Miami Heat power forward P.J. Tucker was feeling it against Cleveland on Monday, shooting 9-for-15 from the field and 5-for-8 from outside en route to a season-high 23 points. He added nine rebounds and five assists to his tally with one block and three turnovers in 35 minutes. Tucker rarely does anything offensively and this will have been a very pleasant surprise for fantasy managers. He also had a 15-point effort last week, so it seems like the veteran has found some offensive rhythm. Miami's injuries have helped his situation as well. Tucker faces a tough matchup next against the Sixers, but he can close the week against struggling Orlando and Detroit.

Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson (knee) and forward P.J. Tucker (illness) will be available for Tuesday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Robinson was battling a knee issue on Saturday, but appears fine for this contest. He has been struggling lately, but fantasy managers should stick with him. Tucker has been solid when he's on the floor, but isn't the best DFS on a nightly basis. Honestly, Tucker is a better option for category formats.

Miami Heat point/shooting guard Tyler Herro (back) and power forward P.J. Tucker (shoulder) have both been deemed questionable to play in Wednesday's contest against the Lakers. Herro has proven to be a consistent scoring dynamo in his role as the top scoring option off the bench for Miami, while Tucker has brought his trademark tenacity to the starting five. An absence from Herro would pave the way for Gabe Vincent to have a larger role with the second unit. With Markieff Morris (neck) already out, the frontcourt would be disastrously thin if Tucker is held out as well. Check back prior to tip-off to get the final word on both men.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks suddenly are facing the daunting challenge of possibly having to move forward in their Eastern Conference finals without their two-time MVP. Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a hyperextension of his left knee and and was forced out of the Bucks' Eastern Conference finals game against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. “It’s not good,” Bucks forward P.J. Tucker said. “It’s not good losing anybody on your team and losing your best player stinks.” The Hawks won 110-88, evening the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Antetokounmpo’s status for Game 5 at Milwaukee on Thursday night is not known. Antetokounmpo was defending a jam by Hawks center Clint Capela with 7:14 remaining in the third quarter when his left knee appeared to buckle. He fell to the floor in obvious pain, grimacing and clutching his knee. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the team would learn more about Antetokounmpo's status on Wednesday. “We’ll take everything as it comes," Budenholzer said. "We’ll... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — First they lost James Harden, then Kyrie Irving, and finally the Brooklyn Nets lost their lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Though the series is tied, the Milwaukee Bucks are way ahead in the health category. Down to Kevin Durant as their lone healthy superstar, the Nets limped home to host Game 5 on Tuesday, a team that once piled up points with ease suddenly struggling to cobble together much offense at all. “This is what it’s all about in the playoffs, is you’re going to have ups and downs. You’re going to have momentum shifts, you’re going to have adversity and it’s about how you respond,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Monday. “So tomorrow is a great opportunity for us to show what we’re made of, respond in a positive way and put on our best performance of the series.” The Nets were bitten by the injury bug all season, with long absences for Durant and Harden in the second half. Their three stars played together only eight times in the regular season and they may... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — First they lost James Harden, then Kyrie Irving, and finally the Brooklyn Nets lost their lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Though the series is tied, the Milwaukee Bucks are way ahead in the health category. Down to Kevin Durant as their lone healthy superstar, the Nets limp home to host Game 5 on Tuesday, a team that once piled up points with ease suddenly struggling to cobble together much offense at all. “This is what it’s all about in the playoffs, is you’re going to have ups and downs. You’re going to have momentum shifts, you’re going to have adversity and it’s about how you respond,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Monday. “So tomorrow is a great opportunity for us to show what we’re made of, respond in a positive way and put on our best performance of the series.” The Nets were bitten by the injury bug all season, with long absences for Durant and Harden in the second half. Their three stars played together only eight times in the regular season and they may... