NBA Player News

Bailey has three 30-point games to his credit, and he’s recorded them all in March. Four days removed from putting up 33 points, the rookie wing established a new season-high on Monday. Shooting 7-of-10 from beyond the arc, Bailey made more than 50 percent of his shot attempts overall, and he did not commit a turnover. Regarding Bailey’s development, March has been an encouraging month for the Jazz and those rostering the rookie, especially managers in dynasty leagues.

The injury occurred in the third quarter after Harper landed awkwardly. The rookie guard reached for his right leg, was subbed out shortly after the fall, and was eventually ruled out for the rest of the game. He finished with 12 points and three assists in 25 minutes of action.

Flagg, Knueppel, and Edgecombe all received 100 first-place votes, with Harper’s 93 votes not far behind. Cedric Coward’s 29 first-place votes were the least of the first-teamers. Meanwhile, Derik Queen, Maxime Raynaud, Jeremiah Fears, Ace Bailey, and Colin Murray-Boyles were named to the All-Rookie Second team.

Fox’s ankle injury will cause him to miss a second straight game for a Spurs team looking to take a 2-0 series lead. In Fox’s Game 1 absence, rookie Dylan Harper got the start and amassed an impressive 24/11/6 line, adding seven steals in the victory. He’ll likely remain in the starting lineup on Wednesday.

Fox missed Game 1, but with San Antonio already ahead 1-0 in the series, the team could opt to give him some extra rest before the series shifts back to Frost Bank Center for Games 3 and 4. Fox’s absence means more playmaking responsibilities for Stephon Castle and potentially another start for Dylan Harper, who was tremendous in Monday’s double overtime thriller.

Mobley landed a double-double on Tuesday, as he dominated the defensive glass and did a fine job of erasing shot attempts. Yet his shooting struggles from beyond the arc prevented him from delivering a bigger offensive performance, while failing to make the Knicks pay for gifting him open looks. Given his inefficiency from deep in Game 1, there’s a chance those same shots could be there for him to take. He’ll need to step into those looks and capitalize in Game 2 better than he did on Tuesday.

Harden had a rough Tuesday night at MSG. He struggled with his shot, particularly from beyond the arc, failed to generate points for his teammates, and turned the ball over six times. Additionally, he was the defensive target the Knicks repeatedly aimed for during the fourth quarter and overtime, as New York walked down Cleveland and overcame a 22-point comeback. Harden will almost certainly need to be better going forward for the Cavaliers to win games in this series. He’ll have a chance to bounce back in Game 2 on Thursday.

Mitchell was highly productive on Tuesday. In his 41 minutes, he led the Cavaliers in points, was their most productive three-point shooter, and was massive on the defensive end, recording seven stocks. Yet Mitchell and his teammates struggled to generate enough two-way production to protect a 22-point fourth-quarter lead, which led to an overtime period and an eventual loss for the Cavaliers. Mitchell shot 1-of-6 and tallied two total points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. He’ll have a chance to bounce back and help Cleveland try to even the series on Thursday.

Karl-Anthony Towns notched his seventh double-double of the postseason on Tuesday in his 40 minutes of game action. Yet, his numbers weren’t spectacular. Towns struggled from behind the three-point line, and his seven turnovers are notable. Still, he was part of a Knicks unit that overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to push the team to a Game 1 win. Towns has had a productive postseason and will have a chance to add to it in Game 2.

It took a while for Anunoby to find his rhythm in his first game back from a hamstring injury. However, he found offensive production at just the right time, as he scored nine of New York’s 14 points in overtime to help complete the largest comeback in the franchise’s history. Most importantly, Anunoby logged 34 minutes in his return and appeared to finish the game without any new or aggravated injuries. His status going into Game 2 will be one to monitor.