RADIO
Kristaps Porzingis Could Sit in Must-Win Game
Golden State Warriors forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) is questionable for Friday's play-in matchup for the eighth seed against Phoenix after appearing to favor his ankle following Wednesday's win over the Clippers. He posted 20 points, three triples, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in 28 minutes in that game. If he sits, Al Horford would likely step into a larger role after logging 14 points and three rebounds in 23 minutes, making him a viable deep-league streamer. Draymond Green and Gui Santos should also see stable minutes, while Gary Payton II could pick up additional run.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Quinten Post Ruled Out for Friday's Play-In Game
Golden State Warriors center Quinten Post (foot) is out for Friday's eighth-seed play-in tournament matchup against Phoenix, marking his ninth straight absence due to a right-foot injury. His continued absence keeps Golden State in a tightened rotation, placing more frontcourt responsibility on Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) if cleared after posting 20 points, three triples, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in 28 minutes Wednesday. Draymond Green and Gui Santos should maintain steady roles, while Al Horford remains a deeper streaming option for points and rebounds off the bench.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Mark Williams Could Sit in Play-In Clash
Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (foot) is questionable for Friday's West eighth-seed Play-In Tournament game against Golden State after dealing with left-foot soreness and logging 22 minutes in Tuesday's loss to Portland. If he sits, Oso Ighodaro is expected to start. His fantasy appeal remains limited despite three points, one rebound, six assists, and one steal in 23 minutes last game, while averaging 6.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 22 minutes this season. Ighodaro is a low-cost DFS punt who can return value with rebounds and out-of-position assists if he sees enough minutes, while Devin Booker and Jalen Green should continue to carry the offensive load.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Grayson Allen Iffy for Friday's Play-In Game
Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (hamstring) is questionable for Friday's Play-In Tournament matchup against Golden State and could miss a third straight game if he cannot sprint during pregame testing. His absence would keep Phoenix leaning on secondary pieces, with Royce O'Neale producing seven points, eight rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 24 minutes last game, while Collin Gillespie logged five points with one triple across 20 minutes. O'Neale is the safer streaming option if you need rebounds and defensive stats, while Gillespie is more of a deeper-league play for assists. Devin Booker and Jalen Green should continue handling heavy usage.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Hawks Plan to Re-Evalute Jock Landale in Two Weeks
Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale (ankle) will miss the start of the postseason. He is working his way back from a high ankle sprain, and the team announced on Thursday that Landale will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks. The Hawks begin their first-round series against the New York Knicks on Saturday. After he was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in February, Landale suited up for 23 regular-season games with the Hawks. He averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.4 minutes. Starting center Onyeka Okongwu looks set for a heavy workload in the playoffs, with Mouhamed Gueye and Tony Bradley sharing the backup role.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jonathan Isaac Considered Questionable for Matchup Versus Hornets
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (knee) is listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Friday's Play-In Tournament game against the Charlotte Hornets. He hasn't seen any action for more than a month due to a left knee sprain. Isaac was also questionable for Wednesday's tilt against Philadelphia before he was ultimately ruled out. During the regular season, Isaac averaged only 10.0 minutes across 52 games, so he isn't a major loss for the Magic.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Moussa Diabate Listed as Questionable for Friday
Charlotte Hornets center Moussa Diabate (hip) is considered questionable for Friday's Play-In Tournament matchup against the Orlando Magic. Charlotte may be without its starting center for the win-or-go-home game, as Diabate has landed on the injury report with a sore left hip. The 24-year-old is coming off an eight-point, 14-rebound effort in Tuesday's win over Miami. If Diabate can't get on the floor on Friday, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Grant Williams are likely to get the bulk of the work at center. Xavier Tillman may also enter the rotation.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Joel Embiid Expected to Miss Start of Playoffs
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (abdomen) is not expected to play at the start of the team's first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. He underwent a successful appendectomy a week ago and needs more time to recover from the procedure. "The Sixers are preparing for battle without Joel Embiid, at least to start the series," Charania said during an appearance on NBA Today. "He's only a week-ish removed from surgery for that appendicitis. So he's very much in the recovery phase of this. Once you recover, then you have to have a separate rehab part of the process as well." Adem Bona has started at center during Embiid's absence, including in Wednesday's Play-In Tournament win over Orlando. However, backup big man Andre Drummond has been more productive, posting three straight double-doubles.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Bennedict Mathurin Leads Clippers in Scoring Wednesday Night
