Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished as the team's top scorer in Monday's 128-126 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, posting 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting off the bench. Minnesota's second unit played a big role in the contest, as Donte DiVincenzo also came alive with a 22-point effort. Alexander-Walker's offensive contributions didn't end with his scoring, as he matched Anthony Edwards for the team high with six assists. The 26-year-old completed his line with four rebounds and two steals, shooting 5-for-8 from deep. While playing against his cousin Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the series, Alexander-Walker has significantly increased his offensive output, averaging 17.3 points over his past three outings. Edwards and Julius Randle combined for only 21 points on Monday, making Alexander-Walker's improvement on the offensive end timely for the team.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels made an impact all over the court in Monday's Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, notching 22 points, four rebounds, two assists, four steals, and one block in a 128-126 loss. He was Minnesota's leading scorer among the starting unit, shooting 9-for-15 from the field and 3-for-6 from behind the arc. McDaniels is highly regarded for his defense, but he has also stepped up offensively in these playoffs, averaging 15.4 points per game. In the matchup against the Thunder, McDaniels has already had two 20-point outings. Given Julius Randle's struggles, the Thunder may have to rely even more on McDaniels for offense in Wednesday's elimination game.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams bounced back from a tough Game 3 outing with a big 34-point effort in Monday's 128-126 Game 4 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 40 points, the Thunder had their first duo in 11 years to each score 30-plus points in the same playoff contest. Williams did his work with 13-for-24 shooting, including a 6-for-9 performance from downtown. He led his team with three steals and recorded three rebounds with five assists. While Gilgeous-Alexander grabs the headlines, Williams continues to have a highly productive postseason in the background. In the series against the Timberwolves, he has averaged 23.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards had a quiet evening in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, scoring only 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting in a 128-126 loss. A couple more shots and makes from the Timberwolves superstar, and we could be talking about a tied series. However, similarly to the series opener, Edwards struggled to get shots off. Most of his misses came from three-point land with a 1-for-7 effort, and Edwards finished 5-for-7 with his free throws. His night included four rebounds and six assists, but the three-time All-Star also committed five turnovers. Following a quiet Game 1, Edwards was much more active and went off for back-to-back 30-point games. The Timberwolves will be hoping the same happens again, with the team facing elimination in Wednesday's Game 5.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned to MVP form in Monday's Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, putting up a game-high 40 points on 13-for-30 shooting in a 128-126 win. After finishing a blowout loss in Game 3 with a season-low 14 points, Gilgeous-Alexander had the same amount of points racked up already in the first quarter. As usual, he was busy again at the free-throw line, going 12-for-14, and he finished with 2-for-7 shooting from outside. One more rebound would have given Gilgeous-Alexander a 40-point triple-double, as he collected nine boards with 10 assists and one steal. Gilgeous-Alexander had a disappointing night on Saturday, but he's enjoyed a productive series overall, averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.8 steals.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 4 against the New York Knicks. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has said Nesmith will "likely" be a game-time decision for the contest. The 25-year-old is trying to overcome a right ankle sprain suffered in Sunday's Game 3 loss. Having Nesmith available would be crucial for the Pacers, as he is among the team's top defensive players and has shown incredible shooting efficiency in the postseason. Nesmith has fired in 53.5 percent of his triples in the playoffs, with his biggest performance coming in Game 1 against the Knicks, where he finished 8-for-9 from downtown. If Nesmith is unable to play Tuesday night, Ben Sheppard and Bennedict Mathurin will likely be called upon to take on more responsibilities.

Thunder's G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded a double-double, scoring 40 points with 10 assists in a 128-126 win over Minnesota on Monday, May. 26.

According to ESPN's Kevin Pelton, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets are teams to watch as possible landing spots for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. It's widely known the Nets will have plenty of money to spend this offseason. However, Chicago's situation is more complicated, so a sign-and-trade scenario could be in play, with the Bulls sending center Nikola Vucevic to Golden State. Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent, averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 boards, and 2.2 assists in 47 appearances last season. Unfortunately, he fell out of the rotation throughout most of the postseason, so it seems the front office may be ready to move on. At any rate, the 22-year-old should see a substantial uptick in production in Brooklyn and Chicago. On the other hand, Kuminga's ceiling won't be as high if he stays with the Warriors, especially with Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry on the roster.

According to ESPN's Kevin Pelton, the Philadelphia 76ers may have a tougher time retaining restricted free-agent guard/forward Quentin Grimes. Philly has the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and the team is already operating at the luxury tax line. As a result, the front office may look to avoid entering the second apron, which would give Grimes the ability to search for a new team this offseason. The 25-year-old had the best stretch of his career in 28 games last season in Philadelphia, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. However, he did all of that mostly while Tyrese Maxey (finger), Joel Embiid (knee), and Paul George (adductor, knee) were sidelined. Pelton added a few teams to watch that include Brooklyn and Charlotte, although the Nets are projected to have more spending power than other franchises around the National Basketball Association. With that in mind, Grimes is someone to monitor moving ahead. If he stays in Philadelphia, he'll have trouble being as productive, considering Maxey, George, and Embiid are expected to be back in the equation. But if Grimes heads to Brooklyn or Charlotte, he'll have a chance to earn consistent playing time, including carving out a spot in the starting lineup.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson might start in Sunday's postseason meeting with Indiana. Karl-Anthony Towns hasn't looked the best, especially on the defensive end. As a result, head coach Tom Thibodeau may need Robinson in the middle, with KAT potentially sliding over to the four spot, similar to the role he played in his final few seasons in Minnesota. Robinson has averaged only 4.0 points in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. However, he has logged 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest. If the 27-year-old finds himself in the starting lineup, he'll likely see a surge in attention from DFS managers. Unfortunately, Josh Hart may have a tough time being as productive as usual, considering he is anticipated to move to the bench.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had a 14-point, 11-assist double-double in Friday's playoff win over the Knicks. The 25-year-old was the hero in Game 1. However, he wasn't as productive in this one. Haliburton also had trouble finding the bottom of the net, going 3-for-10 from downtown. He at least made up for it by securing eight rebounds, his second-highest mark of the postseason. With Indiana stealing Games 1 and 2 on the road, both teams will head to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 3 on Sunday. Haliburton averaged 25.5 points, 11.0 assists, and 3.5 boards in two games versus the Knicks in Indiana during the regular season.

