NBA Player News

The significant development for Williamson on Saturday wasn’t the stat line but rather the fact that he played. After logging 26 minutes in Friday’s win over San Antonio, this was the first time he played both ends of a back-to-back since December 30-31, 2022. Given Williamson’s health struggles, that’s a big deal for the Pelicans and fantasy basketball managers. He was one of two Pelicans to score at least 20 points on the night, with Brandon Ingram (23/6/6/3 in 36 minutes) being the other. Next up for the Pelicans is an In-Season Tournament quarterfinal against the Kings on Monday, and CJ McCollum (lung) and Trey Murphy III (knee) are expected to be available.

Harper, who started the first two games of the Western Conference Finals for the injured De’Aaron Fox (ankle), exited Game 2 after playing 25 minutes due to a sore right adductor. How impactful his absence would be in Game 3 depends on Fox; if the veteran point guard can return, the Spurs will be able to compensate for Harper’s absence. However, if both sit, Keldon Johnson could move into the starting lineup, with Jordan McLaughlin’s playing time increasing.

Fox was also listed as questionable ahead of Games 1 and 2 before being ruled out for both. Dylan Harper has filled the void in the starting lineup, but the rookie exited Wednesday’s Game 2 defeat due to a sore right adductor. If both can’t play, Jordan McLaughlin could remain in the rotation after picking up minutes on Wednesday.

Williams exited Wednesday’s Game 2 victory after playing seven minutes due to tightness in his left hamstring, which he initially injured in the first round against Phoenix. His absence affected multiple players in the Thunder rotation. Jared McCain’s minutes increased in Game 2, while Isaiah Joe entered the rotation after not being an option in the series opener. Also, Isaiah Hartenstein logged 27 minutes after playing 12 in Game 1. Look for those three to take on larger roles if Williams has to miss time.

Vassell was efficient on the offensive end on Wednesday. He led the Spurs in threes, with his six makes from beyond the arc accounting for all but one of his total made field goals on the evening. Vassell grabbed a decent number of boards but didn’t contribute much elsewhere. He’s finished the last three games with at least three made triples; his production from deep could be crucial on Friday in Game 3.

Castle had another performance marked by highs and lows. And although his aggressive approach led to a team-high 25 points, it also led to him giving the ball away nine times on Wednesday. The sophomore guard is up to 20 total turnovers through the first two games of the series, becoming the first player to hit that mark over a two-game span in NBA playoff history. With De’Aaron Fox (ankle) still out, and Dylan Harper (leg) exiting early in Game 2, even more of a burden could be put on Castle to run the offense and dominate the ball moving forward.

Wembanyama didn’t reach the heights of his outstanding 41-point, 24-rebound double-double in Game 1, but he still managed to finish Game 2 with a strong line. He made half of his shot attempts and was accurate from deep, but his notably lower field-goal and free-throw attempts kept his scoring total down. Still, Wemby dominated the glass and protected the paint well on Wednesday. He and the Spurs will head home with a chance to take a 2-1 series lead on Friday.

Hartenstein had a much better showing on Wednesday after posting two points in 12 minutes in Game 1’s loss. He was rewarded more than double the playing time in Game 2, thanks to solid scoring production and tremendous work on the offensive glass. His contributions were impactful and led to a double-double No. 2 of the postseason. OKC will need more of the same from Hartenstein going forward.

Caruso followed a hot three-point shooting Game 1 with another on Wednesday, as he connected on 75 percent of looks from beyond the arc. The veteran guard also hurt San Antonio’s defense as a playmaker, doing so without committing a turnover. The sharp shooting and savvy playmaking were complemented by sound defense on the other end. As a result, he led the Thunder in plus-minus (+18) and had a massive part in evening up the series at one game apiece.

The MVP had a bounce-back performance on Wednesday after an unspectacular Game 1. He hit his first two shots of the night and proceeded to punish the Spurs’ defense the rest of the way, finishing as the only player to reach the 30-point mark. Gilgeous-Alexander also did a fine job of reading the defense and picking it apart with his passing. He finished just one assist shy of a double-double as the Thunder went on to even the series at one game apiece.

Williams left Wednesday’s game after logging just seven first-quarter minutes. He headed to the locker room and never returned to the court, officially finishing with four points and one rebound. Williams’ initial diagnosis is hamstring tightness. After missing most of this postseason previously with a hamstring injury, his status is certainly worth monitoring going forward.