NBA Player News

Ellis (coach's decision) went unused Sunday in the Cavaliers' 114-102 win over the Raptors in Game 7 of the first-round playoff series.

Since being moved to the Cavaliers prior to the trade deadline, Ellis had been a staple in the Cleveland rotation thanks largely to his defensive versatility. Following his trade from Sacramento to Cleveland, Ellis finished the regular season with averages of 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 three-pointers, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in 25.0 minutes over 28 appearances. However, the fourth-year player ended up seeing his role diminish in the first round of the playoffs, averaging just 10.8 minutes over the first four games of the series before dropping out of the rotation entirely for the last three contests. For one of the few times all season, the Cavaliers have their entire roster healthy, so Ellis looks like he'll remain an odd man out of the rotation during the Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup with the Pistons while head coach Kenny Atkinson leans on a four-man bench.

Mitchell produced 22 points (9-20 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and one assist across 35 minutes during Sunday's 114-102 win over the Raptors in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Despite scoring at least 20 points for the third time in the past four games, Mitchell continues to play below his best. Across seven games in the first round, he averaged just 3.0 assists and 0.7 steals, which is well below his regular-season averages of 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals. Cleveland will now move on to face Detroit in what figures to be a tightly contested series.

Schroder closed with two points (1-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound and one assist across 14 minutes during Sunday's 114-102 victory over the Raptors in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Schroder played no more than 16 minutes for the sixth time in the past seven games, continuing to serve as little more than a space filler when either James Harden or Donovan Mitchell are off the court. Outside of a 19-point performance in Game 5, Schroder offered very little in terms of tangible production in the opening round. Across his seven first-round appearances, he averaged 7.7 points and 1.4 assists.

Strus totaled 12 points (4-10 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals in 31 minutes during Sunday's 114-102 victory over the Raptors in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Despite shifting to the bench, Strus logged at least 30 minutes for the first time in the playoffs, falling two rebounds short of a double-double while also adding three combined steals-plus-blocks. It was a welcome return to form for Strus, who prior to Sunday had scored just 15 points over three games. Cleveland will now face Detroit in the second round of the playoffs, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday.

Shead logged 14 points (5-16 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-3 FT), three rebounds and seven assists across 36 minutes during Sunday's 114-102 loss to Cleveland in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Shead scored at least 14 points for the second time in the past three games, albeit in a losing effort. With Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) missing 16 of the final 19 games across the playoffs and regular season, Shead was handed a starting role, at least periodically. In 13 appearances over the final month, including the postseason, he averaged 7.9 points, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 three-pointers. Moving forward, it appears as though Shead will likely serve as a backup, providing deeper-league value for anyone needing assists.

Poeltl registered nine points (4-5 FG, 1-4 FT), seven rebounds and two steals over 22 minutes during Sunday's 114-102 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Poeltl ended his season with another underwhelming performance, summing up what was basically a lost season for the veteran. An ongoing back injury was a major issue for the big man, limiting him both in terms of games and minutes played. In 53 appearances across the regular season and postseason, Poeltl averaged just 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 0.7 blocks. He will likely come at a significant discount next season given the injury risk.

Walter chipped in 13 points (4-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), two rebounds, two assists, one block and three steals across 38 minutes during Sunday's 114-102 loss to Cleveland in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Walter started for the fifth straight game, ending the season with another strong performance. After serving as a bench piece for the majority of the regular season, injuries allowed Walter to step into a sizable role down the stretch. In his final three games, Walter averaged 19.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 4.3 three-pointers in 38.5 minutes per game. While it does appear as though his playing time will be dependent on who returns to Toronto, Walter could be a name to watch next season.

Jenkins closed Sunday's 116-94 victory over the Magic in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 16 points (5-8 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, five assists and one block over 29 minutes.

Jenkins had easily his best game of the postseason, scoring 16 points in 29 minutes and closing the game over Ausar Thompson. Although he has been a consistent part of the rotation, Jenkins has mostly served as a backup to Cade Cunningham. However, he played alongside Cunningham in Sunday's win, providing the team with an additional perimeter threat. Detroit will now face Cleveland in the second round in what figures to be another tight matchup.

Duren logged 15 points (5-9 FG, 5-6 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists and one steal over 37 minutes during Sunday's 116-94 victory over Orlando in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Duren saved his best for last, recording his first double-double of the series as the Pistons outlasted the Magic at home. Despite Sunday's effort, Duren's overall production throughout the playoffs has been mostly underwhelming, at least when compared to the regular season. Across seven first-round games against Orlando, he averaged 9.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

Allen amassed 22 points (7-11 FG, 8-14 FT), 19 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals across 33 minutes in Sunday's 114-102 Game 7 win over the Raptors in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Allen had easily his best performance of the first round, dropping a series-high 22 points. The big man tied the team high in scoring despite leaving points on the table at the charity stripe. Allen's 19 rebounds were also a series- and game-best mark. Additionally, he made his presence felt on the defensive end with a game-high five combined steals-plus-blocks. He'll aim to carry that momentum into the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Detroit.