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam had a game-high 39 points in the Game 2 win over the Knicks. He added five boards, three assists, and one steal. The veteran struggled shooting in Game 1. However, things were different this time around, with Siakam going 15-for-23 from the field and 3-for-5 from downtown. The Knicks had trouble keeping up with the Pacers' speedy offensive approach, and Siakam took full advantage. With the Knicks dropping both games at home to begin the series, the Pacers will look for another win on Sunday in Indiana. In two games against New York at home during the regular season, Siakam averaged 19.0 points and 6.5 boards. Although he struggled from the field in those contests, he shot an efficient 41.7% from behind the arc.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner scored 16 points in Friday's playoff victory over New York. The 2015 No. 11 overall pick shined in the previous series versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he hasn't been nearly as potent against the Knicks, averaging 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 25.0% shooting from downtown, all down from the Conference semifinals. With Mitchell Robinson in the mix and dominating the glass, head coach Rick Carlisle may need more size underneath the rim in Game 3, meaning Turner might sit more on Sunday.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson had a team-high 36 points in Friday's postseason loss to the Pacers. He added 11 assists, three boards, and one steal. The former Maverick led his team in scoring once again. Unfortunately, his efforts weren't enough, with the Knicks dropping Games 1 and 2 on their home court. New York will look to turn things around in Game 3 on Sunday. In two games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during the regular season, Brunson averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from behind the arc. However, he has been more aggressive on the offensive end during this series, so there's a good chance he'll be more productive.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points in Friday's loss to Indiana. KAT had 35 points in Game 1. However, he cooled off in this one, sinking only 42.9% of his attempts from the field. Towns also had issues on the glass, pulling down seven boards, his fewest since Game 2 of the Conference quarterfinals versus the Detroit Pistons. The Knicks dropped both games at home to begin the series, so the team will look to pick up a win on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Towns thrived in two appearances in Indiana during the regular season, averaging 35.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 38.5% shooting from downtown.

New York Knicks forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns finished Wednesday's 138-135 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers with 35 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 11-for-17 from the field. He was also busy at the free-throw line, going 9-for-11, and hit 4-for-8 from three-point land. Towns capped off his line with two assists, one steal, and one block. New York's star big man reached the 30-point plateau for the second time this postseason and recorded his eighth double-double in nine games. However, he will be disappointed not to have left the court on the winning side. Towns may have to do even more in the upcoming games for the Knicks to keep up with Indiana in the series.

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby filled the box score in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, recording 16 points, three rebounds, two assists, three steals, and three blocks in a 138-135 overtime loss. The 2019 NBA champion was impactful at both ends of the floor, although Anunoby's shooting struggles continued with a 6-for-15 effort from the field, which included a 2-for-8 showing from downtown. His shooting efficiency has dropped to 39.7 percent during the postseason, leading to inconsistent performances on the offensive end. Still, the Knicks can always rely on Anunoby for high-level defense, which has kept him on the floor for an average of 40.2 minutes per game in the playoffs.

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson notched 43 points on 15-for-25 shooting in Wednesday's clash against the Indiana Pacers but still ended up on the losing side, as his team blew a big fourth-quarter lead to drop Game 1 of the Conference Finals 138-135 in overtime. Brunson's lone three-point basket of the night gave New York a 119-105 lead with 2:51 to go in the fourth quarter, but Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith exploded from downtown with several makes, leading to an embarrassing collapse for the Knicks on their home court. En route to his second 40-point effort this postseason, Brunson also did a lot of damage at the charity stripe, going 12-for-14. He had one rebound and five assists but committed seven turnovers. The Knicks now find themselves in an uncomfortable spot in the series, yet they always have a chance to win a game with Brunson, who averages 29.9 points and 7.5 assists for the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam had a tough time hitting shots in Wednesday's 138-135 overtime win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks. He went 7-for-16 from the field, missing both of his attempts from deep. However, the Cameroonian star still produced a decent fantasy line, notching 17 points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals in a team-high 43 minutes. Siakam's shooting woes robbed him of an opportunity to record a third consecutive 20-point effort. Still, it was a good showing from him, and considering Siakam has shot 53.5 percent for the entire postseason, there is a strong chance he will do better in Friday's Game 2.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith had a major role in Wednesday's 138-135 comeback victory over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, putting up 30 points with a remarkable 8-for-9 three-point shooting. He had saved most of his three-point bombs for the final five minutes of regulation, racking up a whopping 20 points to help the Pacers push the game to overtime from a 14-point deficit. Nesmith made only one two-point shot, going 9-for-13 from the field. He also had a pair of rebounds and blocks with one steal in the contest. While Nesmith is mainly known for his defensive abilities, he has hit three-pointers at an outstanding rate throughout the postseason (53.8 percent), and the Knicks need to pay closer attention to him when he has the ball behind the arc.