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Slam Dunk - $20.00 - Contest Completed | NBA Week 26

NBA roundup: Warriors withstand Joel Embiid's 46-point game

Sat Mar 25 3:20am ET
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Jordan Poole saved 19 of his team-high 33 points for the fourth quarter, Stephen Curry broke a late tie with two of his 29, and the Golden State Warriors overcame a 46-point performance by Joel Embiid to topple the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 120-112 on Friday night in San Francisco.

Klay Thompson chipped in with 21 points for the Warriors, who won their third straight overall and ninth in a row at home to maintain their No. 6 position in the Western Conference playoff race.

Tobias Harris had 23 points and Tyrese Maxey 21 for the 76ers, who led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter despite the absence of James Harden, out with a sore Achilles.

The loss, just Philadelphia's second in its last 11 games, cost it a game in its battle with the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 spot in the East.


Kings 135, Suns 127

Domantas Sabonis finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, Kevin Huerter scored a team-high 29 points, and host Sacramento weathered 62 combined points from Devin Booker and Terrence Ross to knock off Phoenix.

Sacramento withstood a 57.1 percent shooting first half for Phoenix, as the Suns led by as many as 14 points before intermission. A 23-9 run in the first 5:59 out of the locker room quickly flipped the game in the Kings' favor. Huerter's 3-pointer broke a 76-76 tie and gave Sacramento a lead it never relinquished the rest of the way.

Booker finished with 32 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, and Ross' 30 points marked a season high. The Kings extended their lead over Phoenix for third place in the Western Conference to six games, while the Suns slid to fifth, a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers.

Bucks 144, Jazz 116

Grayson Allen torched his former team for 25 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 with 11 assists to lead Milwaukee's thumping of short-handed Utah in Salt Lake City.

Allen, drafted 21st overall by Utah in 2018, hit three quick 3-pointers and scored the first 11 points of the game as the Bucks led the whole way. Pat Connaughton netted 22 points, Jrue Holiday added 18 points and nine assists and Brook Lopez totaled 17 points, 14 boards and seven blocks for the NBA-leading Bucks, who have won three straight.

Italian rookie Simone Fontecchio led Utah with 26 points, while Kelly Olynyk chipped in with 16 points and seven rebounds. The Jazz played without injured starters Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton.

Wizards 136, Spurs 124

Corey Kispert scored 26 points and Deni Avdija added 21 points and 11 rebounds for host Washington, which was at its best in the fourth quarter while beating San Antonio.

The Wizards led by a point after a back-and-forth third quarter but took charge for good with a 22-8 run over the first 5 1/2 minutes of the final period.

Keldon Johnson led all scorers with 30 points for the Spurs.

Celtics 120, Pacers 95

Boston overcame the return of Indiana point guard Tyrese Haliburton to post a home victory.

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 34 points and had seven rebounds for the Celtics, who made 18 3-pointers -- 14 more than the Pacers.

Haliburton and Myles Turner each scored 20 points to lead Indiana, which trailed by 29 in the fourth quarter.

Grizzlies 151, Rockets 114

Luke Kennard made a career-high 10 3-pointers, Desmond Bane scored 25 points and Memphis rolled past visiting Houston.

The Grizzlies extended their winning streak to five games and have won eight of nine. Kennard finished with 30 points. Memphis made a franchise-record 25 3-pointers.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. scored 20 points apiece for Houston. Smith added eight rebounds while Porter had six rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Rookie Tari Eason matched his career high of 21 points.

Hornets 117, Mavericks 109

P.J. Washington scored 28 points and Gordon Hayward had 25 as short-handed Charlotte dealt a devastating blow to host Dallas' postseason hopes.

The Hornets, who had lost five of their previous six games, shot 48.3 percent from the field to shake off recent offensive doldrums. Charlotte received a boost from the return of rookie center Mark Williams, who missed time with a thumb injury but provided 13 points and eight rebounds. Dennis Smith Jr. (illness), who also left Thursday night's game, had 13 points and nine assists.

