NBA Player News

One game removed from recording his first triple-double of the season, Brown dropped a season-high 42 points on Tuesday. Boston trailed by as much as 14 during the first quarter but, thanks in part to Brown, would lead by as many as 21 points before holding on for the win. Brown’s eight-cat fantasy value has aligned with his Yahoo! ADP, as he’s providing third-round value. The lone issue on Tuesday was the turnover count: Brown committed four, but the overall production compensated for it.

Huerter will miss his fourth consecutive playoff game for Detroit. The ninth-year guard has come off the bench and played a minimal role thus far during the postseason, though still a part of the regular rotation. His absence leaves the Pistons without a key three-point shooter in the opening game against the Cavaliers.

Now having missed back-to-back contests, Dosunmu’s status for Wednesday’s Game 2 is uncertain. The Timberwolves have won both games Dosunmu has missed this postseason, with Terrence Shannon Jr. filling in admirably during that stretch. If Dosunmu returns, he’ll provide Minnesota with more perimeter versatility on both ends of the floor.

Edwards gets the questionable tag ahead of Game 2 following his return from injury on Monday. He logged just 25 minutes in the Game 1 victory, but seemed to come out of the performance without a new injury, and given the successful return, it would be more surprising than unsurprising if he didn’t take the floor on Wednesday. The Timberwolves will have a chance to take a 2-0 series lead.

Injured during practice in the lead-up to Monday’s series opener, Bryant did not play in the Spurs’ Game 1 loss to the Timberwolves. He totaled seven minutes in the final two games of San Antonio’s first-round series against Portland, as Victor Wembanyama was back after missing Game 3 with a concussion. Bryant, who logged 23 minutes in the game that Wemby missed, is unlikely to play much if he’s available for Game 2 against the Timberwolves.

Embiid is back on the 76ers’ injury report, although the reason ahead of Game 2 is due to a sprained right ankle. He only logged 25 minutes in Game 1, as the 76ers trailed by 31 points at the end of the third quarter. Embiid is listed as probable, so he should be on the court Wednesday night. If not, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona will figure more prominently in the rotation.

After scoring in double figures in three of the Spurs’ five first-round games against Portland, Harper had another solid showing in Monday’s series opener. The rookie shot over 50 percent from the field and did not commit a turnover. While Harper’s production wasn’t enough to compensate for De’Aaron Fox turning the ball over six times and shooting 5-of-14 from the field and Stephon Castle fouling out, it was enough to give San Antonio a chance to steal the win in the final seconds. The Spurs will need similar performances from Harper to play deep into the postseason.

Castle shot the ball well in Game 1, but foul trouble was an issue. The second-year guard was limited to 28 minutes, and he fouled out with 3:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. While San Antonio could get away with that in the first round against Portland, that won’t be the case against the Timberwolves, especially with Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards returning from his knee injury. Game 2 is on Wednesday night.

Champagnie shot a respectable 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, but his attempt that would have won the game missed the mark as time expired. On a night when Victor Wembanyama shot 5-of-17 from the field and De’Aaron Fox (10/3/6) shot 5-of-14 and committed six turnovers, Champagnie gave the Spurs welcome contributions on both ends of the floor. Also, his two offensive rebounds helped spark the late rally that fell two points short. The Spurs host Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Since the NBA began recording blocked shots during the 1973-74 season, no player has recorded more rejections in a playoff game than Wembanyama did on Monday. He’s also the first player to have at least 10 blocks in a playoff game since Andrew Bynum in 2012. The downside was that Wembanyama struggled offensively, missing all eight of his three-point attempts. Given how well he’s played all season, it would be stunning if Wemby did not come through with a better performance in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Due to injuries, the Timberwolves have relied on Conley far more than anticipated at the start of the postseason. The 38-year-old point guard shot 4-of-7 from beyond the arc and did not commit a turnover in his 24 minutes. Conley’s playing time should remain in the 24-26 minute range moving forward, especially with Anthony Edwards (knee) back in action.