shy of a double-double in the series win. Although Fox began the series with a trio of underperforming totals, he built on a 28-point endeavor in Game 4 with another great total. He was also adept at getting the ball to other playmakers, collecting a series-high nine assists. As long as Fox and Stephon Castle continue to generate solid numbers, the Spurs' playoff outlook will remain bright.

Champagnie finished with 19 points (6-9 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), seven rebounds and three assists across 30 minutes during Tuesday's 114-95 win over the Trail Blazers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Champagnie was bolstered by a red-hot evening beyond the arc, where he drained five three-pointers. Before Game 5, Champagnie failed to make much of an impact, compiling only 32 points over the four-game span. He more than made up for the downturn Tuesday night, helping the Spurs soar to a series win over the Trail Blazers. Champagnie has enjoyed potent stretches at various points this season, and his success in Game 5 could indicate a resurgence worth considering in fantasy formats.

Hart closed Tuesday's 126-97 win over the Hawks in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with nine points (3-8 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and four assists across 30 minutes.

Hart was relatively quiet, continuing what has been a modest few games. After recording back-to-back double-doubles to open the series, Hart's production has declined recently. He is averaging 7.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals in his past three appearances. Despite his struggles, New York now leads the series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Atlanta.

Towns registered 16 points (5-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 14 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals over 34 minutes during Tuesday's 126-97 victory over the Hawks in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Towns continues to play arguably his best basketball of the season, recording his third straight double-double while adding four combined steals and blocks for the second time in his past three appearances. Across five playoff appearances, Towns has put up 20.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.6 three-pointers and 3.2 combined steals and blocks. Now leading 3-2, New York will head to Atlanta for Game 6, where it will look to wrap up the series.

Alexander-Walker closed Tuesday's 126-97 loss to the Knicks in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 0-1 FT), three assists and one steal over 34 minutes.

Alexander-Walker, while not at his best, continues to produce serviceable numbers, having scored at least 14 points in four of his five playoff appearances. However, given the fact that he has been a major cog for the Hawks this season, fans are certainly looking for him to do more on both ends of the floor. During that five-game period, Alexander-Walker has averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 assists, 0.4 steals and 3.4 three-pointers.

McCollum had six points (3-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 0-3 FT), three rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal over 32 minutes during Tuesday's 126-97 loss to New York in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

McCollum simply couldn't get anything going Tuesday, delivering easily his worst game of the playoffs. After scoring at least 23 points in the opening three games, McCollum has scored a total of 23 points in his past two appearances, both of which have been losses. Now trailing 3-2, the Hawks will return to Atlanta for what is a must-win game. Look for McCollum to try to turn things around with a goal of forcing a Game 7.