5 days agoCleveland Cavaliers guard/forward
Caris LeVert (knee) will not play against Boston on Wednesday. The team has downgraded him from questionable to out ahead of tip-off. LeVert was
Donovan Mitchell's (calf) replacement in the starting lineup in Game 5.
Dean Wade, who averaged 6.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 32 stars during the regular season, will be the next man up.
Sam Merrill should also play a much larger role in the rotation.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Schudel
5 days agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell (calf) has been officially ruled out for Wednesday's clash with the Celtics. The Cleveland star misses a second consecutive game, and the team finds itself in a very tough situation on Wednesday, with
Caris LeVert (knee) also joining
Jarrett Allen on the sidelines.
Dean Wade will move to the starting lineup, which will boost his fantasy value. However, the 27-year-old hasn't been a very productive per-minute performer in his career.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Schudel
5 days agoAccording to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell (calf) is expected to miss Game 5 versus the Boston Celtics. The star guard sat out Game 4 because of a calf strain, and the latest news is not encouraging for Cavaliers fans. The team travels to Boston and faces elimination against a talented Celtics lineup. Without Mitchell, everyone in the rotation will be forced to take on much larger roles again.
Darius Garland was the primary playmaker in Game 4, scoring 30 points and dishing out seven assists. Final confirmation of Mitchell's status will come later today before tip-off.
--Dave Goldsholl - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
5 days agoChicago Bulls point guard
Lonzo Ball (knee) gave an update on his injury status on his new podcast, "What an Experience." "It's coming along, man. Week by week," Ball said. "It's improving, so that's all I can ask for. Still not where I want it to be. Out of 100 (percent), I'd say I'm about 70 (percent). Good enough to play, but it could still get better. I still got a long summer ahead of me. But definitely looking forward to the future." The talented playmaker hasn't played in an NBA game since January 2022 due to a left knee injury. Ball, who will turn 27 in October, recently picked up a $21.4 million option on his contract for the 2024-25 season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Chicago
5 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center
Karl-Anthony Towns posted a team-high 23 points in Tuesday's 112-97 loss to the Nuggets despite hurting his left knee early in the game. In an unfortunate incident, Towns banged knees with
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and had to briefly exit the game near the end of the first quarter. He moved gingerly after returning, but the Timberwolves trainers apparently worked wonders during the halftime break, as Towns looked completely fine in the second half. Towns, who had meniscus surgery on the same knee during the regular season, added six rebounds, four assists, and two steals to his line, shooting 10-for-19 from the field, including 2-for-5 from deep. It looks like the Timberwolves star escaped serious injury, but he could still pop up on the injury report ahead of Thursday's Game 6.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoDenver Nuggets power forward
Aaron Gordon picked up two early fouls against Minnesota on Tuesday night but still put together a strong performance in a big win. He recorded his third double-double of the 2024 playoffs with 18 points and 10 rebounds on 7-for-14 shooting while delivering five assists and collecting one steal. Gordon's high-energy efforts included multiple dunks. The 28-year-old has quietly been Denver's second-best player in the series, posting 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals with 66 percent shooting from the field.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic dominated Game 5 against Minnesota on Tuesday, finishing a 112-97 win with 40 points on 15-for-22 shooting. He went 2-for-3 from downtown and added seven rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and one block to his tally, becoming only the second player after
Chris Paul to record a playoff game with 40-plus points, 10-plus assists, and zero turnovers. This also marks Jokic's highest-scoring game of the 2024 playoffs. Jokic, who received his third MVP trophy ahead of Tuesday's contest, has looked back to his best in the last couple of games, and it spells doom for the Timberwolves, who are now 3-2 down in the series after leading 2-0.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoIndiana Pacers forward/center
Pascal Siakam scored a team-high 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting in Tuesday's heavy 121-81 defeat against the Knicks. After tying the series at two, Indiana struggled to cope with the occasion at Madison Square Garden, but Siakam produced a solid performance. He also led the team in rebounding with eight boards, notching two assists and one steal with 2-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc. The 2019 NBA champion has now posted 20-plus points twice in three games. Another productive performance will be expected from Siakam on Thursday as the Pacers face elimination on home court.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoNew York Knicks center
Isaiah Hartenstein had a historic outing in Tuesday's 121-91 win over the Pacers. He tied Charles Oakley's franchise record and became only the ninth player in NBA playoffs history to record 12-plus offensive rebounds in a game. Hartenstein added five boards on the defensive end, finishing with a big 17-rebound outing in just 31 minutes. He scored seven points on 2-for-3 shooting and recorded five assists with one block. The seven-footer has taken major steps as a playmaker in the series against Indiana, notching five-plus assists in three of the last four games. Hartenstein has done a good job this postseason as
Mitchell Robinson's (ankle) replacement in the starting unit, averaging 9.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 29.5 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 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
6 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
6 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
6 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
6 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
6 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
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