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — First they lost James Harden, then Kyrie Irving, and finally the Brooklyn Nets lost their lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Though the series is tied, the Milwaukee Bucks are way ahead in the health category. Down to Kevin Durant as their lone healthy superstar, the Nets limp home to host Game 5 on Tuesday, a team that once piled up points with ease suddenly struggling to cobble together much offense at all. “This is what it’s all about in the playoffs, is you’re going to have ups and downs. You’re going to have momentum shifts, you’re going to have adversity and it’s about how you respond,” Nets coach Steve Nash said Monday. “So tomorrow is a great opportunity for us to show what we’re made of, respond in a positive way and put on our best performance of the series.” The Nets were bitten by the injury bug all season, with long absences for Durant and Harden in the second half. Their three stars played together only eight times in the regular season and they may... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The NBA has disciplined the Brooklyn Nets security guard who went on the Fiserv Forum court and appeared to shove P.J. Tucker during a confrontation between the Milwaukee forward and Nets star Kevin Durant on Thursday night. NBA officials said the security guard wouldn’t be assigned to any of the remaining games in Milwaukee during the second-round playoff series between the Bucks and Nets. He won’t be assigned to the court area for the second-round games in Brooklyn. Although NBA officials didn’t provide the name of the security guard, a person with knowledge of the situation identified him as Antjuan Lambert. Another person with knowledge of the situation said the security guard was Durant’s personal security guy before being hired by the Nets. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because those details weren’t announced. The Athletic first reported Lambert’s name. The situation stems from an incident that occurred in the third quarter of... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The NBA has disciplined the Brooklyn Nets security guard who went on the Fiserv Forum court and appeared to shove P.J. Tucker during a confrontation between the Milwaukee forward and Nets star Kevin Durant on Thursday. NBA officials said the security guard wouldn’t be assigned to any of the remaining games in Milwaukee during the second-round playoff series between the Bucks and Nets. He won’t be assigned to the court area for the second-round games in Brooklyn. Although NBA officials didn’t provide the name the security guard, a person with knowledge of the situation identified him as Antjuan Lambert. Another person with knowledge of the situation said the security guard was Durant’s personal security guy before being hired by the Nets. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because those details weren’t announced. The Athletic first reported Lambert’s name. NBA officials didn’t identify the security guard but said he wouldn’t be assigned to... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks were without all five of their usual starters Friday night as they hosted the Charlotte Hornets a night after losing at Dallas. Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out his third straight game with a sore left knee. He missed his sixth game in the last 11. Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip), Brook Lopez (sore back), Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and reserve forward P.J. Tucker (strained left calf) also were declared out. Middleton and Lopez were listed as doubtful on Friday afternoon's injury report, but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said at his pregame availability that neither will play. Charlotte also isn’t close to full strength. The Hornets announced Saturday that Gordon Hayward would miss at least a month with a sprained right foot. Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball hasn’t played since March 20 because of a fractured right wrist. Malik Monk has been out the last week with a sprained right... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks could play without all five of their usual starters Friday night as they host the Charlotte Hornets a night after losing at Dallas. Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has a sore left knee that will cause him to miss a third straight game. This will be the sixth game Antetokounmpo has missed in the Bucks’ last 11 contests. Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip) and reserve forward P.J. Tucker (strained left calf) also have been declared out. Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and Brook Lopez (sore back) were listed as doubtful on Friday afternoon's injury report. The Bucks are coming back from a six-game trip in which they went 3-3. They ended the trip by losing 116-101 at Dallas on Thursday. This will be the second straight home game in which the Bucks have been missing most of their key players. The Bucks haven’t played at home since a 102-96 loss to the New York Knicks on March 27. Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday, DiVincenzo and sixth man Bobby Portis all missed that game. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jrue Holiday says it was an easy decision to sign a contract extension in his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks. Holiday pretty much knew he wanted to stay in Milwaukee for years to come once he spoke to team officials shortly after they paid a steep price to acquire him. General manager Jon Horst made it apparent how much the Bucks valued the veteran guard. “I feel like you can tell when somebody’s like super excited or happy about something, and you could hear it in his voice,” Holiday said Monday, one day after agreeing to terms on a four-year extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. “At that point, I’m like, ‘Man, he really wanted me to be here.’ “I’m really not the type to be wooed and all that. I don’t need to be courted or whatever, but it felt good to be appreciated. It felt good to be wanted.” Under the terms of his new deal, Holiday receives base salaries of $30.1 million next season, $32.4 million... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Veteran guard Jeff Teague signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday after the Orlando Magic waived him last week. The move reunites Teague with Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, the two having worked together while with the Atlanta Hawks. The 32-year-old Teague played 34 games for Boston this season but was traded to Orlando last week as part of the deal that brought guard Evan Fournier to the Celtics. The Magic, who also acquired two second-round draft picks in the deal, waived Teague shortly after the trade. The Bucks had been seeking a backup point guard after sending D.J. Augustin to the Houston Rockets as part of the March 19 trade that brought them P.J. Tucker. Teague was selected to the All-Star Game in 2015 while playing for Budenholzer, who coached the Hawks from 2013-18. Teague, 6-foot-3, averaged 6.9 points, 2.1 assists and 18.1 minutes for Boston this season, and two of his more productive games came against Milwaukee. He scored 19 points in Boston’s 122-121 season-opening victory over the Bucks. Teague had 15 points in 17 minutes on March 24 when the Celtics lost 121-119 at Milwaukee. Teague is in his 12th NBA season. He has averaged 12.3 points, 5.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 805 career games with Atlanta (2009-16, 2020), Indiana (2016-17), Minnesota (2017-20 and Boston (2020-21). ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Boston’s Jayson Tatum are available for Wednesday night’s Bucks-Celtics matchup after the All-Stars sat out one game. Both are in the starting lineup. Antetokounmpo didn't play Monday in the Bucks’ 140-113 victory over Indiana because of a sprained left knee that left him questionable on Wednesday’s injury report. Tatum had missed the Celtics’ 132-126 overtime loss at Memphis on Monday due to an illness. The Bucks will be playing without reserve guard Bryn Forbes due to a sprained right toe. Reserve forward P.J. Tucker, who left Monday’s game with a sprained left ankle, is listed as active. This marks the first matchup between the teams since the Celtics beat the Bucks 122-121 on Dec. 23 in the season opener for both teams. Tatum banked in a go-ahead 3-pointer in that game, while Antetokounmpo missed a potential tying free throw with four-tenths of a second left. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — P.J. Tucker says a move to the championship-contending Milwaukee Bucks offers the 35-year-old veteran a breath of fresh air and a chance to turn around a frustrating season. Tucker practiced with his new team Friday after the Bucks officially announced they had acquired the 6-foot-5 forward along with guard Rodions Kurucs from the Houston Rockets The Bucks sent guard D.J. Augustin plus forward D.J. Wilson to Houston. As part of the trade, the Bucks gave up their 2021 and 2023 first-round picks and got back their own 2022 first-round pick and the Rockets’ 2021 second-round selection. “Man, I was nipping at the bit today to get in practice, to get in there just to hit bodies and talk and be with the guys,” Tucker said. “It felt great. It feels good just to have my battery recharged.” Tucker gives the Bucks a solid defender and quality 3-point shooter - especially from the corners – as they bid for their first NBA title since 1971. Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — P.J. Tucker says a move to the championship-contending Milwaukee Bucks offers the 35-year-old veteran a breath of fresh air and a chance to turn around a frustrating season. Tucker practiced with his new team Friday after the Bucks officially announced they had acquired the 6-foot-5 forward along with guard Rodions Kurucs from the Houston Rockets The Bucks sent guard D.J. Augustin plus forward D.J. Wilson to Houston. As part of the trade, the Bucks gave up their 2021 and 2023 first-round picks and got back their own 2022 first-round pick and the Rockets’ 2021 second-round selection. “Man, I was nipping at the bit today to get in practice, to get in there just to hit bodies and talk and be with the guys,” Tucker said. “It felt great. It feels good just to have my battery recharged.” Tucker gives the Bucks a solid defender and quality 3-point shooter - especially from the corners – as they bid for their first NBA title since 1971. Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — P.J. Tucker is now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, an addition for the team's playoff push. The Bucks announced Friday that they had acquired Tucker as well as guard Rodions Kurucs from the Houston Rockets and had sent guard D.J. Augustin plus forward D.J. Wilson to Houston. As part of the trade, the Bucks gave up their 2021 and 2023 first-round picks and got back their own 2022 first-round pick and the Rockets’ 2021 second-round selection. “P.J. Tucker checks all the boxes,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. “He is a great teammate who brings a veteran presence with playoff experience. P.J.’s a versatile, high-IQ defender, and on the offensive end he plays with discipline, is unselfish, and spaces the court with his ability to knock down the three.” The Bucks announced the trade Friday, two days after Augustin and Wilson participated in warmups before a 109-105 victory at Philadelphia but weren’t with the team during the actual game. ESPN first reported... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks traded reserve forward Torrey Craig to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday for cash. The Bucks announced this move amid reports that the Bucks also were acquiring forward P.J. Tucker and guard Rodions Kurucs from the Houston Rockets for guard D.J. Augustin and forward D.J. Wilson in a trade that also involved draft picks. ESPN first reported both moves. Craig, Augustin and Wilson all participated in warmups before the Bucks’ 109-105 overtime victory at Philadelphia on Wednesday but weren’t with the team during the actual game. Tucker issued an Instagram post bidding farewell to Houston on Thursday but didn’t indicate where he was going. “I can’t find the words to describe how much the city of Houston means to me,” Tucker said in the Instagram post. “The city embraced me from Day 1 and stole my heart with all the love I was shown.” Craig, 30, gives Phoenix a strong defensive player with postseason experience. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 18.5 minutes last season in his third year with Denver but never found a consistent role in the Bucks’ rotation. He played just 18 games and averaged 2.5 points and 11.2 minutes. Craig missed nine early-season games with a broken nose and didn’t play due to the coach’s decision in 12 games. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Houston Rockets say they are attempting to trade disgruntled forward P.J. Tucker. Tucker traveled with the Rockets to Sacramento for their game against the Kings on Thursday night but did not play and was on his way back to Houston before the game ended. “I was under the assumption that he was going to be playing tonight,” coach Stephen Silas said following the Rockets’ 125-105. “Before the game I found out that he was not going to be playing. At some point there was some mutual agreement with P.J., his agent, (Rockets general manager Rafael Stone) and the organization that P.J. will not be with the team anymore.” Tucker, 35, is in the final season of a $31.8 million, four-year deal. The veteran forward has been pushing for a trade for the past few weeks and had grown increasingly frustrated by the organization’s apparent lack of attempts to make a deal happen. With Tucker averaging career lows in scoring (4.4 points) and shooting percentage (36.6), the Rockets... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden forced his way out of Houston without bringing the Rockets an NBA title. Now that he’s in Brooklyn, the Rockets hope the huge haul of draft picks they received in the trade will allow them to chase championships in the future. “Our goal remains unchanged,” general manager Rafael Stone said Sunday, addressing the trade for the first time. “I think we’re well-positioned to develop something really special.” Houston dealt Harden to the Nets last week, a day after he said the Rockets weren't “good enough,” in a four-team trade that also involved Cleveland and Indiana. The Rockets didn’t receive a franchise cornerstone in the deal but got many draft picks that should position them to build a talented roster. The Rockets received Brooklyn’s unprotected first-round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026 and the right to swap first-round selections with the Nets in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Houston also got Milwaukee’s 2022 first-round pick from Cleveland. Houston acquired three... [More]