Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson has his fingerprints all over Wednesday's Game 5 victory over the Golden State Warriors, racking up 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, five steals, and three blocks. Thompson, who finished with 8-for-12 shooting, played a key role in limiting the Warriors to 49 first-half points. The visitors improved in the second half, but Houston still picked up a comfortable 131-116 win. This was without a doubt Thompson's best performance of the series, and it's sure to be a confidence booster for him ahead of another elimination game on Friday night. The 22-year-old has averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.6 steals in his first career postseason campaign.

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry produced only 13 points as the team failed to finish off the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, losing Game 5 131-116 on the road. Curry and Jimmy Butler III both had zero points after the first quarter, as the Warriors struggled to cope with Houston's high-intensity defense. The two superstars ended up combining for 21 points in the game, with Curry shooting 4-for-12 from the field and 3-for-9 from behind the arc. He had seven assists with three turnovers and grabbed three rebounds in 23 minutes. Golden State's starters were embarrassed on Wednesday night, and we should see a reaction from them in Game 6 on home court Friday night.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards had a miserable offensive outing in Wednesday's Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers, but the team still managed to end the series with a 103-96 road win. Edwards went 0-for-11 with the three-ball and 5-for-19 overall from the field. However, despite his struggles on the offensive end, the Timberwolves superstar almost had a triple-double. He was among the top rebounders in the game with 11 boards and dished out eight assists. Defensively, Edwards contributed three steals, and he didn't register a single turnover in 43 minutes on the floor. Edwards and the Timberwolves have now taken down Kevin Durant and LeBron James in the first round in back-to-back years. He will be fired up against anyone in his path and will enter the second round averaging 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.2 steals this postseason.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert feasted against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, finishing a 103-96 Game 5 victory with a team-high 27 points and a game-high 24 rebounds. The Lakers lacked size, and Gobert capitalized on this, adding two blocks to his tally with 12-for-15 shooting from the field. In the first four games of the series, Gobert had managed only 14 total points with 25 rebounds, making it a true case of a sleeping giant awakening. If the Timberwolves can receive similar contributions from Gobert moving forward, the 2024-25 campaign might hold something very special for the squad.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic injured his back in Wednesday's Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves but still finished a 103-96 loss as the game's leading scorer. He put up 28 points with 7-for-18 shooting from the field and a 12-for-15 effort at the line. In his final appearance of the 2024-25 campaign, Doncic also had seven rebounds, nine assists, and one steal. After competing in the 2024 NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic's season turned out to be a disappointment. He finished the first-round series with averages of 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. In 28 regular-season outings with the Lakers, Doncic notched 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. Despite dealing with health issues, Doncic continues to put up big numbers and is expected to do so again in the 2025-26 season. However, fantasy managers will certainly want to get more than 50 games out of him.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) is not listed on the injury report for Thursday's Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets. He appeared to have suffered a knee injury late in Game 5, but it seems that it was not a serious issue. Jones Jr. had a solid regular season with the Clippers, but his production has declined in the playoffs. The former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion has averaged 6.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 19.0 minutes. Over the past two games, Jones Jr. has logged only 29 total minutes, suggesting that Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has begun to lose trust in him.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is not ready to commit to Year 23 in the National Basketball Association after seeing his 2024-25 campaign end with a 4-1 first-round loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "I don't know," James said when asked how much longer he planned to play. "I don't have an answer to that. Something I'll sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens. And just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play." James turned 40 in December but remained productive throughout the campaign, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists during the regular season. Although his value has declined in recent years, James is still among the top fantasy producers in the game.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber (foot) will be available to make his team debut on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kleber underwent right foot surgery before his move to L.A. and has been sidelined for 43 games. The Lakers will have an additional frontcourt option with Kleber. Given that starting center Jaxson Hayes has averaged just 7.8 minutes per game in the series, Lakers head coach JJ Redick may consider trying something different against Minnesota. However, it's unlikely that Kleber will become a significant part of the rotation.

