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Paolo Banchero Finishes Game 2 Loss With 18 Points
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero was quiet offensively in Wednesday's 98-83 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons, recording 18 points. He went 7-for-17 from the field and 4-for-8 at the line as Orlando scored 21 or fewer points in three of four quarters during a rough outing. Additionally, Banchero's efforts included a team-high eight assists, six rebounds, one steal, and one block in 34 minutes. After a strong regular-season series against the Pistons, Banchero has been limited to 20.5 points in the playoffs. Next, the 23-year-old star has a pair of home games to build momentum.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cade Cunningham Notches 27 Points, 11 Assists in Slow-Burning Win
Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham led his squad to a 98-83 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, finishing with a 27-point, 11-assist double-double. He made nearly 58 percent of his field-goal attempts, adding six rebounds, one steal, and one block to his line. On the negative side, the Pistons star committed a game-high seven turnovers and was just 1-for-6 from three-point range. Still, this was another excellent outing from Cunningham, who now boasts five double-doubles through his first eight career postseason games. Detroit fans will want to see more of the same as the series shifts to Orlando this weekend.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Devin Booker Settles for 22 Points in Game 2
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker scored 22 points in Wednesday's 120-107 Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, adding seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal to his line. He also had five turnovers in 40 minutes. Booker went 50.0 percent from the field, but the Thunder limited him to only 14 attempts. The Suns' leader couldn't get anything to drop from downtown, going 0-for-3. So far in the series, Booker has averaged 22.5 points per game and must do a lot more after being part of two clear defeats. He will hope to hit top gear in front of home support on Saturday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dillon Brooks Leads Suns With 30 Points Wednesday Night
Phoenix Suns guard/forward Dillon Brooks was his team's leading scorer in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, racking up 30 points with a 12-for-23 effort from the field. He finished 5-for-9 from deep and had five rebounds with one assist in 38 minutes. Brooks stood out on offense as Devin Booker and Jalen Green combined for only 43 points. Although Brooks produced an efficient performance on Wednesday, the Suns are likely to go down in four games in the first round if they have to rely on him offensively. The team must get more out of Booker and Green, especially with Grayson Allen remaining a DNP-CD in Game 2.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Chet Holmgren Productive on Both Ends Wednesday
Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren scored 19 points and blocked a game-high four shots in Wednesday's 120-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns. He finished two rebounds shy of a double-double, making seven of his 12 field-goal attempts with a 3-for-6 record from deep. Holmgren already has six blocks in the series and has chipped in well on the offensive end, posting 17.5 points per game. Phoenix has been without its starting center, Mark Williams (foot), making things easier for the Thunder's frontcourt on both ends. Isaiah Hartenstein also narrowly missed a double-double on Wednesday, recording nine points and 10 rebounds.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Notches 37 Points in Game 2 Win
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 37 points in Wednesday's 120-107 win over the Phoenix Suns. The reigning MVP also had the most assists in the game with nine, along with five rebounds and one steal in 38 minutes. After struggling from the field in the series opener, Gilgeous-Alexander improved his efficiency to 52.0 percent on Wednesday night, sinking two of five from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.0 points and 8.0 assists through the first couple of postseason games. The Thunder's dependence on him could grow going forward, depending on Jalen Williams' (hamstring) status for the rest of the series.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jalen Williams Aggravates Hamstring Injury
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) is looking at another spell on the sidelines. He appeared to have aggravated a left hamstring injury midway through the third quarter in Wednesday's Game 2 win over Phoenix. The team plans to re-evaluate Williams in the next couple of days before providing an update. Before his early exit, Williams tallied 19 points, one rebound, four assists, and one steal in 23 minutes. The 2025 All-Star has battled injuries throughout the year, making only 33 appearances during the regular season. If Williams misses time, the defending champions have several options to replace him in the first unit, including Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jakob Poeltl Expected to Bounce Back Thursday
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl still remains very much part of the team's plans this postseason. That was called into question after Monday's Game 2 loss to Cleveland, where Poeltl saw just nine minutes of action and sat out the entire second half. "He needs to be part of the solution for us," Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic told reporters on Wednesday, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN. "He needs to be more aggressive. He needs to dominate the glass. He's going to be a big part of Game 3 and I believe he's going to perform really well." While Rajakovic appears confident in a bounce-back performance from Poeltl, he didn't commit to a starting center for Thursday's game. Collin Murray-Boyles started the second half at the No. 5 spot on Monday night, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.