Los Angeles Clippers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin was the team's leading scorer with 23 points in Wednesday's season-ending 126-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The former Pacer was red-hot from downtown, going 5-for-6, and had a 7-for-11 overall record from the field. Mathruin made all four free-throw attempts, adding three rebounds, two assists, and three steals to his line in 30 minutes off the bench. After he was traded by Indiana midseason, Mathurin went from a regular starter to a bench contributor. But he had some outstanding performances in his new role, showing that it might suit him going forward. Overall, Mathurin's numbers didn't change much in L.A. compared to his time with the Pacers, as he posted averages of 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 26 games. With Kawhi Leonard's future up in the air, Mathurin might have a bigger role next season with the Clippers, which would boost his fantasy value.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kristaps Porzingis Impresses in Play-In Win
Golden State Warriors forward/center Kristaps Porzingis made a big impact in Wednesday's 126-121 Play-In Tournament win over the Los Angeles Clippers, tallying 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in 28 minutes. He missed only four of his 12 attempts from the field and was 3-for-6 with the three-ball. Porzingis had a tough time in his final four regular-season outings, going 1-for-15 from behind the arc. His improvement in Wednesday's matchup will be encouraging for the Warriors ahead of Friday's play-in game against Phoenix and a potential playoff run.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Stephen Curry Leads Warriors to Vital Victory With 35 Points
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry starred in Wednesday's 126-121 Play-In Tournament victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, leading all scorers with 35 points. He had eight points inside the final eight minutes of play, helping Golden State overturn a 103-99 deficit. Curry's seventh triple of the game put the Warriors 120-117 up with less than a minute remaining. Curry went 7-for-12 from outside and had a 12-for-23 overall record from the field. He produced four assists, and picked up one rebound and one steal. Curry's crew will now square off with the Phoenix Suns on Friday night for a spot in the 2026 playoffs. During the regular season, the two-time MVP averaged 23.7 points in this matchup, as Phoenix limited him to 34.4 percent efficiency from behind the arc.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Desmond Bane Scores Game-High 34 Points in Play-In Loss
Orlando Magic guard/forward Desmond Bane led the team's offense in Wednesday's Play-In Tournament game against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring a game-high 34 points in a 109-97 loss. He already had 19 points by halftime, more than Paolo Banchero (18) managed in the entire game. Bane was highly efficient from the field, finishing 10-for-16 with his attempts, including 4-for-6 from downtown. He also did an excellent job getting to the line, missing only one of 11 free-throw attempts. Across a team-high 40 minutes, Bane notched three rebounds, three assists, and one steal, but also committed five turnovers. The Magic now face Charlotte in a do-or-die matchup on Friday night. Bane averaged 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists against the Hornets in four regular-season meetings.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tyrese Maxey Guides 76ers Into Playoffs With 31-Point Effort
Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey scored a team-high 31 points in Wednesday's playoff-clinching 109-97 victory over the Orlando Magic. Maxey averaged a career-high 28.3 points per game during the regular season and had plenty of firepower left for the first postseason game. He made three triples on nine attempts and finished 11-for-25 overall from the field. Maxey's efforts included two rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block in 42 minutes. With Joel Embiid (abdomen) dealing with yet another health issue, Maxey will once again carry a heavy workload during the postseason. He averaged a whopping 44.6 minutes per game the last time Philadelphia reached the playoffs in 2024.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
LaMelo Ball Receives $60,000 Fine for Tuesday's Actions
Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $60,000 for his actions involving Tuesday's play-in game against the Miami Heat, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk reports. Ball was fined $35,000 "for making unnecessary and reckless contact" with Miami's Bam Adebayo. The Hornets star was not called for a foul during the game, but he was assessed a flagrant foul 2 after the league reviewed the incident, which forced Adebayo to leave the game early with a lower back injury. Additionally, the NBA fined Ball $25,000 for using profane language in a TV interview after the game. Charlotte will be happy to know that Ball was only fined for the Adebayo incident and didn't receive a suspension. The team will hope to see him lead the Hornets into the playoffs for the first time since 2016 with a victory over Orlando on Friday.
Source: Ohm Youngmisuk
Source: Ohm Youngmisuk
Thomas Bryant Practices in Limited Capacity Wednesday
Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (calf) was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, Danny Cunningham of Locked On Cavs reports. The 28-year-old big man was the only player with limitations during the practice session. Bryant injured his left calf late in the regular season, missing four games. He's in a race to get healthy for the start of the postseason, with Cleveland kicking off its first-round series against Toronto on Saturday. Serving as the backup center, Bryant notched 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game during the regular season. Cleveland could use Bryant's size against Jakob Poeltl, but he isn't expected to make a major impact in the series.
Source: Danny Cunningham
Source: Danny Cunningham
