RADIO
CJ McCollum Shines at MSG in Game 2
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum put up a game-high 32 points as the team shocked the New York Knicks with a 107-106 victory at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Facing a 2-0 deficit on the road, McCollum delivered one of the best postseason performances of his career, though it was nearly ruined by a pair of missed free throws with 5.6 seconds left on the clock. Those were his only misses with seven attempts at the line. McCollum finished 12-for-22 from the floor and had a 3-for-10 record from downtown. The 34-year-old also made a significant contribution on defense, snagging two steals and blocking one shot. He collected three rebounds and dished out six assists. The Knicks have struggled to guard McCollum in the series, as he is averaging 29.0 points on nearly 55 percent efficiency. His performance has been a big boost for the team, especially with Jalen Johnson's production being only modest so far.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Donovan Mitchell Extends 30-Point Streak
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points in Monday's 115-105 Game 2 victory over the Toronto Raptors. In 37 minutes, he also contributed seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. It was a highly efficient performance from Mitchell, as he nailed four of his 10 three-point attempts and finished 13-for-23 overall from the field. Combined with the regular season, Mitchell has now scored 30-plus points in four consecutive appearances. The seven-time All-Star has always stood out in the playoffs, averaging the sixth-most points all-time (28.4), and he appears set for another prolific postseason campaign. Across the first two games against Toronto, Mitchell has tallied 31.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals, hitting 57.1 percent from deep.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jakob Poeltl Gets Benched in Second Half
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl didn't play in the second half of Monday's 115-105 Game 2 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had a limited role in the first half as well, logging only nine minutes. Poeltl finished the game with two points, four rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers, making one of his two field-goal attempts. The Austrian big man also had a tough time in Game 1, giving him averages of 3.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the series. Collin Murray-Boyles started the second half at center and was among Toronto's best performers, with 17 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. Sandro Mamukelashvili, who tallied a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double Monday night, is also set for an expanded role if Toronto decides to go forward without Poeltl.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brandon Ingram Continues to Struggle
Toronto Raptors guard/forward Brandon Ingram had another disappointing outing in Monday's Game 2 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In Game 1, Ingram took just one field-goal attempt after halftime, and he couldn't find his rhythm in Game 2 either. After a scoreless first half, Ingram finished with seven points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. He had a 3-for-15 success rate from the field and committed a team-high five turnovers in 36 minutes. Ingram appears to struggle under postseason pressure. The last time he played in the playoffs, in 2024 with New Orleans, his productivity also fell off a cliff. With two games played in this postseason campaign, the first-year All-Star has notched just 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, going 33.3 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from outside.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Al Horford Undecided on Future
Golden State Warriors forward/center Al Horford is undecided about whether he will wrap up his NBA career after finishing his 19th campaign, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area & California reports. "It has to do with not rushing to anything or not let emotions or heat of the moment determine anything," Horford said during Monday's exit interview. "I've done this the last few years, and it's just kind of taken time to step back and have a clear picture, look at the outlook of the team, looking at the future of the team, how things look, and also seeing kind of where I'm at and how I'm feeling." Horford, who will turn 40 in early June, has a $6 million player option for next season. In 2025-26, Horford's fantasy stock hit another low. He averaged career-low numbers in scoring (8.3) and rebounding (4.9) and struggled to stay on the floor, making only 45 appearances.
Source: Monte Poole
Source: Monte Poole
Brandin Podziemski Wants to Stay With Warriors Long-Term
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski wants to remain with the franchise for the foreseeable future, Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard reports. Having finished his third NBA campaign, Podziemski will be eligible to sign a rookie-scale contract extension this offseason. "I want to be here for the long term," said Podziemski. "It's always special having the team that drafted you, so hopefully we can get something done." The 23-year-old has developed well over his three seasons in the league, averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 2025-26. Podziemski was one of only 18 players in the Association to play in all 82 regular-season games. But he came off the bench in nearly half of his appearances (43). While Podziemski has performed well, his fantasy potential is capped unless he earns a regular starting role.
