NBA Player News

Bowen isn’t expected to have an impact in Indiana’s rotation. He hasn’t played yet this season.

Caruso was one of the “game changers” in Game 7, as the decision to have him defend Nikola Jokic shifted momentum in Oklahoma City’s favor. The veteran guard did not record any rebounds, but he made the most of his scoring opportunities and was responsible for three steals. How the Thunder use Caruso in the Western Conference Finals remains to be seen, but he’ll have a crucial role off the bench. The Thunder host Minnesota in Game 1 on Tuesday.

Holmgren hit double digits in rebounds in five games this series, recording four double-doubles. While he missed all three of his three-point attempts in Game 7, the second-year forward/center filled the stat sheet otherwise. Holmgren will face a far different defensive challenge in the Western Conference Finals, as Minnesota’s Julius Randle is a more skilled offensive talent than Denver’s Aaron Gordon. Game 1 of the series is on Tuesday night.

After playing poorly in Oklahoma City’s Game 6 defeat on Thursday, Williams shouldered the blame for the result. He struggled in this series, so it had to feel great to play as well as he did on Sunday. Williams shot over 50 percent from the field and finished one blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. He’ll need to be more consistent in the Western Conference Finals if the Thunder are to advance past the Timberwolves, who visit Oklahoma City for Game 1 on Tuesday.

After scoring 32 points in Game 6, Gilgeous-Alexander was three better in Sunday’s decisive Game 7. Scoring efficiently, the Thunder star leads the league with seven games of 30 points or more in these playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander will look to add to his tally when the Thunder host the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday.

Give Porter credit for playing through the left shoulder injury he suffered during the first round. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, he struggled in this series outside of a 21-point effort in Game 3. Remove his 5-of-6 effort from beyond the arc in that overtime victory, and Porter was 4-of-30 from three. And Game 3 was also the only contest in which Porter surpassed 10 points, and his second in double figures. We’ll likely receive a more definitive answer regarding the severity of Porter’s shoulder injury in the coming days, now that Denver’s season is over. And the Nuggets’ front office (whoever is hired to be the new lead executive) will have some questions to answer this offseason regarding the roster makeup. Despite his perceived upside, MPJ has mainly been a middle-round player in standard leagues during his NBA career. Fantasy managers can expect more of the same in 2025-26.

After providing limited offensive value in the first five games of the series, Braun upped his production in the final two games. While it wasn’t enough to help the Nuggets advance, the third-year guard’s play should encourage the front office heading into the offseason. In Games 6 and 7, Braun scored 42 points on 15-of-28 shooting from the field, and he was also responsible for 15 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and five three-pointers. During the regular season, Braun exceeded his Yahoo! ADP (133) by a significant margin, as he was nearly a top-50 player in nine-cat formats and ranked just outside the top-75 in eight-cat. He should be a top-100 pick in standard league drafts next fall.

Dealing with what was reported as a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Gordon shocked many by playing in Sunday’s game. Give him credit for attempting to play through the injury, and early on, it appeared as if the Thunder weren’t willing to test Gordon’s health thoroughly. While effective as a rebounder, the Nuggets forward could not provide much else in his 25 minutes on the court. The defeat gives Gordon time to recover from his hamstring injury, and he should be good to go when training camp opens in September. Gordon has primarily been a late-round player in Denver, and that’s unlikely to change in 2025-26, even with his improvement as a perimeter shooter this season.

Initially probable for Sunday’s game due to illness, Murray was a shell of himself in Game 7. He shot 1-of-8 from beyond the arc and offered little value outside of reaching double digits in points. After scoring 25 points or more in three of the four games prior, Murray likely expected more of himself with Denver’s season on the line. From a fantasy standpoint, this was an excellent season for the Nuggets guard. Entering the season with a Yahoo! ADP of 54, he was a top-25 player in eight-cat and top-20 in nine-cat formats. That should boost Murray’s ADP heading into drafts next fall, likely making him a player to target late in the third round of standard-league drafts.

Jokic and the Nuggets ran out of gas against one of the NBA’s deepest teams, with things turning in the second quarter. Leading by five entering the period, Denver was outscored by a 39-20 margin, thanks partially to Oklahoma City’s strategy adjustment. They went small, using Alex Caruso on Jokic, and the move worked. While some may argue that the Thunder guard was allowed to be a bit more physical than usual, it’s on the three-time MVP to adjust. It was a disappointing end for The Joker, who remained the top option in fantasy basketball this season. While Victor Wembanyama (if healthy) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will also deserve consideration for pick 1:1 in redraft leagues, Jokic should be the preferred option for many fantasy managers.

Westy and Murray were both listed as probable for Sunday’s pivotal matchup, so it’s no surprise that both will take the court. Expect both guards to handle their typical workloads.