NBA Player News

Gafford didn't participate in Thursday's practice and is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 versus the Clippers due to a lower back injury, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.

Gafford is in danger of missing Friday's contest after a lower back injury limited him to nine minutes of action in Game 2. If Gafford is officially ruled out, Dereck Lively and Maxi Kleber are candidates to receive increased playing time.

Holmgren chipped in 26 points (9-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 5-6 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 29 minutes during Wednesday's 124-92 win over the Pelicans in Game 2 of the Western Conference first round.

Holmgren was expected to have a tough matchup while being guarded by Jonas Valanciunas, but the rookie has looked outstanding in his first two playoff contests, posting a double-double in Game 1 and delivering his best scoring output in more than a month in the second game of the series. Holmgren should continue to have a prominent role for the Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday.

Valanciunas closed Wednesday's 124-92 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference first round with 19 points (8-14 FG, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes.

Valanciunas has been doing everything he can to slow Chet Holmgren down, and while that has proven to be a daunting task for the veteran, he's finding a rhythm on the offensive end of the court. Valanciunas has now scored at least 13 points in each of his last three postseason appearances, and he should continue to experience an uptick in his usage rate since Zion Williamson (hamstring) will still be sidelined for Game 3 on Saturday.

Adebayo tallied 21 points (9-13 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-6 FT), 10 rebounds and two assists over 39 minutes in Wednesday's 111-101 win over Boston in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff matchup.

Adebayo led all players in Wednesday's contest in rebounds while ending as one of three Heat players with 20 or more points in a well-balanced double-double to help Miami to a bounce-back victory. Adebayo has scored north of 20 points in both games in the first round thus far.

Davis (back) is probable for Thursday's Game 3 matchup with the Nuggets, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Davis played through the back issue during Game 2 and logged 39 minutes on his way to a 32-point, 11-rebound double-double, so it clearly didn't impact him all that much. We should get official confirmation on his status closer to Thursday's tip.

Robinson (ankle) is questionable for Game 3 versus the 76ers on Thursday.

Robinson logged 30 minutes off the bench during New York's Game 1 win, but he was limited to just 18 minutes during Game 2, so perhaps his ankle was bothering him. We'll have a better idea of Robinson's playing status based on his activity level following Thursday's shootaround, but if he is forced to the sidelines, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims would have the opportunity to get into the rotation.

Embiid is questionable for Thursday's Game 3 against the Knicks due to left knee injury recovery.

Embiid played 37 and 39 minutes, respectively, during the first two games of the series and totaled 63 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals and a block during those contests. Despite the prolific stats, he hasn't looked 100 percent at times, but it'd be surprising if the reigning MVP didn't try to gut it out with his team facing a two-game deficit.

Lively contributed seven points (2-5 FG, 3-6 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and one steal in 21 minutes during Tuesday's 96-93 win over the Clippers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Daniel Gafford started this game, but he was ineffective in just nine minutes of action and left the game briefly due to a back injury. Lively had more success, obviously, but he didn't get a ton of burn either, as Maxi Kleber and P.J. Washington soaked up the bulk of the frontcourt minutes. The logjam at center is far from ideal for fantasy purposes for both Gafford and Lively.

Lopez recorded 22 points (8-13 FG, 6-7 3Pt), three assists, two blocks and one rebound in 29 minutes in Tuesday's 125-108 loss to the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Though Lopez drilled a season-high six three-pointers, his rebound production was conspicuously absent. His one rebound matched a season low for Lopez, who has seen a noticeable drop in the category during his 16th NBA campaign.

Turner produced 22 points (9-15 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 1-1 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks in 34 minutes during Tuesday's 125-108 victory over the Bucks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Turner's value for the Pacers can't be understated, as the veteran consistently provides solid interior support. Interestingly, his exposure in fantasy contests is very low, making him one of the most underrated centers in the playoff bracket. Although players like Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson challenged Turner for playing time in the regular season, neither of the backups saw any playing time in Indiana's Game 2 win.