NBA Player News

This was a fifth straight start for Grimes, and while the first was rough, he has averaged 20.3 points over the last four while shooting 50 percent from the floor. He hasn’t offered much in other categories, but the 76ers will need his continued offensive production with Tyrese Maxey (pinky) set to miss at least three weeks. Grimes should continue to see a bump in minutes and scoring moving forward.

Okongwu’s inflamed right knee will not keep him out of Monday’s game, with the Hawks needing a win to even the series at one game apiece. Mouhamed Gueye will remain in the backup center role, while Tony Bradley may pick up another DNP-CD.

Quickley will miss a second consecutive playoff game as he recovers from a strained right hamstring. Jamal Shead started Saturday’s series-opening defeat, and Quickley’s absence factored into Brandon Ingram only attempting nine shots in Game 1. For Toronto to have any chance of winning Game 2, they need Ingram to be more involved as a scorer than he was on Saturday.

Harper, who is on track to be available for Game 2, only played the final four minutes of Sunday’s series-opening rout of the 76ers. His availability does not affect the Celtics’ rotation.

Due to a right knee contusion, Durant did not play in Saturday’s Game 1 loss to the Lakers. The veteran forward’s ability to participate in half of Monday’s session is not a good sign, even with Udoka saying that Durant will be a game-time decision for Tuesday’s Game 2. Reed Sheppard moved into the starting lineup in the series opener and struggled, shooting 6-of-20 from the field in 36 minutes of action. If Durant remains out, they’ll need more production from Sheppard and Alperen Şengün to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole.

Holiday was cold from the field in Game 1, regardless of whether he was shooting inside the arc or beyond it. The two-time champion was one of three Blazers starters to shoot under 30.0 percent on the evening, contributing to Portland’s overall offensive struggles. He did compensate for the scoring struggles by dishing out double-digit assists, doing so while committing only one turnover. Still, the Trail Blazers will likely need more production from Holiday as a scorer going forward.

After a quiet, three-point first half, Henderson found his rhythm in his playoff debut and scored 15 points after halftime to finish as Portland’s second-leading scorer on the evening. Henderson shot efficiently in his 27 minutes both inside and outside the arc, and was one of the Blazers’ more reliable starters overall. The former third-overall pick has logged some impressive scoring performances recently in his return from injury. He’ll have a chance to build off some Game 1 momentum and carry it over on Tuesday when the Blazers and Spurs take the floor again.

Avdija got off to a fast start in Sunday’s outing. He logged 11 first-quarter points and added eight more to total 19 points at halftime. Yet, he was much less dominant the remainder of the game, taking just two shots in the third frame before logging six points in the fourth. Still, Avdija was the only Trail Blazer with more than 20 points on the evening. He’ll likely need some of his teammates to contribute more on the offensive end if Portland wants to avoid dropping Game 2.

Fox’s playoff debut with the Spurs was an impressive one. The veteran guard led the team in assists during his time on the floor, and shot the basketball well enough to finish as one of the top scorers. Perhaps most impressively, Fox’s offensive contributions came without giving the ball away to the defense. He was under control throughout, and it helped San Antonio cruise to a comfortable Game 1 win.

Castle was one of many Spurs starters to conclude with a strong stat line on Sunday. In 33 minutes, the second-year guard made his mark as one of San Antonio’s best facilitators and rebounders, while constantly putting pressure on the defense to make his way to the charity stripe. Better efficiency on his shot attempts would have boosted Castle well into the twenties in regard to total points. Nonetheless, he finished as one of the team’s top scorers on the evening and, as mentioned previously, contributed in several other areas of the game.

Wembanyama’s first taste of the NBA postseason was a success. The superstar center was particularly productive from the three-point line in this game, where his five triples accounted for one-third of San Antonio’s total from beyond the arc. He also took advantage of his attempts from the free-throw line and converted several shots inside the arc to help land a game-high in points. Yet, his usual counting stats across the board weren’t as great as they often are; Wemby finished below his regular-season averages in rebounds, assists, and blocked shots during his time on the floor. While his impact on both ends was clear, he’ll have a chance to log a greater overall stat line in Game 2.