NBA Player News

Mann didn’t offer much outside of the point total on Wednesday, which is a bit concerning given his role within the Clippers’ rotation. Sharing the court with three ball-dominant players in James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George, fantasy managers are likely hoping for more defensive production from Mann. The good news is that he shot the ball well on Wednesday, so all wasn’t lost. And producing more steals and blocks (combined 1.3 per game) would go a long way toward ensuring that he has value in more fantasy leagues. Currently, Mann is rostered in just 12% of Yahoo leagues.

Fox missed Game 1, but with San Antonio already ahead 1-0 in the series, the team could opt to give him some extra rest before the series shifts back to Frost Bank Center for Games 3 and 4. Fox’s absence means more playmaking responsibilities for Stephon Castle and potentially another start for Dylan Harper, who was tremendous in Monday’s double overtime thriller.

Mobley landed a double-double on Tuesday, as he dominated the defensive glass and did a fine job of erasing shot attempts. Yet his shooting struggles from beyond the arc prevented him from delivering a bigger offensive performance, while failing to make the Knicks pay for gifting him open looks. Given his inefficiency from deep in Game 1, there’s a chance those same shots could be there for him to take. He’ll need to step into those looks and capitalize in Game 2 better than he did on Tuesday.

Harden had a rough Tuesday night at MSG. He struggled with his shot, particularly from beyond the arc, failed to generate points for his teammates, and turned the ball over six times. Additionally, he was the defensive target the Knicks repeatedly aimed for during the fourth quarter and overtime, as New York walked down Cleveland and overcame a 22-point comeback. Harden will almost certainly need to be better going forward for the Cavaliers to win games in this series. He’ll have a chance to bounce back in Game 2 on Thursday.

Mitchell was highly productive on Tuesday. In his 41 minutes, he led the Cavaliers in points, was their most productive three-point shooter, and was massive on the defensive end, recording seven stocks. Yet Mitchell and his teammates struggled to generate enough two-way production to protect a 22-point fourth-quarter lead, which led to an overtime period and an eventual loss for the Cavaliers. Mitchell shot 1-of-6 and tallied two total points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. He’ll have a chance to bounce back and help Cleveland try to even the series on Thursday.

Karl-Anthony Towns notched his seventh double-double of the postseason on Tuesday in his 40 minutes of game action. Yet, his numbers weren’t spectacular. Towns struggled from behind the three-point line, and his seven turnovers are notable. Still, he was part of a Knicks unit that overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to push the team to a Game 1 win. Towns has had a productive postseason and will have a chance to add to it in Game 2.

It took a while for Anunoby to find his rhythm in his first game back from a hamstring injury. However, he found offensive production at just the right time, as he scored nine of New York’s 14 points in overtime to help complete the largest comeback in the franchise’s history. Most importantly, Anunoby logged 34 minutes in his return and appeared to finish the game without any new or aggravated injuries. His status going into Game 2 will be one to monitor.

Despite having 21 points at the end of the third quarter, Brunson had not performed at a high level overall— he’s missed the mark on each of his three-point attempts, was 7-of-18 from the field, and his team trailed by 14 going into the final frame. Yet, he hit a switch in the fourth quarter as the Knicks trailed by as many as 22 points. The all-star guard electrified MSG with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the final period to force overtime, where he then landed another couple of points to finish on the verge of 40. The Knicks finished the game on a 44-11 run and will take a 1-0 series lead.

The Knicks will have their starting forward back for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Anunoby had missed the final two games of the second-round series against the Sixers, but his return on Tuesday will provide New York with more versatility on both sides of the ball. He’s averaging 21.4 points and 7.5 assists on 61.9/53.8/81.1 shooting splits during the postseason.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that Kidd is out as head coach of the Mavericks. His tenure lasted five seasons, with Dallas failing to make the playoffs three times, losing in the Western Conference Finals during the 2022 postseason, and losing the NBA Finals during the 2024 postseason. Kidd had four years left on his deal.

Fox, who injured his right ankle during the Minnesota series, did not play in Monday’s double-overtime victory. Dylan Harper started and was outstanding, recording 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, seven steals, one three-pointer and one turnover. The rookie would get another start if Fox can’t play. Also, Stephon Castle must take better care of the ball after committing 11 turnovers on Monday.