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  • Nikola Jokic records 16/16/8/0/1 line in Game 2
    Nikola Jokic finished Monday’s 106-80 loss to the Timberwolves with 16 points (5-of-13 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), 16 rebounds, eight assists, and one blocked shot in 39 minutes.

    Advice: Jamal Murray (calf) isn’t playing at full strength, and Minnesota was playing without Rudy Gobert on Monday. With the Nuggets having dropped Game 1, they needed an elite performance from Jokic. While he did finish two assists shy of a triple-double, they did not get that from the Joker. He committed four turnovers, but the shooting (5-of-13 FGs) was especially concerning. Minnesota had some success during Game 1 using Karl-Anthony Towns or Naz Reid on Jokic, with Gobert serving as the “free safety.” The Timberwolves could not do that in Game 2, but they successfully defended Jokic straight up. He and the Nuggets have some things to address ahead of Friday’s Game 3. Rotoworld 14 minutes ago
     
  • Naz Reid blocks four shots, scores 14 in Game 2
    Naz Reid accumulated 14 points (5-of-14 FGs), five rebounds, one steal, four blocks, and four 3-pointers in 29 minutes in Monday’s 106-80 win over Denver.

    Advice: The Timberwolves are taking a 2-0 lead home to Minneapolis, winning Game 2 dominantly despite not having Rudy Gobert (personal). Reid wasn’t the choice to fill the void in the starting lineup (Kyle Anderson was), but that didn’t keep him from impacting the action defensively. The NBA Sixth Man of the Year blocked four shots while hitting four 3-pointers and tallying 14 points. And Reid wasn’t the only reserve to show off his shot-blocking abilities. Nickeil Alexander-Walker racked up three blocks while also tallying 14 points, six rebounds, one assist, and four 3-pointers in 30 minutes. Minnesota’s bench has been superior through two games, and that’s unlikely to change when the series shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Rotoworld 22 minutes ago
     
  • Karl-Anthony Towns records 27/12/1/1/2 line Monday
    Karl-Anthony Towns shot 10-of-15 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Monday’s 106-80 blowout of the Nuggets, tallying 27 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks, and three 3-pointers in 36 minutes.

    Advice: Minnesota needed Towns to step up with Rudy Gobert (personal reasons) away from the team, and that’s what he did. KAT tied for the team lead in points, shooting 66.7% from the field while also grabbing 12 rebounds. He’s scored 20 points or more in three straight games, and not only was foul trouble not an issue for Towns, but he and the other starters were able to watch the end of Tuesday’s rout from the bench. Gobert should be available for Friday’s Game 3, but Minnesota needs Towns to play at this level consistently. Now 6-0 this postseason, the Timberwolves look like a team that can play into June. Rotoworld 29 minutes ago
     
  • Pascal Siakam posts 19/6/5/1 line in Game 1 loss
    Pascal Siakam amassed 19 points (8-of-16 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 36 minutes in Monday’s loss to the Knicks.

    Advice: Siakam has scored 19 points in his last two postseason games, appearing to turn the corner after going quiet in Games 3 through 5 of Indiana’s first-round series with Milwaukee. While all teams deal with injuries to a certain extent this time of year, it’s clear that Tyrese Haliburton’s back is still causing him trouble. As a result, the Pacers will need more production from Siakam and Myles Turner, and they combined to score 42 points in Game 1. Indiana will look to even the series at one game apiece on Wednesday. Rotoworld Today, 7:48 pm
     
  • Leading scorer in Game 1 defeat
    Turner tallied 23 points (8-16 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-6 FT), three assists, two rebounds, one block and one steal over 35 minutes in Monday's 121-117 loss to New York in Game 1 of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    Advice: Turner did all he could to help Indiana to a road victory in Game 1 against New York, leading the club in scoring to go along with a team-high-tying pair of threes while ending as the lone Pacer with 20 or more points in the losing effort. Turner bounced back well after a pair of low-scoring outings in the final two games of the first-round series, posting his fourth game of the postseason with at least 20 points. Indiana will hope for a similar performance from Turner offensively in Game 2, and he may need to improve his presence on the glass to help the Pacers own the battle on the boards. Rotowire.com Today, 7:30 pm
     
  • Myles Turner leads Pacers with 23 points in Game 1
    Myles Turner shot 8-of-16 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Monday’s 121-117 loss to the Knicks, tallying 23 points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes.

    Advice: One of the critical subplots of the Pacers/Knicks series is how New York will defend Turner when he’s the screener in Indiana’s two-man game. Conventional “drop” coverage is unlikely to succeed consistently because of the Pacers’ big man’s perimeter shooting ability. Turner got his points in Game 1 in multiple ways, going 6-of-10 from two and 2-of-6 from three. Given his performance on Monday, considering the over for Turner’s point total in Wednesday’s Game 2 wouldn’t be a bad idea. Rotoworld Today, 7:19 pm
     
  • To miss Game 2
    Gobert (personal) has been ruled out for Monday's Game 2 against the Nuggets, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Gobert was added to the team's injury report earlier in the day due to a personal matter, and he's since been downgraded to out after Charania confirmed the birth of Gobert's first child. Look for Naz Reid, who put up 16 points in Game 1, and Kyle Anderson to see an increased workload in the frontcourt Monday night. Rotowire.com Today, 5:36 pm
     
  • Rudy Gobert (personal) downgraded to out Monday
    Rudy Gobert (personal reasons) will not play in Monday’s Game 2 against the Nuggets.

    Advice: While there were some questions regarding whether Gobert could make it back to Denver in time for Game 2 after being present for the birth of his child, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said he would not play. Naz Reid will play more minutes, likely as a starter, and Minnesota needs Karl-Anthony Towns to avoid committing silly fouls. Kyle Anderson should also experience an increase in playing time. Rotoworld Today, 5:32 pm
     
  • Brings home ROY honors
    Wembanyama (ankle) was named the 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Wembanyama was the clear favorite for this year's Rookie of the Year honors, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.6 blocks in 29.7 minutes per appearance over 71 games during his first NBA campaign. It's also worth noting that the 7-foot-4 center is one of three finalists for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, which speaks to the monumental impact he had on both ends of the court this season for the Spurs. Rotowire.com Today, 4:12 pm