NBA Player News

Due to the blizzard that has captivated the Northeast, the Knicks will not fly home following Friday night’s game in Minnesota. If they can’t get a flight back on Saturday morning, they’ll stay in town and hold a practice. However, the Sunday game will be nationally televised on ABC and the snow is expected to slow down by Saturday night. We’d be surprised if the NBA let the game get postponed.

Watson has yet to play in a game this series, and that won’t change on Monday. With Aaron Gordon (calf) questionable, the Nuggets will continue to rely more on Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. Denver needs a win to extend the series, which Minnesota leads three games to one.

Gordon, who played 23 minutes in Game 3, did not return after a third-quarter trip to the locker room despite the Nuggets saying that he was available. With the Nuggets’ backs against the wall, it would be unsurprising if he gave it a go on Monday. If Gordon can’t play, Spencer Jones is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, but he offers little value on the offensive end.

Less than three weeks removed from undergoing an emergency appendectomy, Embiid is going to give it a go for Sunday’s pivotal Game 4. How much he’ll be able to play remains to be seen, but having the former MVP on the court is huge for the 76ers. Adem Bona heads to the bench, and the other four starters are unchanged.

After totaling 23 points in the first three games of this series, Grant had his most productive outing in Game 4. Shooting 50 percent from the field, the veteran forward recorded a complete stat line in 33 minutes. With Scoot Henderson (two assists and one steal) missing all seven of his shot attempts, Grant’s playing time jumped considerably, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Trail Blazers from being outscored 73-35 in the second half. Game 5 is on Tuesday, with the Trail Blazers one loss away from elimination.

Eleven of Portland’s 18 turnovers in Game 4 were committed by two players. Holiday racked up six, while Deni Avdija was responsible for five. Holiday was solid as a scorer, shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, but the mistakes were too much to overcome as the Spurs turned up the dial defensively in the second half. Holiday has scored at least 20 points in consecutive games, but he’ll need to be more efficient as a playmaker if the Trail Blazers are to force a Game 6.

Avdija had a good afternoon scoring-wise, but turnovers were once again an issue for him and the Trail Blazers. He was responsible for five turnovers, and the Trail Blazers recorded 18 as a team. Portland was one of the worst teams in the NBA during the regular season in terms of turnover percentage, and the margin for error gets slimmer in the postseason. If Avdija and the Trail Blazers are to force a Game 6, they need to clean up the mistakes.

Castle appeared to injure his left hand during the second quarter of Game 4, but he was able to return after a brief stint on the bench. The second-year guard was especially effective setting up others, as he led the Spurs in assists and committed just one turnover. Castle and the Spurs now head home for Tuesday’s Game 5, with a win pushing them into the second round.

The Spurs outscored Portland by a 73-35 margin in the second half, and Fox played a major part in that. He scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half and also had a few key assists to Keldon Johnson (9/1/1/1 with one three-pointer) in the fourth quarter. Fox put up a complete stat line in Game 4, and he’ll look to do the same in Game 5 on Tuesday. The Spurs hold a 3-1 series lead, so Sunday may have been their last visit to Portland this season.

Back in the Spurs’ lineup after sitting out Friday’s Game 3 victory, Wembanyama showed why he was the unanimous winner of NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors. Thoroughly dominating his matchups with Portland’s centers, Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams, Wemby recorded four steals and seven blocks, and there were other shots that he managed to alter. Add in the double-double, and he helped the Spurs turn a 19-point deficit into a 21-point victory and a 3-1 series lead. Game 5 is on Tuesday.

Oubre is available after being considered questionable on the 76ers’ initial injury report. He’ll occupy his usual place in the starting lineup and should log heavy minutes. Oubre played 40 minutes in Game 3 on Friday.