NBA Player News

While his offense has been hit-or-miss, Walker has made strides in terms of his overall production since the All-Star break. He’s been a top-100 player in eight-cat formats since the break, doing enough to merit being rostered in 14-team leagues. As long as he’s healthy, Walker is one of the Pacers players whose minutes should be relatively safe for the rest of the season. The Pacers end Week 20 with a game against the Bucks on Sunday.

Among the most improved players in the NBA this season, Alexander-Walker struggled in his Hawks postseason debut on Saturday. He shot 3-of-9 from two and wasn’t much better from beyond the arc while offering limited value in the other categories of importance. Given how well Alexander-Walker played throughout the season, nights like Saturday have not been the norm. He’ll look to improve his shooting efficiency in Game 2 on Monday.

After scoring 29 points in his final appearance of the regular season, McCollum got his 2026 postseason off to a good start with another efficient effort on Saturday. The veteran guard shot 55 percent from the field overall and 4-of-9 from three-point range. However, McCollum will need to clean up the turnovers, as he was responsible for five. The Hawks will look to even the series at one game apiece when they visit the Knicks again on Monday.

Okongwu, who sat out the Hawks’ regular-season finale with a finger injury, had no issues shooting the basketball in Saturday’s series opener. Shooting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, all that the Hawks’ center’s stat line lacked was a steal. The question for the Hawks in this series is whether they can get Okongwu more involved offensively, given how effective he was in Game 1. With Jock Landale (ankle) out for at least two more weeks, Double-O will need to be even better than he was on Saturday.

Johnson was one of two Hawks to score at least 20 points in Game 1, but his overall impact was muted. Not counting Atlanta’s April 10 win over the Cavaliers in which he played 25 minutes, the All-Star forward went nearly a month since the last time he recorded three assists in a game. Dyson Daniels (4/9/11/3) was Atlanta’s most effective playmaker on Saturday, and they can’t afford for that to be the case if they’re going to win the series. Johnson will look to be more impactful in Game 2 on Monday.

Hart did a little bit of everything in Game 1, with his stat line only lacking a three-pointer and a blocked shot. The Knicks’ wing exercised discretion as a scorer and was most effective as a rebounder. All 14 of Hart’s rebounds came on the defensive end, helping to eliminate second-chance opportunities for the Hawks. Add in the assists and steals, and this was a fine start to the series for Hart.

Anunoby had an injury scare during the third quarter of Saturday’s series opener, as he sprained his left ankle on a drive to the basket. While the Knicks forward exited the game immediately, he wasn’t on the bench for long before returning. Anunoby played 38 minutes, and the Knicks will likely need him to take on a similar workload in Game 2 on Monday. If Anunoby is limited or can’t play, Mikal Bridges (11/2/1/1 with one three-pointer) will have to bring more to the table offensively.

Towns started slowly on Saturday, attempting two shots during the first half. The 7-footer was far more impactful after halftime, helping the Knicks push their lead to as much as 18 before holding on. As was the case during the regular season, the Knicks need to keep Towns engaged offensively to reach their full potential. Backup Mitchell Robinson (three points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks) played 15 minutes off the bench, and there was just one short segment in which he and Towns were on the floor together.

Brunson shot 6-of-18 from inside the arc in Game 1, but an efficient 3-of-4 day from three helped compensate for those struggles. Between Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Hawks have two perimeter defenders capable of making things difficult for Brunson. However, he still managed to finish Game 1 with 28 points, and the seven assists were countered by just two turnovers. The Knicks will look to take a 2-0 series lead on Monday night.

Three of the four best players in this series won’t be available for Game 1, as Kevin Durant has joined the Lakers’ Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves on the sidelines due to a knee contusion. Sheppard returns to the starting lineup, and he’ll shoulder a heavy workload along with Thompson and Şengün as playmakers within the Rockets’ offense.

Initially questionable, Durant will miss Saturday’s series-opener due to a right knee contusion. During his pregame availability, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said that he hopes this is a one-game issue. With no Durant, Reed Sheppard will move into the starting lineup after coming off the bench the last time that Houston was close to full strength.