RADIO
Kristaps Porzingis Cleared for Friday's Game
Golden State Warriors forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) will play on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns. He came away from Wednesday's win over the Clippers with an ankle injury and was initially listed as questionable for Friday's tilt. But the team has upgraded Porzingis' status to available ahead of tip-off. Porzingis had a strong all-around performance on Wednesday, and Golden State's chances to reach the playoffs will be good if he can maintain his momentum. In 28 minutes, Porzingis notched 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and one steal against the Clippers.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Kevin Durant Iffy for Saturday's Game 1
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (knee) is considered questionable for Saturday's tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers. The veteran star is bothered by a right knee contusion ahead of his 14th postseason campaign. This doesn't seem like a very serious issue, but if Durant misses the game, guys like Tari Eason and Josh Okogie are likely to get a lot more burn. In this situation, there will also be a lot of extra offensive usage to be shared across the team, with Alperen Sengun set to be the head honcho.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Mark Williams Won't Play Friday Night
Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (foot) has been ruled out for Friday's decisive Play-In Tournament matchup against the Golden State Warriors. After missing two of the last three regular-season games, Williams logged 22 minutes in Tuesday's play-in loss to Portland, but his foot flared up during the contest. Phoenix initially listed Williams as questionable for Friday before ruling him out. Oso Ighodaro is expected to slide into the first unit to replace Williams. Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming will also move up on the depth chart. Ighodaro started 24 games during the regular season, averaging 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Spencer Jones is Questionable for Game 1 on Saturday
Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fellow teammate Peyton Watson (hamstring) has already been ruled out for Game 1, but Jones has a chance to play through his injury. The absence of Watson could potentially mean a bigger role for Jones, assuming he's able to play. It's worth noting that Jones hasn't played since late March. When healthy, Jones was averaging 22.1 minutes per game, but the Nuggets might not push him too hard considering he hasn't played in a few weeks. If they both sit out, Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon would likely play heavy minutes with Tim Hardaway Jr. possibly seeing more of a role as well.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Peyton Watson is Ruled Out for Game 1 on Saturday
Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Watson missed the final five games of the regular season due to a lingering hamstring issue. He has been limited to non-contact work in practice. With that being said, Watson hasn't made enough progress to get back on the court yet. Cameron Johnson should start with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown seeing expanded roles off the bench. Johnson could be an interesting DFS option without Watson available for at least the first game of this series.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Moussa Diabate is Available on Friday
Charlotte Hornets center Moussa Diabate (hip) is available to play ahead of Friday's Play-In game against the Orlando Magic. Diabate will shake the questionable tag and suit up for this elimination contest. The big man finished with eight points and 14 rebounds during the first Play-In victory over the Miami Heat. He played 36 minutes during that game and figures to have a similar role during Friday's game. DFS players should take a look at Diabte as a possible double-double threat against the Magic. Ryan Kalkbrenner and Grant Williams will see backup minutes behind him, but they won't be as appealing DFS options.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Ayo Dosunmu is Available for Saturday's Game
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu (calf) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Saturday's playoff contest against the Denver Nuggets. Dosunmu missed the regular season finale due to a calf issue, but he appears to be fine now. The Wolves are glad to have Dosunmu back for the beginning of this series. Over the last 10 games, Dosunmu is averaging 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. It's unclear if he'll start or come off the bench, but regardless, Dosunmu should play an important role for the Wolves during the postseason.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Anthony Edwards Questionable for Saturday's Action
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (knee) is questionable for Saturday's Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets. Due to a knee issue, Edwards played in only three of the last 14 regular-season games, and it looks like he still hasn't fully recovered. Minnesota would be in serious trouble against the Nuggets if Edwards can't play. Mike Conley, Ayo Dosunmu, and Bones Hyland all benefited from Edwards' ongoing health issues late in the regular season and could now also get extra work during the playoffs.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jonathan Isaac Remains Out Friday
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (knee) will miss Friday's Play-In Tournament Game against the Charlotte Hornets. The team has downgraded his status from questionable to out. Isaac is struggling to overcome a left knee sprain, having last played on March 12. That said, the Magic can cope just fine with his absence. During the regular season, Isaac averaged only 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jarrett Allen Removed From Injury Report Ahead of Playoffs
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (knee) will suit up for Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. Allen returned from a right knee injury late in the regular season, but the team elected to keep him out of the final two games. Evan Mobley (calf), who was rested for the regular-season finale, will also be back. Cleveland's twin towers face a big battle against Jakob Poeltl, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Murray-Boyles. Allen faced the Raptors only once during the regular season and struggled, settling for six points and eight rebounds in a 126-113 loss on Nov. 13.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Donovan Mitchell Good to Go for Playoff Opener
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (ankle) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Saturday's Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors. The seven-time All-Star sat out Cleveland's last two regular-season games to manage an ankle injury. Mitchell has built a reputation as an outstanding postseason performer, averaging 28.3 points through 63 career playoff games. However, things might not go smoothly for him in the first-round series, as Toronto did a good job defensively against him during the regular season. In two games against the Raptors, Mitchell made only 34.2 percent of his field-goal attempts, averaging 24.0 points.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Mitchell Robinson Ready for Game 1 Against Hawks
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will be in the lineup on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks. He didn't play in New York's final two regular-season games to manage an ankle injury. Robinson has done a good job as a backup big man all season, and Atlanta knows firsthand how effective he can be. The 28-year-old made two appearances against the Hawks during the regular season, notching 7.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 2.0 steals in 19.0 minutes per game.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
OG Anunoby Cleared to Play Saturday
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (ankle) will play in Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. He hurt his left ankle during the final week of the regular season and sat out Sunday's loss to Charlotte. Fortunately, Anunoby won't have to miss the postseason opener, as the team hasn't included his name on the injury report. In three regular-season clashes, Anunoby posted two double-doubles against the Hawks, averaging 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.7 steals. This matchup seems to suit Anunoby, and he could be one of the stars of the series.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jalen Brunson Available for Game 1 Saturday
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (ankle) will be active on Saturday in Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks. The star guard has managed an ankle injury late in the season and didn't play in Sunday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but the team has removed him from the injury report ahead of the playoff opener. During the regular season, Brunson struggled to make three-pointers against the Hawks but was still productive on offense, averaging 29.3 points and 7.7 assists across three meetings. The three-time All-Star has regularly elevated his game in the postseason, and the Knicks will go as far as he takes them in the playoffs.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Thomas Bryant Won't Play Saturday
Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (calf) will remain out on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors. He suffered a left calf strain late during the regular season and won't be in the lineup for a fifth consecutive game. Bryant has practiced in a limited capacity this week, so it's possible he can return later in the series. With Bryant unavailable, Larry Nance Jr. returned to the rotation for the final few regular-season games, but he isn't expected to see much action in the playoffs.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
