NBA

While Harden did not miss any of his 2-point attempts in Game 2, he was 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. He wasn’t the only Clippers player to struggle on Tuesday, as they combined to go 8-of-30 from beyond the arc, and Dallas outscored them by a 42-24 margin. Harden was productive in the assist category while committing one turnover, somewhat compensating for the poor 3-point shooting for those competing in DFS tournaments. He’ll look to rebound when the Clippers visit Dallas for Game 3 on Friday.

As he did in Game 1, George scored 22 points on Tuesday. The area where Kawhi Leonard’s return impacted him was the shot attempts, with PG’s 14 being six fewer than his total in Game 1. He still shot 50% from the field and played 37 minutes despite some foul trouble, but navigating the balance between scoring and deferring to Leonard at times will be one of the most significant subplots for the remainder of this series. Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas, with the teams tied at one win apiece.

To no one’s surprise, Leonard looked rusty offensively in his first game since March 31. While he did everything he needed to go during his recovery process, Kawhi did not take any contact during those individual sessions. Maybe that had something to do with his shaky performance in Game 2, but give Leonard credit for impacting the rebound and steals categories. Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas, with the teams tied at one win apiece.

Gafford appeared to tweak something in his back during the first quarter of Game 2, gingerly walking back to the locker room for further treatment. While Gafford did return, he only played nine minutes, with Dereck Lively II (7/9/1/1 in 21 minutes) starting the third quarter. Also stepping up in Gafford’s absence were PJ Washington (18/6/0/1/2 with three 3-pointers) and Maxi Kleber (6/6/1/0/1 with two 3-pointers). Game 3 is on Friday in Dallas, and Lively would be the next man up if Gafford cannot play.

Irving and the Mavericks bounced back from a brutal Game 1 performance, evening the series at one game apiece. While his final stat line in Game 1 may have been more impressive, Irving was more impactful in Game 2. With Kawhi Leonard back in the Clippers lineup, Dallas can’t afford to start slowly. They did a better job competing from the start on Tuesday and now hold home-court advantage ahead of Friday’s Game 3 in Dallas.

After going 0-8 during the regular season in games where they scored fewer than 100 points, the Mavericks picked up a much-needed victory to even the series at one game apiece. Doncic put on a show, surpassing the 30-point mark for a second straight game. However, while the Game 1 production felt like “empty calories” due to the Mavericks coming out slowly and getting blown out, there was no such issue for Doncic on Tuesday. As a result, the series is tied headed to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday.

Middleton, who missed some time toward the end of the regular season due to left ankle injury management, appeared to tweak something in his right leg during the first quarter of Tuesday’s defeat. The good news for the Bucks is that said issue did not significantly impact his playing time, but Middleton’s health is of even greater importance with Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) sidelined. With Patrick Beverley (5/4/3/1/2 in 34 minutes) on the court for defensive reasons, Milwaukee essentially played 4-on-5 in Game 2, and that’s even more difficult to do with Giannis out. Middleton will have a few days to rest, as Game 3 is not until Friday night.

After scoring 11 points in Game 1 on Sunday, Lopez doubled his output in Game 2. The six 3-pointers were a playoff career-high for the veteran center, whose previous high was four (on four occasions). Bobby Portis (14/11/2/1 in 30 minutes) recorded his second double-double in as many games but was less efficient as a shooter, going 6-of-16 from the field and 2-of-3 from the foul line. Milwaukee is headed to Indianapolis with the series tied at one win apiece ahead of Friday’s Game 3.

Like Sunday’s Game 1 victory, Game 2 was a tale of two halves for Lillard. He put on a show in the first half, scoring 26 points, but the Pacers limited him to eight after halftime. While Doc Rivers said after the game that Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is close to a return, he isn’t back yet. Until that changes, the Bucks will need more second-half production from Lillard. Game 3 is on Friday in Indianapolis.

While Haliburton’s scoring production remained below his usual standard in Game 2, he was much more impactful as a playmaker. The All-Star point guard dished out 12 helpers in the Pacers’ victory after accumulating eight in Game 1. Indiana won Game 2 in the paint, scoring 52 of its 125 points in that area. Also, Haliburton and the rest of the team were a plus-9 in fast break points. They’ll look to do more of the same in Game 3 on Friday.