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Offseason | NBA Week 26

NBA roundup: Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers drop Bucks in OT

Sat Apr 27 2:12am ET
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Tyrese Haliburton converted a three-point play with 1.6 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Indiana Pacers to a 121-118 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series in Indianapolis.

Haliburton gained separation after using a nifty crossover on Patrick Beverley before sinking a shot from the foul line. He added a free throw to complete his 18-point, 16-assist, 10-rebound performance and overcome a scintillating 42-point effort by Milwaukee's Khris Middleton.

Myles Turner collected 29 points and nine rebounds and Pascal Siakam added 17 points and nine rebounds to help the sixth-seeded Pacers seize a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday in Indianapolis.

Damian Lillard, slowed by an ailing Achilles tendon, overcame an apparent left leg injury late in the first quarter to finish with 28 points, eight assists and three steals. Bobby Portis collected 17 points and 18 rebounds for the third-seeded Bucks, who played their sixth straight game without two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (left calf strain).


Mavericks 101, Clippers 90

Luka Doncic had 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to help Dallas beat visiting Los Angeles in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Kyrie Irving scored 19 of his 21 points in the final 14 minutes for the Mavericks, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is set for Sunday in Dallas.

Norman Powell and James Harden each had 21 points for the Clippers, who committed 19 turnovers. Ivica Zubac added 19 points and eight rebounds.

Timberwolves 126, Suns 109

Anthony Edwards recorded 36 points and nine rebounds as Minnesota beat host Phoenix to take a 3-0 playoff series lead for the first time in franchise history.

The Timberwolves will aim for a sweep in Game 4 of the best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series on Sunday night at Phoenix. Rudy Gobert added 19 points and 14 rebounds and Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 13 boards for third-seeded Minnesota.

Bradley Beal scored 28 points, Kevin Durant added 25 and Devin Booker registered 23 points and eight assists for the sixth-seeded Suns.

Player Notes
Bradley Beal Sat Apr 27 9:40am

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal posted a team-high 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting in Friday's 126-109 loss to Minnesota. He got going offensively after totaling only 29 points across the first two games of the series, hitting 6-for-11 from downtown and 10-for-19 overall from the field. Beal also registered four rebounds and four assists. However, despite his best efforts, the Suns got embarrassed on home court and face elimination in Sunday's Game 4. Beal sits fifth among active players with a career average of 28.1 points in elimination games.

Anthony Edwards Sat Apr 27 9:30am

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards racked up a game-high 36 points on 12-for-23 shooting in Friday's 126-109 Game 3 victory over Phoenix. He tied Kevin Garnett for most 30-point playoff games in franchise history, reaching the mark for the seventh time in his 14th career postseason game. Edwards' night included nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals. The young star has been impressive in the series, averaging 28.0 points with 7.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.3 steals. He will be out for the kill on Sunday, with Minnesota heading into Game 4 holding a 3-0 lead.

Tyrese Haliburton Sat Apr 27 9:20am

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton recorded only the fourth playoff triple-double in franchise history as the team defeated Milwaukee 121-118 in Game 3 on Friday. Indiana's young star scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and handed out 16 assists. He had a poor shooting night with an 8-for-22 effort, which included 11 misses with 12 attempts from deep, but Haliburton was money when it counted the most. Haliburton scored on a drive with 1.2 seconds left in overtime and iced the game with a free throw. With three games played, Haliburton is averaging 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 12.0 assists in the series.

Khris Middleton Sat Apr 27 9:10am

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton produced a fantastic performance in Friday's Game 3 against Indiana, leading all scorers with 42 points in a 121-118 loss. His day at the office included a pair of big triples near the end of the regulation and overtime. The 42 points mark his new playoff career high. Middleton got there with 16-for-29 shooting, nailing four shots from deep with nine attempts. He also collected a double-double with 10 rebounds and dished out five assists. The Bucks are without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf), and Damian Lillard (Achilles) also hurt himself on Friday, so Middleton might have to do even more in Sunday's Game 4 to keep the Bucks competitive.

