May 9, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers forward
De'Andre Hunter (thumb) will suit up for Friday's showdown against the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Hunter injured his right thumb in the series opener and did not play in Game 2. He was initially listed as questionable for Friday's matchup. The 27-year-old, who scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds in Game 1, hurt the thumb on his shooting hand, which may still affect him on Friday night.
Evan Mobley (ankle) and
Darius Garland (toe) are also back for the Cavaliers on Friday, meaning fewer minutes for
Isaac Okoro,
Dean Wade, and
Sam Merrill.
--Taavi PailkSource: Shams Charania
May 9, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center
Evan Mobley (ankle) will play in Friday's Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers. He missed the second game of the series due to an ankle sprain but has made a quick recovery, with the team upgrading Mobley's status from questionable to available before tip-off. With him back in the lineup,
Dean Wade will have to settle for a spot in the second unit. Mobley started the series well, posting 20 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two steals in Game 1.
--Taavi PailkSource: Serena Winters
May 9, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard
Darius Garland (toe) will return to action on Friday against the Indiana Pacers. After missing four games due to a toe sprain, Garland has been upgraded from questionable to available and will start the contest. The first unit will also have
Evan Mobley (ankle) back on Friday, giving Cleveland a much-needed boost after opening the series with two consecutive home defeats. Garland's return will move
Ty Jerome back to the bench. He has been effective coming off the bench all year and should still be a factor in Friday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: Serena Winters
May 9, 2025
Boston Celtics forward
Sam Hauser (ankle) is not expected to rejoin the lineup for Game 3 against the New York Knicks on Saturday, as he has been listed as doubtful on the injury report. The 27-year-old sniper was limited to four minutes due to an ankle injury in the series opener and appears set for a second consecutive absence.
Payton Pritchard will keep spearheading Boston's bench, yet the team might have to depend heavily on its starters after going down 2-0 in the series due to back-to-back home losses.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
May 8, 2025
Golden State Warriors point guard
Stephen Curry (hamstring) is unsure when he can make it back on the court. "This is new, and from all that I'm learning about how quickly you can get back, there has to be a healing process," Curry said on Thursday before Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "You can't accelerate it more than what it's telling you. So it'll be one of those, after a week, really reevaluating every day to understand when it's safe just to even think about playing, let alone how much can you push it." On Wednesday, the Warriors officially ruled him out for one week, meaning Curry won't be able to help his team until at least Game 5 of the second-round series. Game 6 could be a more realistic return target for him, as there will be a three-day break after next Wednesday's Game 5, giving Curry a total of 12 days to recover from his first career hamstring injury.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers forward
De'Andre Hunter (thumb) is listed as questionable on the injury report for Friday's matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The series had an unfortunate start for Hunter, as he injured his right thumb in Game 1 and may now be out for a second consecutive contest. Cleveland also lost
Evan Mobley (ankle) for Game 2, giving
Javonte Green an opportunity to rejoin the rotation. However, his role was very limited, and Green finished scoreless in 10 minutes.
