The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers are still uncertain about when their top players will return to the court.
Despite this, they have still been doing well in their first-round playoff matchups.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee has been out since April 9 with a left calf strain, and Kawhi Leonard of Los Angeles has been unavailable all month due to inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Both teams have not provided any updates about their availability for Tuesday's games, as the Bucks aim to go 2-0 against the Indiana Pacers and the Clippers strive to maintain home-court advantage against the Dallas Mavericks.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers mentioned that Antetokounmpo had a good workout on Sunday and had been on the court for four consecutive days before taking a maintenance day on Monday. The NBA released an injury report on Monday night listing Antetokounmpo as doubtful for Game 2.
Leonard took part in a non-contact practice with the Clippers on Monday and was listed as questionable for the upcoming game.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue stated that Leonard needs to go through practice on the day and then they will see about his status for Game 2.
In contrast, the Phoenix Suns have their star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal all fit. However, the Suns are facing a tough challenge as they try to avoid falling behind 2-0 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round series.
The Timberwolves secured a 120-95 win in Game 1 at home by causing Booker to have a poor shooting performance of 5-for-16.
Booker likened the Game 1 defeat to Phoenix’s opening loss in the first round last year at home against the Clippers. However, the Suns bounced back to win the series in five games.
Booker stated after Monday's practice, “I’m not saying we’re going to win the next four games, but there was a lot of overreacting after we lost Game 1 to the Clippers. It’s just a series.”
SUNS at TIMBERWOLVES
Minnesota leads 1-0. Game 2, 7:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
• NEED TO KNOW: The Timberwolves relied on their top-ranked defense in Game 1 with strong efforts by Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to keep Booker and Beal relatively quiet. They also had a 52-28 rebounding edge, which was the best postseason margin in franchise history. Additionally, they unleashed 22-year-old superstar Anthony Edwards for 33 points.
• KEEP AN EYE ON: Timberwolves reserves. Naz Reid, a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award, missed the 2023 postseason due to a broken left wrist. He played exceptionally well off the bench alongside Alexander-Walker, and their scoring off the bench outweighed the Suns' bench performance 41-18.
• INJURY WATCH: The Suns had sharpshooter Grayson Allen leave Game 1 due to a sprained right ankle and he was uncertain for Game 2 after a 0-for-3 shooting in 25 minutes in the first game. Minnesota’s Kyle Anderson suffered a hip pointer in a Game 1 collision with Beal’s knee and was limited to 5 minutes. Anderson practiced on Monday.
• PRESSURE IS ON: Suns coach Frank Vogel. When the Suns reconstructed their roster over the past year, it wasn’t with the intention of exiting the playoffs after just one round. Vogel, in his first season with Phoenix after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2020 championship, and his assistants will certainly have strategies prepared to counter Edwards and get Booker into his usual form.
PACERS at BUCKS
Milwaukee leads 1-0. Game 2, 8:30 p.m. EDT, NBA TV
• NEED TO KNOW: Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points in the first half as the Bucks beat Indiana 109-94 while limiting the Pacers to their lowest point total of the season. The Pacers have lost 10 consecutive postseason games.
• KEEP AN EYE ON: The pace. The Pacers won four of five regular-season games against Milwaukee because the older Bucks team couldn't keep up with fast-paced Indiana, which averaged a league-high 123.3 points per game. The Bucks controlled the pace much better on Sunday and didn't give the Pacers many transition opportunities.
• INJURY WATCH: All attention is on Antetokounmpo as the Bucks wait for updates on the availability of their two-time MVP.
• PRESSURE IS ON: Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. The two-time All-Star averaged 27 points against the Bucks during the regular season but attempted only seven shots in Game 1 and was limited to nine points. There's also pressure on all of Indiana’s outside shooters after the Pacers went 8 of 39 from 3-point range on Sunday.
MAVERICKS at CLIPPERS
Los Angeles leads 1-0. Game 2, 10 p.m. EDT, TNT
• NEED TO KNOW: James Harden scored 28 points and Ivica Zubac had 20 points and 15 rebounds in the Clippers’ 109-97 Game 1 victory. The Mavericks scored only eight second-quarter points and trailed 56-30 at halftime.
• KEEP AN EYE ON: The Clippers’ ability to mix things up. Lue is a master strategist who knows Doncic and Irving will take advantage if the Clippers keep using the same defensive strategies. The Mavs scored 25 points in transition and 25 points at the free-throw line. “We need to play good defense without fouling, especially when they get in the bonus,” Lue said.
• INJURY WATCH: Leonard hasn’t played since March 31 and hasn't taken part in any contact practices.
• PRESSURE IS ON: Dallas’ supporting cast. Luka Doncic scored 33 points and Kyrie Irving had 31 in Game 1, but the other Mavericks combined for only 33 points while shooting 10 of 36 from the floor.
