NBA Player News

Blevins has seen an increase in playing time since the Blazers went into full-on tank mode but has not been able to do enough to merit consideration in any fantasy league. Even if he’s cleared to play, leave Blevins on the waiver wire.

After an excellent performance in Game 1 on Tuesday, Randle was poor on Thursday. While the rebounds and assists may provide solace, he could not find his groove offensively. Needing a spark, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch decided to go in a different direction, with Randle not playing at all during the fourth quarter. He’ll look to bounce back when the Timberwolves host Game 3 on Saturday night.

With Naz Reid (10/8/0/1/2) and Donte DiVincenzo (8/3/3 with two three-pointers) both shooting 3-of-8 from the field, Alexander-Walker did most of the heavy lifting for the Timberwolves’ reserves in Game 2. The 17 points are the most he’s scored in a game since Game 2 of the second round, when he dropped 20 on the Warriors. Nights like Thursday have not been the norm for Alexander-Walker, so Minnesota will need more from Reid and DiVincenzo to win this series. With the action shifting to Minneapolis, the Timberwolves hope the belief that reserves play better at home rings true.

McDaniels has taken on the unenviable task of defending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and his emotions got the best of him late in Game 2. The Timberwolves forward was whistled for a flagrant foul after shoving SGA to the floor, but that does not tell the whole story of McDaniels’ night. After scoring seven points in the series opener, he more than tripled that number on Thursday, shooting over 50 percent from the field. McDaniels can undoubtedly be productive as a scorer, but expecting 20-plus points per night while also having to defend a player of Gilgeous-Alexander’s caliber is a lot to ask. Game 3 is on Saturday night in Minneapolis.

Edwards’ offensive production picked up after he scored 18 points in Game 1, but the perimeter shooting remains troublesome. Having shot 3-of-8 from three in Game 1, he was even worse on Thursday, making just one of his nine attempts. Edwards shot 11-of-17 from two and got 10 free throw attempts, boosting the final point total, and he did not commit a turnover. Also, Edwards made history in Game 2, passing Kevin Garnett to become the leading postseason point scorer in franchise history. Given Oklahoma City’s depth and talent, Ant-Man will need his supporting cast to step up in Saturday’s Game 3 after many failed to do so on Thursday.

For the first time since Game 3 of Oklahoma City’s first-round series against the Grizzlies, Holmgren surpassed the 20-point mark. While the rebounds were limited and he did not record any defensive stats, the 7-foot-1 forward gave Oklahoma City excellent minutes on Thursday. Thus far, Holmgren has outplayed Minnesota forward Julius Randle, which is one reason Oklahoma City heads to Minnesota with a two-game-to-none lead. Game 3 is on Saturday night.

Having struggled for most of Oklahoma City’s second-round series against the Nuggets, Williams has played well through the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. After making history in Game 1 by becoming the youngest player to drop at least 15 points, five assists, five steals and no turnovers in a playoff game, J-Dub had a better night offensively and recorded a double-double. Oklahoma City hopes Williams can take this play on the road, as they visit Minnesota for Game 3 on Saturday.

One day after being named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Gilgeous-Alexander showed on Thursday why he was a deserving recipient of the award. Not only did he shoot over 50 percent from the field, but SGA attempted 15 free throws. One of the NBA’s best at getting to the foul line, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted 29 free throws in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, making 24. Simply put, if Minnesota is to have any chance of getting back into the series, they’ll need to do a far better job of defending SGA without fouling. Game 3 is on Saturday night.

Moody, who sometimes played with his right hand wrapped late in the season, was dealing with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. According to the Warriors, Wednesday’s procedure was successful, and Moody is expected to be a full go when training camp begins in September. While he has not been a consistently impactful fantasy option, the Warriors guard appeared in 74 games this season and established career-best averages in points, assists, steals and three-pointers. Moody won’t be a must-draft player in standard leagues, but he’ll be worth a look in deeper formats.

Adelman took over for Michael Malone as the interim head coach with three games left in the regular season and led the Nuggets to Game 7 against the Thunder in the second round of the playoffs. Adelman, 44, has been an assistant coach with the Nuggets since 2017 and is the son of former NBA coach Rick Adelman. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon publicly lobbied for Adelman to be made full-time head coach in the aftermath of the Nuggets’ loss to the Thunder. According to Charania, the Nuggets were impressed with Adelman’s work as the interim head coach and will take some time before hiring a new general manager.

Once again, Hart was able to make his presence felt despite not contributing much as a scorer. He led both teams in rebounds and led the Knicks in assists in the loss. Hart is certainly capable of getting hot, but his role is to do a lot of the other little things to help New York win. Expect him to continue to stuff the stat sheet for the remainder of this series.