NBA Player News

Thompson totaled 26 points (8-14 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 10-13 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and three steals over 48 minutes during Friday's 112-108 overtime loss to the Lakers in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Thompson did everything he could Friday, recording a 26-and-11 double-double while also adding six combined steals-plus-blocks. However, his efforts were in vain, as Houston lost another heartbreaker. Now behind 3-0 in the series, the Rockets have nothing to lose heading into Game 4 on Sunday.

Eason posted five points (2-9 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 1-1 FT), four rebounds, two assists and four steals over 46 minutes during Friday's 112-108 overtime loss to the Lakers in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Eason moved back into the starting lineup, playing a whopping 46 minutes. Despite recording four steals, Eason's lack of impact on the offensive end cannot be overlooked. It continues what has been an ongoing struggle for Eason, who has now shot just 6-for-23 in the past two games. Now trailing 3-0 in the series, Houston will need to turn things around in a hurry, starting in Game 4 on Sunday.

Ayton ended with two points (1-3 FG), six rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 33 minutes during Friday's 112-108 overtime win over the Rockets in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Ayton failed to have a meaningful impact for a second straight game, recording just two points despite playing heavy minutes. Although the Lakers now lead the series 3-0, Ayton's questionable defensive efforts cannot be unseen. While advancing to the next round feels like a very real possibility for Los Angeles, a potential matchup with the Thunder is cause for concern given Oklahoma City's sizable interior.

Hachimura logged 22 points (8-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one steal across 44 minutes during Friday's 112-108 overtime victory over the Rockets in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Hachimura had his best game of the playoffs thus far, scoring 22 points and knocking down four triples. It's all hands on deck for the Lakers right now, with multiple role players stepping up on a nightly basis. Now with a 3-0 series lead, Los Angeles will look to wrap things up when the two teams meet again Sunday.

Smart racked up 21 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-11 FT), four rebounds, 10 assists, two blocks and five steals across 39 minutes during Friday's 112-108 overtime victory over the Rockets in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Smart continues to play his best basketball of the season, turning in what might be his best performance in several years. With the Lakers still down on troops, Smart appears to have taken it upon himself to lead from the front, averaging 20.3 points, 8.3 assists, 2.7 three-pointers and 5.4 combined steals-plus-blocks across three games. Los Angeles now leads the series 3-0 heading into Game 4 in Houston on Sunday.

Grimes recorded two points (0-1 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one block in 15 minutes during Friday's 108-100 loss to the Celtics in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Grimes has chosen the worst time to go cold from the floor, having now scored a total of just 15 points during this series. During that three-game span, he has averaged just 5.0 points and 1.0 three-pointers in 20.1 minutes per contest. If Philadelphia hopes to force the series into a sixth or even seventh game, the team will likely need more from Grimes.

George recorded 18 points (7-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt), five assists and two steals in 41 minutes during Friday's 108-100 loss to the Celtics in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

George continues to be asked to do a lot, logging a season-high 41 minutes. He basically played the entire second half, with the 76ers ultimately falling just short in what was a heartbreaking loss. Now behind 2-1 in the series, Game 4 will be pivotal if Philadelphia hopes to extend this beyond five games.

Edgecombe supplied 10 points (5-17 FG, 0-7 3Pt), 10 rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal across 41 minutes during Friday's 108-100 loss to the Celtics in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Edgecombe recorded his second straight double-double and his third in the past four games. However, it came on inefficient shooting, as he needed 17 shot attempts to reach just 10 points. Philadelphia now finds itself trailing 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday. Edgecombe will look to turn things around on the offensive end in the hopes of leveling things up at 2-2.

Pritchard ended with 15 points (5-12 FG, 5-10 3Pt), four rebounds and two assists over 33 minutes during Friday's 108-100 victory over Philadelphia in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Pritchard delivered an improved effort, landing a number of crucial three-pointers down the stretch. While this was an encouraging performance, Pritchard has been far from his best during the series, averaging just 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 three-pointers across three games.

Tatum notched 25 points (9-17 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 42 minutes during Friday's 108-100 win over the 76ers in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Tatum came through in the clutch, nailing a three-pointer in the dying seconds to secure an important win in Game 3. He has now scored at least 25 points in two of the past three games, continuing to ramp up his production after missing the majority of the season with an Achilles injury. Now leading the series 2-1, Boston will look to hammer home the advantage when the two teams meet again in Game 4 on Sunday.