NBA Player News

Before fouling out, Saraf tallied a solid stat line in 26 minutes. This was his fourth straight start, and he has averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game during this stretch. Saraf was the 26th pick in the draft last summer and showed some flashes during his first year in the league. He likely won’t be ready to make significant contributions during his second season, but he’s worth stashing in dynasty formats.

Avdija got off to a fast start in Sunday’s outing. He logged 11 first-quarter points and tallied 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.

Relative to his regular-season production, Duren had an underwhelming performance in Sunday’s opener. He was hardly involved across his 33 minutes, taking just four total shots. The result was a single-digit scoring performance from the first-time NBA All-Star and a team worst minus-21. If the Pistons want to avoid falling two games behind in the series on Wednesday, they’ll almost certainly need more on both ends of the floor from Duren.

Harris was one of several Pistons players to struggle on the offensive end on Sunday. He was particularly inefficient from beyond the arc and had to often rely on getting to the free-throw line to produce. Still, he was productive enough to score above his regular-season average and was the only other player, not named Cade Cunningham, to reach double figures in points. As one of the team’s veterans, Harris could be relied on for more offensive output in Wednesday’s Game 2.

Cunningham led all players in scoring on Sunday, nearly logging as many points as minutes played. The points came from all levels — the three-point line, midrange, and at the rim — while he also did damage at the charity stripe. Yet, the superstar point guard couldn’t manage to get his teammates going as effectively as he had done throughout the regular season, as reflected in the four total assists he generated. Nonetheless, Cunningham did a lot for the Pistons on the offensive end on Sunday, and will need his teammates to make larger contributions in Game 2. Tobias Harris was the only other Detroit player to score in double figures on Sunday.

Carter was one of Orlando’s most efficient players in Sunday’s win. In 37 minutes, he tied a team-high in assists, doing so without committing a turnover. Additionally, the veteran center missed just one of his nine shot attempts, was one of the team’s leading rebounders, and chipped in defensively with two stocks. Carter’s number wasn’t often called, but he seemed to always make a play when the situation called for one. He’ll have a chance to land strong production again in Wednesday’s Game 2.

Wagner was fairly quiet offensively through the first three quarters of Sunday’s contest, having totaled just eight points on 2-of-8 shooting. Yet, he served as Orlando’s closer. In the fourth quarter alone, the fifth-year forward consistently attacked the rim and ultimately converted all five of his field-goal attempts, scoring 11 of the Magic’s 31 points in the frame. Wagner ended as the team’s second-leading scorer on the evening and was one of five Magic players to log at least four assists. He was effective and timely in the victory, which is what Orlando hopes he can duplicate in Game 2.

Banchero rode the hot hand into Sunday’s performance and delivered another fine offensive outing in Game 1. As a result of efficient shooting, the former first-overall pick led Orlando in scoring and was the only one to reach the 20-point mark, even without tallying any points in the fourth quarter. Still, his scoring contributions through three periods helped the Magic build and mostly maintain a lead from start to finish. He also chipped in as a passer and came within one rebound of a double-double. Banchero played a strong game on Sunday and has Orlando in position to potentially steal two games on the road to open the series.