Leading up to lineup lock, below some of the injury news we are either keeping an eye on or that will impact the slate. I wish that this was an inclusive list, but unfortunately that is not the case as instead they are just some of the bigger items that are part of my thought process.
- Trae Young - He was a game time decision with an ankle injury, but it is being reported that he will be active tonight. Young didn't part the morning shoot-around. Delon Wright would move into the starting lineup and makes a solid GPP value dart, but instead I would look more to Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic to pick up the load offensively.
- Fred VanVleet - VanVleet is out so that puts Malachi Flynn on our radar.
- OG Anunoby - Out. This means more volume for Scottie Barnes as we have been seeing as of late. Gary Trent Jr. also benefits offensively from both Toronto injuries.
- Kyle Lowry - Out. I'm looking at both Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent here against Brooklyn. It should also be noted that Jimmy Butler is out with a toe injury after a rough performance last night. Miami banged up in general as Max Strus and Caleb Martin are also dealing with injuries.
- Jaylen Brown - Out. Jayson Tatum should have another big game here and I also like Grant Williams as a cheaper option.
From a game stack perspective, Sacramento and San Antonio with an over/under of 243 is the clear winner.
FD | Position | Top Tier | Mid-Tier | Value-Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Luka Dončić | De'Aaron Fox | Gabe Vincent |
| SG | Dejounte Murray | Cade Cunningham | Malik Monk |
| SF | Jayson Tatum | Tyler Herro | Otto Porter |
| PF | LeBron James | Scottie Barnes | Grant Williams |
| C | Domantas Sabonis | Jakob Poeltl | Jaren Jackson |
DK | Position | Top Tier | Mid-Tier | Value-Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Dejounte Murray | De'Aaron Fox | Gabe Vincent |
| SG | Tyler Herro | Devin Vassell | Malik Monk |
| SF | LeBron James | Scottie Barnes | Reggie Bullock |
| PF | Jayson Tatum | Jerami Grant | Grant Williams |
| C | Domantas Sabonis | Jakob Poeltl | Isaiah Stewart |
Y!Daily | Position | Top Tier | Mid-Tier | Value-Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Dejounte Murray | De'Aaron Fox | Gabe Vincent |
| SG | Cade Cunningham | Tyler Herro | Malik Monk |
| SF | Jayson Tatum | Seth Curry | Reggie Bullock |
| PF | Scottie Barnes | Jerami Grant | Grant Williams |
| C | Domantas Sabonis | Jakob Poeltl | Isaiah Stewart |
Player News
NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Knicks are interested in talking to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd regarding the team’s head coaching vacancy.
Multiple names have been mentioned in the aftermath of the Knicks’ decision to fire Tom Thibodeau after he led the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000. One who has been mentioned prominently is Kidd, who is under contract with the Mavericks. His connection with Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson may be a factor, as the captain has repeatedly credited the coach with his development as a professional. However, Dallas would need to grant the Knicks permission to speak with Kidd. And if a deal were to be made, New York does not have much draft capital to give up as compensation. Also mentioned in connection with the opening are Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and Rockets coach Ime Udoka. Stein also reported that Houston would quickly deny permission to speak with Udoka if the Knicks were to make that request.
Obi Toppin provided a boost off the bench with 17 points (6-of-9 FGs), five rebounds, two assists and five three-pointers in Game 1 against the Thunder on Thursday.
Toppin has been solid throughout this postseason, but he hasn’t had many big scoring nights. However, after he had 18 points in the Game 6 clincher over the Knicks, he added 17 more to kick off the Finals, with 15 of those points coming from beyond the arc. If Toppin is able to continue to make an impact off the bench like he did in this game, there should be more wins coming for the Pacers.
Aaron Nesmith recorded a double-double on Thursday with 10 points (3-of-9 FGs), 12 rebounds, one assist, one block, three three-pointers and five turnovers in Game 1 against the Thunder.
Indiana dominated on the glass in this game, but it wasn’t just because of the bigs. Nesmith was the leading rebounder in this game and was one of three Pacers to grab at least 10 rebounds. However, they lost the turnover battle 24-6, and Nesmith contributed five of those. The only player with more was Myles Turner, who coughed it up six times. Indiana won this game and still has things to clean up, which is an encouraging sign for them moving forward in this series.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points (7-of-15 FGs), 10 rebounds, three assists, one block and one three-pointer in Game 1 against the Thunder on Thursday.
It was a balanced attack for Indiana as they stole Game 1 on the road, but Siakam was the one that ended up as the leading scorer. He was one of six players to score in double figures, with nobody reaching 20 points. The MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals will continue to play an important role for Indiana for the remainder of the series as they now sit three wins away from a championship.
Jalen Williams struggled on Thursday and finished with 17 points (6-of-19 FGs), four rebounds, six assists, one steal and one three-pointer in Game 1 against the Pacers.
A lot of things went right for the Thunder in this game. They won the turnover matchup by a lot. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a big night. Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso were productive on both ends of the floor. However, one thing that sticks out is that Williams and Chet Holmgren (six points, six rebounds and one block in 24 minutes) didn’t step up as SGA’s co-stars. OKC has played well when Williams has it going and has struggled when he isn’t playing well. He’ll need to be better in Game 2 on Sunday to avoid going down 0-2.
Luguentz Dort made an impact on both ends of the floor with 15 points (5-of-10 FGs), four rebounds, one assist, four steals, two blocks and five three-pointers in Game 1 against the Pacers on Thursday.
Dort is one of the best defensive players in the league, and he made his presence felt in Game 1 of this series. He collected six defensive stats and knocked down a team-high five triples to provide Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with some help on the offensive end. Dort’s offensive output will likely be inconsistent moving forward, but he’s capable of knocking down shots when he needs to. However, he’ll continue to dominate on the defensive end every night.