NBA Player News

Rostered in 27 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Fears has been close to a top-100 player in eight-cat formats over the past week. Also, for the first time, the rookie guard has scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games. Fears is making strides after a rocky start to his first NBA season, one of the few positives for a team that is now 3-20. And with backup Jose Alvarado (13/3/1/2 with three three-pointers) doing his best to play through a left wrist injury, there could come a point when the Pelicans ask Fears to do even more as the starting point guard.

Robinson is back after missing Wednesday’s Game 2 victory due to illness. With OG Anunoby (hamstring) out, it’s possible that he starts as part of a bigger lineup, but only if Philadelphia has Joel Embiid. Robinson’s return, whether he starts or comes off the bench, likely bounces Ariel Hukporti from the rotation entirely.

Injured during the second half of Wednesday’s Game 2 victory, Hart’s sprained left thumb will not keep him out for Game 3. He’ll occupy his usual place within the Knicks’ starting lineup, a role that takes on added importance with OG Anunoby (hamstring) sidelined.

While the strained right hamstring that Anunoby suffered during the fourth quarter of Game 2 is not believed to be serious, he will not play on Friday. His absence opens up a spot in the starting lineup, with Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson being potential replacements. Robinson would likely be an option only if Joel Embiid (ankle, hip) is available for the 76ers.

Merrill did not play in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat after logging seven minutes in the series opener. As a result, the Cavaliers essentially went with an eight-man rotation, with Keon Ellis logging six minutes as the ninth man. Regardless of Merrill’s status, Max Strus should log the majority of the bench minutes on the wing.

Huerter has not appeared in a game since Game 4 of the Pistons’ first-round series against the Magic, and that appears unlikely to change on Saturday. His continued absence means more minutes for Daniss Jenkins and Caris LeVert, with the former being especially impactful during Detroit’s Game 2 victory on Thursday.

Ingram had to exit Toronto’s first-round series against the Cavaliers during Game 5 due to right heel pain, and he did not play in Games 6 and 7. What first became an issue during the regular season, the veteran wing was found to be dealing with a bone spur that was removed via surgical procedure on Friday. According to the Raptors, Ingram is expected to be healthy and available when training camp opens in late September.

Hart sustained a sprained left thumb in Wednesday’s Game 2, but the injury won’t cost him any time. Hart has averaged 6.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists over 35 minutes across Games 1 and 2, and he’ll look to help New York take a commanding 3-0 series lead at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Despite not shooting the basketball well, particularly from beyond the arc, Smart was the lone Lakers starter to conclude with a positive plus-minus. He was impactful as a passer on the evening and played his usual strong defense, even though he only tallied one steal. Smart eventually knocking down some three-pointers would help the Lakers’ offense — he’s currently shooting 3-of-15 from deep over the first two games of the series. Perhaps the home floor and familiarity with the rims will help the veteran guard find his touch in Game 3.

Reaves responded in a big way on Thursday to his eight-point Game 1 performance by finishing as the only Lakers player to reach the 30-point mark. He had success from deep, was efficient as a two-point scorer, and also got to the free-throw line to add to his scoring total. Turnovers were also an issue for Reaves in Game 2, as was the case in the series opener, but his contributions as a scorer and passer outweighed the negatives. A repeat performance in Game 3 would greatly benefit a Lakers team that’ll be trying to avoid going down by three games.

James logged 38 minutes in Game 2 and produced similar numbers to Game 1. On the evening, he was his usual efficient self as a scorer while also making some impact as a facilitator. Arguably, the four-time champion’s biggest moments came in the fourth quarter, when a series of James baskets helped the Lakers trim the Thunder’s lead to as few as five points. But L.A. ultimately ran out of answers, as OKC pulled away and secured a 2-0 series lead. James will again be one of the Lakers’ most important players in Game 3.