NBA Playoffs Blog – Page 7 – NBA Blog

Heat guard Kyle Lowry remains out heading into Game 2 vs. Celtics

The Heat remain without starting guard Kyle Lowry. Here’s the Miami Herald:

The Heat will be without Kyle Lowry for an eighth time in postseason, and a fourth game in a row, when Miami meets Boston in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday (8:30 p.m., ESPN).

Lowry was listed as out for the game. He didn’t practice on Wednesday but did “light shooting” on the side, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. The Heat is 7-0 without him in postseason.

Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are listed as questionable with hamstring injuries, but players listed as questionable by the Heat almost always play in postseason.

Meanwhile, the Celtics listed Al Horford (COVID protocols) as doubtful and guard Marcus Smart (mid-foot sprain) as probable.

Celtics injury list update heading into ECF Game 2 vs. Heat

Here is the latest Celtics injury list update, via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (right midfoot sprain) is listed as probable for Thursday’s Game 2 against the Miami Heat, while Boston center Al Horford (health and safety protocols) is doubtful.

Also, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was sick Wednesday with a non-COVID-19 illness.

Both starters missed the team’s 118-107 loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Miami on Tuesday night.

As of this evening, Heat guard Kyle Lowry is still listed as Out.

Dallas Mavericks fined for bench decorum reasons, again

The Dallas Mavericks organization has been fined $50,000 for violating league rules regarding team bench decorum, it was announced today by NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell.

Per the league:

The amount of Dallas’ fine also reflects prior infractions of team bench decorum rules in the 2022 NBA playoffs.

On multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood for an extended period in the Mavericks’ team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during game action in the Mavericks’ 123-90 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of their conference semifinal playoff series May 15 at Footprint Center.

Per ESPN.com, “The Mavs were also fined $25,000 on May 6 for similar violations that occurred during their Game 2 loss to the Suns. Dallas considers team chemistry an essential ingredient of their success, and the Mavs made it clear at the time that they had no intention of toning down the enthusiasm from two-way player Theo Pinson, injured guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and the rest of the bench.”

On the Warriors and Mavericks Western Conference Finals matchup

The 2022 Western Conference Finals, featuring the Golden State Warriors against the Dallas Mavericks, begin tonight. Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle on the Mavs:

Luka Doncic, the sort of generational talent who can drag mediocre teams to first-round exits through sheer excellence, is now balling lock-step with his supporting cast, most of whom are stepping up at critical moments. The first round was a Jalen Brunson coming out party. Dorian Finney-Smith, who has spent years percolating in the organization, is a rangy wing with great defensive chops who is shooting the 3 at just under a 40% clip. Reggie Bullock is a more than serviceable professional basketball player with cool hair (he’s shooting it pretty well too). And then there’s Maxi Kleber, the pesky floor-stretching German big who can and probably will punish this often disengaged Warriors team.

The Mavericks in general are built to punish the disengaged, to chase down the weak links again and again, as they showed so memorably against Chris Paul, going at him disrespectfully hard, eventually grinding him to future Hall of Fame dust. They will score off of sloppy turnovers. They have, and will again, put Steph Curry in a half-court dungeon. The Warriors will need to be crafty, perhaps even mean-spirited with their adjustments. Jason Kidd, who will be barking on the sideline like some mix of a Sea Lion and the singer of Sleaford Mods, will make sure his guys know exactly who to exploit, when to trap, how they’ll ram the ball down Golden State’s gullet, and all the best places in Oakland to get a steak. He’s a great communicator, Jason Kidd.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant doubtful for remainder of 2022 NBA playoffs

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant exited during the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals on May 7 at Golden State with right knee soreness. Morant underwent an MRI, and subsequent evaluation has revealed a bone bruise in his right knee.

Morant is doubtful for the remainder of the postseason but is expected to make a full recovery.

Kyle Lowry limited in Game 3 return for Heat against Sixers

Kyle Lowry had returned, and he had returned home.

The Miami Heat point guard and Philadelphia native’s next step is to reclaim his identity.

Lowry was plainly out of sorts in the Heat’s 99-79 road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, cutting the Heat’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.

“I had one good day of working out, kind of a half day, and I’ve just got to find a rhythm,” Lowry said, with the Heat turning their attention to Sunday’s 8 p.m. Game 4 at Wells Fargo Center. “I didn’t expect it to be amazing [Friday]. I didn’t expect to have zero points, but just trying to get a feel for the game, just be out there, especially in this hostile situation.”

Lowry was injured during the second half of the Heat’s first-round road loss to the Atlanta Hawks on April 22. He missed four games before returning. He played 25:21 on Friday night, finishing 0 for 4 from the field, including 0 for 2 on 3-pointers, without a free-throw attempt, while also grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

Source: Sun Sentinel

NBA fines Dallas Mavericks $25,000 for bench decorum reasons

The Dallas Mavericks organization has been fined $25,000 for violating league rules regarding team bench decorum, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

Per the league, “on multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood away from Dallas’ team bench and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during game action in the Mavericks’ 129-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of their conference semifinals playoff series May 4 at Footprint Center.”

Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks suspended one game for foul on Gary Payton II

Memphis Grizzlies guard-forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for having made unnecessary and excessive contact against Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II, resulting in substantial injury to Payton, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

The incident, for which Brooks was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 9:08 remaining in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ 106-101 win over the Warriors in Game 2 of their conference semifinals playoff series May 3 at FedEx Forum.

Brooks will serve his suspension Saturday, May 7 when the Grizzlies visit the Warriors for Game 3 at Chase Center.

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler says knee should be okay for second round Game 1

Here’s ESPN.com with some good news on the Miami Heat:

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is confident he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night as he continues to deal with right knee soreness.

“It’s all right,” Butler said after Saturday’s practice. “We got another day in between. Get out there, rip and ride. And I know it will be ready to hold up come Monday, but the time off has been great for myself and so many other guys that are nicked up. Everybody’s ready to compete.”

Butler sat out Game 5 of the Heat’s series-clinching win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, but he looked solid taking jumpers and moving around the floor a little bit after Saturday’s practice. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said all the players, a group that included Butler and veteran guard Kyle Lowry, were able to do “a little bit more than [Friday].” Heat guard Tyler Herro said he would be ready for Game 1 after missing Friday’s practice while dealing with a cold.

Sixers center Joel Embiid out with multiple injuries

Here’s the Philly Voice on a major Philadelphia 76ers injury:

This is the last thing the Sixers needed.

Joel Embiid, already banged up with a torn ligament in his thumb, is now out indefinitely with an orbital fracture and concussion that he suffered late in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Raptors.

The Sixers’ second-round series against the top-seeded Miami Heat begins Monday, and they’ll have to go into without their best player on the floor.

This ain’t good.

Is there a chance Embiid could come back later in the series, provided the Sixers are still hanging on? Maybe. But there’s no way to tell right now.