Source: Danny Emerman
Source: Danny Emerman
Jordan McLaughlin Ruled Out for Game 2
San Antonio Spurs guard Jordan McLaughlin (ankle) has been ruled out for Tuesday's tilt against the Portland Trail Blazers. He sat out the series opener due to a left ankle sprain and hasn't been cleared to return. McLaughlin hasn't played a significant role for the Spurs this season, so his absence isn't a big deal for the team. Across 44 regular-season appearances, McLaughlin averaged only 6.4 minutes per game. De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle will continue to lead the backcourt, with Dylan Harper providing support off the bench.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Ron Harper Jr. Probable for Game 2
Boston Celtics guard/forward Ron Harper Jr. (ankle) is on the injury report ahead of Tuesday's Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, carrying a probable designation. The 26-year-old has injured his right ankle, but he is expected to be in the lineup on Tuesday night. That said, Harper Jr. saw only four minutes of garbage time in Boston's dominant 123-91 Game 1 victory, and it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't hit the court on Tuesday night, even if he's active. Payton Pritchard, Nikola Vucevic, and Baylor Scheierman will remain the primary contributors off the bench.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Austin Reaves to Remain Out Tuesday
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (oblique) will miss a seventh consecutive game on Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets. He continues to rehab a left oblique strain, and it still isn't clear when Reaves can return. On Monday, he was spotted at practice, taking part in light activities, so there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for Reaves. The Lakers have started the postseason without two key performers, as Luka Doncic (hamstring) hasn't been able to contribute either. With the star guards sidelined, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart combined for 42 points in Saturday's Game 1 victory. Additionally, LeBron James made sure to balance scoring with playmaking, recording a 19-point, 13-assist double-double.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Luka Doncic Still Out Tuesday
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) will remain sidelined on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets. The six-time All-Star remains out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain. However, he took part in light activities during Monday's practice, a sign that Doncic is progressing in his recovery. With Austin Reaves (oblique) also out, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart have more responsibilities in the Lakers' backcourt. Kennard was fantastic in Saturday's series-opening 107-98 win with a game-high 27 points, nailing all five attempts from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Smart contributed in all areas of the game, finishing with 15 points, two rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and two blocks.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Anthony Edwards Active on Monday Night
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (knee) will play on Monday against the Denver Nuggets. His status for the game was up in the air after the team initially listed Edwards as questionable on the injury report. The Timberwolves star is managing a right knee injury and was also questionable for the series opener. Eventually, Edwards shed the questionable tag and logged 38 minutes in an 116-105 loss. He filled the stat sheet with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks. However, Edwards finished just 7-for-19 from the field and missed seven of his nine three-point attempts. For the team to stay competitive in this matchup, Minnesota needs him to be more efficient.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Kevin Durant a Game-Time Decision on Tuesday
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (knee) will be a game-time decision on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The two-time Finals MVP missed Saturday's Game 1 in the series due to a bruised right knee. According to Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, Durant participated in about half of Monday's practice. Houston has officially listed him as questionable for Tuesday's contest. On Saturday night, the Rockets struggled to score without Durant, losing 107-98. Josh Okogie and Tari Eason played more important roles in his absence. Eason was one of the team's top performers with 16 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and three steals off the bench.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Joel Embiid is Officially Ruled Out for Game 2
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (abdomen) has been officially ruled out for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Boston Celtics. As expected, Embiid will remain sidelined after undergoing an appendectomy on April 10. The big man was able to begin a strength and conditioning program on Monday. It remains unclear if Embiid will be available to play at all during this series. The absence of Embiid should mean larger roles for Adem Bona and Andre Drummond. Neither player did much on the stat sheet during Game 1, and remain shaky DFS options for Game 2.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Victor Wembanyama Wins Defensive Player of the Year
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has been named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. The 22-year-old becomes the first unanimous selection in league history. A well-deserved award after Wembanyama averaged a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game with 1.0 steals across 64 games. He's also the first player to win it in San Antonio since Kawhi Leonard in 2016. Wembanyama became the youngest player to win the award since its creation in 1983. The 7'4 foot superstar is going to be a threat to win this award every year and possibly MVPs in the near future.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
OG Anunoby is Available to Play for Monday's Game 2
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (ankle) is available to play ahead of Monday's Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks. As expected, Anunoby is cleared to play after being listed as probable on the injury report. He has been dealing with an ankle issue, but it's not serious enough to keep him out of action in this important playoff game. He should take on his usual role in the rotation during Monday's game. He finished with 18 points and eight rebounds across 38 minutes of action during Saturday's win. He's looking like a decent DFS option after nearly posting a double-double on Saturday.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
