3 hours agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center Naz Reid was named the Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday. Reid, who signed a three-year, $42 million extension with the club last offseason, averaged a career-high 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 41.4% from deep in 81 appearances. Without question, he will play a vital role in Minnesota's rotation for years to come, and his fantasy stock will be significantly higher heading into the 2024-25 campaign after capturing the award.Source: NBA Communications
4 hours agoNew York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is questionable ahead of Thursday's postseason game against the 76ers. Robinson was two points shy of a double-double in Game 1. He also had four blocks in that one. However, things were different in Game 2, with the 26-year-old finishing with just one point and four boards. With that said, he could be limited even if he's cleared to suit up, meaning DFS managers may want to keep him out of their lineups. Instead, Isaiah Hartenstein, amassing 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks on Monday night, should be the preferred fantasy option.Source: NBA Injury Report
4 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Knicks. The 30-year-old reaggravated the injury to his surgically repaired left knee in Game 1, forcing him to exit the contest briefly before returning. But despite carrying a questionable designation ahead of Game 2, Embiid was on the floor and finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in 39 minutes of action. At any rate, he should be listed as probable, considering the Sixers hope to avoid going down three games in this series. However, if Embiid can't go, Paul Reed and Mo Bamba will split time in the middle.Source: NBA Injury Report
4 hours agoMiami Heat center Bam Adebayo logged a team-high 40 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Boston Celtics. He looked good in this one, finishing with a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. The C's have had issues with Adebayo during this series, with the 26-year-old averaging 22.5 points and shooting 61.3% from the field. With that in mind, the C's will likely adjust heading into Game 3 on Saturday, so everyone on the Heat roster could be in for a long night.Source: ESPN
4 hours agoBoston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis had trouble getting anything going in Wednesday's loss to the Heat. The veteran scored just six points, the fewest of anyone in the starting lineup, going 1-for-9 from the field while missing all four tries from deep. Fortunately, he added eight boards, three steals, and two blocks, so his evening wasn't a total flop for DFS managers. With that in mind, Porzingis averaged 20.3 points against the Heat during the regular season, meaning he could easily turn things around on Saturday night.Source: ESPN
4 hours agoBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored 28 points in Wednesday's matchup with the Heat. While Jaylen Brown had a game-high 33 points, Tatum still had a solid outing. His shooting numbers haven't been the best through the first two games of this series. However, he's made up for it in other statistical areas. Unfortunately, Tatum efforts weren't enough, with the Heat stealing a win. With the series tied at a game each, both teams will meet on Saturday night in Miami. The 26-year-old played well against the Heat during the regular season, and he should continue to see plenty of minutes, which is always ideal for DFS purposes.Source: ESPN
4 hours agoBoston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown had a game-high 33 points in Wednesday's postseason meeting with Miami. He added eight rebounds, one steal, and one block. The 27-year-old had 17 points in Game 1, so his offensive outburst was appreciated by DFS managers. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as the Celtics would go on to lose this one on their home turf. With the series knotted at one game each, both clubs will meet on Saturday night in South Beach. Of course, Brown will be a coveted DFS Option, although he may have a tough time matching his production from Game 2.Source: ESPN
5 hours agoMiami Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a team-high 24 points in Wednesday's shocking win over the Boston Celtics. He struggled in Game 1 of this series. However, the 24-year-old turned things around in Game 2, going 6-for-11 from deep and adding 14 assists. With Terry Rozier (neck) and Jimmy Butler (knee) out of commission, the offense will continue to run through Herro. Of course, the Celtics will make adjustments for Game 3 on Saturday, so the 2019 No. 13 overall pick could have difficulty remaining as productive as he was on Wednesday night.Source: ESPN
7 hours agoBrooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but if the team has its way, he won't be going anywhere soon. According to general manager Sean Marks, tying Claxton down will be the "No. 1 priority" for the team in the summer. Marks added that he hopes Claxton will be a Net for "a very long time." The comments came after Brooklyn's new head coach, Jordi Fernandez, said at his introductory press conference that he believes Claxton has the potential to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Claxton, the 31st pick of the 2019 draft, has just completed his fifth NBA season. He averaged 11.8 points with a career-high 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 29.8 minutes.Source: Michael Scotto
7 hours agoPhoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (ankle) hasn't been ruled out for Game 3 against Minnesota on Friday. X-rays came back negative after Allen re-injured his right ankle in Tuesday's Game 2. He is considered day-to-day. "Got to see what the next two days look like," Allen said when asked about his chances of featuring in Game 3. Allen, who initially hurt his ankle in Game 1 last week, has had a rough time in the first-round series, averaging only 3.5 points on 20 percent shooting. Royce O'Neale and Eric Gordon will figure more heavily in the rotation if he can't play on Friday.Source: Duane Rankin
8 hours agoMiami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (back) has been cleared to play in Wednesday's Game 2 against Boston. He was a late addition to the injury report with a back issue, but the team has upgraded him from probable to available. The 20-year-old logged 26 minutes in Game 1 and had 10 points and six rebounds with 3-for-9 shooting. However, he's been inconsistent all season, so it wouldn't be surprising if we see an anonymous performance from Jovic on Wednesday.Source: NBA Injury Report
17 hours agoLos Angeles Clippers guard James Harden had 22 points on 6-for-14 shooting in a 96-93 loss to Dallas on Tuesday. After opening the series with a vintage performance and 28 points, Harden scored only three points in the first quarter without making any field goals, and the Clippers' offense struggled throughout the night. Harden finished 6-for-14 shooting, including a 2-for-10 effort from deep, and tallied six rebounds with eight assists, one steal, and one block. The former MVP has plenty to think about ahead of Game 3, but at least the Clippers now have Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup to boost their chances in the series.Source: ESPN
17 hours agoDallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic netted a game-high 32 points in Tuesday's 96-93 Game 2 victory over the Clippers. Doncic added six rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block to his tally, playing a whopping 45:43 in the contest. Both teams struggled to put points on the board, and it was no different with Doncic, who finished 5-for-14 with his three-point attempts and 11-for-26 overall from the floor. Kyrie Irving added 23 points as the Mavericks continued to rely heavily on their star duo. The pair have averaged over 55 points per game in the series, with Doncic posting 32.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.Source: ESPN
17 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard continued to roll in Game 2 against the Pacers on Tuesday, but his big performance wasn't enough this time around for the team to get the win. Lillard led his squad in a 125-108 loss with 34 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Most of his makes came from downtown, as Lillard went 6-for-13 with the three-ball. He delivered five assists in the contest and recorded four rebounds with one steal. The 2024 All-Star Game MVP is thoroughly enjoying his first postseason campaign in three years, sitting among the top scorers with 34.5 points and boasting a very impressive 50 percent success rate from behind the arc.Source: ESPN
17 hours agoIndiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a 12-point, 12-assist double-double in Tuesday's Game 2 victory over the Bucks. He already had seven assists in the first half and didn't have any trouble completing his double-double after the break, hitting three shots from downtown with seven attempts and finishing with 4-for-10 overall shooting. Additionally, Haliburton grabbed four rebounds and disrupted Milwaukee's offense by registering one steal and one block. The young Pacers star was a nightmare for the Bucks during the regular season, but they have found a way to limit him to 10.5 points in the playoffs so far. However, he's been shooting 40 percent from three-point range, and it looks to be only a matter of time before Haliburton explodes for a big performance in his first playoff campaign.Source: ESPN