Dereck Lively II Returns To Practice

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (knee) was on the court for the open portion of practice and fully participated in the session on Tuesday. Right knee soreness kept Lively out of action for Dallas' final eight outings of the regular season, but the dynamic rookie big man looks primed to return for the start... Read More

No Practice For Terry Rozier

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (neck) did not practice on Tuesday. Neck spasms continue to bother Rozier, who didn't play in any of Miami's final four games of the regular season due to the issue. If his absence extends into Wednesday's play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Tyler Herro would function as the Heat's primary... Read More

Cam Reddish Downgraded To Questionable

The Los Angeles Lakers announced on Tuesday that forward Cam Reddish (ankle) has been downgraded to questionable for Tuesday's play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Dealing with a sprained right ankle, Reddish hasn't been a consistent member of LA's rotation in recent weeks anyway but could be sidelined altogether on Tuesday against New Orleans.... Read More

Blake Griffin Announces Retirement

Six-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin announced his retirement from the NBA on Instagram on Tuesday. Griffin was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009 out of Oklahoma and made second-team All-NBA three times, third-team All-NBA twice, and won the 2011 Rookie of the Year award. He played his final season with... Read More

Bucks Expect Giannis Antetokounmpo To Miss Game 1

The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) for the start of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but they are hopeful treatment on his strained left calf will allow him to return sometime later in the series. It coincides with Monday's report from The Athletic's Shams Charania... Read More

NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (4/16/24)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Tonight we've got the Western Conference play-in games. These articles focus on the overall best plays, which are typically more suited for cash games. However, some exceptions may apply, depending on the size of the slate. The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day... Read More

Bobby Portis Happy With Life Under Doc Rivers

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis has given head coach Doc Rivers a vote of confidence, saying he has unlocked a whole new player in him. Rivers' fit with the Bucks has been questioned heavily after he replaced Adrian Griffin in late January and finished the regular season with a losing record at the helm. He... Read More

Simone Fontecchio Expects To Sign Extension With Pistons

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (toe) has hinted that he's going to sign a long-term extension with the team in the offseason. The 28-year-old Italian is set to become a restricted free agent in the summer after completing his first two seasons in the NBA. Following an underwhelming rookie year with the Jazz, Fontecchio found... Read More

Deandre Ayton Feels First Year In Portland Was "Amazing"

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton had a rough start with his new club but feels his first year was "amazing" overall. The 2023-24 season was almost like two different seasons for Ayton, as he greatly improved his performances after the All-Star break. The former first overall pick became a 22-12 guy following the break... Read More

Deni Avdija Wants To Develop At Both Ends

Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija has his sights set on improving at both ends of the court next season. He wants to be a better off-ball defender and become a better ball-handler. Avdija made a big leap in his fourth NBA campaign, averaging career-high numbers across the boards. He developed into one of Washington's top... Read More

Kyle Kuzma Aims To Improve Conditioning During Offseason

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma plans to come back next season with a "different type of conditioning." The 28-year-old has just completed his third campaign in D.C., averaging a career-high 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, which is another career-best number for him. However, Kuzma went from averaging 35 minutes a night to clocking... Read More

Derrick Rose Plans To Return To Memphis Next Season

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Derrick Rose (groin, back) is planning to be back on the court with the team next season. The former MVP signed a two-year deal with the Grizzlies last summer and appears to have no plans of retiring despite another injury-riddled season. Rose, who will turn 36 in early October, played his... Read More

Ja Morant On Schedule In Recovery

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (shoulder) is on schedule with his recovery and is expected to be cleared for basketball activities halfway through the offseason. The Grizzlies star had his 2023-24 campaign limited to only nine games after he underwent surgery on his right shoulder in January. Despite missing the first 25 games of... Read More

Free NBA Betting Picks and Best Bets (4/16/24)

Happy (almost) NBA playoffs! The top six seeds have been determined in each conference but we still have to figure out who the seventh and eighth seeds will be. Tonight we start with the Western Conference, while the Eastern Conference games will be on Wednesday night. In the early game, LeBron James and the Lakers... Read More

Brandon Ingram Likely To See More Minutes On Tuesday

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Lakers. The 26-year-old injured his knee during a matchup with the Orlando Magic in March and was sidelined for 12 games. However, he returned for the regular-season finale versus the Lakers, amassing 13 points and five... Read More

Mark Williams "Feeling Better"

