After initially being ruled out for Game 2 vs. Houston, Thunder wing Luguentz Dort was updated to questionable and is now being considered available, head coach Billy Donovan confirmed today (Twitter link via Royce Young of ESPN). One of Oklahoma City’s top defenders, Dort will look to help slow James Harden.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Nuggets guard Gary Harris will remain sidelined for Game 3 against Utah, but head coach Michael Malone believes Harris is moving in the right direction, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. While he acknowledged that it’d be great to have Harris back during Denver’s first-round series if possible, Malone added that the team doesn’t want to put pressure on him by setting a specific timetable.
- Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said he doesn’t have a sense of the severity of Patrick Beverley‘s calf injury, which caused him to miss Game 2 vs. Dallas on Wednesday. “Obviously it is something that has lingered,” Rivers said, per Youngmisuk. “But I have no sense whether he plays next game or if this is one of those things that takes a week or so. I just don’t know.” Beverley will likely be a game-time decision on Friday, according to Rivers (Twitter link via Youngmisuk).
- Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Michael Carter-Williams (foot) will be on the shelf again for the Magic in Game 2 vs. Milwaukee today, according to the team (Twitter link). Neither player has been active since early August.
- Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo, who hasn’t played this summer due to a fractured thumb, is listed as questionable for Game 2 vs. Portland on Thursday night, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.
- The Celtics are “aggressively treating” Gordon Hayward‘s ankle sprain, head coach Brad Stevens said on Wednesday (Twitter link). The club should have a better idea within the next few days of what the next steps for Hayward’s rehab will be. The veteran forward is expected to miss about four weeks.
The calf is such a tough injury. It’s so irritating because you can’t stretch it out and you can’t even feel the muscle that’s the one strained. It’s just that after resting it you feel great, but then you’re running and suddenly the thing tightens up on you and you can’t run anymore. Frustration Maximus for sure.
I agree and I think KD would agree also. We all saw how playing on a strained calf turned out for KD.
Lakers need all bodies for Blazers backcourt. But Rondo can’t be ready for tonight. That can use him. You’d think he needs some gms to get in gm shape. This is playoffs now. Truth is it’s now or never right. This I wanna see.
Westbrook should be back before Rondo, unless the Lakers are forced to bring him back prematurely if they keep losing to Portland.
No one thinks the LAL will keep loosing to POR! It isn’t happening dude! Just give it up!
Dort made game 2 closer, but his team was still blown out in the 4th quarter.
Give House, Green, and Gordon some credit. They’ve really stepped it up. If the Rockets are going to make a title run, they’ll need players other than Harden and Westbrook to produce on a consistent basis
Clippers sorely missed Beverley last night, as Doncic smoked them. His turnover count dropped by ten and along with “Playoff P’s” struggles, was the primary reason the Clippers lost.
The Nuggets are in a similar boat, as Gary Harris is a top-notch perimeter defender. They look lost against Mitchell without him
Rockets have played well. Gotta give them credit. Westbrook should rest if they don’t need him. Cause they will need him next rd.
Blazers bench didn’t show up. They miss Collins. Melo had a bad gm. They’ll be back. They have been playing big gms for awhile now. They know it’s only one gm. Still Laker bench played much better. AD don’t have a big gm. Lakers don’t win. Blazers need to zero in on that. Need Collins for that. Hope he’s back next gm.
Gotta give Dantoni some credit. Thunder can’t even make the Rockets need Westbrook!
Blazers may never play well against a Laker team defense. Similar credit to Vogel, who can miss absent guards. Also I think James was careful about the FAs the Lakers brought in & keeps them on the same page.