According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (calf) is expected to miss Game 5 versus the Boston Celtics. The star guard sat out Game 4 because of a calf strain, and the latest news is not encouraging for Cavaliers fans. The team travels to Boston and faces elimination against a talented Celtics lineup. Without Mitchell, everyone in the rotation will be forced to take on much larger roles again. Darius Garland was the primary playmaker in Game 4, scoring 30 points and dishing out seven assists. Final confirmation of Mitchell's status will come later today before tip-off.

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball (knee) gave an update on his injury status on his new podcast, "What an Experience." "It's coming along, man. Week by week," Ball said. "It's improving, so that's all I can ask for. Still not where I want it to be. Out of 100 (percent), I'd say I'm about 70 (percent). Good enough to play, but it could still get better. I still got a long summer ahead of me. But definitely looking forward to the future." The talented playmaker hasn't played in an NBA game since January 2022 due to a left knee injury. Ball, who will turn 27 in October, recently picked up a $21.4 million option on his contract for the 2024-25 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns posted a team-high 23 points in Tuesday's 112-97 loss to the Nuggets despite hurting his left knee early in the game. In an unfortunate incident, Towns banged knees with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and had to briefly exit the game near the end of the first quarter. He moved gingerly after returning, but the Timberwolves trainers apparently worked wonders during the halftime break, as Towns looked completely fine in the second half. Towns, who had meniscus surgery on the same knee during the regular season, added six rebounds, four assists, and two steals to his line, shooting 10-for-19 from the field, including 2-for-5 from deep. It looks like the Timberwolves star escaped serious injury, but he could still pop up on the injury report ahead of Thursday's Game 6.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic dominated Game 5 against Minnesota on Tuesday, finishing a 112-97 win with 40 points on 15-for-22 shooting. He went 2-for-3 from downtown and added seven rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and one block to his tally, becoming only the second player after Chris Paul to record a playoff game with 40-plus points, 10-plus assists, and zero turnovers. This also marks Jokic's highest-scoring game of the 2024 playoffs. Jokic, who received his third MVP trophy ahead of Tuesday's contest, has looked back to his best in the last couple of games, and it spells doom for the Timberwolves, who are now 3-2 down in the series after leading 2-0.

Denver Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon picked up two early fouls against Minnesota on Tuesday night but still put together a strong performance in a big win. He recorded his third double-double of the 2024 playoffs with 18 points and 10 rebounds on 7-for-14 shooting while delivering five assists and collecting one steal. Gordon's high-energy efforts included multiple dunks. The 28-year-old has quietly been Denver's second-best player in the series, posting 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals with 66 percent shooting from the field.

New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein had a historic outing in Tuesday's 121-91 win over the Pacers. He tied Charles Oakley's franchise record and became only the ninth player in NBA playoffs history to record 12-plus offensive rebounds in a game. Hartenstein added five boards on the defensive end, finishing with a big 17-rebound outing in just 31 minutes. He scored seven points on 2-for-3 shooting and recorded five assists with one block. The seven-footer has taken major steps as a playmaker in the series against Indiana, notching five-plus assists in three of the last four games. Hartenstein has done a good job this postseason as Mitchell Robinson's (ankle) replacement in the starting unit, averaging 9.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 29.5 minutes.

Indiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam scored a team-high 22 points on 7-for-15 shooting in Tuesday's heavy 121-81 defeat against the Knicks. After tying the series at two, Indiana struggled to cope with the occasion at Madison Square Garden, but Siakam produced a solid performance. He also led the team in rebounding with eight boards, notching two assists and one steal with 2-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc. The 2019 NBA champion has now posted 20-plus points twice in three games. Another productive performance will be expected from Siakam on Thursday as the Pacers face elimination on home court.

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson continued to shine in the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, leading his squad to a 121-91 victory against Indiana with a 44-point effort on 18-for-35 shooting. He became the 11th player in history to record 40 points in at least five different games of a postseason. Only five players have had more such efforts in a single year, with LeBron James and Jerry West sharing the league record with eight. Brunson's night included seven assists and four rebounds with two made triples. He has been limited to 29 percent shooting from deep by the Pacers, but the Knicks star still averages 32.0 points per game in the series.

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back, ankle) has been upgraded from questionable to available for Game 5 against the Knicks on Tuesday. This is great news for the Pacers, who have started to turn the tide in the series with back-to-back wins. Haliburton has had a very productive three-game stretch, averaging 29.7 points while nailing 17 attempts from downtown. On Tuesday, the Pacers star will hope to record his first run with four consecutive 20-point efforts since January.

