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Rotoworld

  • MIN Small Forward #1
    Kyle Anderson (right hip pointer) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Suns.
    Injured during Game 1, Anderson was a DNP-CD for Game 2 and only played eight minutes in Friday’s Game 3. If he remains limited, look for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to continue to play extended minutes off the bench.
  • MIN Power Forward #32
    Karl-Anthony Towns accumulated 14 points (4-of-7 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, three assists, and four 3-pointers in 33 minutes in Friday’s Game 3 loss to the Nuggets.
    The good news for Towns is that he shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. The bad is that he attempted seven shots overall, which is inexcusable for an offensive talent of his caliber. Friday’s game was the first in which KAT failed to reach double figures since Game 2 of Minnesota’s first-round sweep of the Suns. While the Timberwolves could get away with that against Phoenix, the reigning champs are different. Towns needs to be more aggressive in Game 4 on Sunday night, with the Timberwolves still holding a 2-1 series lead.
  • MIN Center #27
    Rudy Gobert shot 3-of-5 from the field and 0-of-2 from the foul line in Minnesota’s Game 3 loss to the Nuggets, finishing with six points, four rebounds, and one assist in 27 minutes.
    After missing Game 2 to be present for the birth of his first child, Gobert was back in the lineup for Game 3. He and the Timberwolves attempted to land a decisive blow early in Friday’s game but failed, and the reigning champions eventually pulled away. Neither Gobert nor Naz Reid (7/1/1/1 with one 3-pointer in 21 minutes) could do much with Nikola Jokic, who finished with a plus-30 rating. Gobert and the Timberwolves will look to take a 3-1 series lead on Saturday night.
  • MIN Shooting Guard #5
    Anthony Edwards shot 8-of-15 from the field in Friday’s 117-90 loss to the Nuggets, scoring 19 points with six rebounds, five assists, one steal, and three 3-pointers in 37 minutes.
    Faced with the opportunity to deal the reigning champions a decisive blow, Minnesota failed to do so on Friday. Edwards was the only player to reach double digits in shot attempts, which was not the case in either of Minnesota’s two wins in Denver. While he shot the ball well overall, Ant-Man was responsible for five of the Timberwolves’ 14 turnovers in Game 3. Edwards and the Timberwolves will have another opportunity to tighten their grip on the series in Game 4 on Sunday night.
  • DEN Small Forward #1
    Michael Porter Jr. recorded a line of 21 points (6-of-10 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and four 3-pointers in 30 minutes in Friday’s Game 3 win over the Timberwolves.
    After scoring 20 points in Game 1, Porter had a brutal Game 2. He wasn’t the only Nuggets player who needed to redeem himself in Game 3, and MPJ came through with timely perimeter shooting. He’s scored at least 20 points in six of his last seven playoff games, and he finished Game 3 one blocked shot shy of his third straight full stat line. Also shooting the ball well from three for Denver was Aaron Gordon, who was 3-of-4 from deep and finished with 13 points, two rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. Given the amount of attention Minnesota has paid Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, there will be opportunities for Porter and Gordon to flourish. They took advantage on Friday and must do the same in Game 4 on Sunday.
  • DEN Point Guard #27
    Jamal Murray finished Friday’s Game 3 win over the Timberwolves with 24 points (11-of-21 FGs), four rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes.
    Having struggled through a calf injury in the first two games, Murray appeared to benefit from the three days off between Games 2 and 3. He looked sharp on offense, shooting better than 50% from the field while tying for the team-high in scoring with Nikola Jokic. The question is how fresh Murray will be on Sunday night, as the Nuggets will only have one day off. He may appear on the injury report ahead of Game 4, but DFS players and bettors should operate under the assumption that Murray will play.
  • DEN Center #15
    Nikola Jokic tallied 24 points (10-of-18 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), 14 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, three blocks, and one 3-pointer in 38 minutes in Friday’s 117-90 win over Minnesota.
    Many pundits wanted to see an “MVP caliber” performance from Jokic in Game 3 and the NBA’s Most Valuable Player delivered on Friday. The Joker finished one assist shy of a triple-double while recording a full stat line with six “stocks.” Jokic thoroughly outplayed the Minnesota big men, with Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid combining for 13 points, six rebounds, and no blocked shots. He’ll look to produce another effort of this caliber in Game 4 on Sunday, as Minnesota still holds a two games to one lead.
  • NYK Shooting Guard #18
    Alec Burks finished Friday’s 111-106 loss to the Pacers with 14 points (4-of-6 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs), four rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 21 minutes.
    That’s right, Alec Burks. After playing for one minute in Game 2, the veteran wing was in the rotation on Friday because the Knicks did not have OG Anunoby (hamstring). Give Burks credit for staying ready, as he made his first four shots from the field and gave New York welcome production off the bench. While the Knicks’ saw their series lead cut in half, getting 24 points from Burks and Miles McBride (10/1/1/1 with two 3-pointers in 29 minutes) is a positive takeaway. New York’s reserves outscored their Pacer counterparts by a 24-14 margin in Game 3, but it wasn’t enough to get the Knicks the win. Burks and McBride will have to offer similar production in Game 4 on Sunday, as Anunoby is unlikely to be available.
  • NYK Shooting Guard #3
    Josh Hart played 43 minutes in Friday’s loss to the Pacers, finishing with 10 points (4-of-7 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), 18 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer.
    For the first time since Game 6 of the Knicks’ first-round series against Philadelphia, Hart rested. He still played 43 minutes, a surprisingly low number for the indefatigable wing. Hart corralled a playoff career-high 18 rebounds while dishing out four assists, remaining an impactful option on both ends of the floor. With OG Anunoby (hamstring) unavailable, the Knicks may get Hart a few minutes on the bench in the first half of Sunday’s Game 4. As long as Hart’s healthy, he’ll be on the court in crunch time.
  • NYK Point Guard #11
    Jalen Brunson (sore right foot) shot 10-of-26 from the field and 4-of-7 from the foul line in Friday’s 111-106 loss to Indiana, accumulating 26 points, six assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes.
    Brunson did not look like himself early in Game 3, eventually subbing out with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter. The good news for the Knicks is that he still played 38 minutes and eventually got going as New York nearly stole a win on the road. The five turnovers were a concern, as the Pacers made Aaron Nesmith the primary defender, using a bigger body to make life difficult for Brunson. Now, there’s a quick turnaround for JB and the shorthanded Knicks to navigate, as Game 4 is on Sunday afternoon. Brunson may appear on the injury report but expect the Knicks point guard to take on his usual workload (or be close to it).
  • NYK Shooting Guard #0
    Donte DiVincenzo shot 12-of-26 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Friday’s Game 3 loss to the Pacers, tallying 35 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and seven 3-pointers in 44 minutes.
    With OG Anunoby (hamstring) sidelined, the Knicks looked to DiVincenzo even more than usual in Game 3. And he answered the call, knocking down seven 3-pointers and scoring 35 points with a full stat line. The Pacers will pay even more attention to DiVincenzo in Sunday’s Game 4, but that isn’t going to make him “gun shy.” Look for the Big Ragu, who has scored at least 25 points in all three games of this series, to put up a lot of shots as the Knicks attempt to steal one on the road.