NBA Player News

Having scored 19 points in Oklahoma City’s Game 1 win over Dallas, Holmgren’s production took a significant hit in Game 2. He shot 33.3% from the field, but the good news is that he was able to record six assists. Dallas, with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, offers more athleticism in the middle than New Orleans’ Jonas Valanciunas did in the first round. Holmgren can still be effective, as evidenced by his play in Game 1, but it won’t be easy. He’ll look to bounce back in Game 3 on Saturday in Dallas, with the teams tied at 1-all.

After shooting nearly 53% from the field in Oklahoma City’s four-game sweep of the Pelicans, Williams’ shooting has taken a hit against the Mavericks. Between Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington, Dallas is far better equipped to defend JDub than New Orleans was, which explains why he shot 40.6% from the field in Games 1 and 2. The good news for DFS players is that he’s kept the turnovers in check, committing one in each game. Williams will look to put forth a better effort in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

If the first two games of this series are any indication, this may not be the series for Giddey. After logging 17 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 1 victory, he played 11 in Game 2, with Aaron Wiggins starting the third quarter. Wiggins, who finished with nine points, two rebounds, one block, and one 3-pointer, can serve as another floor spacer to open up driving lanes for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Giddey, whom Mavericks center Daniel Gafford sometimes defended, does not possess that ability. Don’t be surprised if Giddey continues to lose minutes to Wiggins and Cason Wallace (six points, three rebounds, one assist, and two steals in 21 minutes) moving forward.

Gilgeous-Alexander recorded a high-level stat line in Game 2, but the lack of offense from players other than him and Jalen Williams was too much to overcome. SGA, who finished second in the NBA MVP voting, has surpassed the 30-point mark twice in six games this postseason, with Thursday’s effort being his first since Game 2 of OKC’s first-round series against New Orleans. Gilgeous-Alexander will get his numbers, and he’s been efficient in this series’ first two games. How far the Thunder plays into the postseason will depend on how consistent his supporting cast is. Game 3 is on Saturday afternoon in Dallas.

After missing the last four games of Dallas’ first-round series against the Clippers with a sprained ankle, Hardaway offered little production in Tuesday’s second-round opener against Oklahoma City. He stepped up when needed in Game 2, scoring 17 points on a night when Kyrie Irving shot 2-of-8 from the field. Hardaway and PJ Washington combined to score 46 points, so Dallas heads home for Game 3 in a tie series instead of sitting in a 0-2 hole. The Mavericks host Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

Despite injuring his right hand during the second quarter, Gafford played 27 minutes as the starting center and was one of five Mavericks to reach double figures. He did spend some time in the locker room before halftime, but the veteran pivot still shouldered his usual workload. There’s a quick turnaround for Game 3, which will be played on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. Should Gafford’s hand become more problematic, Dereck Lively II would take on added responsibility. The rookie played 20 minutes off the bench in Game 2, finishing with two points (1-of-7 FGs), four rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot.

After scoring 20 points on 50% shooting in Tuesday’s Game 1 defeat, Irving did not shoot the ball well in Game 2. He made up for that by making plays for others, dishing out a game-high 11 assists while only committing one turnover. Irving also chipped in with two steals and two blocked shots as he did the “little things” while Luka Doncic, PJ Washington, and Tim Hardaway Jr. handled the scoring. Dallas will look to take a 2-1 series lead when they host the Thunder on Saturday afternoon.

Already dealing with a sore right knee, Doncic fell face-first into the court during the first quarter of Game 2. While the All-Star guard checked his mouth multiple times throughout the game, that didn’t keep him from recording a complete (and efficient) stat line to lead the Mavericks. Doncic may continue to show up on the injury report, but DFS players and NBA fans can expect him to be on the court and play at a high level. Game 3 is on Saturday afternoon in Dallas.

Washington fouled out with a little over two minutes remaining in Dallas’ Game 2 victory, but he did plenty of damage before that point. He matched his career-high with seven 3-pointers, stepping up offensively on a night when Kyrie Irving failed to reach double figures. Washington’s arrival from Charlotte at the trade deadline helped the Mavericks defensively, and he has also been an effective catch-and-shoot option next to Irving and Luka Doncic. The series will shift to Dallas for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon, with the Mavericks and Thunder tied at one game apiece.

Having hit seven 3-pointers in Boston’s Game 1 blowout of the Cavs, White appeared to be in for a big series. However, his shot went missing in Game 2, and Derrick wasn’t the only Celtics player to struggle. As a team, Boston shot 8-of-35 from beyond the arc, with Cleveland outscoring them by a 39-24 margin. Thursday’s performance ended a three-game streak of at least 25 points for White, who scored 20 or more in three of Boston’s five games against Miami in the first round. He’ll look to bounce back in Game 3 on Saturday.