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride will join the starting lineup for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Pacers. After grabbing a 2-0 lead in the series, the Knicks have dropped back-to-back games, and head coach Tom Thibodeau has decided to switch things up. McBride will take Precious Achiuwa's spot in the first unit. The 23-year-old has been in fine form this postseason, recording 9.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.2 minutes.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (knee) has been listed as questionable for Game 5 against Boston on Wednesday. After replacing Donovan Mitchell (calf) in the starting lineup on Monday, LeVert has suffered a bone bruise on his left knee. Mitchell has a chance to return on Wednesday, but Sam Merrill might be the next man in line to step up if both Mitchell and LeVert are out on Wednesday.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (rib) remains on the injury report as questionable ahead of Game 5 against Boston on Wednesday. He's had the designation ahead of each game in the series due to a rib contusion but hasn't seen any action. Allen last played in Game 4 of the opening-round series against Orlando and has missed seven contests. Dean Wade's recent return to the lineup has given Cleveland's frontcourt a boost, but the team relies heavily on Evan Mobley with Allen out.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (calf) is considered questionable for Wednesday's clash with Boston. He's in danger of missing a second consecutive contest. Mitchell has gotten hurt at the worst possible time for the Cavaliers, who face elimination in Wednesday's Game 5. Caris LeVert (knee) had a 19-point outing in Game 4 as Mitchell's replacement in the starting lineup. However, LeVert himself is also questionable ahead of Wednesday's matchup, meaning Cleveland could be very shorthanded in Game 5.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (ankle, knee) has been listed as probable for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Thunder. He's previously carried a questionable tag ahead of each game in the series. Injuries and Oklahoma City's tough defense have made life difficult for Doncic in the second-round series. He has pushed his rebounding numbers to 10.8 per game in the matchup, but his scoring average has dropped to 22.0 points. Doncic has also been limited to 7.8 assists, with barely 30 percent shooting from downtown.

On Tuesday, Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley (Achilles) is listed as questionable for Game 5 versus the Denver Nuggets. Due to right Achilles soreness, Conley is a late addition to the team's injury report. The 36-year-old veteran point guard is averaging 11.9 points, 6.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 31.2 minutes during the playoffs. If he is absent, Jordan McLaughlin, Monte Morris, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could see an uptick in minutes during the contest.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving contributed only nine points as the team was beaten 100-96 on home court by the Thunder on Monday. He finished with 4-for-11 shooting, missing both attempts from downtown. Irving's stat line also included one rebound and nine assists with one turnover and five fouls. It's been an up-and-down series for Irving, as he now boasts two nine-point duds but has gone for 20-plus points in the other two games. If the trend continues, we should see Irving bounce back in Game 5 on Wednesday. Overall, he's averaging 15.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in the matchup.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center P.J. Washington continued his successful series against the Thunder on Monday with a 21-point, 12-rebound effort in a 100-96 loss. Like many of his teammates, Washington struggled for efficiency, shooting 7-for-19, but he was outstanding with a 5-for-11 effort from three-point range. Washington's night also included one block. The 25-year-old started off the series with a fairly quiet performance in Game 1, but he has since then hit top gear to average 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds with a fantastic 51.4 percent shooting from deep. Dallas will need more of the same from him as the series heads back to Oklahoma City tied through four games.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic had a rough shooting night against the Thunder in Game 4 on Monday but found a way to record his second triple-double of the 2024 playoffs. He finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 6-for-20 from the field. Doncic once again shook off a questionable tag to take the court on Monday, but he was well off his best form, hitting 2-for-9 from downtown and committing seven turnovers. Defensively, Doncic contributed with two steals and one block. Following Monday night, Doncic is now shooting only 39 percent from the field in the second-round series. He's struggled for efficiency throughout the postseason, and it could end up being very costly for Dallas.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams was limited to 5-for-19 shooting with zero makes from downtown against Dallas on Monday, but he still played a large part in a 100-96 win. Despite the poor shooting, Williams posted 14 points with nine rebounds, six assists, and a game-high four steals. Williams' efficiency from the field in the series has now dropped below 40 percent, but he has been one of the standout names against the Mavericks, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren had a good two-way outing against the Mavericks on Monday, scoring 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting and posting a second consecutive game with four blocks. He was also tied for most rebounds on the team with nine boards and recorded one steal. Holmgren is quietly filling the stat sheet each night, although he's hit the 20-point mark only once in these playoffs. The giant out of Gonzaga has put up 15.3 points per game in the series against the Mavericks with 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals.