NBA Player News

Despite getting into early foul trouble, Haliburton was outstanding in helping the Pacers seal a second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Whistled for three first-quarter fouls, Haliburton only attempted one shot in the period. He made up for that by shooting 5-of-5 from three in the second quarter, pulling Indiana to within four at the half. Haliburton had plenty of help in the second half, with Indiana completing its rally to end the series. While the Pacers don’t know their opponent in the next round, they know they’ll begin on the road in either New York or Boston.

Lerner said that Sheppard is participating to help him prepare to play a larger role in his second season. After Houston selected him with the No. 3 pick in 2024, Sheppard played just 12.6 minutes per game across his 52 appearances, though all signs point to Sheppard playing more in year two. How well he performs in Summer League should be a solid indicator of how much he will play for the Rockets next season, though the other moves this team could make will also open up minutes for him.

Finney-Smith dealt with a lingering ankle issue that he mostly played through down the stretch of the season. The 32-year-old small forward is expected to be able to participate in training camp after successful surgery.

The Knicks have already been denied from speaking with five current head coaches and appear to be shifting their focus to candidates they don’t need permission to interview. Brown, who last coached the Sacramento Kings, and Jenkins, who was with the Memphis Grizzlies, both fit that bill. Amick reports there could be more names joining them on the Knicks’ list, which is still yet to be finalized. The Knicks are the only head coaching vacancy in the NBA at the moment and appear in no rush to hire a new coach after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau last week.

Durant has been rumored to be on the move since before the trade deadline. While several teams have inquired about the availability of the small forward who turns 37 in September, the Spurs, Rockets, Timberwolves, Knicks and Heat are some of the more likely landing spots. Durant is likely headed elsewhere this offseason, though no trade is imminent at this time.

Scotto also passed along that the 76ers have four draft prospects in mind with the No. 3 overall pick. Those include VJ Edgecomb, who had a private workout last week, and Ace Bailey, who will visit the 76ers next week. Dylan Harper is the consensus No. 2 player in the draft and would seem to be the 76ers target in talks with the Spurs. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst previously speculated the 76ers could trade up, trade down or trade out with the No. 3 overall pick.

Turner finished the Pacers’ win in Game 3 with nine points, two rebounds, one assist and five blocks. His most important block came late in the game on a Chet Holmgren three-point attempt. Despite dealing with an illness and potentially missing practice Thursday, Turner isn’t likely to miss Game 4 on Friday.

A few weeks removed from undergoing surgery on his left (shooting) wrist, Podziemski underwent a separate procedure on Tuesday. According to the Warriors, the procedure to repair the core muscle injury was successful. Podziemski is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of training camp in late September. As long as there aren’t any setbacks, Podziemski will be a player worth selecting in fantasy drafts.

While Holmgren’s box score shows a solid effort with 20 points and 10 rebounds, the 23-year-old power forward certainly struggled against a physical Pacers frontline. This was encapsulated in one of the final Thunder possessions. With two minutes left and down six points, Holmgren passed up an opportunity to drive after getting the ball on a pick and roll. Later in the possession, he appeared open for a three-pointer, but was blocked by Myles Turner. After corralling the miss, Holmgren drove the lane but was denied again by Turner, with help defense from Pascal Siakam, and the possession went to the Pacers. Holmgren will need to bounce back if the Thunder are going to get back into this series with a win in Game 4 on Friday.

To say that Gilgeous-Alexander struggled in Game 3 would be an understatement. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle joked earlier this week that the 26-year-old point guard would have 34 points as soon as he got off the bus. Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander finished Game 3 with 24 and a playoff career-high six turnovers against the Pacers’ swarming defense. A better offensive effort from SGA is paramount for the Thunder in Game 4 on Friday.

The Pacers received truly great performances in Game 3 from Bennedict Mathurin, Tyrese Haliburton and Siakam. The 31-year-old power forward has been a rock for the Pacers this postseason bringing with him previous NBA Finals experience from his time in Toronto. Siakam’s excellent Game 3 included 21 points on 14 shots and locking up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defensively on a crucial possession with under two minutes remaining. The Eastern Conference finals MVP played as big of a role as anyone in the Pacers taking a 2-1 series lead.