2 days agoNew York Knicks point guard
Jalen Brunson continued to shine in the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, leading his squad to a 121-91 victory against Indiana with a 44-point effort on 18-for-35 shooting. He became the 11th player in history to record 40 points in at least five different games of a postseason. Only five players have had more such efforts in a single year, with
LeBron James and Jerry West sharing the league record with eight. Brunson's night included seven assists and four rebounds with two made triples. He has been limited to 29 percent shooting from deep by the Pacers, but the Knicks star still averages 32.0 points per game in the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoCleveland Cavaliers point guard
Craig Porter Jr. (ankle) has been listed as doubtful on the injury report ahead of Game 5 against the Celtics on Wednesday. The 24-year-old injured his left ankle in the team's regular-season finale and hasn't yet played in the playoffs. However, it looks like Porter Jr. could be available again for Cleveland on Wednesday. The Cavaliers will need all the warm bodies they can get if
Donovan Mitchell (calf),
Caris LeVert (knee), and
Jarrett Allen (rib) can't shake off questionable tags.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoNew York Knicks guard
Miles McBride will join the starting lineup for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Pacers. After grabbing a 2-0 lead in the series, the Knicks have dropped back-to-back games, and head coach Tom Thibodeau has decided to switch things up. McBride will take
Precious Achiuwa's spot in the first unit. The 23-year-old has been in fine form this postseason, recording 9.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.2 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Ian Begley
3 days agoIndiana Pacers point guard
Tyrese Haliburton (back, ankle) has been upgraded from questionable to available for Game 5 against the Knicks on Tuesday. This is great news for the Pacers, who have started to turn the tide in the series with back-to-back wins. Haliburton has had a very productive three-game stretch, averaging 29.7 points while nailing 17 attempts from downtown. On Tuesday, the Pacers star will hope to record his first run with four consecutive 20-point efforts since January.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoCleveland Cavaliers center
Jarrett Allen (rib) remains on the injury report as questionable ahead of Game 5 against Boston on Wednesday. He's had the designation ahead of each game in the series due to a rib contusion but hasn't seen any action. Allen last played in Game 4 of the opening-round series against Orlando and has missed seven contests.
Dean Wade's recent return to the lineup has given Cleveland's frontcourt a boost, but the team relies heavily on
Evan Mobley with Allen out.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoCleveland Cavaliers guard/forward
Caris LeVert (knee) has been listed as questionable for Game 5 against Boston on Wednesday. After replacing
Donovan Mitchell (calf) in the starting lineup on Monday, LeVert has suffered a bone bruise on his left knee. Mitchell has a chance to return on Wednesday, but
Sam Merrill might be the next man in line to step up if both Mitchell and LeVert are out on Wednesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell (calf) is considered questionable for Wednesday's clash with Boston. He's in danger of missing a second consecutive contest. Mitchell has gotten hurt at the worst possible time for the Cavaliers, who face elimination in Wednesday's Game 5.
Caris LeVert (knee) had a 19-point outing in Game 4 as Mitchell's replacement in the starting lineup. However, LeVert himself is also questionable ahead of Wednesday's matchup, meaning Cleveland could be very shorthanded in Game 5.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoDallas Mavericks point guard
Luka Doncic (ankle, knee) has been listed as probable for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Thunder. He's previously carried a questionable tag ahead of each game in the series. Injuries and Oklahoma City's tough defense have made life difficult for Doncic in the second-round series. He has pushed his rebounding numbers to 10.8 per game in the matchup, but his scoring average has dropped to 22.0 points. Doncic has also been limited to 7.8 assists, with barely 30 percent shooting from downtown.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoOn Tuesday, Minnesota Timberwolves point guard
Mike Conley (Achilles) is listed as questionable for Game 5 versus the Denver Nuggets. Due to right Achilles soreness, Conley is a late addition to the team's injury report. The 36-year-old veteran point guard is averaging 11.9 points, 6.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 31.2 minutes during the playoffs. If he is absent,
Jordan McLaughlin,
Monte Morris, and
Nickeil Alexander-Walker could see an uptick in minutes during the contest.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Timberwolves PR
3 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
P.J. Washington continued his successful series against the Thunder on Monday with a 21-point, 12-rebound effort in a 100-96 loss. Like many of his teammates, Washington struggled for efficiency, shooting 7-for-19, but he was outstanding with a 5-for-11 effort from three-point range. Washington's night also included one block. The 25-year-old started off the series with a fairly quiet performance in Game 1, but he has since then hit top gear to average 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds with a fantastic 51.4 percent shooting from deep. Dallas will need more of the same from him as the series heads back to Oklahoma City tied through four games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoDallas Mavericks guard
Kyrie Irving contributed only nine points as the team was beaten 100-96 on home court by the Thunder on Monday. He finished with 4-for-11 shooting, missing both attempts from downtown. Irving's stat line also included one rebound and nine assists with one turnover and five fouls. It's been an up-and-down series for Irving, as he now boasts two nine-point duds but has gone for 20-plus points in the other two games. If the trend continues, we should see Irving bounce back in Game 5 on Wednesday. Overall, he's averaging 15.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in the matchup.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoDallas Mavericks point guard
Luka Doncic had a rough shooting night against the Thunder in Game 4 on Monday but found a way to record his second triple-double of the 2024 playoffs. He finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 6-for-20 from the field. Doncic once again shook off a questionable tag to take the court on Monday, but he was well off his best form, hitting 2-for-9 from downtown and committing seven turnovers. Defensively, Doncic contributed with two steals and one block. Following Monday night, Doncic is now shooting only 39 percent from the field in the second-round series. He's struggled for efficiency throughout the postseason, and it could end up being very costly for Dallas.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward
Jalen Williams was limited to 5-for-19 shooting with zero makes from downtown against Dallas on Monday, but he still played a large part in a 100-96 win. Despite the poor shooting, Williams posted 14 points with nine rebounds, six assists, and a game-high four steals. Williams' efficiency from the field in the series has now dropped below 40 percent, but he has been one of the standout names against the Mavericks, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoOklahoma City Thunder forward/center
Chet Holmgren had a good two-way outing against the Mavericks on Monday, scoring 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting and posting a second consecutive game with four blocks. He was also tied for most rebounds on the team with nine boards and recorded one steal. Holmgren is quietly filling the stat sheet each night, although he's hit the 20-point mark only once in these playoffs. The giant out of Gonzaga has put up 15.3 points per game in the series against the Mavericks with 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoOklahoma City Thunder guard/forward
Luguentz Dort made a mark with 17 points, eight rebounds, and one block in Monday's Game 4 victory against Dallas. Both teams struggled to score the basketball, and Dort finished with a 4-for-14 record from the field. Three of his makes came from 10 three-point attempts. He added six points with perfect free-throw shooting. Dort has been shooting the three-ball well in the postseason, hitting 42.9 percent of his efforts. However, his shooting numbers have started to drop in the series against the Mavericks, as Dort spends a lot of energy on the defensive end, trying to slow down
Luka Doncic as much as possible. The defensive specialist averages 10.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals for the playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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