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Saturday, May 18, 2024 6:55 AM
Cracks rotation in victory
The Scoop: McDermott played three minutes to close the game Friday, at which point the Pacers had the game sealed up. Having played a total of just 19 minutes in the series, it's safe to say that McDermott is not going to play a role in determining the outcome of what has been a fantastic series between two bitter rivals.
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Saturday, May 18, 2024 6:48 AM
Productive despite limited minutes
The Scoop: McConnell was a factor once again Friday, providing the Pacers with a boost on both ends of the floor. He continues to be an underrated piece for Indiana, continuing what has been arguably his best season as a professional. Despite typically playing no more than 20 minutes, McConnell has scored double-digits in five of the past seven games, while handing out a combined 45 assists during that period.
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Saturday, May 18, 2024 6:40 AM
Leads all scorers despite loss
The Scoop: Brunson ended with a game-high 31 points, the majority of which came in the final quarter. He struggled to find his rhythm early in the game, at one point missing 11 consecutive shot attempts. The Knicks lost Josh Hart late in the game due to an abdominal injury. If the injury causes him to miss or at least play limited minutes in Game 7, Brunson will need to be at his absolute best, if New York has any chance of moving onto the next round.
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Saturday, May 18, 2024 2:59 AM
Hart left Friday's Game 6 against the Pacers early with abdominal soreness and wasn't able to return. He finished with five points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 31 minutes.
The Scoop: Hart has been powering through a variety of issues in the playoffs, but the Knicks likely erred on the side of caution Friday due to the lopsided score. Presumably, Hart will be ready for Game 7 on Sunday, but there should be more clarity on Saturday when the Knicks practice.
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Saturday, May 18, 2024 12:13 AM
Porzingis (calf) is expected to miss the start of the third-round series in the Eastern Conference Finals, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
The Scoop: Porzingis has been sidelined since he sustained a calf injury in Game 4 of Boston's first-round series. Wojnarowski reports that Porzingis is making progress in his recovery, and there's some optimism that he could return at some point during the series. Boston will face the winner of the second-round series between the Knicks and Pacers, and the opening two games are slated for Tuesday and Thursday.
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Friday, May 17, 2024 9:34 PM
Doncic is probable for Saturday's Game 6 against the Thunder due to a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness.
The Scoop: Doncic hasn't missed a game this postseason despite being a regular on the injury report. That trend should continue Saturday as the Mavericks attempt to secure a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Across the previous five matchups versus Oklahoma City, Doncic averaged 23.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 41.0 minutes per game.
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Friday, May 17, 2024 9:34 PM
Prosper (ankle) won't play in Saturday's Game 6 against the Thunder.
The Scoop: Prosper has yet to suit up this postseason while dealing with a left ankle sprain. While it is unclear when the rookie forward will return to action, it seems unlikely he will receive significant playing time even when available.
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Friday, May 17, 2024 4:02 AM
Towns finished Thursday's 115-70 victory over Denver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals with 10 points (4-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 13 rebounds and five assists across 29 minutes.
The Scoop: Towns had a couple of clutch buckets in the early stages of the game, but for the most part, he took a backseat in the scoring column as Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels carried Minnesota offensively in this win. The Timberwolves need Towns to be at his best if they want to have a shot at winning a complicated Game 7 on the road, and for that to happen, he'll need to be even more aggressive on the offensive end of the court, an area in which he hasn't been consistent throughout the series. Towns has reached the 20-point mark in four of the six games he's played in the semis, and the Timberwolves have gone 3-1 in those contests.
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Friday, May 17, 2024 4:01 AM
Jokic contributed 22 points (9-19 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds and two assists across 36 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Scoop: Jokic delivered one of the best performances of his playoff career in Game 5 of the series, but he was unable to repeat those numbers in this woeful loss despite a respectable stat line. Jokic shot under 50 percent from the field for the third time in the series, and the Nuggets have lost every time that has happened. While the entire Nuggets offense must perform better in a do-or-die Game 7 contest on Sunday, Jokic will be the one who sets the tone early on.
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Friday, May 17, 2024 4:00 AM
Gordon recorded 12 points (4-7 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 28 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 loss to Minnesota in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Scoop: The entire Nuggets offense struggled in this game, as shown by the fact the team shot 30.2 percent from the field and 19.4 percent from three-point range in this Game 6 loss. Despite the collective struggles, Gordon found a way to make an impact with his two-way play, and he was also one of just three Denver players who scored in double digits in this loss. Gordon has been arguably the second-best player for Denver in this series, and he'll aim to deliver another strong showing in Game 7 at home on Sunday.
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