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Karl-Anthony Towns Records Double-Double in Game 2 Win
New York Knicks forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 18 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, and three three-pointers in Thursday's 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 30-year-old shot 7-for-12 from the field and 1-for-2 at the line, giving New York an efficient inside-out counter while Jalen Brunson shifted into facilitator mode. Towns also finished plus-18 over 36 minutes, a solid response after a quieter Game 1. With Josh Hart scoring 26 and Brunson handing out 14 assists, Towns did not need heavy usage to carry fantasy value through rebounds, efficiency, and floor spacing.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Mikal Bridges Adds 19 Points as Knicks Grab 2-0 Lead
New York Knicks guard/forward Mikal Bridges scored 19 points on a tidy 9-for-12 from the field in Thursday's 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, adding three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and a corner three that pushed the lead back to 13 in the fourth. The former Net rarely needed more than a clean look, converting at the kind of clip that justified the trade haul New York gave up for him. He didn't lean on volume from deep, taking just a handful of attempts after a season spent ironing out a shooting hitch that surfaced in the preseason. Bridges has settled into a steady two-way role behind Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, and nights like this keep him a dependable source of points and steals without the boom-or-bust threes that drag his floor.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Jalen Brunson Hands Out 14 Assists in Game 2 Win
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson tallied 19 points, three rebounds, 14 assists, and one three-pointer in Thursday's 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 29-year-old shot 7-for-16 from the field and 4-for-4 at the line, trading his usual scoring-heavy profile for a playoff career-high assist total as Cleveland sent extra attention his way. Josh Hart turned those openings into 26 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double. Through two games of the series, Brunson is averaging 28.5 points and 10.0 assists, giving him a useful floor even when the shot volume dips.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Josh Hart Erupts for Playoff Career-High 26 Points in Game 2
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points in Thursday's 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, burning a defense that had been daring him to shoot. The 30-year-old went 10-for-21 from the field and a scorching 5-for-11 from deep, adding seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals. It was a sharp turnaround after Game 1, when Hart was benched down the stretch amid a 26.7 percent slump from three. Cleveland left him open by design again, and this time he made them pay. With Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns all scoring in double figures, Hart's three-point variance is the swing factor in his line. The threes won't always fall like this, but the assists, boards, and steals keep his floor steady as New York heads to Cleveland up 2-0.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Jrue Holiday Wants to Stay in Portland
Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday is happy with his current situation and wants to remain with the team, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports. "I hope so. I don't like being traded and moved and stuff," Holiday said about remaining in Portland. "I like being a part of something and building with the team and seeing the progress and going through the progress with them. So I hope so. I'd love to be here." After spending seven years in New Orleans, Holiday has suited up for three different teams this decade. His fantasy stock improved with his move to Portland, as Holiday averaged 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in 29.4 minutes per game this season. Compared with his time in Boston, he had a much larger offensive role. Holiday, who will be 36 in June, has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $135 million contract.
Source: Joe Freeman
Source: Joe Freeman
Timberwolves Hope to Bring Back Ayo Dosunmu
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu will enter unrestricted free agency this summer, but the team hopes to bring him back, The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reports. "Ayo's our most important free agent," Timberwolves president Tim Connelly told reporters on Tuesday. "He's a guy we thought we knew pretty well and we liked him from afar. Now seeing him day to day, we love him." The Timberwolves picked up Dosunmu in a trade with the Chicago Bulls in February. He was a great fit for the team, averaging 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steals in 28.9 minutes per game. Dosunmu's playoff run with Minnesota included a 43-point effort in Game 4 against Denver in the opening round. The 26-year-old has proven himself as a versatile fantasy contributor and still has room to develop as a player.
