NBA Player News

Jake Layman returned to the floor on Monday, so Crabbe might not even have a spot in the rotation once he returns to the team.

Mathurin led the Pacers in scoring as Indiana lost Game 5 by 17 points to the Knicks. The 22-year-old played 25 minutes off the bench, by far the most he’s played in these playoffs. Mathurin has scored 43 points in 37 minutes over the last two games. He figures to be involved once again as the Pacers will look to close out the series at home in Game 6 on Saturday.

Haliburton followed up his brilliant Game 4 performance that brought the Pacers one win away from an NBA Finals appearance with a dud in Game 5. The 25-year-old point guard perhaps suffered more than anyone from the slowed-down pace of Game 5 compared to the rest of the series. Haliburton managed just eight points on seven shots as he was largely taken out of the game by the Knicks defense. The Pacers will have two more chances to close out the series, starting with Game 6 in Indiana on Saturday.

Hart came off the bench again as he has for the past three games now. The 30-year-old shooting guard continues to play heavy minutes despite his ouster from the starting lineup. Hart had perhaps his biggest impact of the series in this game as he scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. It’s likely the Knicks will continue to roll with Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup in Game 6, though Hart should still play at least 30 minutes off the bench.

Towns came through for the Knicks again in Game 5 despite playing through a knee injury. The 29-year-old power forward had 24 points as he was able to be Jalen Brunson’s running mate yet again in this series. Towns and Brunson became the first teammates to each score at least 20 points in the first five games of a Conference Finals since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in 2002. Despite the injury, Towns played well and seems poised for another big game on the road in Indiana in Game 6 on Saturday.

Brunson became one of 10 guards in NBA playoff history to have at least 10 games with at least 30 points in a single playoffs. The 28-year-old point guard was +18 in 34 minutes as the Knicks were facing elimination at home in Game 5. Brunson will once again be the Knicks’ go-to guy as they look to force a Game 7 with a win in Indiana in Game 6 on Saturday.

No surprise here as Towns is available after he was initially listed as questionable. The 29-year-old power forward injured his knee towards the end of Game 4 and was noticeably limping despite staying in the game. Towns is in the starting lineup for Game 5, but if his mobility is significantly impacted, Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart will have to step up if the Knicks are to extend this series to a Game 6.

Nesmith was also questionable for Game 4, but played 32 minutes as the Pacers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. The 25-year-old small forward was the hero in the Pacers’ Game 1 victory and is poised to play through the ankle injury once again in Game 5. Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard could see extra minutes off the bench if Nesmith is limited in any way or re-aggravates the injury.

While it’s likely that Towns will be available for Game 5, the question is how will his mobility be impacted. The 29-year-old power forward was the hero in the Knicks’ comeback win in Game 3 and had another strong second half showing in Game 4 before bumping knees with the Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith in the fourth quarter. Towns stayed in the game, but was noticeably limping. If he’s less than 100 percent for Game 5, it makes it that much more difficult for the Knicks to force a Game 6.

DiVincenzo’s first season in Minnesota ended with a thud, despite the solid rebound tally. It was expected that his fantasy value would take a hit after being traded to the Timberwolves, as evidenced by the Yahoo! ADP of 106. DiVincenzo finished ranked outside the top-100 in eight- and nine-cat formats, providing slightly higher value in the former. His value for next season will depend on what happens with fellow reserves Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid. While NAW will be an unrestricted free agent, Reid has a player option. If one (or both) leaves, that would raise DiVincenzo’s fantasy ceiling, especially with starting guard Mike Conley not getting any younger.

While Reid shot the ball well in Game 5 and recorded three blocked shots, this was not a good series finale. He was responsible for five turnovers, and the “stocks” don’t tell the whole story, as Reid struggled defensively. The issues on that end of the floor make for an interesting offseason, as Reid can opt out of the final year of his current deal. His offensive ability may drive up the price tag, but his value with another team will depend on the rest of the roster. If Reid is paired with players who can cover for his defensive deficiencies, especially in pick-and-roll actions, he can be effective. And to truly be worth a roll of the dice in standard fantasy leagues, he’ll need to land a starting role. That’s unlikely to happen in Minnesota.