Luka Doncic scored 34 points to go with 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks. Guard Kyrie Irving was back after missing Wednesday night's loss to Golden State with a foot injury, supplying 18 points. Dwight Powell and Christian Wood had 14 points each.

Lakers 116, Thunder 111

Anthony Davis scored 15 of his 37 points in the first quarter and added 15 rebounds as Los Angeles got off to a fast start and held on for a victory over visiting Oklahoma City.

The Lakers registered their third consecutive win and reached .500 for the first time this season. Dennis Schroder scored 21 points and Lonnie Walker IV added 20 for the Lakers, who defeated the Thunder for the second time this month and moved one game ahead of Oklahoma City in the Western Conference standings.

Josh Giddey scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also had 27 points for the Thunder, who dropped consecutive games for the first time since losing five in a row from Feb. 23-March 1.

Raptors 118, Pistons 97

Pascal Siakam compiled 32 points, nine assists and five rebounds as host Toronto defeated Detroit.

Chris Boucher added 19 points off the bench for the Raptors, who have split the first two games of a four-game homestand.

Jaden Ivey had 20 points and eight assists for the Pistons, who have lost 16 of their past 17 games.

Bulls 124, Trail Blazers 96

Zach LaVine recorded 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting and had eight assists to lead hot-shooting Chicago to a convincing victory over host Portland.

Nikola Vucevic added 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting and collected 15 rebounds for Chicago, which was without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan (quadriceps). Coby White had 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and registered nine assists as the Bulls made 57.1 percent of their shots, including a torrid 17 of 28 from 3-point range.

Shaedon Sharpe scored 24 points for Portland, which played without Damian Lillard (calf) and fellow starters Jusuf Nurkic (knee), Jerami Grant (quadriceps) and Anfernee Simons (foot). Portland (32-41) is 3 1/2 games out of the last play-in spot in the Western Conference.

Player Notes
Derrick White Tue May 30 11:10am

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White had a good 18-point outing in Monday's Game 7 loss to Miami. 13 of his points came in the third quarter, and White even scored eight straight for Boston at one point to keep the team in the game before things fully unraveled in the fourth frame. The 28-year-old finished with 5-for-12 shooting from the field and went 2-for-9 from deep with a 6-for-7 record at the line. Boston's season finished with a big disappointment, but White should be happy with his contributions throughout the campaign, as he took another step forward in his development and even earned himself a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team.

Jaylen Brown Tue May 30 11:00am

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown was the team's leading scorer in Monday's Game 7 against Miami, but he also committed eight turnovers, which was one more than the Heat starters combined. Brown gave away the ball three times already in the first quarter and turnovers ended up escorting him throughout the game. He also had a poor shooting night, going 8-for-23 from the field and 1-for-9 from downtown during his 19-point effort. With Jayson Tatum hurting his ankle right at the start of the game, Boston needed Brown to step up and produce a special performance, but he fell well short of it and the summer could now be full of speculation surrounding Brown's future in Beantown.

Jayson Tatum Tue May 30 10:50am

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum struggled to make an impact in Game 7 against Miami Monday after getting hurt on the very first play of the game. He rolled his left ankle and was seen grimacing in pain throughout the contest after that. Tatum had only 13 shot attempts and finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and one steal. It was a very disappointing finish to an otherwise outstanding campaign. Tatum's scoring numbers dropped during the postseason, but he was a double-double machine in the playoffs, averaging 27.2 points and 10.5 rebounds.

Kyle Lowry Tue May 30 10:40am

Miami Heat point guard Kyle Lowry logged very good minutes off the bench in Monday's Game 7 victory over the Celtics, scoring seven points with seven rebounds and five assists. He was a game-best plus-26 for the contest in just 24 minutes of action. It was a very up-and-down series for the veteran point guard, but he came up big when it mattered the most, and luckily for the Heat, Gabe Vincent had a great series. Lowry is averaging 8.8 points per game with 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists this spring on his quest to win his second NBA championship ring.

