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  • Anthony Edwards scores 18 but struggles on Tuesday
    Anthony Edwards shot 5-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the foul line in Tuesday’s 112-97 loss to Denver, accounting for 18 points, four rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 44 minutes.

    Advice: Minnesota played Game 5 without Mike Conley, who was sidelined by a sore right Achilles. That placed even more responsibility on Edwards’ shoulders, which may not have been a good thing. Ant-Man did dish out a team-high nine assists, but he was also responsible for four turnovers while shooting 33.3% from the field. Aggression is never an issue for Edwards, but shouldering the offensive workload is considerably easier when he has his reliable sidekick on the court. Game 6 is on Thursday night in Minneapolis. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:54 pm
     
  • Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) scores team-high 23 PTS
    Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee soreness) amassed 23 points (10-of-19 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets.

    Advice: Already playing without Mike Conley (Achilles), the Timberwolves experienced an injury scare with Towns during the first half of Tuesday’s game. He appeared to bang his knee on the leg of Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who lost his balance while closing out on the Timberwolves big. Towns did have to exit the game, but only briefly, as he returned after spending a few minutes on the exercise bike. The 23 points are the most KAT has scored in a game since Game 2 (27 points). However, his minus-17 rating was the worst among the Timberwolves who saw action on Tuesday. Towns will need to be better in Game 6 on Thursday if Minnesota is to force a Game 7. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:46 pm
     
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker scores 14 points Tuesday
    Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished Tuesday’s 112-97 loss to Denver with 14 points (5-of-12 FGs), two rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and four 3-pointers in 39 minutes.

    Advice: Due to Mike Conley (Achilles) sitting out Game 5, Alexander-Walker was moved into the starting lineup. While he did finish with a minus-13, the overall stat line was solid. NAW made four of his eight 3-point attempts, and his five assists were countered by one turnover. Alexander-Walker’s place in the rotation for Thursday’s Game 6 depends on Conley’s availability; clearly, he will return to the bench if the Timberwolves’ starting point guard can play. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:26 pm
     
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hits four triples Tuesday
    Kentavious Caldwell-Pope logged 38 minutes in Tuesday’s win over Minnesota, amassing 16 points (6-of-8 FGs), five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and four 3-pointers.

    Advice: With Michael Porter Jr. (6/7/1/0/2 with two 3-pointers) shooting 2-of-10 from the field, the Nuggets needed additional production from Caldwell-Pope. The veteran guard stepped up, with the 16 points and four 3-pointers being series-highs for him. KCP entered the series at less than full strength, impacting his production early on. But he looked sharp in Game 5, and the Nuggets are now one win away from a return to the Western Conference Finals. Game 6 is on Thursday night in Minneapolis. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:18 pm
     
  • Aaron Gordon records 18/10/5/1 line in Game 5 win
    Aaron Gordon finished Tuesday’s 112-97 win over the Timberwolves with 18 points (7-of-14 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), 10 rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 34 minutes.

    Advice: Gordon recorded his first double-double of the series on Tuesday, supplementing the Herculean efforts of Nikola Jokic to help the Nuggets take a 3-2 series lead. While he missed his lone 3-point attempt, AG has been a credible shooter from beyond the arc and the foul line. Counting Tuesday’s numbers, Gordon is shooting 8-of-13 from three and 9-of-12 from the charity stripe. During the regular season, he shot 29% from three and 65.8% from the foul line, so the production in this series has been a departure from the norm. However, a five-game sample size is nothing to scoff at. Gordon and the Nuggets will look to close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:12 pm
     
  • Scores 22 points in Game 5
    Siakam notched 22 points (7-for-15 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 6-7 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and one steal over 33 minutes in Tuesday's 121-91 loss to the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Siakam was the only Pacer to score 20-plus points in Game 5, and he was the second-leading scorer for the game behind Jalen Brunson. Siakam managed to reach 20-plus points for the second time in three games, and he got some of those from the charity stripe after not attempting a single free throw in Game 4. Siakam is averaging 19.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:25 pm
     
  • Alec Burks hits five 3-pointers, scores 18 points
    Alec Burks finished Tuesday’s 121-91 win over the Pacers with 18 points (6-of-11 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, and five 3-pointers in 23 minutes.

    Advice: Injuries have thrust Burks into the Knicks’ rotation, and the veteran wing has taken advantage of his opportunity. He’s scored at least 14 points in each of the series’ last three games, giving New York much-needed production. While Burks scoring 20 points in Sunday’s Game 4 defeat did not matter much, that wasn’t the case in Game 5. The Knicks effectively run a seven-man rotation, so Burks won’t lack playing time or opportunities to shine. He’s shown that there’s still something left in the tank. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:14 pm
     
  • Briefly exits Tuesday
    Towns left Tuesday's game versus the Nuggets with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter due to an apparent left knee injury but checked back in with 1:23 left in the first quarter.

    Advice: Towns appeared to aggravate the left knee that he had surgically repaired in March after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope inadvertently tripped him, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette reports. However, Towns missed less than a minute of game action and should be available to finish Tuesday's contest. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:11 pm
     
  • Josh Hart posts 18/11/3/1/1 line in Game 5 blowout
    Josh Hart accumulated 18 points (7-of-16 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 39 minutes in Tuesday’s 121-91 win over the Pacers.

    Advice: Following Sunday’s Game 4 defeat, Hart admitted he did not bring the usual energy to the court. That wasn’t an issue in Game 5, as the extra time spent on the bench during that blowout loss may have refreshed the Knicks’ legs. Hart finished the 30-point win with a full stat line and a double-double, his fourth of the series. And his defensive assignment changed, as the decision to move Miles McBride into the starting lineup pushed Hart onto Pascal Siakam. Expect more of the same in Game 6 on Friday, with the Knicks looking to end the series. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:10 pm