Source: Jon Krawczynski
Source: Jon Krawczynski
Dylan Harper Considered Questionable for Friday Night
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (adductor) is questionable for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. Harper couldn't finish Game 2 due to what was reported as a right leg injury, but he is listed on the injury report with right adductor soreness. De'Aaron Fox (ankle) is also questionable for Friday's contest. If he's cleared for action, Fox would reclaim his starting spot from Harper. However, if both players are out, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson will have some thinking to do. Keldon Johnson is the prime candidate to step into the starting unit, while the backcourt injuries have given Jordan McLaughlin a spot in the rotation.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
De'Aaron Fox Listed as Questionable for Game 3
San Antonio Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox (ankle) is listed as questionable for Game 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. Fox was also questionable for Games 1 and 2 and didn't suit up for either. According to Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, the two-time All-Star is dealing with an ankle injury that he wouldn't be playing with in the regular season. Given he had played through the injury during the postseason, it was a surprise that Fox wasn't in the lineup for the Western Conference Finals opener. Now, he's looking at a third consecutive absence. To make matters worse for the Spurs, the backcourt also lost Dylan Harper (adductor) in Game 2 against the Thunder.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jalen Williams Questionable for Game 3 Against Spurs
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) has been officially listed as questionable for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. In Game 2, Williams was limited to seven minutes, exiting the action due to left hamstring tightness. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Williams is considered day-to-day. Fortunately, it appears Williams has avoided a major injury, but it looks likely he will miss at least one or two games. Due to Williams' hamstring issues, the Thunder have used Ajay Mitchell as a starter in the postseason, boosting his fantasy appeal. However, Cason Wallace was trusted with a starting role in the second half of Game 2 against San Antonio on Wednesday night.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Devin Vassell Contributes 22 Points in Wednesday's Loss
San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Devin Vassell scored a playoff career-high 22 points on Wednesday night in a 122-113 Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished as San Antonio's second-leading scorer behind Stephon Castle, going 7-for-14 from the field, including 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. Vassell pulled down four rebounds and added one assist and one block. Injuries have begun to affect the Spurs' lineup, and this might not be the only time in the Western Conference Finals when Vassell takes on a larger offensive role. He has averaged 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 steals across 34.2 minutes per game in the playoffs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Stephon Castle Tallies Team-High 25 Points in Game 2 Loss
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle scored a team-high 25 points with a 10-for-17 mark from the field in Wednesday's 122-113 Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also fished out eight assists and had five rebounds and one steal, but Castle's ball-handling was horrible for a second consecutive game. On Wednesday night, Castle committed nine turnovers, bringing his total to 20 in the series. Against the Thunder, the 21-year-old sophomore has also struggled to make three-pointers, going 1-for-6 from deep in each game. With both De'Aaron Fox (ankle) and Dylan Harper (leg) ailing, the backcourt relies heavily on Castle, and he must cut down on his turnovers to be more impactful.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Victor Wembanyama Records Eighth Postseason Double-Double
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama produced another high-level all-around performance in Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, finishing a 122-113 loss with 21 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four blocks. He went 3-for-7 from deep and made exactly half of 16 field-goal attempts, collecting his eighth postseason double-double. Two games into the Western Conference Finals, Wembanyama is averaging some mind-boggling numbers. He has notched 31.0 points, 20.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. The French phenom has performed exceptionally well on the road and could put up even bigger numbers in more comfortable settings during Games 3 and 4 on home court.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Isaiah Hartenstein Bounces Back With Double-Double
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein recorded his second double-double of the postseason in Wednesday's 122-113 win over the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. The 28-year-old big man struggled in Game 1, logging only 12 minutes, but he got back on track on Wednesday night. Hartenstein's playing time went up to 27 minutes, and his efforts included three assists. He grabbed eight boards on the offensive end alone and finished with a 4-for-8 effort from the field. Despite his rough Game 1 outing, Hartenstein had been a solid contributor for the Thunder in the playoffs, averaging 8.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Leads Thunder to Game 2 Victory WIth 30 Points
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 30 points in Wednesday's 122-113 Game 2 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. After making barely 30% of his field-goal attempts in Game 1, the back-to-back MVP finished 12-for-24 from the floor and 6-for-6 at the line. However, he still struggled from deep, going 0-for-3. Offensively, Gilgeous-Alexander also contributed nine assists, while grabbing four rebounds and picking up two blocks with one steal. This was Gilgeous-Alexander's fifth 30-point game of the postseason. Going forward, his offensive role might increase after Jalen Williams (hamstring) was hurt on Wednesday night.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dylan Harper Exits Game 2 Early Due to Right-Leg Injury
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (leg) was unable to finish Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He injured his right leg on an awkward fall in the third quarter. Filling in for De'Aaron Fox (ankle) in the starting unit for a second consecutive game, Harper posted 12 points, two rebounds, and three assists in 25 minutes, with 50% field-goal efficiency. With Harper out, Jordan McLaughlin entered the rotation, producing six points in seven minutes, while Keldon Johnson's workload increased to 26 minutes. Both players could again have extended roles in Game 3, though there is also a chance Fox returns.
Source: NBA.com
Source: NBA.com
