NBA Player News
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Jonathan Kuminga PF | ATL
Hawks' Jonathan Kuminga: Provides 21 points off bench
Kuminga supplied 21 points (9-14 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, one block and one steal in 28 minutes during Thursday's 109-108 victory over New York in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Kuminga found success on the offensive end for a second straight appearance. He's scored 40 combined points over this brief stretch, resulting in a pair of victories. This Atlanta squad is clearly dangerous when Kuminga is firing on all cylinders off the bench while CJ McCollum and Jalen Johnson lead the charge with the first unit.
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CJ McCollum PG | ATL
Hawks' CJ McCollum: Plays hero in Game 3
McCollum notched 23 points (8-19 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 5-7 FT), five rebounds, one assist, two blocks and two steals in 35 minutes during Thursday's 109-108 win over the Knicks in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
McCollum posted a decent scoring line, but his most important contribution of the night came in the final moments of the fourth quarter, as he drilled a 15-foot jump shot with 12.7 seconds left to put his team up by one. The veteran guard is a big reason the Hawks are up 2-1 in the series. He's averaging 27.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks through his first three appearances of the 2025-26 postseason.
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Jalen Johnson SF | ATL
Hawks' Jalen Johnson: Secures strong double-double
Johnson closed Thursday's 109-108 victory over the Knicks in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 24 points (8-19 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 6-10 FT), 10 rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals across 38 minutes.
Johnson turned in an impressive all-around performance and flirted with a triple-double on the way to a win. He hasn't been nearly as efficient from the field during the first round as he was in the regular season (48.9 percent in 72 games), but he's still managed to do enough to lead Atlanta to a 2-1 series lead. Johnson will continue to be relied on heavily in the scoring column and on the glass as the playoffs push on.
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Mikal Bridges SG | NY
Knicks' Mikal Bridges: Held scoreless in loss
Bridges finished with zero points (0-3 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound and two assists across 21 minutes during Thursday's 109-108 loss to the Hawks in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Bridges' sluggish play continued into Game 3, and it resulted in his first scoreless appearance since March 8 of the regular season. It was clear the team wasn't happy with his performance, as he logged only 21 minutes while Mile McBride was on the floor for 31 minutes. OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson all had decent nights on the offensive end, but the lack of production from Bridges was a factor in the loss.
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Jalen Brunson PG | NY
Knicks' Jalen Brunson: Struggles from deep in loss
Brunson closed Thursday's 109-108 loss to Atlanta in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with 26 points (11-23 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 4-5 FT), three rebounds, four assists and two steals across 40 minutes.
Brunson had an opportunity to help the Knicks win the game in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, but he turned the ball over in the clutch. The 29-year-old had a below-average night in terms of shooting efficiency, though he still managed to finish second on his squad in scoring behind OG Anunoby's 29-point night. Brunson has put up 25-plus points in each of the first three games of the series and will need to continue to be a big part of the offensive plan if New York intends to respond from two straight losses.
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Karl-Anthony Towns C | NY
Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns: Secures double-double in loss
Towns provided 21 points (7-12 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 17 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals over 34 minutes during Thursday's 109-108 loss to Atlanta in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Towns didn't post an eye-popping night offensively, but he crashed the glass for his first double-double of the series. He also made an impact across the board by tallying a pair of blocks and steals. The Knicks received 20-plus points from Towns, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, but it wasn't quite enough to bring home the victory.
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OG Anunoby SF | NY
Knicks' OG Anunoby: Provides strong scoring boost
Anunoby produced 29 points (9-16 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 7-7 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and one steal across 37 minutes during Thursday's 109-108 loss to Atlanta in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Anunoby stepped up in a big way after being held in check through the first two games of the first round. He scored 12 of his 29 points from beyond the arc while hitting at a clip of 50.0 percent from deep. He also impressed at the charity stripe, where he didn't miss a shot. The 28-year-old continued his strong play on the glass and is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game through his first three appearances of the 2025-26 playoffs.
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Spencer Jones SF | DEN
Nuggets' Spencer Jones: Entering starting lineup
Jones is starting Game 3 against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
Jones will step into the starting lineup for Aaron Gordon, who was ruled out for Game 3 due to a calf injury. Jones hasn't been all that involved in the rotation so far during the first round, but he should receive a drastic uptick in opportunities Thursday evening.
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Jordan McLaughlin PG | SA
Spurs' Jordan McLaughlin: Listed out for Game 3
McLaughlin (ankle) is out for Game 3 against the Trail Blazers on Friday, Paul Garcia of ProjectSpurs.com reports.
McLaughlin is slated to miss the first three games of the first round due to a left ankle sprain. His next opportunity to return will arrive Sunday in Game 4.
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Anthony Edwards SG | MIN
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards: Getting green light for Game 3
Edwards (knee) is available for Game 3 against the Nuggets on Thursday.
As anticipated, Edwards has been cleared to take the court Thursday evening despite dealing with a nagging knee injury. He's fresh off a 30-point showing in a Game 2 victory, and he'll be on the hunt for another big showing Thursday as he aims to help Minnesota take the series lead.