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White was a strong addition for Charlotte at the trade deadline, but his availability since then has been limited. However, he’s starting to get back on track and was able to have his highest-scoring game as a Hornet in the win. He’ll be a valuable reserve for them as they look to make a return to the postseason, though his minutes may be too limited for him to produce like this consistently. Still, he’s more than capable.

Already without Anthony Edwards (knee) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), the Timberwolves could be down two more guards for Thursday’s game. Dosunmu, who dropped a career-high 43 points in Game 4, is dealing with a sore right calf. He joins Bones Hyland (knee) as a Timberwolves guard who is questionable going into a game that Minnesota must win to avoid a Game 7. Terrence Shannon Jr. would see his playing time increase if Dosunmu or Hyland can’t play.

Having suffered a tendon bruise in his knee before the series, Durant has been out since Game 2 due to a bone bruise in his left ankle. His continued absence means another start for Reed Sheppard, while the Rockets will also require more production from Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson. Sheppard played 35 minutes in Wednesday’s Game 5 victory, finishing with 12 points, six assists, three steals and two three-pointers.

With Wednesday’s game being the first for Reaves since April 2, he was used in a reserve role. There were no restrictions for the Lakers’ guard, who logged 34 minutes. Reaves did not shoot the ball well from the field, but a 12-of-13 night at the foul line boosted the point total. Reaves may return to the starting lineup for Game 6 on Friday, especially when considering how poorly Luke Kennard played. Missing all four of his field-goal attempts, Kennard finished Game 5 with one point, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and one blocked shot. Whether he continues to start or gets bumped to the bench by Reaves, the Lakers need more from Kennard.

Ejected from Game 4 just over halfway through the third quarter, Ayton was around for the entirety of Game 5. And he lived up to the “DominAyton” nickname on the glass, grabbing ten offensive rebounds and 17 overall. Add in a good night of shooting the basketball, and the 7-footer finished with his third double-double of the series. Ayton and the Lakers will look to end the series on Friday in Houston, as they look to avoid having to play a Game 7 after winning the first three games.

As a team, the Lakers shot 7-of-27 from beyond the arc, with the Rockets outscoring them by 21 points on three-pointers. James was among those who struggled, as he missed all six of his attempts. A positive for the 41-year-old was that he cleaned up the turnovers, committing two after being responsible for eight each in Games 3 and 4. Getting Austin Reaves back does help with the offensive workload, even if his return did not result in a victory on Wednesday. James and the Lakers will look to end the series in Houston on Friday.

Thompson exited Game 5 with 6:23 remaining in the second quarter, sitting for just over one minute before returning to action. And that would be the last time that the Rockets’ wing rested outside of halftime, and he played 46 of a possible 48 minutes. Not known for his perimeter shooting ability, Thompson hit two corner three-pointers in Game 5, somewhat making up for a 2-of-9 effort from inside the arc. Whether or not the shots are falling, Thompson is a critical member of the Rockets’ rotation, which means that he’s going to log heavy minutes on a nightly basis.

Şengün and the Rockets have staved off elimination twice, most recently limiting the Lakers to 93 points in Game 5. He was not as productive scoring-wise on Wednesday, but the Rockets’ center finished with solid numbers in the rebound, assist and steal categories. That said, Şengün must be better on the glass in Game 6, even if he isn’t the Rockets player corralling every available rebound. Lakers center Deandre Ayton grabbed ten offensive rebounds in Game 5, with that production being one reason why the Lakers had a chance to win the game late.

After dropping 20 points as part of a complete stat line in Houston’s Game 4 victory, Eason came through with another solid performance in Game 5. The Rockets forward shot 4-of-5 from inside the arc, with foul trouble being the reason why he played just 31 minutes. Houston will need Eason to remain on the floor longer for Game 6, especially now that Austin Reaves is back in the Lakers’ rotation. The Rockets host the Lakers on Friday, needing a win to force a Game 7.

No team has ever won a best-of-7 series after losing the first three games, but the Rockets are halfway to making history. After shooting 4-of-15 from the field in Game 4, Smith was better in Game 5. The 6-foot-10 forward led the Rockets in scoring on Wednesday, shooting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and his stat line lacked only a steal. The series returns to Houston for Game 6 on Friday, and the Rockets should feel confident about their chances of forcing a Game 7.

After scoring 17 points in the series opener, Shead totaled eight points on 3-of-14 shooting in the three games that followed. Like Ja’Kobe Walter, who put up 20 points in Game 5, Shead needed a positive showing on Wednesday. The 18 points are a playoff career-high for the second-year guard, who also tallied a new high in assists. Shead’s 34 minutes received a boost due to Brandon Ingram (heel) exiting during the second quarter, and he’ll likely log heavy minutes in Game 6 if BI can’t go.