Anthony Davis Sat Apr 27 9:10am

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (wrist) is regarded as questionable for Game 4 against Denver on Saturday. He's on the injury report with a left wrist sprain, which Davis suffered in Thursday's Game 3 loss. It would be surprising to see Davis miss Saturday's contest with the Lakers' season on the line. Darvin Ham's team has fallen to a 3-0 hole despite Davis averaging 32.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks across 42.0 minutes in the series. We should see another big effort from him on Saturday.

Reggie Jackson Sat Apr 27 9:00am

Denver Nuggets point guard Reggie Jackson (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Saturday's Game 4 against the Lakers. Jackson tweaked his left ankle in Thursday's Game 3. Jackson has averaged only 8.3 minutes in the series, meaning he wouldn't be a major miss for the Nuggets. However, the veteran has been something of a talisman for teams through the years against the Lakers, winning 17 consecutive games against them. Christian Braun could fill Jackson's minutes on Saturday, but he hasn't been a good fantasy producer.

Damian Lillard Sat Apr 27 8:50am

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury in Friday's epic playoff battle against Indiana. Lillard had a good game with 28 points, eight assists, and three steals, but he tweaked his Achilles near the end of the fourth quarter and was hindered by the injury in overtime. The ailment leaves Lillard iffy for Sunday's Game 4. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) on the shelf, Khris Middleton already carried a huge load on Friday and could be asked to do even more in Game 4. Pat Connaughton or Malik Beasley should take Lillard's position in the starting lineup if he's out on Sunday.

Kawhi Leonard Fri Apr 26 11:10pm

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard amassed nine points and nine rebounds in Friday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The 32-year-old missed time because of knee inflammation but returned for Game 2. While he played well enough in that contest, he took a step back on Friday night. Even more concerning, Leonard only logged 25 minutes. He's likely still bothered by the knee issue, so there's reason to believe he will miss Game 4 on Sunday. If that's the case, Paul George and James Harden could pick up some of the slack. But Norman Powell, finishing with 21 points in Game 3, will be a coveted DFS option.

Delon Wright Fri Apr 26 7:40pm

Miami Heat guard Delon Wright (personal) is questionable for Saturday's meeting with the Celtics. With Terry Rozier (neck) out of commission, Wright has been getting some work during this series. He's played well, too, averaging 11.0 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 75.0% from behind the arc. If he can't suit up, Tyler Herro could see even more minutes at the one. In addition, Patty Mills may finally make an appearance, although he doesn't have much upside.

Daniel Gafford Fri Apr 26 7:30pm

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back) will suit up for Friday's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. He's taken a beating during this series, so he was listed as questionable heading into this contest. However, the former Wizard will be on the floor. Gafford didn't see much work in the first two games, and that likely won't change on Friday night. Yet, his availability will still lower the fantasy ceilings of Maxi Kleber and Dereck Lively II.

Kawhi Leonard Fri Apr 26 7:20pm

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) is available for Friday's postseason matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Leonard returned for Game 2 after missing time because of knee inflammation. He played well despite the lengthy layoff, amassing 15 points with seven boards, four steals, and one block. While the 32-year-old had issues finding the bottom of the net, he'll likely play better this time around.

Terry Rozier Fri Apr 26 7:10pm

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (neck) won't play on Saturday against the Celtics. Miami stole Game 2 in Boston. However, it will be difficult for the Heat to win the series without their starting point guard. At this point, nobody can say for sure when he'll be back. But until that happens, Tyler Herro should continue to hold things down at the one. Herro is coming off a potent performance, accumulating a team-high 24 points with 14 assists, five rebounds, and one steal. Still, the C's will make some adjustments, meaning Herro may not be as productive in Game 3. Delon Wright, who has been coming in off the bench for relief, is questionable for this one. If Wright can't suit up, Patty Mills could make an appearance, although he likely won't do much for DFS managers.

