Perfect from line in victory Wagner went a perfect 11-of-11 from the line, helping the Magic to an impressive Game 6 victory. It was another impressive performance by Wagner, who continues to develop into a key piece for Orlando. Game 7 will take place Sunday, with both teams vying for a second-round berth against the high-flying Celtics.
Closes game Friday Anthony closed the game Friday, providing the Magic with some much-needed floor spacing. With Gary Harris (hamstring), Anthony slid into a larger role, something that could stick for Game 7 should Harris remain sidelined.
Limited in Game 6 victory Ingles played just eight minutes in the win, serving more as a cheerleader than an actual player. Now in the twilight of his career, Ingles provides the team with a much-needed veteran presence. Win or lose, the Magic have managed to turn some heads this season and the future is certainly bright in Orlando.
Given starting nod, for some reason Morris played 27 minutes as the starting power forward in the Game 6 loss. Any time he spends on the floor feels like too much, highlighted by his lack of production. The Cavaliers will be hoping Jarrett Allen can overcome his rib injury and get back on the floor for what is a must-win game Sunday.
Logs 12 minutes Friday Thompson played as the primary backup behind Evan Mobley, something that Cleveland fans are hoping will not happen again. Other than providing additional size, Thompson has no place on an NBA court anymore. Jarrett Allen (ribs) will almost certainly be doing everything possible to make it back for Game 7.
Plays lone hand in loss Mitchell outscored the rest of the Cavaliers roster, dropping 50 points in the loss. He scored all of the Cleveland points in the final quarter, a fact that may or may not have contributed to the end result. He is going to need more help on the offensive end should they hope to advance to the second round where the Celtics await.
Doubtful to return Barring a quick, surprising turnaround, Kleber is unlikely to return to Friday's contest. Given the nature of the injury, a potential Game 7 on Sunday could be up in the air as well. In his absence, Derrick Jones could see some extra minutes providing depth at power forward.
Moves to bench P.J. Tucker is getting the nod with the first unit, and it's not a huge surprise. Coffey has been struggling in this series, posting averages of 3.0 points on 28.6 percent shooting from the field.
Moves into starting five The Clippers are opting for more of a defensive presence as they are facing an elimination game. Amir Coffey will head to the bench with this move.
Cleared to play Friday Mann was carrying a questionable tag earlier in the day, but he made it through shootaround and warmups without any setbacks. Mann is not expected to have any restrictions with the Clippers facing an elimination game.
Heads to bench Okoro will be replaced by Marcus Morris in the starting five, while Jarrett Allen (hip) misses a second consecutive contest. Okoro has averaged 3.5 points, 2.0 steals, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 20.3 minutes across his previous four appearances coming off the bench in Cleveland's first-round series against Orlando.
Will start Game 6 Isaac started the first two games of the opening-round series at center but returned to the bench with Orlando facing an 0-2 hole. He'll move back into the starting lineup Friday in place of Gary Harris (hamstring). Isaac has averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals in 21.4 minutes over the first five games of the series.
Gets starting nod Morris will replace Isaac Okoro in the starting lineup Friday with Jarret Allen (ribs) out. Morris will make his first start of the season for Cleveland but averaged 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.6 minutes across his seven starting appearances in 2023-24 for Philadelphia.
Ruled out Harris will miss his first game of the season due to a right hamstring strain he suffered during Game 5. Jonathan Isaac will start in Harris' absence, but Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony are also candidates for increased roles.
Won’t play Friday Allen has been downgraded from questionable to out Friday while dealing with a right rib contusion. In his absence, Marcus Morris will enter the starting lineup.
Deemed questionable for Game 1 Murray has been in and out of Denver's practices this week but was able to play in all five of Denver's first-round games against the Lakers. Murray averaged 39.8 minutes per contest against Los Angeles and his calf is feeling even better heading into Saturday's matchup, Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com reports.
Present at shootaround Mann is officially deemed questionable for Friday's contest due to a right lower leg contusion. However, Mann's presence at shootaround is a good sign he will suit up for the Clippers' win-or-go-home playoff game.
Scores 20 points in Game 6 loss Hield went scoreless in two of the first three games of the series and was a DNP-CD in Games 4 and 5, but he provided a lift with his scoring off the bench in Game 6, particularly when the Sixers were in a complicated spot during the second and third quarters. Hield struggled in the series, but this 20-point effort will be a reminder of what he can do when he's given a consistent role on offense, regardless if it's as a starter or off the bench.
39-point effort not enough Thursday Embiid was clearly not 100 percent healthy throughout the series, and the limitations were more noticeable as the series progressed, but he 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 heavylifting 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.
Poor shooting in Game 6 loss Maxey was coming off a heroic performance in Game 5, scoring 46 points and making some clutch buckets to keep the 76ers alive in the series. However, he wasn't able to deliver in Game 6 and finished with more field goal attempts than points scored. Maxey posted her lowest-scoring tally of the series in Thursday's loss, but he still averaged 29.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game in the first round of the playoffs.
Strong double-double in win Hart finished just three assists away from recording a triple-double as the Knicks clinched a 4-2 series win over the 76ers, and the small forward played a prominent role on both ends of the court throughout the first round. Hart recorded three double-doubles in the series, but he also grabbed double-digit rebounds four times and scored 15-plus points in all but one of the six contests. Hart should have a tougher matchup in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ends up being matched up against Pascal Siakam on some stretches.
Fills stat sheet in Game 6 Jalen Brunson carried the Knicks to victory in this series-clinching win, but DiVincenzo deserves credit for stepping up when the team needed him the most. He was coming off a few subpar performances, as he had shot 8-for-28 from the field in the previous three games of the series, but he reached the 20-point mark for the first time in the current playoff run while also filling out the stat sheet as he normally does. The Knicks need DiVincenzo at his best if they also want to get past the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He averaged just 12.0 points while shooting 36.4 percent from the field in the first round.
Shines in Game 6 win Brunson made history with his performance in this Game 6 win, becoming the fourth player in NBA history to record 39 or more points in four consecutive playoff appearances, something that was last achieved by Michael Jordan during the 1992-93 season. Brunson averaged 35.5 points, 9.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in the first-round series and should play a prominent role as the Knicks will take on the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Present at shootaround 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.