Isaac Okoro, whose playing time increased to 29 minutes in the second unit, did not provide much offensively either, going for five points. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson may need to rely mainly on his starters to get back into the series if none of the injured players return for Friday's action.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
May 8, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center
Evan Mobley (ankle) has been listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Friday's Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers. Cleveland hopes Mobley can return from an ankle sprain suffered in the series opener. With him out,
Dean Wade received an opportunity to start in Tuesday's Game 2. The 28-year-old was among the game's leading rebounders with 10 boards but contributed only three points on 1-for-4 shooting. Wade also recorded three assists and one steal in 30 minutes. He will likely maintain an expanded role if Mobley cannot return on Friday.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
May 8, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard
Darius Garland (toe) is considered questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. He is still nursing a toe injury, which has kept Garland sidelined for five games. Cleveland has used
Sam Merrill and
Ty Jerome in his spot in the starting lineup. Jerome got his big opportunity in Game 2 but failed miserably, finishing with two points on 1-for-14 shooting. This may prompt Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson to return to Merrill if Garland is not cleared to play on Friday. Merrill notched 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals on Tuesday, marking his best postseason performance by far.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
May 8, 2025
Denver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic had a rare off night in Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, tallying 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block before fouling out in the third quarter of an embarrassing 149-106 loss. The Nuggets struggled right from the off, which was probably one of the reasons for Jokic's lackluster effort, and the team was trailing by over 40 points when he picked up his sixth foul late in the third frame. Jokic finished with 6-for-16 shooting from the field. The three-time MVP will surely come out with a different spirit in Game 3 on Friday as the Nuggets try to reclaim the series lead on their home court.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center
Chet Holmgren recorded his third double-double of the postseason on Wednesday night, notching 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 149-106 win against the Denver Nuggets. Additionally, Holmgren filled his stat sheet with two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 26 minutes, shooting 3-for-8 from the field, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, and nailing all seven of his free throws. Holmgren has been an imposing presence on the defensive end, averaging 2.8 blocks per game this postseason, but his offensive contributions often seem ineffective. Still, he made a well-rounded impact in Wednesday's game, helping the team bounce back from a heartbreaking Game 1 defeat.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder guard
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander registered a game-high 34 points on an incredible 11-for-13 shooting performance in Wednesday's dominant 149-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets. He was 1-for-2 from outside and 11-for-11 at the free-throw line, adding four rebounds and eight assists to his account. Gilgeous-Alexander finished a massive plus-51 over just 30 minutes of playing time. The series is now tied at one ahead of a pair of games in Denver, and Gilgeous-Alexander has, of course, been the main man for the Thunder. He has averaged 33.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in the matchup, shooting 59 percent from the field.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Boston Celtics guard
Derrick White nearly collected his second double-double in Wednesday's 91-90 loss to the New York Knicks, scoring 20 points on 6-for-17 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. He also had five assists and a team-high two blocks in 40 minutes of action. White has been productive to start the series, but everyone on the Celtics roster appears to be struggling with their shooting at the moment, including him. He has nailed just 34.3 percent of his attempts from the field against the Knicks, while going 29.6 percent from outside. Despite his poor efficiency, White was tied for the most points on the team Wednesday night and is sure to play a big role again on Saturday, when the series continues in the Big Apple.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Boston Celtics guard/forward
Jaylen Brown finished Wednesday's 91-90 loss in Game 2 against the New York Knicks with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and two steals. The four-time All-Star had a hot start in the contest but completely cooled off in the second half. Brown only added three points to his tally in the second 24 minutes, shooting 1-for-7 from the field. Four of his six turnovers also came after halftime. The Celtics have seen both Brown and
Jayson Tatum struggle to hit shots in the series, and the superstars definitely must improve for the team to avoid a second-round exit. On Wednesday, Brown shot only 8-for-23 from the field and 2-for-7 from downtown. The Knicks have restricted him to 35 percent shooting overall, and he has made only three of 17 attempts from three-point range.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
New York Knicks guard/forward
Josh Hart emerged as a surprising top scorer in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, putting up 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting in a 91-90 victory. While most superstars struggled for efficiency, Hart was extremely effective, contributing in other areas as well. He recorded a team-high two blocks and grabbed six rebounds, while also delivering three assists. Hart, who went 3-for-6 from behind the arc, failed to extend his double-double streak to three games, but he will still be happy with his effort. The Knicks are now 2-0 in the series as they head home and must be confident about securing a spot in the Conference Finals, with Hart making an impact all over the court. He has averaged 13.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in these playoffs.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
New York Knicks guard/forward
Mikal Bridges put up 14 points and had seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in Wednesday's dramatic 91-90 Game 2 victory against the Boston Celtics. After making a big impact late in the series opener, Bridges once again played a pivotal part in another comeback win, scoring all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, which the Knicks won by 13. Bridges, who shot 6-for-18 from the field and 2-for-8 from downtown, completed his 43-minute shift with a steal in the final seconds to deny Boston a chance to win the game. The 28-year-old has battled inconsistency in the postseason, but Bridges has been a big part of New York's success. He has averaged 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.9 steals in 40.0 minutes.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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