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  • James Harden tallies 22 points, eight assists
    James Harden logged 42 minutes in Tuesday’s 96-93 loss to the Mavericks, producing 22 points (6-of-14 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), six rebounds, eight assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: While Harden did not miss any of his 2-point attempts in Game 2, he was 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. He wasn’t the only Clippers player to struggle on Tuesday, as they combined to go 8-of-30 from beyond the arc, and Dallas outscored them by a 42-24 margin. Harden was productive in the assist category while committing one turnover, somewhat compensating for the poor 3-point shooting for those competing in DFS tournaments. He’ll look to rebound when the Clippers visit Dallas for Game 3 on Friday. Rotoworld 58 minutes ago
     
  • Paul George records 22/2/4/1/1 line in Game 2 loss
    Paul George logged 37 minutes in Tuesday’s 96-93 loss to the Mavericks, accounting for 22 points (7-of-14 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), two rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: As he did in Game 1, George scored 22 points on Tuesday. The area where Kawhi Leonard’s return impacted him was the shot attempts, with PG’s 14 being six fewer than his total in Game 1. He still shot 50% from the field and played 37 minutes despite some foul trouble, but navigating the balance between scoring and deferring to Leonard at times will be one of the most significant subplots for the remainder of this series. Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas, with the teams tied at one win apiece. Rotoworld Today, 10:33 pm
     
  • Kawhi Leonard scores 15 points in return Tuesday
    Kawhi Leonard shot 7-of-17 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line in Tuesday’s 96-93 loss to the Mavericks, amassing 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, four steals, and one blocked shot in 35 minutes.

    Advice: To no one’s surprise, Leonard looked rusty offensively in his first game since March 31. While he did everything he needed to go during his recovery process, Kawhi did not take any contact during those individual sessions. Maybe that had something to do with his shaky performance in Game 2, but give Leonard credit for impacting the rebound and steals categories. Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas, with the teams tied at one win apiece. Rotoworld Today, 10:27 pm
     
  • Daniel Gafford (back) limited to nine minutes
    Daniel Gafford (lower back soreness) played nine minutes without scoring in Tuesday’s 96-93 win over the Clippers, accumulating one rebound and one assist.

    Advice: Gafford appeared to tweak something in his back during the first quarter of Game 2, gingerly walking back to the locker room for further treatment. While Gafford did return, he only played nine minutes, with Dereck Lively II (7/9/1/1 in 21 minutes) starting the third quarter. Also stepping up in Gafford’s absence were PJ Washington (18/6/0/1/2 with three 3-pointers) and Maxi Kleber (6/6/1/0/1 with two 3-pointers). Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas, and Lively would be the next man up if Gafford cannot play. Rotoworld Today, 10:21 pm
     
  • Kyrie Irving hits four triples, scores 23 points
    Kyrie Irving finished Tuesday’s 96-93 win over the Clippers with 23 points (8-of-18 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and four 3-pointers in 42 minutes.

    Advice: Irving and the Mavericks bounced back from a brutal Game 1 performance, evening the series at one game apiece. While his final stat line in Game 1 may have been more impressive, Irving was more impactful in Game 2. With Kawhi Leonard back in the Clippers lineup, Dallas can’t afford to start slowly. They did a better job competing from the start on Tuesday and now hold home-court advantage ahead of Friday’s Game 3 in Dallas. Rotoworld Today, 10:12 pm
     
  • Luka Doncic scores game-high 32 points in Game 2
    Luka Doncic shot 11-of-26 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Tuesday’s 96-93 win over the Clippers, accounting for 32 points, six rebounds, nine assists, one steal, one block, and five 3-pointers in 46 minutes.

    Advice: After going 0-8 during the regular season in games where they scored fewer than 100 points, the Mavericks picked up a much-needed victory to even the series at one game apiece. Doncic put on a show, surpassing the 30-point mark for a second straight game. However, while the Game 1 production felt like “empty calories” due to the Mavericks coming out slowly and getting blown out, there was no such issue for Doncic on Tuesday. As a result, the series is tied headed to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday. Rotoworld Today, 10:05 pm
     
  • Khris Middleton (leg) posts 15/5/6 line in Game 2
    Khris Middleton (right leg) amassed 15 points (6-of-14 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, six assists, and one 3-pointer in 36 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to the Pacers.

    Advice: Middleton, who missed some time toward the end of the regular season due to left ankle injury management, appeared to tweak something in his right leg during the first quarter of Tuesday’s defeat. The good news for the Bucks is that said issue did not significantly impact his playing time, but Middleton’s health is of even greater importance with Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) sidelined. With Patrick Beverley (5/4/3/1/2 in 34 minutes) on the court for defensive reasons, Milwaukee essentially played 4-on-5 in Game 2, and that’s even more difficult to do with Giannis out. Middleton will have a few days to rest, as Game 3 is not until Friday night. Rotoworld Today, 9:29 pm
     
  • Brook Lopez tallies 22 points, six 3-pointers
    Brook Lopez shot 8-of-13 from the field in Tuesday’s 125-108 loss to the Pacers, amassing 22 points, one rebound, three assists, two blocks, and six 3-pointers in 29 minutes.

    Advice: After scoring 11 points in Game 1 on Sunday, Lopez doubled his output in Game 2. The six 3-pointers were a playoff career-high for the veteran center, whose previous high was four (on four occasions). Bobby Portis (14/11/2/1 in 30 minutes) recorded his second double-double in as many games but was less efficient as a shooter, going 6-of-16 from the field and 2-of-3 from the foul line. Milwaukee is headed to Indianapolis with the series tied at one win apiece ahead of Friday’s Game 3. Rotoworld Today, 9:20 pm
     
  • Damian Lillard leads MIL with 34 points in Game 2
    Damian Lillard finished Tuesday’s 125-108 loss to the Pacers with 34 points (10-of-21 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), four rebounds, five assists, one steal, and six 3-pointers in 39 minutes.

    Advice: Like Sunday’s Game 1 victory, Game 2 was a tale of two halves for Lillard. He put on a show in the first half, scoring 26 points, but the Pacers limited him to eight after halftime. While Doc Rivers said after the game that Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is close to a return, he isn’t back yet. Until that changes, the Bucks will need more second-half production from Lillard. Game 3 is on Friday in Indianapolis. Rotoworld Today, 9:15 pm