NBA Player News

Back in action after missing Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies, Martin was inserted into the starting lineup due to Naji Marshall (finger) being out. He took advantage of the opportunity, leading the Mavericks in scoring while shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, Martin shot 50 percent from the foul line and did not offer much production outside of points and three-pointers. While starting does raise his fantasy ceiling, Martin has not been a dependable option for managers this season. What works in his favor for Week 19 is that Dallas plays four games, starting with the Hornets on Tuesday.

Harden did the bulk of his scoring at the charity stripe in Game 7, which helped offset some inefficient shooting during his 37 minutes. And with the shooting struggles also came a lack of playmaking — he finished with his lowest assist total of the series. Yet, there were positives. The former league MVP recorded fewer than four turnovers for the first time in the series and remained active with his hands on defense. Still, he’ll likely need to perform better in the Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the top-seeded Pistons for the Cavaliers to advance.

Mitchell wasn’t at his best on Sunday, but he did enough to be effective. He was one of Cleveland’s most impactful players, and despite struggles from three-point range, he still tied for a team high in points. Without any stocks, a single assist, and just a few boards, Mitchell’s contributions mostly came as a scorer in Game 7; he’ll hope to land greater counting stats beginning in Game 1 against the Knicks.

Allen picked a fantastic time to log his best performance of the postseason. He dominated the offensive glass for putbacks and cleaned up the defensive boards, totaling nearly 20 rebounds. His interior dominance led to many trips to the charity stripe as well, as the Raptors couldn’t match Allen’s activity throughout the game, which is also reflected in the five stocks. Again, Allen was the star of the show on Sunday in Cleveland’s biggest game of the season. He’ll try to take Sunday’s momentum into Game 1 against the Pistons.

Despite his struggles from beyond the arc throughout the series, Shead kept firing away on Sunday. And, again, he missed a lot more than he made. However, the second-year pro managed to finish in double figures as a scorer for the third time in this series, while putting together another strong performance as a passer. His inability to consistently make Cleveland’s defense pay for allowing him open shots ultimately caused him lots of production and impacted the Raptors’ offense. He’s unlikely to be a difference-maker in fantasy leagues next season.

Barnes was arguably Toronto’s best performer on Sunday. In his 37 minutes, efficient shooting led him to finish as the team’s top scorer, and his production on the defensive glass nearly led to a double-double. The fifth-year forward showcased his versatility on both ends of the floor and played well in essentially all seven games this series. He was virtually the same level of fantasy player this season as he was last. However, his success in the opening-round loss to the Cavaliers makes another leap in production in the 2026-27 season something fantasy managers could be optimistic about.

Barrett got his points in Game 7, but he never truly found a rhythm. In fact, he struggled from both inside and outside the arc, and added a trio of turnovers along the way. The seventh-year guard was able to make up for some of the shooting struggles with solid facilitating and good disruptiveness on the defensive end. Nonetheless, it probably wasn’t the performance he was looking for, given the magnitude of the game. Barrett’s numbers were down this season, which limited his fantasy production.

Bryant’s status for the series opener is uncertain. He was rarely used in the series against the Trail Blazers aside from Game 3 when Victor Wembanyama was sidelined with a concussion. If he is available on Monday, the rookie will provide energy off the bench and offer defense at the forward position.

Duren recorded his first double-double of the season on Sunday to help the Pistons win three straight games and complete the series comeback to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Sunday’s win marked the first-time All-Star’s highest scoring total of the series, and was also the first time he collected double-digit rebounds. He’ll look to have a much more consistent second round, but his performance in Game 7 should provide him with the necessary momentum to start off the next series productively.

Cunningham was sensational, once again, on Sunday. He logged a second consecutive 32-point outing, this time adding a series-best 12 assists to help the Pistons reel off three straight wins to save their season. The former first-overall pick averaged 36.3 points in the three elimination games and scored at least 30 points in more than half of the seven games. Cunningham’s versatility undoubtedly is the driving force of this Pistons offense — Detroit will count on him to lead the way offensively in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Harris spent much of the series punishing his former employer. His series-high 30-point outing on Sunday put the finishing touches on a seven-game showing in which he averaged a strong 21.6 points and 8.1 rebounds. He led Detroit in three-pointers in Game 7 and tied a team high with four stocks. The veteran forward often functioned as the Pistons’ second-best performer throughout the series. He’ll be counted on in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.