Source: Josh Lewenberg
Source: Josh Lewenberg
Collin Gillespie Replaces Jordan Goodwin in Starting Unit for Game 2
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie will join the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, filling in for Jordan Goodwin (calf). The Suns are forced to make a switch after Goodwin injured his left calf in the series opener. A starting role isn't new to Gillespie, who benefited from Jalen Green's health issues during the regular season and appeared as a starter in 58 contests. In those games, Gillespie averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals. The Suns will be hoping for similar production from him on Wednesday night as they try to even the series.
Source: Phoenix Suns
Source: Phoenix Suns
Rob Dillingham Undergoes Wrist Procedure
Chicago Bulls point guard Rob Dillingham recently underwent successful minor surgery to have a ganglion cyst removed from his right wrist, the team announced on Wednesday. Dillingham battled this issue late in the year, but he will have the entire offseason to get to 100 percent for the 2026-27 campaign. The 21-year-old had a strong finish to the season, averaging 13.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in April. However, this happened with Josh Giddey out of the lineup. Tre Jones is another option at point guard for the team. Giddey and Jones both have a contract with the Bulls for next season, making Dillingham's situation murky.
Source: Chicago Bulls
Source: Chicago Bulls
Grayson Allen Cleared to Play Wednesday
Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (hamstring) will suit up on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Whether Allen will take the court is another matter. Recently, he has picked up a few DNP-CDs as Allen has been managing a hamstring injury. With Jordan Goodwin (calf) out on Wednesday, the Suns could really use him. Allen might be his replacement in the starting lineup, although even after Goodwin left Game 1 with a calf injury, Suns head coach Jordan Ott elected not to use Allen.
Source: Duane Rankin
Source: Duane Rankin
Keldon Johnson Lands Sixth Man of the Year Award
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson has become the second player in franchise history to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. Hall of Fame member Manu Ginobili was San Antonio's only previous winner of the award. Johnson set the Spurs' record for most bench points this season, finishing with 1,081. He appeared in all 82 games, averaging 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.3 minutes. Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Denver's Tim Hardaway Jr. were the other finalists for the award. So far, Johnson's efforts to replicate his form in the playoffs haven't worked out, as he has been limited to 5.0 points per game against Portland.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jordan Goodwin Won't Play Wednesday
Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) will miss Wednesday's Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After suffering a calf injury in Game 1, Goodwin was listed as questionable on the initial injury report. He has now been downgraded to out, leaving a starting spot open. Royce O'Neale is the likeliest candidate to fill it, while Ryan Dunn could also have an expanded role in Wednesday's game. The two would also benefit from the absence of Grayson Allen (hamstring), who is a game-time decision.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Mark Williams Misses Wednesday's Action
Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (foot) will sit out Wednesday's Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He will be unavailable for a third consecutive game after the team downgraded Williams' status from questionable to out. The big man has been battling a left foot injury since the Play-In Tournament. Due to Williams' absence, the Suns have been forced to lean more on Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach at the center position. Ighodaro had a mixed performance in Game 1, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds but going scoreless in 26 minutes. Maluach also failed to score in 15 minutes but contributed three rebounds. It's a very tough matchup for the youngsters against Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Ja'Kobe Walter Could Miss Pivotal Game 3
Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (illness) is questionable for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Cleveland as the series shifts back to Toronto. He logged 28 minutes in each of the first two games with Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) sidelined, including 14 points and three three-pointers in Game 2. If Walter sits, Jamal Shead could again push toward 38 minutes after posting three points, four assists, and two steals, while A.J. Lawson may enter the rotation. Walter carries DFS appeal if active, though his role is sensitive to Quickley's status.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
