NBA News
Tyler Herro Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro was the leading scorer in Wednesday's 121-112 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, finishing with 33 points on 14-for-24 shooting. Over 40 minutes of action, Herro notched six rebounds and five assists, going 4-for-11 from three-point range. Sitting in a 2-0 deficit in the series, the Heat are in trouble, but Herro has been on fire during the postseason. Since the start of the Play-In Tournament, he has averaged 30.5 points. With him at the top of his game, there is still hope for Miami to take the series back to Cleveland.
9 hours ago
Donovan Mitchell Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell heated up in the final quarter and finished Wednesday's 121-112 victory over the Miami Heat with a team-high 30 points on 10-for-21 shooting. He tallied 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, including 10 over the final four minutes when Miami cut it to a two-point game. The Cavaliers star had a busy night, totaling six rebounds, six assists, and one steal over 36 minutes of action. Mitchell also had 30 points in the series opener and looks to be in fine form despite sitting out the end of the regular season due to an ankle injury.
10 hours ago
Paolo Banchero Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero recorded 32 points on 12-for-25 shooting in Wednesday's 109-100 loss to the Boston Celtics. He finished 2-for-6 from three-point range and flirted with a triple-double, amassing nine rebounds and seven assists along with two blocks in 43 minutes. Banchero has been exceptional at the start of the postseason, but Orlando finds itself 2-0 down in the first-round series. The 22-year-old has averaged 34.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals, shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the arc. It seems the Magic may need even more from Banchero to make this a competitive series.
10 hours ago
Jaylen Brown Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown notched a game-high 36 points on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, guiding his team to a 109-100 victory. With Jayson Tatum (wrist) sidelined for the contest, Brown needed to take on more offensive duties, and he delivered one of the best postseason performances of his career. His line included 10 rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 42 minutes, as Brown shot 12-for-19 from the floor and an eye-popping 5-for-7 from downtown. Brown battled a knee injury late in the regular season but appears to be 100 percent, at least based on his effort in Wednesday's win. He will be leaned on heavily again on offense in Game 3 on Friday night if Tatum misses additional time.
10 hours ago
Jalen Green Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green led all scorers with 38 points on 13-for-25 shooting on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors, helping the team tie the series at one with a 109-94 victory. The 23-year-old had a rough seven-point outing in his postseason debut on Sunday but looked like a completely different player in Game 2, hitting 8-for-18 from outside and completing his work with four rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Green tied a franchise record with eight triples made in a postseason game and became the youngest Rocket in history with 35-plus points in the playoffs. Houston will hope that this marks the end of Green's offensive slump, which included three regular-season games.
10 hours ago
Brandin Podziemski Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (illness) played only 14 minutes in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Houston Rockets. The 22-year-old battled a stomach bug, finishing scoreless with five shot attempts. Golden State added Podziemski late to the injury report with a questionable tag. He was upgraded to available before tip-off, but Podziemski clearly wasn't in good condition to play, missing the entire second quarter. The Warriors removed him from the contest with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter. Podziemski will now have two days to recover from the illness before the Warriors and Rockets meet in San Francisco on Saturday for Game 3.
10 hours ago
Jimmy Butler III Set For MRI Thursday
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (pelvis) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday after experiencing a hard fall in Wednesday's Game 2 against the Houston Rockets. The six-time All-Star was limited to eight minutes in the contest, leaving the floor with 1:51 remaining in the first quarter. According to Draymond Green, Butler told his teammates that "he feels good." Butler will have two days to recover before Game 3. His exit on Wednesday opened the door for Jonathan Kuminga to re-enter the rotation. Playing for the first time since April 11, Kuminga recorded 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one block in 26 minutes. He may play a larger role again in Game 3 if Butler is unavailable.
10 hours ago
Brandin Podziemski Upgraded To Available
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (illness) will be available to play on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. The second-year player was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness, but Golden State has upgraded his status from questionable to available. This is great news for the Warriors, who are aiming to grab a 2-0 series lead on the road. Podziemski has been a regular starter since mid-February and began the first-round series with a strong performance on Sunday. He finished a 95-85 victory with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals, sinking three attempts from downtown.
21 hours ago
Michael Porter Jr. Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is listed as questionable on the injury report for Thursday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. After suffering a left shoulder sprain in Game 2 of the series on Monday night, Porter Jr. was able to participate in Wednesday's practice session, and Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman has expressed optimism regarding Porter Jr.'s availability for Thursday's game. However, the questionable designation leaves his status uncertain for Game 3. Peyton Watson and Russell Westbrook are candidates to start instead of Porter Jr., while Jalen Pickett may also assume a more significant role in the rotation.
22 hours ago
Davion Mitchell Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell will start Wednesday's Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. After taking a heavy 121-100 beating in Game 1, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has decided to replace Alec Burks in the first unit with Mitchell. Mitchell's performance was one of only a few bright spots for Miami in Game 1, as he tallied 18 points, four rebounds, nine assists, and one steal. During the regular season, Mitchell made 37 starts, averaging 8.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 29.6 minutes.
