NBA

After the Lakers dropped Game 1, Luka made sure they wouldn’t head out on the road for Game 3 down 0-2. He scored 22 points in the first half alone, and while he wasn’t able to replicate that dominance after the break, he was still able to do enough to even the series. Doncic fell one assist shy of a triple-double, which would have been the 11th playoff triple-double of his career. This was also Luka’s first postseason win with Los Angeles, and he’ll look to add another in Game 3 on Friday to help the Lakers take back homecourt advantage.

Reaves really struggled in Saturday’s loss in Game 1, and some of those shooting woes carried over into Game 2. He didn’t hit a three-pointer, which was just the third time that has happened since the calendar flipped to 2025. However, he was more efficient from the floor overall. The offense will continue to run through Luka Doncic, which means Reaves will continue to get good looks from beyond the arc. He just needs to start making them. Look for that to start happening in Game 3 on Friday.

Game 1 was one to forget for LeBron, but he bounced back well on Tuesday. James didn’t match his five “stocks” from Saturday, but the entire team had a much better defensive performance after giving up 117 points in their last game. Offensively, James was better, but he still wasn’t his typical dominant self that we see come out during the playoffs. He’s 40-years-old, so we’ll cut him some slack. Game 3 will be in Minnesota on Friday, and James will need to have a big night for the Lakers to reclaim homecourt advantage.

After scoring 22 points in Minnesota’s Game 1 win on Saturday, Edwards had another strong scoring performance in Game 2. However, that didn’t result in another road win for the Timberwolves. Edwards was one of the team’s only sources of offense, along with Julius Randle. The pair combined to score 52 of their 85 points, with the other starters contributing 14 points and the bench supplying 19 points. Still, Minnesota did what they set out to do. They now have homecourt advantage in this series and will look to defend it in Game 3 on Friday.

Randle didn’t start the series off well on Saturday, and he ended up turning the ball over seven times in that game. He scored 16 points in Game 1, and he nearly matched that mark in the first half of Game 2. He also solved his turnover problem and only coughed the ball up once. However, that wasn’t enough for Minnesota to get another win. Randle and Anthony Edwards combined to score 52 of the team’s 85 points, which won’t get the job done in the playoffs. Game 3 will be in Minnesota on Friday.

Aldama was one of two Grizzlies reserves to score and one of four players to make two three-pointers. His 31 minutes played were the fourth-highest on the team, which could signal that he’ll be a significant part of Memphis’ game plan moving forward. The Grizzlies will look to score their first win of the series on Thursday in Memphis in Game 3.

While Bane didn’t have a big night scoring the basketball, he found a way to impact the game in other ways. Bane led Memphis in rebounding, was second in total assists, and was the only member of the Grizzlies to notch a double-double in the loss. He’ll have another chance to stuff the stat sheet on Thursday when the Grizzlies take on the Thunder in Memphis for Game 3.

Morant struggled with his shooting efficiency for the second straight game against a suffocating Oklahoma City Thunder defense. Combined with Morant’s shooting struggles were the five turnovers he produced, helping underscore just how much he struggled. Perhaps a change of scenery could help ignite Morant and the Grizzlies as they look to avoid going down 0-3 in the series when returning home for Thursday’s Game 3.

After offering minimal value in 12 minutes off the bench in Game 1, Caruso was far more impactful on Tuesday. He led all reserves in scoring, with Oklahoma City’s bench outscoring their Grizzlies counterparts by a 33-14 margin. Caruso also tallied four defensive contributions after failing to produce any steals or blocks in the series opener. Caruso’s play may not be a significant storyline in this series, but his ability to provide value on both ends of the floor gives Oklahoma City’s bench a decided advantage. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday in Memphis, with the Thunder aiming to take a 3-0 series lead.

After only needing to play 21 minutes to record a double-double in Sunday’s 51-point victory, Holmgrem was forced to work a little harder in Game 2. That said, his rim protection has been elite, with the second-year forward/center up to seven blocked shots through two games. Add in the rebounding, and Holmgren has been one of the riddles that Memphis has been unable to solve thus far. The series shifts to Memphis for Game 3, which will be played on Thursday night.