NBA Player News

Cavanaugh hasn’t played since January 17th, and isn’t a consistent part of the rotation even when healthy.

With their season on the line, the Knicks could potentially be without Towns for Game 5. Already dealing with a lingering left knee injury, the 7-footer suffered a contusion when he banged knees with Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith during the fourth quarter of Monday’s Game 4 defeat. While Towns stayed in the game, he was limping noticeably. If Towns cannot play on Thursday, Josh Hart will likely return to the starting lineup.

Despite spraining his right ankle during the second half of Game 3, Nesmith started and played 32 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 4 victory. Fans should operate under the assumption that he’ll play on Thursday as the Pacers look to earn their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000. If Nesmith is limited or cannot play, Bennedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard will be of greater importance to the Pacers, with one moving into the starting lineup.

With the Pelicans relieving lead executive David Griffin of his duties and hiring Joe Dumars as his replacement, there was a fresh set of trade rumors regarding Williamson. With the final three seasons of his current contract not guaranteed, it may be easier for New Orleans to move Zion and hit the “reset” button. However, according to Guillory, that’s unlikely to happen this summer. “There’s already been communication between Williamson, his camp and Dumars on several occasions,” Guillory wrote. “All parties feel pretty good about where things stand with the Pelicans-Williamson marriage heading into next season.” When on the court, Williamson can be a highly impactful player in fantasy leagues, especially for managers not needing three-point production. However, availability has been an issue for most of his career, which negatively impacts his ADP.

With DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine gone from the Windy City, the final piece of Chicago’s Big 3 could finally be on the move. The Bulls will surely have no shortage of suitors for Vucevic, a player who can consistently get 20/10 with a handful of assists and a three-pointer or two. Keep an eye on the Lakers as a potential trade partner, as they desperately need help in the frontcourt.

Towns was the hero in the Knicks’ comeback win in Game 3 and it looked like he might be able to do it again with a strong second half before the Pacers pulled away in the fourth quarter. The 29-year-old power forward continued to play hard down the stretch and appeared to injure his knee late in the game. The Knicks will need a healthy Towns if they’re going to extend this series to a Game 6, let alone pull off a comeback from down 3-1 in the series.

While the Knicks opted to start Mitchell Robinson over Josh Hart again, Hart ended up playing 36 minutes. The Knicks usual starters Brunson, Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony-Towns all played at least 34 minutes. Of those players, Brunson’s minus 16 was the worst. The 28-year-old point guard has struggled defensively, which isn’t his strong suit. With the Pacers pushing the pace and scoring 130 points, Brunson’s 31 points mattered less in the grand scheme of things. Brunson and the Knicks will be looking to avoid elimination in Game 5 back at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Mathurin has only played sparingly in these playoffs but gave the Pacers a shot in the arm with his play off the bench in Game 4 on Tuesday. The 22-year-old small forward had 20 points in just 12 minutes off the bench. Mathurin excelled at getting to the free throw line as he made 11-of-12 free throws. Ben Sheppard has cut into Mathurin’s minutes in these playoffs and that will likely continue. While Mathurin was more effective in Game 4, Sheppard has also been a key role player for the Pacers during this playoff run.

Siakam had his second game in the Eastern Conference finals with at least 30 points in Game 4. It’s no coincidence the Pacers have won each of those games. The Pacers have made the Knicks play their up-tempo style for most of this series and that’s a major factor in the Pacers’ 3-1 advantage. Siakam has been a key player seemingly scoring at will against New York.

Haliburton was excellent from the opening tip in Game 4 as he led the Pacers to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. The 25-year-old point guard had 20 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and zero turnovers in the first half, becoming the first player in the play-by-play era (since the 1996-97 season) to achieve this in a half of basketball in the regular season or playoffs. By the end of the game, Haliburton joined Baron Davis as the only players in playoff history with a triple-double, at least 30 points and zero turnovers. His efforts have helped bring the Pacers to be one win away from the NBA Finals. Indiana will have the chance to close out the Knicks in Game 5 on Thursday.

Nesmith suffered a right ankle sprain in Game 3 and was initially listed as questionable. The 25-year-old small forward landed on Jalen Brunson’s foot after a shot attempt in the third quarter of Sunday’s Game 3. Nesmith played just 26 minutes in Game 3. He played the hero in Game 1 when he dropped 30 points in the Pacers’ overtime win and seems poised to play through the ankle injury in Game 4 Tuesday.