NBA Player News

Towns is dealing with left knee tendinopathy, which he aggravated during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Celtics. However, KAT returned to the game after a quick trip to the locker room, and he practiced on Tuesday. If Towns cannot play, Precious Achiuwa’s playing time would increase, with Ariel Hukporti playing rotation minutes off the bench.

Davis was listed as probable on the initial injury report, so his status being upgraded was expected. Due to the adductor injury suffered in his Mavericks debut, Davis missed the two meetings with Sacramento. He’ll need to shoulder a heavy offensive workload on Wednesday as Dallas looks to keep its season alive.

Chicago would have to win two Play-In tournament games to reach the postseason, beginning with Wednesday’s matchup with the Heat. Ball has not appeared in a game since February 28, and the Bulls have been without two rotation point guards, Tre Jones being the other, since March 20. Kevin Huerter has been the third starter on the perimeter for the Bulls, with Josh Giddey and Coby White being the top playmakers. Given the time Ball has missed, he’s unlikely to play significant minutes if Chicago can advance and face Cleveland in the first round.

Due to a left midfoot sprain, Jones missed Chicago’s final 12 games of the regular season. While no longer needing to wear a walking boot is a positive development, this does not mean a return to game action is right around the corner. During his pregame availability, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said that Jones is unlikely to be ready in time for the first round of the playoffs should Chicago advance out of the Play-In tournament. If the Bulls beat Miami, they’ll visit the Hawks on Friday, with the winner of that game being the eighth seed in the East.

Jovic and Love have been out for extended periods, with the former last playing on February 23 while the latter did not play in 19 of Miami’s last 20 regular-season games. Due to the time missed, their absences will not impact the Heat rotation as the team looks to keep its season alive in Chicago.

Larsson returns after missing Miami’s final three regular-season games with a sprained right ankle. The rookie wing will provide additional depth off the bench but is unlikely to figure prominently in the Heat’s game plan.

Terry was initially probable for Wednesday’s Play-In tournament game, so the status upgrade was expected. While he will provide depth off the bench, the third-year guard is unlikely to have a vital role within the Bulls’ rotation.

Two days after firing lead executive David Griffin, the Pelicans officially hired his replacement, Dumars. Dumars served as Detroit’s president of basketball operations for 14 years and, most recently, was the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations. He’ll have some key questions to answer this offseason, most notably Willie Green’s future as head coach and whether or not Zion Williamson is equipped to remain a key figure in the Pelicans’ rebuild. While Zion has shown flashes of excellence, the inability to stay healthy has been an issue for New Orleans.

Morant rolled his right ankle with a little over four minutes remaining in the third quarter of Tuesday’s 7/8 Play-In tournament game. He did return to action but was labored in his movements, ultimately logging 35 minutes. Following the defeat, Morant left no doubt about what he expects regarding his availability for Friday. “I’m playing. That’s basically the answer I’m giving,” Morant said. “It ain’t nothing different.” Memphis will host the winner of Wednesday’s game between Dallas and Sacramento on Friday. This game will determine the eighth seed in the West, with the winner advancing to face Oklahoma City.

After injuring his groin during an April 9 game against Houston, Batum did not play in the Clippers’ final two regular-season games. Wednesday’s practice was the team’s first time on the court since their overtime win over the Warriors on Sunday, and Batum was among the participants. The veteran forward, who will reportedly be re-evaluated on Wednesday, was a full participant in the session, which bodes well for Batum. The Clippers won’t begin their first-round series against the Nuggets until Saturday, so there’s still time for Batum to recover from his injury.

While he struggled with his shot on Tuesday, the 7-foot-4 Edey was a force on the boards. Having reached double digits in rebounds in five of his last six appearances of the regular season, the rookie center grabbed 17 more on Tuesday. Seven rebounds were offensive, giving the Grizzlies extra possessions that helped erase a 20-point deficit. Edey was unable to do enough to help Memphis get the win and earn a playoff spot. Still, they’ll have another opportunity to do so on Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s game between Dallas and Sacramento.