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (back), while taking questions from the media on Monday, stated he does not need surgery. He also said "he's definitely feeling better" and plans to play every game next season. While Williams' proclamation regarding his availability throughout the 2024-25 campaign could be a stretch, fantasy managers are still glad to... Read More

Immanuel Quickley Hoping To Remain In Toronto

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley, while speaking at his exit interview on Monday, expressed his desire to remain with the organization. The 24-year-old, who was traded to Toronto in the deal that sent OG Anunoby to the Knicks, averaged a career-high 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 38 games with the Raptors. But... Read More

De'Anthony Melton Misses Practice On Monday

Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (back) didn't practice on Monday. The 25-year-old has been bothered by a back injury for most of the season. He's appeared in only seven games since the start of 2024, and he combined for only 21 minutes in the previous two contests before sitting out for Sunday's regular-season finale versus... Read More

Joel Embiid Practices On Monday

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) practiced on Monday. The reigning MVP logged 32 minutes in Friday's win over the Orlando Magic, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one block. However, he briefly exited the contest after tweaking his knee, although he returned to finish the game. Embiid wasn't available for Sunday's... Read More

Cade Cunningham Hoping To Improve In Several Areas

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is coming off his best season since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. He appeared in 62 games, averaging 22.7 points and 7.5 assists. But the 22-year-old still has things he'd like to improve throughout the offseason, specifically his conditioning. His ballhandling is also something... Read More

Gary Payton II Out Again On Tuesday

Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (calf) won't suit up for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old missed the final three contests of the regular season because of a strained calf. With that in mind, Payton only averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds throughout the 2023-24 campaign, so his absence won't... Read More

LeBron James Probable For Play-In Game On Tuesday

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is probable for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the New Orleans Pelicans. James has battled a left ankle injury for months. However, he should be ready to roll for the pivotal contest. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale, with James finishing with a 28-point, 17-assist, 11-rebound... Read More

Anthony Davis Questionable Versus The Pels

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (back) is questionable for Tuesday's Play-In matchup with New Orleans. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale. AD logged 33 minutes in that one, finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals. Unfortunately, his day ended after experiencing back spasms. As a result, Davis is now... Read More

Ja’Kobe Walter Declares For NBA Draft

Baylor freshman guard Ja'Kobe Walter, a potential top-10 pick, is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft. "I think I'm the best shooter in the draft," Walter believes, and he modeled his all-around scoring ability after the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and Kawhi Leonard. The 19-year-old combo guard was named the Big 12 Rookie... Read More

Lonnie Walker IV Noncommittal On Future With Nets

Impending free-agent guard Lonnie Walker IV appears to be noncommittal on his future with the Brooklyn Nets. "I'm just looking for a home… Just looking for a team that finds me valuable. [I want to be] an important piece for a team that can consistently play… We'll see how things go", Walker told reporters following... Read More

Hawks Hope To Keep Vit Krejci This Offseason

The Atlanta Hawks are weighing the fact that guard Vit Krejci will be a restricted free agent in the offseason, which gives them the right to match any offer sheet. The hope is that they will be able to keep Krejci on a four-year deal that begins next season. After being waived by the Minnesota... Read More

Giannis Antetokounmpo “Up In The Air” For Game 1

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily, but there's some real doubt for his status to begin the first-round series versus the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Although Antetokounmpo has rare recovery ability, he's very much up in the air for Game 1. Antetokounmpo sustained a strained left calf in last Tuesday's win over... Read More

Grayson Allen Lands Four-Year Extension With Suns

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen has agreed on a four-year, $70 million contract extension that includes a player option. The deal keeps Allen out of unrestricted free agency this summer and rewards him for a career-best season after joining the Suns as part of last offseason's blockbuster Damian Lillard trade. The 28-year-old three-and-D wing started... Read More

Nikola Jokic Wraps Up Regular Season With 68th Double-Double

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic eased his way to his 68th double-double of the year in Sunday's 126-111 win over Memphis, completing the regular-season finale with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Jokic, who shot 7-for-11 from the field, also had five assists and stretched his streak with multiple steals to five games with four swipes.... Read More

Bradley Beal Leads Phoenix Into Playoffs With 36-Point Effort

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal had an outstanding game in Sunday's regular-season finale against Minnesota, leading all scorers with 36 points in a 125-106 win. The Suns were in a must-win situation to qualify directly into the 2024 NBA Playoffs and did the business in impressive fashion with Beal leading the way. He was a... Read More