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Joel Embiid C | PHI
76ers' Joel Embiid: 39-point effort not enough Thursday
Embiid provided 39 points (12-25 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 13-13 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 40 minutes before fouling out of Thursday's 118-115 loss to the Knicks in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Embiid was clearly not 100 percent healthy throughout the series, and the limitations were more noticeable as the series progressed but still posted outstanding stat lines, scoring 29 or more points in four of the six contests. He also recorded three double-doubles and a triple-double, but he couldn't do the heavy lifting on his own in the games where Tyrese Maxey struggled. Between the Play-In win over the Heat and the first-round series against the Knicks, Embiid averaged 31.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 blocks across 41.0 minutes per game.
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Jarrett Allen C | CLE
Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen: Present at shootaround
Allen (ribs), who's listed as questionable for Friday's Game 6 against the Magic, was present during Cleveland's morning shootaround, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Allen was in uniform, but it's unclear how active he was during the shootaround. The big man was stellar through the first four matchups of the series and averaged 17.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks, but he was sidelined for the Cavaliers' Game 5 win due to a rib injury he sustained following a collision with Franz Wagner in Game 4. If Allen is sidelined, Isaac Okoro would likely remain in the starting lineup, while Evan Mobley operates as the primary center again.
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Joel Embiid C | PHI
76ers' Joel Embiid: Available for Game 6
Embiid (knee) is available and starting in Game 6 against the Knicks on Thursday.
This is not a surprise considering the situation the 76ers are in, as Philadelphia must win this game to force a decisive Game 7. Embiid is averaging 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in the first-round series against the Knicks.
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Mitchell Robinson C | BOS
Knicks' Mitchell Robinson: Available for Game 6
Robinson (ankle) will be available for Thursday's Game 6 matchup with the 76ers.
Robinson logged 25 minutes in his return Tuesday, so he should see a similar workload in Game 6. With Robinson back in the mix, Precious Achiuwa will likely be out of the rotation.
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Jarrett Allen C | CLE
Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen: Officially deemed questionable
Allen (ribs) is listed as questionable for Friday's Game 6 against the Magic.
Allen is in danger of missing his second straight contest Friday due to a right rib contusion. If the 25-year-old big man is ultimately ruled out, Isaac Okoro will likely draw another start.
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Jarrett Allen C | CLE
Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen: Doesn't practice Thursday
Allen (ribs) didn't participate in Thursday's practice, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Allen missed Tuesday's Game 5 against the Magic due to a right rib contusion. While Allen's absence from practice is a bad sign of his availability for Game 6 on Friday, fantasy managers should look out for an official injury report.
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Kristaps Porzingis C | GS
Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis: Likely to miss second-round series
Porzingis (calf) will likely remain sidelined for the Celtics' second-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs, Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reports.
Porzingis sustained a calf injury in Game 4 of Boston's first-round series and was unavailable for Wednesday's Game 5 as the Celtics took down the Heat to advance to the second round. He's been diagnosed with a right soleus strain and was expected to miss several games, and it appears likely that his absence will span the entirety of the second round. However, the Celtics hope that Porzingis will be able to return if the team advances to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the 28-year-old will rest and rehab in the coming days.
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Bam Adebayo C | MIA
Heat's Bam Adebayo: Scores 23 points in playoff exit
Adebayo supplied 23 points (10-26 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, six assists and two steals in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 118-84 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Adebayo had to shoulder a bigger load on offense due to the absences of Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck), and for the most part, the star big man delivered. He scored 20 or more points in each game of the series while posting two double-doubles. Adebayo averaged 19.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest between the Play-In Tournament and the series against the Celtics (seven games).
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Dereck Lively II C | DAL
Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Perfect from field Wednesday
Lively racked up 12 points (5-5 FG, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one block over 25 minutes during Wednesday's 123-93 win over the Clippers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Lively was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, outplaying Daniel Gafford despite coming off the bench. The Mavericks have the luxury of being able to lean on both players equally, providing them flexibility when one is outplaying the other. Lively and Gafford will once again be front and center when the two teams line up again Friday.
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Maxi Kleber C | LAL
Mavericks' Maxi Kleber: Lands five triples in win
Kleber accumulated 15 points (5-7 FG, 5-7 3Pt), three rebounds and one assist over 19 minutes during Wednesday's 123-93 win over the Clippers in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Kleber connected on five three-pointers, helping guide the Mavericks to a comfortable victory. After coming up short in front of their home fans, Dallas was able to make easy work of the Clippers in Los Angeles. The two teams will face off again Friday, where the Mavericks will look to atone for the Game 4 loss.