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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 20 minutes ago

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 34 minutes ago

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 Today, 8:14 pm

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 Today, 8:10 pm

Pascal Siakam shot 7-of-15 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Knicks, accounting for 22 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 33 minutes.

Advice: The good news for the Pacers is that Siakam appears to have gotten over his case of the “yips” at the foul line, making six of his seven attempts in Game 5. Spicy P had a solid night overall, but it didn’t mean much, with the Knicks grabbing a staggering 20 offensive rebounds. Siakam has scored 19 points or more in three of the five games in this series, and that’s the level of production they need from him consistently. Snapping his recent slumps from three and the foul line certainly helps. Game 6 is on Friday, with the Pacers needing a win to keep their season alive. Rotoworld Today, 7:42 pm