• Present at shootaround
    Leonard (knee) is officially listed as questionable but was present for the Clippers' morning shootaround before Tuesday's Game 2 against the Mavericks, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com

    Advice: Leonard was ruled out for Sunday's Game 1 win, his ninth consecutive absence, but has a chance to return Tuesday. The Clippers will likely decide the veteran's availability closer to the 10 p.m. ET tipoff after seeing how he fares in pregame warmups. If Leonard is ruled out again, expect P.J. Tucker and Amir Coffey to pick up extra minutes. Rotowire.com 31 minutes ago
  • Goes for 22 points in Game 2
    Porter totaled 22 points (8-13 FG, 6-10 3Pt), nine rebounds, one assist and two steals in 38 minutes during Monday's 101-99 victory over the Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

    Advice: Porter sniffed a double-double for the second consecutive game after delivering a 19-point, eight-rebound effort in Game 1 on Saturday, and the forward continues to impact both ends of the court for Denver. Even though he doesn't get the same attention as Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray, Porter is a key piece in the Nuggets' offensive scheme, and he's averaging 16.2 points with 7.3 rebounds per game in April, including regular-season contests. Rotowire.com Today, 8:12 am
  • Posts triple-double in Game 2 win
    Jokic closed Monday's 101-99 win over the Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals with 27 points (9-16 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 20 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals across 41 minutes.

    Advice: Jamal Murray might have grabbed most of the headlines after draining a buzzer-beating, game-winning shot to lift Denver to victory, but Jokic's contributions can't be overlooked, as the MVP favorite posted a triple-double while dealing with the menace of Anthony Davis on both ends of the court. Jokic extended an impressive run that has seen him record a double-double or a triple-double in each of his last 16 games, a span in which he's averaging 28.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game. Rotowire.com Today, 8:09 am
  • Sinks game-winning shot Monday
    Murray ended Monday's 101-99 victory over the Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals with 20 points (9-24 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, five assists and two blocks across 39 minutes.

    Advice: Even though Nikola Jokic stole the show with a triple-double, it was Murray who ended up being the hero for the Nuggets, as his buzzer-beating fadeaway gave Denver a massive win despite the team trailing by as many as 20 points at one point in the third quarter. Murray has scored at least 20 points in each of his last six appearances dating back to the regular season, and the star floor general should handle a prominent role in Game 3 on Thursday as the series shifts to Los Angeles. Rotowire.com Today, 8:07 am
  • Leads Lakers in Game 2 defeat
    Davis ended Monday's 101-99 loss to the Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals with 32 points (14-19 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 39 minutes.

    Advice: Davis has led the Lakers in scoring in each of the first two games of the series, but despite producing back-to-back 30-plus point efforts in the matchup against Nikola Jokic, the Lakers have fallen short of victory both times. Davis will likely land on the injury report ahead of Game 3, but given the situation and the workload he's handled in the first two games of the series, the star big man shouldn't have problems being active for Game 3 on Thursday. Rotowire.com Today, 8:05 am
  • Sniffs triple-double in loss
    James ended with 26 points (9-19 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 5-7 FT), eight rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and two steals over 38 minutes during Monday's 101-99 loss to the Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

    Advice: James finished just two rebounds shy of a triple-double Monday, and even though the 39-year-old forward is competing at a high level, it seems the Lakers keep falling short against Denver. James has recorded at least 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists in the first two games of the series, and he should continue to have a high usage rate during Game 3 on Thursday. Rotowire.com Today, 8:03 am
  • Shows improvement in Game 2
    Russell logged 23 points (8-16 FG, 7-11 3Pt), three rebounds and six assists across 39 minutes during Monday's 101-99 loss to the Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

    Advice: Russell delivered a much-improved effort compared to Game 1 when he notched 13 points while shooting poorly from the field (6-20 FG, 1-9 3Pt). However, his strong contributions were not enough Monday, as the Lakers wasted a 20-point lead and lost the game on a buzzer-beater from Jamal Murray. Nonetheless, the uptick in efficiency is nice to see from Russell, who should have a pivotal role on offense in Thursday's decisive Game 3. Rotowire.com Today, 8:02 am
  • Expects to play in Game 3
    Suggs said after Monday's 96-86 loss to the Cavaliers that he doesn't think his sprained left knee injury will keep him from playing Thursday in Game 3 of the series, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Suggs suffered the injury in the first quarter Monday, when he collapsed to the floor after making contact with Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell. Suggs grabbed his leg in visible pain after the play and didn't put any weight on his leg as he was assisted to the locker room, but he was able to return to the contest after halftime while sporting a compression sleeve on his leg. He ended up playing well down the stretch, finishing with nine points (2-5 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 5-7 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal in 29 minutes. Adrenaline might have played a part in Suggs feeling well enough to return, so the Magic will wait and see how his knee responds over the next two days before deciding whether he's fit to play in Game 3 with the Magic facing a 2-0 series deficit. Rotowire.com Today, 6:20 am
  • Does little in loss
    Oubre logged four points (2-7 FG), two rebounds, three assists and three blocks across 26 minutes during Monday's 104-101 loss to the Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

    Advice: Oubre's unproductive evening marked his second consecutive subpar performance in the quarterfinals. He joined a mediocre group of starters who scored only 22 points compared to the 69 points accrued by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Improved stat lines from Oubre will be necessary for the Sixers to even the series at home. Rotowire.com Today, 4:37 am