NBA Player News

For the second time in four games, Murray reached double figures in assists. He didn’t do as much scoring on Saturday, which is a credit to San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, but the Nuggets’ offensive balance carried the day in their overtime victory. All five starters scored at least 15 points on the day. Murray and the Nuggets play four games in Week 24, starting with the Trail Blazers on Monday.

Similar to several other Celtics players, Prtichard struggled with his shot in Game 6. He was particularly cold from beyond the arc, which is where half of his field-goal attempts came from. Poor three-point shooting aside, he actually performed offensively, with his five assists being the most for Boston on the night. He’ll likely come off the bench on Saturday and look to provide a spark in Game 7.

Brown never really got going offensively in Game 6. His inconsistent shooting was followed by inefficient free-throw shooting in his trips to the stripe. Additionally, his five turnovers to just two assists help paint a picture of the challenges Philadelphia’s defense presented on Thursday. He’ll have a chance to bounce back on Saturday when the Celtics host the 76ers in a win-or-go-home Game 7.

Tatum put up a double-double in the loss, but didn’t log an overly impressive stat line. He took just 13 shots in his 29 minutes of game action, and although he shot fairly well, the limited volume led to his lowest-scoring total of the series. He’s remained strong on the glass throughout the series, but his team would likely benefit from additional contributions in other areas on Saturday when the Celtics host the Sixers in Game 7.

In his third game back on the floor, Embiid put forth another solid performance. He didn’t shoot the ball efficiently but still nearly found his way to the 20-point mark. The former league MVP made up for his inefficient scoring with good work on the glass and tremendous work as a facilitator. His balanced performance nearly led to a triple-double, which helped the Sixers force a Game 7.

Maxey’s scoring was a significant factor in the 76ers’ Game 6 win. He shot well overall, especially outside the arc, and also finished as one of Philadelphia’s leaders in assists on the evening. He had offensive help from several of his teammates, as well, which could be a key for the 76ers in a win-or-go-home situation on Saturday. They’ll likely rely heavily on Maxey, once again.

George reached the 20-point mark for the first time in the opening-round series on Thursday, which played a big role in Philadelphia forcing a Game 7. His biggest contributions came from beyond the arc, where he accounted for nearly half of the 76ers’ three-point total. The veteran forward also had some fine moments on defense during his 40 minutes. He’ll have a chance to log another strong outing on Saturday in the series-deciding game.

Anunoby’s 14-point first quarter helped set the tone for what would be a great performance by him, and a dominant win for the Knicks. A blowout victory limited him to just 27 minutes, but in his time on the floor, he filled it up from beyond the arc and captured his third 20-point game of the series. The veteran wing also collected five stocks in what was a fantastic defensive performance from New York. The Knicks will await the winner of the Celtics-76ers series.

Towns did a bit of everything for the Knicks in their one-sided win over the Hawks. In just 18 minutes, the veteran center posted team-highs in assists and rebounds, while his great production at the charity stripe led him to the triple-double. Like many other Knicks players, Towns’ defensive stats were also impressive; he notched four stocks on that end of the floor to help round out what was a fine overall performance. He finished the series with two triple-doubles.

Bridges was one of several Knicks players to perform well offensively on Thursday. He missed only two shots in his 27 minutes on the floor, and went perfect from beyond the arc before finishing as one of two New York players with at least 20 points. The scoring outburst was a welcome one, as Bridges had not reached double figures in points since Game 2. The Knicks will hope he can remain hot when they open up the second round against either the Celtics or the 76ers.

Johnson was Atlanta’s best scorer on Thursday. In 32 minutes, he was the only player on the Hawks to reach the 20-point mark, which he did by using a combination of two-point scoring, three-point efficiency, and free-throw production. He also led the team in rebounds and assists before the final horn sounded. Johnson took a major leap in production this season and averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists over 72 regular-season games, while becoming an NBA All-Star for the first time. Another leap in Year 6 would bring even more fantasy value.