NBA Player News

Smith had nine points in 21 minutes in Thursday’s win over the Nets. The 28-year-old guard was initially listed as probable, so his availability against the Hornets on Friday isn’t a surprise. In his current role, Smith isn’t worth rostering in fantasy leagues.

After scoring 12 points in Denver’s Game 1 victory on Saturday, Braun was more productive in Game 2. However, one of the main talking points from Monday’s defeat will be his missed free throw with the Nuggets trailing by two with 19 seconds remaining. Braun would hit the second to pull Denver to within one, but having to foul allowed Minnesota to extend his lead to three. Also, he’s one of the players the Nuggets will need to step up defensively, as they struggled on that end of the floor for most of the regular season and for parts of Game 2.

Jokić finished Game 2 two assists shy of a triple-double, but Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert once again did a solid job of defending the three-time league MVP. For the second consecutive game, Jokić committed five turnovers, and he shot 40 percent from the field. While Jokić did get his numbers, the Nuggets’ margin for error is slim given their defensive issues, especially with Peyton Watson still out due to injury. Denver will look to retake the series lead when they visit Minnesota for Game 3 on Thursday.

Murray had it rolling early in Game 2, capping a 23-point first half with a half-court shot as time expired to end the second quarter. However, the Timberwolves buckled down defensively, limiting the Nuggets’ guard to seven second-half points. Murray’s miss of a challenged mid-range jumper led to a Donte DiVincenzo dunk that extended Minnesota’s lead to five with just under four seconds remaining, ending the game. Murray scored 30 points in both games in Denver, but Game 2 felt far different because of the subpar second half.

DiVincenzo’s dunk in the final seconds sealed Minnesota’s 119-114 victory, and he knocked down a few timely three-pointers to help even the series. Through two games, the Timberwolves’ guard has shot 8-of-14 from beyond the arc, and that’s after shooting a combined 11-of-30 from deep in the final four games of the regular season. If DiVincenzo can shoot the ball as well as he did in Games 1 and 2, that would go a long way toward helping the Timberwolves advance. Game 3 is on Thursday.

While quiet during the second half of Game 2, Randle’s performance in the first half helped the Timberwolves erase a double-digit deficit. He scored 18 points before halftime, combining with Anthony Edwards to score 38 of the Timberwolves’ 64 points. Randle finished with solid percentages and was one rebound shy of a double-double, performing much better than he did in Saturday’s Game 1 defeat. The Timberwolves host Game 3 on Thursday night.

Edwards is still getting his stamina up to par after missing a large portion of the final month of the regular season. And playing at altitude may not have helped in Saturday’s series opener, but he was better in Game 2. Edwards scored 20 points in the first half and finished with a 30-point double-double as part of a complete stat line. As a result, Minnesota heads home with the series tied at one game apiece. Game 3 is on Thursday night.

Anunoby had a tough night at the foul line, and every point makes a difference in a game the Knicks lost by one point. There was an injury scare during the second half, but it appeared to be nothing more than Karl-Anthony Towns stepping on Anunoby’s left foot. After spraining his left ankle during Game 1, he played 38 minutes on Monday. He should play similar minutes in Thursday’s Game 3, with the series tied at one game apiece.

Hart has recorded double-doubles in each of the Knicks’ first two games of this postseason, while also doing an admirable job of defending Atlanta star forward Jalen Johnson. In Game 2, the Knicks forward’s stat line was missing only a blocked shot, and he shot nearly 50 percent from the field. Hart and the Knicks will look to regain the momentum when the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Thursday.

Despite shooting nearly 67 percent from the field, Towns only attempted 12 shots in Game 2. That’s one less than his total in Game 1, but that 25-point effort was supplemented by a 10-of-10 night at the foul line. Towns did not attempt a free throw on Monday, and the Knicks need to do a better job of ensuring that he’s getting his touches. Atlanta does not have the size to deal with Towns, especially with Jock Landale (ankle) unavailable, but that doesn’t matter if the Knicks don’t look to exploit the advantage.

Brunson may have scored 29 points, but the Hawks made him work for every one. The Knicks’ guard needed 26 field-goal attempts, and he shot 6-of-16 from inside the arc. No other Knick attempted more than 12 shots, something that cannot happen if New York is to play deep into the postseason. Now with the series tied at one game apiece, the scene shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Thursday.