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  • LeBron James tallies 26 points, 12 assists Monday
    LeBron James finished Monday’s 101-99 loss to Denver with 26 points (9-of-19 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), eight rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, two blocks, and three 3-pointers in 38 minutes.

    Advice: After committing seven turnovers in Game 1, LeBron was only responsible for two in Game 2. He did what he could in the fourth quarter, shooting 5-of-9 from the field, but the Lakers appeared to run out of gas. That impacted the cohesion of their offense, and Denver successfully walked them down, with Jamal Murray’s shot at the buzzer being the difference. The two nights off will be massive for James and the Lakers, who had to navigate a Play-In game to get into the playoffs. Game 3 is on Thursday night in Los Angeles, with the Nuggets holding a 2-0 series lead. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:20 pm
     
  • Anthony Davis records 32/11/2/1/1 line in Game 2
    Anthony Davis shot 14-of-19 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Monday’s 101-99 loss to the Nuggets, accumulating 32 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 39 minutes.

    Advice: Once again, Davis produced a gaudy stat line against the Nuggets. Unfortunately for him and the Lakers, they still lost the game, as Jamal Murray’s stepback jumper as time expired was the difference. And Davis offered little in the fourth quarter, missing his lone shot attempts and going scoreless with one rebound and one turnover. If the Lakers are to have a chance of winning the series, AD can’t be non-existent in crunch time. The good news for Los Angeles is that Game 3 isn’t until Thursday in Los Angeles, as the team looked gassed down the stretch on Monday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:08 pm
     
  • Michael Porter Jr. hits six 3-pointers, scores 22
    Michael Porter Jr. amassed 22 points (8-of-13 FGs), nine rebounds, one assist, two steals, and six 3-pointers in 38 minutes in Monday’s 101-99 win over the Lakers.

    Advice: While Jamal Murray got hot in the fourth quarter, he shot 3-of-16 from the field in the first three periods of Game 2. Porter was one of the Nuggets who helped keep the team afloat, as Denver trailed by as much as 20 before rallying to take a 2-0 series lead. With the amount of attention the Lakers devote to Murray and Nikola Jokic, Porter and Aaron Gordon (14/7/3 in 40 minutes) will have opportunities to score. MPJ stepped up in a big way and was one of the unsung heroes in Game 2. The Nuggets head to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday night. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:58 pm
     
  • Report: Jarred Vanderbilt targeting Game 3 return
    According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Jarred Vanderbilt (right mid-foot sprain) targets Thursday’s Game 3 against the Nuggets as his return date.

    Advice: Vanderbilt was limited to 29 appearances during the regular season, the last of which occurred on February 1 in a win over the Celtics. He has reportedly been progressing in his recovery, and Thursday’s Game 3 could be when Vanderbilt returns to game action. According to McMenamin, the Lakers forward went through one of his most strenuous workouts on Monday, and the key now is how his body responds in the coming days. Vanderbilt won’t add much offensively, but when healthy, he is one of the Lakers’ best defenders. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:06 pm
     
  • Franz Wagner (shoulder) points 18/7/2/1/1 line
    Franz Wagner (right shoulder) accounted for 18 points (5-of-17 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes in Monday’s 96-86 loss to Cleveland.

    Advice: Like Paolo Banchero, Wagner had a rough night offensively. In addition to the poor shooting, he committed six of Orlando’s 16 turnovers (Banchero also had six). Also, Wagner appeared to injure his right shoulder during the final minute to make matters worse. Play never stopped, so he remained on the court through the final buzzer, which may land Wagner on the injury report ahead of Thursday’s Game 3. The other injury concern is Jalen Suggs, who strained his left knee during the first quarter. He returned to begin the third and finished with nine points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 29 minutes. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:18 pm
     
  • Nears 20 points in balanced outing
    Wagner tallied 18 points (5-17 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 6-7 FT), seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 38 minutes in Orlando's 96-86 loss to Cleveland in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series.

    Advice: Wagner struggled to find his shot a bit in Monday's defeat but still provided a lift offensively by ending two points shy of the 20-point mark while leading all Magic players in rebounds in a balanced performance. Wagner has put together back-to-back strong showings for Orlando to start the opening-round series, posting 18 points and seven boards in both contests. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:10 pm
     
  • Leading scorer in Game 2 loss
    Banchero notched 21 points (9-20 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block over 41 minutes in Orlando's 96-86 loss to Cleveland in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series.

    Advice: Banchero led all Orlando players in scoring while handing out a trio of rebounds and assists and swiping a team-high pair of steals in a losing effort in Game 2. Banchero has done all he can to help the Magic in the first two games of the series against the Cavaliers, surpassing the 20-point mark while recording at least three rebounds and steals in both outings. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:09 pm
     
  • Paolo Banchero leads ORL with 21 points in Game 2
    Paolo Banchero played 41 minutes in Monday’s 96-86 loss to the Cavaliers, accounting for 21 points (9-of-20 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, three assists, two steals, one block, and one 3-pointer.

    Advice: Banchero once again led the Magic in scoring, but, as was the case in Game 1 on Saturday, inefficiency was an issue. After racking up a career-high nine turnovers in the series opener, he was responsible for six more in Game 2. With Orlando’s limited offense, especially considering the team’s lack of consistent perimeter shooters, they can’t afford to give up possessions. If Banchero can’t clean up that aspect of his game, this series may only have two more games. Game 3 is Thursday night in Orlando. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:07 pm
     
  • Officially active
    Davis (back) has been cleared to play in Monday's Game 2 against Denver, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.

    Advice: Davis was labeled as probable for Monday's matchup due to low back soreness, and he's since been given the green light to suit up. He'll need another big performance in Game 2 for LA to even the series. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:35 pm