NBA Player News

Mitchell may have been one of the few Cavaliers to get the memo about the early starting time, as he scored 12 of the team’s 36 first-half points. He was even more productive in the second half, finishing with a game-high 30 points on solid percentages and a complete stat line. The Cavaliers play four games in Week 20, starting with the 76ers on Monday. Due to his having missed the last four games with a strained groin, Mitchell may not be a lock to play against Philadelphia.

While Embiid’s status for the 76ers’ first round series against the Hornets hasn’t been made official, he’s unlikely to be ready for the start of the series. Charania reports the 76ers are preparing to begin the series without their 32-year-old superstar. Paul George and Tyrese Maxey will take on added importance in his absence. Theoretically, Embiid could be available later in the series.

The NBA ruled in favor of Cunningham and Doncic on their Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge for the 65-game award rule. Both players will now be eligible for season honors such as MVP and All-NBA teams. Doncic missed two games in December due to the birth of his child and Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards also filed a challenge, but was denied and is not eligible for awards, according to Charania.

Landale will miss the first round of the playoffs. The 30-year-old center sustained a high ankle sprain against the Magic on April 1 and has progressed in his rehabilitation, but isn’t ready to return yet. Mo Gueye and Tony Bradley will be the backup center options for the Hawks in their series against the Knicks.

There were certainly some lows for Mathurin in April, but he was able to end his first season as a Clipper with back-to-back 20-point outings. There aren’t any questions about his scoring ability, but he hasn’t been able to contribute value in other categories consistently, and that is unlikely to change next season. He’s still a talented young guard, and he played well in this game, but that shouldn’t change how fantasy managers view him heading into next season.

In what was an amazing season for Leonard, it ended on a sour note. He played in 65 games and had one of the best offensive seasons of his career. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to bring some of that magic into the play-in tournament. His five turnovers were the most he has had in a game since February. Kawhi will turn 35 in June, which certainly means there will be rumors and questions floating around about the Clippers’ chances of building a contender around him. Regardless, Leonard is still one of the most talented players in basketball and will have a chance to be a fantasy superstar once again next season, no matter who he suits up for.

Prior to fouling out, Garland was able to have a productive night in his postseason debut for the Clippers. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for them to stay alive and have a chance to make the playoffs. Garland was acquired at the trade deadline in a deal that sent James Harden to Cleveland. He has been limited by a toe injury for over a year, but when he was finally able to make his debut for the Clippers, he was able to close the year out with a productive stretch. The former All-Star will be a pivotal piece for the Clippers moving forward.

Santos stepped up in a big way for the Warriors during the second half of the season, and that continued into a strong play-in performance for him. He entered the starting lineup when Stephen Curry went down with a knee injury in late January and took full advantage of the opportunity. He ended up signing a three-year, $15 million contract extension with Golden State that may end up looking like a bargain. Santos will continue to be a pivotal piece for the Warriors with the postseason continuing for them on Friday in Phoenix.

Porziņģis entered the postseason having shot below 40 percent in three straight games. However, he was able to post his best field goal percentage as a Warrior in this game, which contributed to them surviving the 9/10 play-in game. They’ll need Porziņģis at his best in Friday’s game against the Suns to have a chance to advance to the playoffs. Porziņģis’ availability has been limited this season, but when he’s been on the floor, his impact has been clear.

Curry came alive late in this game in a way that only he can. He shot 10-of-14 from the floor in the second half and scored 27 points after the break to help bring the Warriors back. He also played 36 minutes, which is the most he has played in a game since December. Curry missed most of the second half of the season with a knee injury, but it didn’t seem to limit him in this game. He’ll need to have another big performance in Phoenix on Friday for the Warriors to advance to the playoffs.

This certainly wasn’t the performance the Magic were hoping to get out of their star player. Banchero and Franz Wagner combined for just 30 points in the loss, though Banchero’s inefficiencies stuck out. He also shot 7-of-22 and had six turnovers in the regular season finale on Sunday. They’ll need him to be much better against the Hornets on Friday to keep their season alive.