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  • OG Anunoby scores 13 points in Game 1 victory
    OG Anunoby played 42 minutes in Monday’s 121-117 win over the Pacers, finishing with 13 points (5-of-14 FGs), nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: Anunoby did not produce a prolific stat line, but he was solid as the Knicks rallied to take Game 1. The versatile forward finished one rebound shy of a double-double and was also responsible for a team-high three steals. Anunoby has his hands full defensively with former Raptors teammate Pascal Siakam, but he made a few critical plays off the ball down the stretch. His defensive versatility will be vital in this series due to Indiana’s depth and high-powered offensive attack. Game 2 is on Wednesday night. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:37 pm
     
  • Donte DiVincenzo hits five triples, scores 25 PTS
    Donte DiVincenzo accounted for 25 points (10-of-17 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and five 3-pointers in 43 minutes in Monday’s Game 1 win over Indiana.

    Advice: After struggling for most of the Knicks’ first-round series against Philadelphia, DiVincenzo played well in Game 1 against the Pacers. He made five of New York’s 11 3-pointers, combining with fellow Villanova alums Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart to score 92 of the team’s 121 points. Given New York’s lack of bench production (Pacers reserves outscored their Knicks counterparts by a 46-3 margin in Game 1), DiVincenzo must be consistently good in this series. Game 1 was a good start, with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday night. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:33 pm
     
  • Quiet offensively in Game 1 loss
    Haliburton posted six points (2-6 FG, 2-5 3Pt), eight assists, four steals and two rebounds over 36 minutes in Monday's 121-117 loss to New York in Game 1 of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    Advice: Haliburton had a quiet performance offensively in the first game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, though he still impacted the game in other ways, including by leading the Pacers in assists and steals despite failing to reach double figures in scoring. Haliburton posted his lowest point total of the postseason thus far, failing to reach double digits for the second time in seven playoff contests. Haliburton has been dealing with back spasms, and that may have affected his performance Monday. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:30 pm
     
  • Josh Hart records 24/13/8/2/1 line in Game 1 win
    Josh Hart accumulated 24 points (9-of-13 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), 13 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, one block, and one 3-pointer in 48 minutes in Monday’s 121-117 win over Indiana.

    Advice: The Knicks used a late rally to draw first blood in the series, with the Villanova trio of Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo combining to score 33 of the team’s 39 fourth-quarter points. Hart was excellent in Game 1, with one exception: turnovers. He was responsible for five, occasionally playing too fast for his own good. However, the overall production from the Knicks’ “iron man,” who played at least 46 minutes in four of the team’s six first-round games against Philadelphia, made up for the high turnover count. Hart and the Knicks host Game 2 on Wednesday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:23 pm
     
  • Jamal Murray (calf) available for Game 2 Monday
    Jamal Murray (left calf strain) is available for Monday’s game against the Timberwolves.

    Advice: As expected, Murray is available for Game 2, with the Nuggets trailing 1-0. He still isn’t 100%, but the Nuggets guard will continue to play through the injury. Reggie Jackson’s role becomes more critical with Murray’s injury, especially with Denver not getting much production from its bench in Game 1. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:16 pm
     
  • Cleared for Game 2
    Murray (calf) will play in Monday's Game 2 against the Timberwolves, Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com reports.

    Advice: Murray is still battling a nagging calf injury that he picked up during Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs against the Lakers, but it won't force him to miss Monday's clash. He was held in check during Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals; however, the point guard has shown that he can make clutch shots when his team needs them most, even if he's not at 100 percent. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:15 pm
     
  • Tyrese Haliburton (back) available for Game 1
    Tyrese Haliburton (lower back spasms) will play in Game 1 against the Knicks on Monday.

    Advice: Unsurprisingly, Haliburton will suit up for the first game of this series. He is still managing this back issue, but he didn’t miss any time during round one. He should continue to start and play a ton of minutes. Rotoworld Yesterday, 3:41 pm
     
  • Officially gets green light
    Haliburton (back) is available for Monday's Game 1 against the Knicks.

    Advice: As expected, Haliburton will continue to play through a back issue that flared up ahead of Game 4 of the opening-round series versus the Bucks. After landing on the injury report, Haliburton averaged 19.0 points, 6.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per game over the final three matchups against Milwaukee. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:39 pm
     
  • Expected to play
    Coach Rick Carlisle said he expects Haliburton, who's officially listed as questionable due to back spasms, to play in Monday's Game 1 against the Knicks, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.

    Advice: Given it's the playoffs and he didn't miss time during the opening-round series versus Milwaukee, Haliburton was already considered more probable than questionable, so this isn't a surprising update. After the back spasms flared up, Haliburton played 32.7 minutes over the final three matchups against the Bucks compared to 40.3 minutes across the first three games, though one of those was an overtime contest. Even if he was a bit limited, Haliburton remained productive despite the back issue, as he averaged 19.0 points, 6.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds after landing on the injury report. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:22 pm