Khris Middleton Fri Apr 26 5:20pm

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Khris Middleton (ankle) was originally listed as questionable after not practicing on Thursday but has officially been upgraded to available on Friday for Game 3 in Indiana. The Bucks will have to lean on Middleton a lot as the second scorer alongside Damian Lillard since Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has already been ruled out. So far, Middleton is averaging 19.0 points per game but hasn't been able to be a consistent threat from deep while he's shooting just 28.6% from beyond the arc. He'll likely play heavy minutes to try to get the offense kickstarted in their first road game of the series which is where this team has been the worst this year.

Grayson Allen Fri Apr 26 5:00pm

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (ankle) still hasn't been officially ruled out of Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The 28-year-old has been an important piece to the Suns' offense this season as he registered career-highs in points, threes, three-point percentage, field goal percentage, rebounds, and even assists. He also led the entire league in three-point percentage with a mark of 46.1%. Unfortunately, he hurt his ankle in Game 1 and has only been able to put up 3.5 points per game so far. As of right now, he's still considered questionable, but if he can't play, we may see some minutes for Isaiah Thomas off of the bench while Eric Gordon and Royce O'Neale see more opportunities too.

Kyle Anderson Fri Apr 26 5:00pm

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (hip) has been listed as questionable for the Game 3 matchup on Friday against the Phoenix Suns. Anderson has only played five minutes across two games in this series so far, and it's unclear how he'd fit back into the rotation if he was upgraded to active. His minutes have fluctuated all season long and it could come down to matchups. If he remains sidelined, however, Monte Morris, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will likely remain the main three players off of the bench.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Fri Apr 26 4:40pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has been downgraded to out and will not play in Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. This doesn't come as a surprise since Antetokounmpo was already listed as doubtful, but this series gets even harder for the Bucks now that they don't have the two-time MVP for the first game on the road. The Bucks only had a record of 18-22 on the road and the Pacers have the momentum after grabbing a win in Game 2. With Antetokounmpo remaining on the bench, Bobby Portis should stay in the starting lineup while Khris Middleton will have to step up as a scorer alongside Damian Lillard.

Donovan Mitchell Fri Apr 26 12:20pm

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell couldn't get much going and the team as a whole could only muster up 83 points in a blowout loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday. The star combo guard posted just 13 points on 6-for-16 shooting and only knocked down one out of six three-point attempts. Throughout Mitchell's playoff career, which consists of 47 games, he's only scored fewer than 13 points five times. Despite the rough shooting night, he didn't produce many turnovers as he only committed two of them and registered seven assists with five rebounds.

Paolo Banchero Fri Apr 26 12:00pm

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers en route to a blowout win in Game 3 on Thursday night. After producing two high-turnover totals in the first two playoff games of his career, Banchero settled in and didn't turn the ball over once on Thursday. The Duke product finished this contest with 31 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and one steal while shooting 13-for-26 overall and 4-for-9 from downtown. Banchero is the driving force of the Magic offense, so when he gets into a rhythm, the Magic look a lot better as a unit. He's also produced fewer turnovers and better shooting percentages when playing at home this season.

Anthony Davis Fri Apr 26 11:40am

Los Angeles Lakers center/forward Anthony Davis put together a big-time performance but couldn't get the help he needed from the rest of the team to get into the win column. He shot 14-for-23 from the floor and registered 33 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two turnovers. Davis has not only been the most consistent player for the Lakers so far this postseason, he's also been their best. Over the first three games of this series, Davis averages 32.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 61.5% from the floor.

Nikola Jokic Fri Apr 26 11:20am

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic almost registered his 18th postseason triple-double in their Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The two-time MVP finished the game with 24 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and three turnovers. In his 13 shot attempts, Jokic only missed four of them and added 6-for-7 from the line. Jokic continues to put up some big numbers in the first half of each game and continues the momentum through the fourth quarter. The Lakers have yet to find any sort of answer to Jokic's abilities despite having one of the best defensive big men in the league in Anthony Davis.