Bam Adebayo Tue May 30 10:30am

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo continued to struggle from the field against Boston in Monday's Game 7, but he was still one of the key figures in a dominating win, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and one block. Adebayo shot 4-for-10 from the field, but he was plus-22 across 43 minutes of action, which was the best mark among all starters. The two-time All-Star has hit only eight field goals with 26 attempts across the past two games and definitely needs to do better for Miami to have a chance of beating Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the Finals.

Caleb Martin Tue May 30 10:20am

Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin wrapped up the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston with a 26-point effort, making history in the process. The 27-year-old broke John Starks' record from 1994 for most points in a Conference or NBA Finals. He had 135 points across the seven-game series, averaging 19.3 points a night with 60.2 percent shooting. On Monday, Martin shot 11-for-16 from the field with a 4-for-6 record from deep and had his third double-double of the postseason by finishing with 10 rebounds. In a game-high 45 minutes on the court, he also handed out three assists and recorded one steal. It's been a great story with Martin in these playoffs, and it would be even more special if he can keep his performance levels up and the Heat win one more series.

Jimmy Butler Tue May 30 10:10am

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 28 points and had seven rebounds with six assists and three steals as the team beat Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Monday. Butler again struggled from the field, shooting 12-for-28, but he had a nice 3-for-7 record from deep and made some very timely baskets. The Heat star ended up being voted the Eastern Conference MVP after averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.6 steals in the series. It's been a phenomenal playoff run by Butler and his team, and Miami is now only four wins away from glory.

Zach LaVine Mon May 29 4:10pm

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine might be headed elsewhere sooner than expected. Insider K.C. Johnson is skeptical that the Bulls are committed to LaVine for the full length of his contract. The two sides agreed to a massive extension that keeps LaVine in Chicago through the 2025-2026 season. However, the Bulls could be headed in a right direction soon, which might mean they'd be willing to move LaVine. This core roster isn't getting any younger and LaVine is the best trade piece that the Bulls have right now. There is no word from the organization about trading LaVine, but it wouldn't be shocking to see it happen if things continue to go in the wrong direction.

Kyrie Irving Mon May 29 3:50pm

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is set to become a free agent this summer. The superstar guard recently mentioned that he's in no rush to sign a new deal. It sounds like the 31-year-old is going to take his time before deciding where his next home is going to be. There have been rumors that the Mavs could do a sign-and-trade with Irving this offseason. One obvious designation would be the Los Angeles Lakers, so Irving can be reunited with LeBron James again. However, the Lakers don't have much to offer in exchange for Irving. There have been rumors that they'd do a sign-and-trade for Irving with D'Angelo Russell as the centerpiece of the trade. The Mavs have made it clear that won't be happening. It seems like the Mavs would be open to moving Irving, but they likely want a superstar in return.

Malcolm Brogdon Mon May 29 3:30pm

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) is expected to suit up for Monday's Game 7 against the Miami Heat. Brogdon only played eight minutes during Game 5 due to a right forearm strain. The 30-year-old was held out of Saturday's Game 6 victory due to the issue. His absence allowed more minutes for Derrick White and Marcus Smart in the rotation. It appears Brogdon will be ready for Monday's win-or-go-home matchup. The expectation is that he'll resume his role as the sixth-man off the bench.

Jordan Poole Sun May 28 8:10pm

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr seemingly confirmed Jordan Poole would be back next season. However, it appears others aren't so sure. With the Warriors looking to cut costs this offseason to avoid a hefty tax bill, John Hollinger of the Athletic believes the team may look to trade Poole ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. The 23-year-old averaged a career-high 20.4 points during the regular season while playing all 82 games. Yet, he shot 33.6% from deep, a dip from the previous year, and averaged only 10.3 points in the postseason. Without question, Poole could turn things around this season. But he may be a more efficient fantasy option by being the preferred scoring option for a new team.