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (illness) will be inactive on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. He was a late addition to the injury report due to illness. This is unlikely to affect the Warriors much, as Kuminga has not been part of the regular rotation. He has made two playoff appearances because of Jimmy Butler III's pelvic injury, averaging 9.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 21.5 minutes. Quinten Post has primarily provided backup for the frontcourt.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (pelvis) is good to go for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Houston Rockets. According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters during his pregame press conference that Butler is "doing fine" and is "ready to play." The Warriors have listed the veteran forward as probable on the injury report. Kerr's remarks indicate that he will be upgraded to available before tip-off. Despite dealing with a pelvic contusion, Butler III delivered a high-level performance in Game 4 and is expected to do the same on Wednesday night, as the Warriors aim to close out the series.

Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (knee) is considered questionable for Thursday's Game 6 against the New York Knicks. He has been out since Game 2 of the series due to inflammation in his right knee and may sit out another contest. Jalen Duren has had a large workload during Stewart's absence, averaging 35.0 minutes a night over the last four games. He has finished with single-digit points in back-to-back games, but Duren still averages a double-double for the series with 10.0 points and 11.6 rebounds. With Stewart out, Paul Reed had notched 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as Duren's backup.

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray grabbed the headlines with a 43-point performance in Tuesday's 131-115 Game 5 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Although Murray made only five field goals and had 13 points in Game 4, he bounced back in style on Tuesday night, shooting 17-for-26 from the field, including 8-for-14 from downtown. It was a special scoring performance from the Canadian star, but Murray also took time to contribute in other areas. He completed his line with five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block. Nikola Jokic, who produced a 13-10-12 triple-double on Tuesday, continues to lead the Nuggets, but Murray reminded everyone what he can do when he gets hot. The 28-year-old has averaged 24.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.6 steals in the series.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 35 points as the team moved into the second round of the playoffs with a 190-89 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. He also stood out as the best passer in the game, logging 10 assists, while grabbing eight rebounds and recording one steal. The Celtics superstar shot 10-for-16 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, and finished 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. Tatum injured his right wrist in the series opener and sat out Game 2, but he returned to action as if nothing had happened. Over the final three games of the series, Tatum averaged 36.0 points. He finished the matchup with averages of 31.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo put together a special line in Tuesday's Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers, but his team was eliminated from the playoffs with a 119-118 overtime defeat. Antetokounmpo posted his fourth career postseason triple-double with 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists, while collecting two steals and two blocks on the defensive end. He finished with 9-for-17 shooting and had an 11-for-17 record at the line. Throughout the entire postseason, Antetokounmpo averaged 33.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, but the Bucks were still dumped out in the first round for the third consecutive year. The team has won only one playoff series since its 2021 championship run, which must be very frustrating for Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP began to draw links with the San Antonio Spurs this week, and his partnership with Victor Wembanyama would certainly be something extremely unique.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber (foot) has picked up a questionable tag ahead of Wednesday's Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The German veteran seems to be finally close to making a comeback from foot surgery. He would be a new addition to the Lakers rotation, as Kleber last played in late January when he was still with the Dallas Mavericks. Lakers head coach JJ Redick may be in need of some additional options after playing the second half of Game 4 with the same five players. However, Kleber has never been a highly productive player, and it's unlikely that he will have a significant impact.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (pelvis) is listed as probable for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Houston Rockets. The veteran star missed Game 3 of the series due to a pelvic contusion but returned for Monday's Game 4, and it appears the Warriors will have Butler III available on Wednesday night. Butler III moved a bit gingerly at times on Monday, but the pelvic injury did not affect his performance, as the six-time All-Star led the Warriors with 27 points, adding five rebounds, six assists, and one block in 40 minutes.

Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate (ankle) will remain unavailable on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. He has yet to play in the postseason due to a right ankle impingement. Houston faces elimination on Wednesday, making it possible that Tate will not see any playoff action this year. He is currently the only absentee for the Rockets after Jock Landale returned to the lineup for Monday's Game 4. Despite his addition, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka still ran an eight-man rotation, which includes Steven Adams, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason off the bench.

Bucks' F Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double, finishing with 30 points, 13 assists and 20 rebounds in a 118-119 loss to Indiana on Tuesday, Apr. 29.

Nuggets' G Jamal Murray scored 43 points on 17-of-26 shooting in a 131-115 win over the Clippers on Tuesday, Apr. 29.

Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 131-115 win over the Clippers on Tuesday, Apr. 29.