NBA Player News

For his career, Embiid is averaging 30.9 points per game against the Pacers, so maybe we should have seen Friday’s performance coming. The former MVP was sensational on Friday, shooting over 50 percent from the field and making a more concerted effort to attack the Pacers’ defenders. That resulted in Embiid attempting 18 free throws, a sign that he may be on the right track recovery-wise. The points and minutes were season-highs for the 7-footer, who played 32 minutes. Philadelphia ends Week 8 with a game against the Hawks on Sunday.

Brooks had a positive impact in his 37 minutes on Tuesday before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. While on the floor, he was a pest defensively, as shown in his four steals, but also repeatedly made momentum-building shots while the Suns led. Despite taking only 10 shots on the evening, the veteran forward finished as one of three Suns players to tally at least 20 points. Phoenix will hope Brooks can be productive again on Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s Warriors-Clippers matchup.

Green was Phoenix’s best scorer on a night that he logged a team-high 39 minutes. He was cold from the three-point line but made up for his inefficiency from beyond the arc by dazzling in the paint and finding production in the midrange. Green, however, did commit five turnovers in the process. Still, his positives outweighed the negatives on this night, and he’ll have another opportunity to help Phoenix get into the playoffs on Friday when it faces the winner of Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors game.

Booker had an off night on Tuesday, as he saw his streak of 30-point performances end at three games. He struggled overall from the field, missed the mark on both of his three-point attempts, and missed five free throws along the way. The veteran scorer played 38 minutes, despite dealing with foul trouble, but failed to make his usual impact. Still, he’ll have an opportunity to bounce back on Friday when the Suns take on the winner of Wednesday’s Clippers-Warriors matchup.

Grant took the floor for the first time since late March and provided some huge moments on both ends of the floor during the fourth quarter. The veteran forward hit two massive three-pointers with under three minutes remaining, made a big defensive stop on Jordan Goodwin’s game-tying putback attempt with seconds left, and then provided a punctuation-mark dunk on the other end to punch Portland’s ticket to the playoffs. Grant was one of two Trail Blazers to make four three-pointers on the evening. He’ll likely play an important role in the first-round series against the Spurs.

Holiday logged 38 minutes in the win and provided much-needed scoring for the Blazers. The two-time NBA champion drained four three-pointers, including a big one down the stretch of the fourth quarter, to help keep Portland within striking distance. He didn’t compile many other counting stats, yet his veteran presence in clutch time helped Portland come from behind and secure a playoff spot. The Trail Blazers will face San Antonio in the opening round.

Avdija was everything the Blazers needed down the stretch to mount a come-from-behind win. The first-time All-Star repeatedly got to the rim throughout the fourth quarter and ultimately scored the go-ahead layup with 16.1 seconds remaining. He finished with game-highs in points and assists while leading the Blazers from 11 points down midway through the final frame to mount a comeback that would secure them the seventh seed in the playoffs. Portland will face San Antonio in the opening round.

Herro struggled with his shot on Tuesday during his 34 minutes on the floor. Specifically, his inability to finish efficiently inside the three-point line led to the low field-goal percentage. Yet, he sank three triples and produced at the free-throw line to end as one of Miami’s three players with at least 20 points on the night. Herro also turned out a solid outing as a facilitator in the team’s season-ending loss. He battled injuries throughout the season and only logged 33 regular-season games, leaving him with little fantasy basketball value in his seventh NBA season.

Mitchell logged a game-high 48 minutes on Tuesday and did just about everything the Heat could have hoped for. He shot the ball well en route to leading the team in scoring, was one of Miami’s top facilitators, and was the Heat’s only player with at least one block and steal apiece. Unfortunately for Mitchell, his blocked game-winning layup attempt will be the lasting memory of what was a very strong performance. Mitchell played 70 games this season and made a big step as a passer. Yet he wasn’t a reliable option when it came to fantasy basketball.

Wiggins was one of several Heat players to make positive contributions on the offensive end of the floor. His 27 points trailed only Davion Mitchell’s 28, as the veteran forward had production across all three scoring levels. Wiggins was also one of the Heat’s best rebounders on the night during his 42 minutes of game action. He finished the season as a fairly comparable fantasy basketball performer as he was a season ago, albeit on fewer points per game. If Wiggins remains on the Heat going forward, he could be in for a similar season.

In his first taste of the postseason, Miller delivered a well-rounded performance to help Charlotte keep its playoff hopes alive. The third-year forward was one of three Hornets players to score at least 20 points in the night, as he tied a team-high five three-pointers. Miller also made contributions on the glass and as a passer, while recording a couple of blocks to round out a very balanced effort. He’ll get a chance to dial up another strong performance on Friday when the Hornets face the winner of Wednesday’s Sixers-Magic game.