NBA Player News

Back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Pacers, Duren recorded his seventh double-double of the season and second in as many games. Even more impressive were the five blocks, which are a career-high for the second-year big man. As expected, Duren’s return has changed the Pistons’ interior rotation. What may not have been expected on Monday was Marvin Bagley III falling completely out of the rotation, as he was a DNP-CD after starting and playing 14 minutes on Friday. Meanwhile, James Wiseman (eight points and four rebounds) played nine minutes. Simply put, there’s no need to roster any Pistons bigs beyond Duren and Isaiah Stewart (seven points, eight rebounds, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 29 minutes).

Castle did several good things for the Spurs in Game 5. Efficient shooting overall and strong three-point production allowed him to finish as the team’s leading scorer, while his three steals and contributions as a facilitator are also noteworthy. He’s had an up-and-down series with several highs and lows, and San Antonio will need more of the highs on Thursday when it looks to avoid elimination. Castle is averaging 18.6 points and 7.6 assists through the first five games of the series.

While the Spurs lost on Tuesday, Champagnie found his shooting rhythm and was somewhat of a bright spot. The fourth-year forward broke out of a major shooting slump from beyond the arc, where he’d shot 6-of-31 entering Game 5. The hot shooting allowed him to put forth his best offensive game of the series — the Spurs will need more of the same on Thursday from Champagnie to help keep the season alive.

Wemby logged one of his least impactful performances of the postseason on Tuesday. In the loss, he missed all five of his three-point attempts, shot his worst field goal percentage of the playoffs, and finished with under 10 rebounds for the third straight game. Over half of his points came from the charity stripe, further emphasizing his struggles to get things going from the field. The Defensive Player of the Year also had a modest five stocks during his 38 minutes. The Spurs will more than likely need more production from Wemby on Thursday to keep their season alive and force a seventh game.

Caruso was one of several OKC players to bounce back from a rough Game 4. He displayed his usual defensive strength by leading the Thunder in steals, but his contributions on the offensive end as both a scorer and a facilitator were also critical, as has been the case for much of the series. The veteran two-time champion has scored at least 15 points and made three triples in all but one game during the Western Conference Finals matchup. He’s rising to the occasion on both ends of the floor and has helped position his team for a closeout game on Thursday.

McCain’s insertion into the opening unit didn’t necessarily lead to a fast start individually — he logged only two points of 1-of-5 shooting over the first two quarters. However, he would proceed to score nine points in each of the third and fourth quarters to finish as one of three Thunder players to reach the 20-point mark. There’s no telling when Jalen Williams (hamstring) or Ajay Mitchell (calf) will return from injuries. Regardless, McCain’s production in this series should keep him firmly in the nightly rotation with a large role.

The MVP rebounded from a subpar Game 4 to log his sixth 30-point game of the postseason. Half of his points came efficiently from the charity stripe, while solid three-point shooting helped him overcome a poor night inside the arc. SGA also struggled with six turnovers but was able to make up for his errors by nearly tallying double-digit assists. He’s had better games statistically, but his Game 5 performance was strong enough to help OKC take a 3-2 series lead.

Williams’ third straight absence puts the Thunder in a tougher spot, as they’ll also be without Ajay Mitchell (calf). Williams hasn’t played since Game 2 of the series, logging just seven first-quarter minutes before being ruled out the rest of the way. His presence will be missed, placing extra importance on players such as Jared McCain, Cason Wallace, and Isaiah Joe to fill the void in production for a Thunder team looking to protect homecourt and take a 3-2 series lead.

McCain will start for the first time during this Western Conference Finals matchup, as the Thunder look to bounce back from a blowout loss in Game 4. He will replace Cason Wallace in the opening unit, who had served as a replacement starter for the still-injured Jalen Williams (hamstring). McCain’s scoring production has fluctuated throughout the series, but he offers high-scoring potential.

Projected as one of the favorites to come out of the East before the season began, the Cavaliers earned their first conference finals appearance since 2018. However, they weren’t particularly competitive after blowing a 22-point lead in the series opener, with the Knicks beating Cleveland by 37 points in Monday’s Game 4. The sweep and the amount of money locked up among the team’s stars led some to speculate about the futures of Atkinson and the team’s lead executive, Koby Altman. However, reports on Tuesday are that both are expected to remain in their respective posts for the 2026-27 season. What Atkinson’s roster for next season will look like is up in the air. Donovan Mitchell is extension eligible this summer, while James Harden has a player option worth just over $42.3 million. Both guards spoke highly of Atkinson during their respective media availability following Game 4.

Mosley, who was fired by the Magic shortly after their ouster from the NBA Playoffs, was not unemployed for long, as the Pelicans decided to bring him on board. One of his tasks in New Orleans will be to help Williamson tap into his full potential. “He hasn’t even scratched the surface of things he can do,” Mosley told reporters, according to ESPN. “I really do believe that. And I think being able to open the floor up more for him, attacking, being able to play him in different positions, because he’s an excellent basketball player with a high IQ for playmaking, for making guys around him better, knowing when to make plays and the right passes to make.” While he was given some playmaking responsibilities by previous coaches, Zion’s inability to stay healthy limited his overall output. The injury history means Williamson’s fantasy draft outlook won’t be much affected by Mosley’s words. However, the new head coach’s willingness to give Zion more responsibility should bode well for the forward’s immediate future in New Orleans.