NBA Player News

Injured during Game 2, Wembanyama remained in the league’s concussion protocol for Friday’s Game 3 victory in Portland. The good news is that he was on the bench with his teammates, and there’s now a chance that the MVP finalist returns on Sunday. If Wembanyama plays, Luke Kornet will head to the bench.

Jokić logged another impressive stat line in Thursday’s loss, impacting the game as a scorer, facilitator, and rebounder. He shot the ball efficiently overall despite not finding his touch from beyond the arc. Yet, his contributions weren’t enough to keep Denver from another early playoff exit. The Nuggets have not been back to the Western Conference Finals since their championship-winning 2021-22 season. Regardless of what roster construction occurs over the offseason, Jokić should be back and will have a chance to finish as one of the best fantasy players.

While Randle didn’t shoot efficiently, he consistently had the basketball in his hands down the stretch and helped lead Minnesota to the finish line and into the second round. He produced at all three levels as a scorer and was one of the team’s more productive passers throughout the game. Surely, Randle is capable of a greater stat line, but he was impactful in his 37 minutes on the floor. He’ll have a chance for stronger stats against the Spurs on Monday.

Shannon showed up and played exceptionally well in his first playoff start, delivering consistent, timely baskets throughout the game to help Minnesota advance past the first round. Arguably, the only knock on the second-year guard’s performance was his inability to knock down the three-point shot efficiently. Still, he finished as the team’s second-leading scorer in a game that they played without several key perimeter players. Shannon should have a role to begin the second-round series against San Antonio, regardless of which Timberwolves players are available.

McDaniels stepped up in a big way to help the Timberwolves advance to the second round. Offensively, he took on a significant role and responded by notching his first-ever 30-point playoff game. He battled on both the offensive and defensive glass, while being a major reason for Jamal Murray’s offensive struggles. McDaniels was massive all throughout Round 1, and his two-way ability will be relied on when Minnesota takes on San Antonio in the next round.

Similar to several other Celtics players, Prtichard struggled with his shot in Game 6. He was particularly cold from beyond the arc, which is where half of his field-goal attempts came from. Poor three-point shooting aside, he actually performed offensively, with his five assists being the most for Boston on the night. He’ll likely come off the bench on Saturday and look to provide a spark in Game 7.

Brown never really got going offensively in Game 6. His inconsistent shooting was followed by inefficient free-throw shooting in his trips to the stripe. Additionally, his five turnovers to just two assists help paint a picture of the challenges Philadelphia’s defense presented on Thursday. He’ll have a chance to bounce back on Saturday when the Celtics host the 76ers in a win-or-go-home Game 7.

Tatum put up a double-double in the loss, but didn’t log an overly impressive stat line. He took just 13 shots in his 29 minutes of game action, and although he shot fairly well, the limited volume led to his lowest-scoring total of the series. He’s remained strong on the glass throughout the series, but his team would likely benefit from additional contributions in other areas on Saturday when the Celtics host the Sixers in Game 7.

In his third game back on the floor, Embiid put forth another solid performance. He didn’t shoot the ball efficiently but still nearly found his way to the 20-point mark. The former league MVP made up for his inefficient scoring with good work on the glass and tremendous work as a facilitator. His balanced performance nearly led to a triple-double, which helped the Sixers force a Game 7.

Maxey’s scoring was a significant factor in the 76ers’ Game 6 win. He shot well overall, especially outside the arc, and also finished as one of Philadelphia’s leaders in assists on the evening. He had offensive help from several of his teammates, as well, which could be a key for the 76ers in a win-or-go-home situation on Saturday. They’ll likely rely heavily on Maxey, once again.

George reached the 20-point mark for the first time in the opening-round series on Thursday, which played a big role in Philadelphia forcing a Game 7. His biggest contributions came from beyond the arc, where he accounted for nearly half of the 76ers’ three-point total. The veteran forward also had some fine moments on defense during his 40 minutes. He’ll have a chance to log another strong outing on Saturday in the series-deciding game.