NBA Player News

Embiid is questionable for Monday's Game 2 against the Knicks due to left knee injury recovery.

Embiid carrying the designation of "injury recovery," as opposed to a specific aggravation, is a good sign, and returning to the second half of Saturday's contest likely puts him on track for Game 2. That being said, Philadelphia has been unreliable in reporting injuries of late, so Embiid's status will need to be monitored. He declined to speak with media after Saturday's contest, but the big man has returned to action after suffering in-game tweaks twice in the time since his initial return from surgery, so gutting out lingering pain has been the precedent.

Jones (not injury related) is inactive for Sunday's Game 1 against Dallas, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.

Jones has yet to log action with the Clippers. While he is eligible to be activated for future playoff contests, he will not play Sunday.

Plumlee will come off the bench for Sunday's Game 1 against Dallas, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.

Plumlee has averaged 4.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game across 35 contests off the bench this season. Ivica Zubac slots in with the first unit, while Daniel Theis is a candidate for minutes off the bench as well.

Powell won't start Game 1 of the opening-round series against the Clippers on Sunday, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.

With Dallas resting its regulars, Powell drew a spot start during the regular-season finale and posted two points, eight rebounds, a steal and a block in 27 minutes during a loss to Oklahoma City. With Dereck Lively (knee) and Daniel Gafford healthy, Powell isn't guaranteed consistent playing time during the postseason.

Coach Joe Mazzulla said Sunday that Kornet (calf) is "week-to-week" after suffering a calf injury at practice this week, Brian Robb of The Springfield Republican reports.

Kornet's injury opens the door for Xavier Tillman to log third-string center minutes and step into the occasional frontcourt mismatch scenario with his strength. Kornet averaged just 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.0 minutes across eight postseason appearances last year, so there isn't precedent for much rotational change in Boston.

Robinson racked up eight points (3-5 FG, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist, four blocks and one steal across 30 minutes during Saturday's 111-104 victory over the 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Robinson's blocked shots came as a mix of interior defense and swatting jumpers on the perimeter while also racking up seven offensive rebounds as part of his dominant presence in the paint. He and Isaiah Hartenstein accounted for all of the team's minutes at center, with the latter logging just 18 minutes of action Saturday.

Embiid notched 29 points (8-22 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 11-12 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and two steals in 37 minutes during Saturday's 111-104 loss to the Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Embiid exited late in the second quarter of Saturday's contest after lobbing a dunk off the backboard to himself and landing solely on his left leg. He returned after halftime, with Philadelphia battling to take leads late in the third and early in the fourth quarter. Embiid also tweaked his knee April 12 in his fifth game back following meniscus surgery, but he returned to that contest as well. On Saturday, Embiid touched on the still-growing trust in fully utilizing his athleticism, acknowledging that feeling tweaks and dealing with pain will be a natural occurrence down the stretch, but that his knee is structurally sound. Mitchell Robinson is a formidable matchup against a less-explosive Embiid, but Embiid's scoring gravity and defensive anchoring were huge for Philadelphia on Saturday. He finished with a plus-14 net rating during his time on the court, representing a notable margin of victory across 37 minutes

Davis had 32 points (12-23 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 8-9 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks over 44 minutes during Saturday's 114-103 loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Davis led the Lakers in scoring and posted a massive stat line, but his efforts were not enough for the Lakers, as the Nuggets ran away with the game in the second half despite their slow start. Regardless of the outcome, Davis was one of the top individual performers in Saturday's playoff slate, and he should continue to operate as a key asset for the Lakers on both ends of the court in Game 2 on Monday.

Jokic closed with 32 points (15-23 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, seven assists and two steals over 39 minutes during Saturday's 114-103 victory over the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

The Nuggets endured a slow start, but Jokic was the architect behind the offensive revival in the second quarter, and his play down the stretch was simply unstoppable. Jokic ended just three assists away from a triple-double, and while he has a tough matchup in Anthony Davis, Jokic should continue to fill the stat sheet with absolute ease regardless of who he matches up against.

Allen finished Saturday's 97-83 victory over the Magic in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with 16 points (6-10 FG, 4-6 FT), 18 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 35 minutes.

Allen and Evan Mobley formed a devastating tandem in the frontcourt, and Allen made his presence felt on the glass due to his length and tenacity defensively. Allen recorded his fifth double-double over his last six appearances, and the big man should continue to perform at a high level in a favorable matchup.