NBA Player News

The Bulls are tanking and only have three more games remaining on their regular-season schedule after Wednesday, so we’ve almost assuredly seen the last of these two this year. Shaquille Harrison, Wayne Selden and Antonio Blakeney will pick up the slack in their absence.

After sitting out the Warriors’ pregame shootaround with an illness, Podziemski has been given the all-clear to play in Game 2. He’ll retain his place in the starting lineup, but Gary Payton II could see his playing time increase slightly in this spot. Buddy Hield is another option for increased playing time, but Payton’s defensive ability makes him the player more likely to benefit if Podziemski’s minutes decrease.

Porter injured his shoulder late in Game 2 when Clippers guard Kris Dunn landed on him as both were diving for a loose ball. While Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said Wednesday afternoon that he was confident MPJ would be available for Game 3, he is officially questionable. Peyton Watson and Russell Westbrook are the players whose minutes would most likely increase if Porter sits, with one of them likely moving into the starting lineup.

Mitchell moves into the starting lineup after playing 34 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s Game 1 defeat. The combination of on-ball defensive ability and being able to set up teammates offensively is why “Off-Night” will start, with Alec Burks heading to the bench. The other four starters are unchanged from Game 1.

Podziemski is a late addition to the Warriors’ injury report, which is an ominous sign regarding his availability for Game 2. A fixture in the starting lineup for the past month, the second-year guard logged 35 minutes in Game 1. Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield would likely see their minutes increase if Podziemski sits, with the former’s defensive prowess likely making him the priority.

Considered day-to-day after falling hard on his wrist during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s series opener, Tatum will not play in Game 2. During the regular season, Al Horford was the replacement in the starting lineup when the Celtics were forced to play without a starter; that should be the case on Wednesday. However, more minutes will also be available to Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser as Boston looks to take a 2-0 series lead.

Stewart’s lingering case of right knee inflammation kept him on the sidelines for Monday’s Game 2 victory. Starter Jalen Duren’s playing time increased, as he logged 37 minutes, with Paul Reed playing the other 11 at the center position. Expect a similar split if “Beef Stew” cannot play on Thursday.

MPJ bounced back with a 15-point double-double against the Clippers in Game 2 after a lackluster Game 1. It appears like he’s on track to play despite his shoulder injury. He could cut into Russell Westbrook’s workload if he remains active and productive.

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.