22 hours ago
Brandin Podziemski Picks Up Questionable Tag
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (illness) has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's Game 2 against the Houston Rockets. He is a late addition to the injury report due to an illness. Podziemski has played well in recent weeks and was also a major factor in Golden State's Game 1 victory, notching 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II will be expected to contribute more if Podziemski is unable to play on Wednesday.
23 hours ago
Al Horford Starts Game 2
Boston Celtics forward/center Al Horford has been confirmed as Jayson Tatum's (wrist) replacement in the starting lineup for Game 2 against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. He is joining the first unit for the 43rd time this term. During the regular season, Horford averaged 9.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in a starting role. In Game 1, Horford already logged 25 minutes as a reserve, so there should be a good amount of minutes available for the rest of the Celtics bench as well on Wednesday night.
23 hours ago
Michael Porter Jr. Practices On Wednesday
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) participated in a light practice on Wednesday and looks to be on track to play in Thursday's Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Porter Jr. injured his left shoulder in Game 2. Following practice, Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman told reporters that he is "very optimistic" that Porter Jr. will be available for Thursday's contest. The Nuggets saw Porter Jr. contribute only three points in Saturday's series opener, but he did much better on Monday night, finishing with a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double. Denver will likely turn to Peyton Watson if Porter Jr. does not feel ready to play on Thursday.
23 hours ago
Jayson Tatum Out On Wednesday
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (wrist) has been officially ruled out for Wednesday's Game 2 against the Orlando Magic. This is not surprising, given that the team initially listed Tatum as doubtful on the injury report. Games 3 and 4 are also scheduled for this week, so Tatum could miss several contests if he doesn't recover quickly from his wrist injury. Al Horford is set to take on a larger role in the rotation in his absence, while the team will need to get more offense from Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick White.
23 hours ago
Isaiah Stewart May Miss Another Game Thursday
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (knee) has been listed as questionable for Game 3 against the New York Knicks on Thursday night. He exited the lineup for Game 2 due to inflammation in his right knee and may have to sit out another game. Paul Reed played well as Stewart's replacement in the rotation on Monday, but didn't see a lot of action. He finished with six points, one rebound, one steal, and one block in 11 minutes. Starting center Jalen Duren, who posted 12 points and 13 rebounds with three blocks, logged a big shift with 37 minutes and will be relied upon heavily again on Thursday night if Stewart can't play.
23 hours ago
Jaren Jackson Jr. Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a team-high 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting in Tuesday's 118-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jackson Jr. capped off his line with six rebounds as he bounced back impressively from his four-point effort in Game 1, going 2-for-3 from three-point land and 4-for-6 at the charity stripe. The two-time All-Star delivered an efficient scoring performance, yet he finished with the game's worst plus/minus at minus-20. Memphis needs much more from him defensively, as Jackson Jr. has yet to register a block in the series and has one steal across two games.
Yesterday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went only 10-for-29 from the field in Tuesday's Game 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies but still finished as the top scorer with 27 points in a 118-99 win. The MVP candidate completed his line with eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals while going 3-for-10 from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander's shooting performance was even worse in Game 1, but the Thunder have still secured two dominant wins in the series, which reflects poorly on the Grizzlies. This could turn out to be a very short series, especially with Gilgeous-Alexander likely desperate to improve his efficiency going forward. So far, he has shot only 33.3 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from downtown, averaging 21.0 points with 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
Yesterday
Pascal Siakam Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Indiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam was the team's leading scorer in Tuesday's 123-115 Game 2 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, contributing 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting. He finished 2-for-5 from downtown and nailed all of his six free-throws. It was a big performance all around for Siakam, as he posted a double-double with 11 rebounds and had three assists and three steals. Siakam also led Indiana in scoring in Game 1 and has kicked off the series in impressive form. Over the first two games, the 2019 NBA champion has averaged 24.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals, with 58.1 percent shooting from the floor.
Yesterday
Giannis Antetokounmpo Posts Big Double-Double In Game 2 Loss
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo led all players with 34 points and 18 rebounds on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers, but still had to leave the court on the losing side as the Bucks were defeated 123-115. Milwaukee had Damian Lillard back in the lineup, but he contributed only 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting, and the team continued to rely heavily on Antetokounmpo on the offensive end. He finished with 14-for-20 shooting from the field and went 6-for-10 with his free throws. Antetokounmpo also had seven assists and one block in the game. The Bucks are now 2-0 down in the first-round series, despite Antetokounmpo averaging 35.0 points and 15.0 rebounds. He will need more support in the upcoming home games.
Yesterday
Julius Randle Leads Timberwolves In Scoring In Game 2
Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Julius Randle posted a team-high 27 points on 9-for-17 shooting in Tuesday's 94-85 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. After settling for 16 points in the series opener, Randle already had 15 points by halftime and finished with his postseason career high, making 2-for-4 from deep and 7-for-9 at the line. Randle had a major role as a playmaker as well, registering six of Minnesota's 14 assists in the game. He also notched four rebounds, one steal, and one block. As a former Laker, success in the matchup would be especially meaningful for Randle, and he has started the series well. Ahead of Game 3, the 30-year-old boasts a 60 percent success rate from three-point range, with averages of 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
Yesterday
Tyler Herro
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Heat