Lonzo Ball Sun May 28 7:50pm

According to Dan Bernstein of WSCR, many within the Bulls organization believe Lonzo Ball (knee) may never play again. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since January 2022 because of a right knee injury and eventually missed the entire 2022-23 campaign. There was hope he'd be back this year. However, he underwent a third surgery in March, a procedure that included cartilage being replaced. Nobody has ever returned from an injury of that magnitude. But dynasty managers should remain optimistic and keep the former UCLA Bruin on the roster until there is an official update on his future.

Bam Adebayo Sun May 28 7:50pm

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (shoulder) is available for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Boston. He's been dealing with shoulder discomfort for a while, so his presence on the injury report isn't anything new. However, the 25-year-old has worn a compression shirt and played through it. Adebayo has averaged only 15.3 points versus the Celtics, his lowest in any series during the postseason. But he remains active on the glass and has a high upside, so DFS managers should never count him out.

Malcolm Brogdon Sun May 28 7:40pm

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (forearm) is questionable for Monday's Eastern Conference Finals finale against Miami. The 30-year-old is dealing with a forearm injury, which kept him off the floor for Saturday's win over the Heat. However, he's averaged only 6.8 points and shot 18.7% from deep during this series, so the injury is obviously negatively impacting his play. If he suits up, DFS managers should think twice before putting him in the starting lineup.

Robert Williams Sun May 28 7:30pm

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III isn't listed on the injury report for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Miami. The 25-year-old briefly exited Game 6 on Saturday night after suffering a hand injury. However, DFS managers should plan on him being out there, considering a trip to the NBA Finals is on the line. Williams has averaged 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks during this series, making him an excellent fantasy option for those looking for value on Monday evening.

Gabe Vincent Sun May 28 7:20pm

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (ankle) is questionable for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics. The 26-year-old didn't suit up in Game 5 because of a sprained ankle. However, he returned on Saturday night, finishing with 15 points in 41 minutes. It would be surprising if Vincent isn't available on Monday night, considering the Heat are hoping to earn a trip to the NBA Finals. But if he isn't, Kyle Lowry should slide into the starting lineup.

Tyler Herro Sun May 28 7:10pm

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (hand) won't play in Monday's postseason matchup with the Celtics. The 23-year-old hasn't played since Game 1 of the series versus the Milwaukee Bucks. Although he was recently cleared for non-contact basketball injuries, he's nowhere near ready to return. However, there's a chance Herro could be back for the NBA Finals. But Miami will need to secure one more win on Monday night after dropping the last three games.

Duncan Robinson Sun May 28 11:00am

Miami Heat guard/forward Duncan Robinson played a big role off the bench in Saturday's Game 6 loss to Boston, scoring 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting. He was 3-for-6 with the three-ball and bagged a pair of assists with one rebound in 20 minutes. Unfortunately for the Heat, Robinson couldn't hit from deep when the team needed it the most, as the 29-year-old sniper had a pair of open looks late in the game. Robinson has averaged 11.7 points in the Eastern Conference Finals, and he's also impressed with his playmaking, dishing out nearly three assists per contest.

Max Strus Sun May 28 10:50am

Miami Heat guard/forward Max Strus contributed 10 points in Saturday's 104-103 loss to the Celtics, shooting 3-for-8 from the field and 2-for-5 from downtown. This was a good bounce-back effort from Strus, who has combined for only 12 points in the previous two games. He wrapped up his line with one rebound and three assists in 25 minutes. The 27-year-old sniper is enjoying a decent postseason, having averaged 10.5 points per game with 3.2 rebounds.

Gabe Vincent Sun May 28 10:40am

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent returned from an ankle sprain with a 15-point performance in Saturday's Game 6 loss to Boston. He had a quiet opening to the game but suddenly sparked into life with back-to-back threes early in the second quarter and produced a solid 41 minutes for the team. Vincent shot 3-for-6 in total from deep and had a 6-for-18 record from the field with four rebounds and one block. The 26-year-old has been outstanding in the series, averaging 17.0 points with 50 percent shooting from deep.