NBA Player News

Beal did not play in Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder, as the Clippers were playing their second game in as many nights. His return will bump Kris Dunn to the bench, where he provides limited fantasy value at best. There’s no need to hold onto Dunn if you streamed him on Tuesday.

Fox picked a good time to have his best game of the series, finishing one assist shy of a double-double while shooting 80 percent from the field. In the 139-109 victory, the Spurs shot nearly 56 percent from the field while limiting the Timberwolves to 37.7 percent shooting. The task gets more difficult for the Spurs in the next round, as they’ll face Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals. Game 1 is on Monday night.

The Spurs came out focused from the start of Game 6, and it was Castle who led the way. The second-year guard scored 14 points in the first quarter and did not cool off until he and the other starters were shut down early in the fourth quarter. Castle finished four assists shy of his first postseason triple-double and shot high percentages from the field and the foul line. Next up for San Antonio are the reigning champion Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, with Game 1 scheduled for Monday night.

While he wasn’t as loose with the basketball as backcourt partner James Harden, who recorded eight turnovers, Mitchell struggled on Friday. Spida shot 30 percent from the field, and his inefficient shooting was one reason the Cavaliers could not close out the series. In three prior Game 7 appearances, Mitchell has averaged 27.7 points on 42 percent shooting from the field. He’ll need to be elite on Sunday if the Cavaliers are to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2018.

Mobley recorded a complete stat line on Friday, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for Cleveland’s 19 turnovers, which Detroit converted into 25 points. Last season’s Defensive Player of the Year has put up impressive numbers this series, totaling nine steals and 17 blocks through six games. Jarrett Allen (13/8/1/1/1) also recorded solid numbers in Game 6, and the Cavaliers will need more of the same in Sunday’s decisive Game 7 in Detroit.

While he did lead the Cavaliers in scoring, Game 6 was a rough one for Harden. His four assists were countered by eight turnovers, the fifth time this postseason that the point guard has finished a game with more turnovers than field goals made. Harden’s plus-minus of minus-5 wasn’t terrible, but it is a reminder of why it’s a fool’s errand to cite that category without context. It’s known that he’s going to have high-turnover nights, but Harden has to keep the miscues in check in Sunday’s Game 7.

An afterthought for most of the first three games of this series, Reed has emerged as a key contributor due to Jalen Duren’s struggles. However, both played well in Game 6, which is why the Pistons will host Game 7 on Sunday. Reed, a double-digit scorer in four straight games, finished with a career-high point total and was a steal shy of a complete stat line. Isaiah Stewart played just four minutes on Friday, and his playing time is likely to be limited on Sunday as well.

Despite Duncan Robinson returning to action after missing Game 5 due to a sore lower back, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff stuck with Jenkins in the starting lineup. The presence of a second playmaker in the lineup paid dividends, with Jenkins contributing 15 points and three assists. Robinson was also productive, contributing 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and four three-pointers in 20 minutes off the bench. Given how well things worked out for Detroit in Game 6, it would be unsurprising if Jenkins got another start in Game 7.

Benched for most of the fourth quarter and the entirety of overtime of Game 5, Duren hit his low point in these playoffs. Give him credit for bouncing back in Game 6, picking a great time to record his first double-double since Game 2. Duren was also impactful as a rebounder and defender, with the three blocks matching his total from the first five games. For the Pistons to win Game 7 and advance to the conference finals, they’ll need a similar performance from Duren on Sunday.