3 hours agoAccording to Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, center Kristaps Porzingis (calf) is still not a lock to return for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Indiana. There were reports the veteran could be back on Monday night. However, Mazzulla has repeatedly denied these reports. Porzingis hasn't played in nearly a month because of a Soleus strain. But with Boston up three games in the series and one win away from advancing to the NBA Finals, the team may keep Porzingis on the shelf for a little longer. At any rate, with Luke Kornet (wrist) missing Game 3 on Saturday night, Al Horford could continue to absorb most of the minutes in the middle in Game 4, with Xavier Tillman Sr. getting a few minutes from off the bench.Source: Brian Robb
3 hours agoAccording to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) isn't expected to play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Boston. Not only that but there's "real doubt" regarding his availability for the remainder of the series. Of course, that could mean Haliburton won't play again until the start of the 2024-25 campaign, especially since the Pacers are down three games and one loss away from elimination. But while Haliburton is on the shelf, Andrew Nembhard, coming off a 32-point, nine-assist performance in Game 3, will be a favorite of DFS managers. At the same time, Myles Turner, Pascal Siakam, and T.J. McConnell could continue to see an increase in fantasy production.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
16 hours agoBoston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown had 24 points in Saturday night's comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers. He added three assists, two rebounds, one block, and one steal. The 27-year-old scored 40 points in Game 2. While Brown wasn't as potent this time around, he still did enough to get Boston one game closer to the NBA Finals. DFS managers should anticipate Brown to continue to log heavy minutes and take plenty of shots in Game 4 on Monday night.Source: ESPN
16 hours agoBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 36 points in Saturday's win over the Pacers. The Celtics trailed for most of the contest. However, the team got it together to go up three games in the series. The 26-year-old had a tough time finding the bottom of the net in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. But he turned things around in Game 3, going 12-for-23 from the field and 5-for-10 from behind the arc, adding 10 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and one steal. Nevertheless, Boston can close out the series on Monday. Of course, DFS managers should expect Tatum to stay highly motivated in hopes of taking the C's back to the NBA Finals.Source: ESPN
16 hours agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (calf) is questionable for Sunday's postseason showdown with the Dallas Mavericks. The veteran will likely continue to deal with a right Soleus strain for the rest of the postseason, so DFS managers should anticipate his presence on the injury report moving ahead. However, he should be fine to play through it, barring a significant setback. Conley struggled in Game 1, scoring only six points. But he had 18 points in Game 2. With that said, the 36-year-old is not a consistent fantasy option, making him a risky roster choice for Game 3.Source: NBA Injury Report
16 hours agoDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (knee, ankle) is listed as questionable for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals versus the Timberwolves. The multi-time All-Star will be on the floor on Sunday, barring a setback, considering these injuries have lingered for weeks. Doncic had a triple-double in Game 2 on Friday night, although it's obvious he's dealing with a considerable amount of pain at times. With that in mind, DFS managers already know he's a top fantasy producer, even with his subpar shooting numbers throughout the postseason.Source: NBA Injury Report
20 hours agoBoston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (illness) is available for Saturday's meeting with the Pacers. Holiday was added to the injury report because of a non-COVID-related illness. But he participated and shootaround before the game, so he feels well enough to give it a go. The 33-year-old has played well during the Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 21.5 points, 9.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. He's also shot 58.3% from deep. However, Indiana won't have Tyrese Haliburton for Game 3, meaning Holiday could see less work than usual if the Celtics build a big lead.Source: NBC Sports Boston
20 hours agoAccording to Evan Sidery of The Sporting News and Forbes, the Utah Jazz are anticipated to "shop" forward/center John Collins this offseason. Collins has two years left on his current deal, which will pay him nearly $27 million per season and includes a player option. The 26-year-old played 68 games for Utah in 2023-24 after spending six years with the Hawks. Unfortunately, he averaged only 15.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, considerably lower than his best season in 2019-20. At any rate, there's a chance teams around the league will be interested in acquiring him. However, it appears Collins is past his prime, although he could play better with a new team during the 2024-25 campaign than in the last few seasons.Source: Evan Sidery
20 hours agoAccording to Evan Sidery of Forbes, the Nuggets may be unable to re-sign guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. While Denver would like to keep him on the roster, some project a deal that could exceed $20 million per year, something the Nuggets may not entertain due to tax purposes. The 31-year-old suited up for the Pistons, Lakers, and Wizards before landing in Denver, where he's played arguably the best basketball of his career. With that in mind, Caldwell-Pope hasn't been a consistently reliable fantasy option, although his durability gives him value in any format.Source: Evan Sidery
21 hours agoBoston Celtics center Luke Kornet (wrist) won't play on Saturday night against the Pacers. He sprained his left wrist in Game 2 and didn't return. With that said, Kornet has gotten more minutes with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) out of the lineup. However, while that still hasn't made him an adequate DFS option, his absence could open up more minutes for Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser, with the C's likely to go small when Al Horford is on the bench.Source: Emma Healy
22 hours agoBoston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (illness) is questionable for Saturday's postseason showdown with the Pacers. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) wouldn't play. However, the C's could also be without one of their stars for Game 3 because of a non-COVID-illness. The 33-year-old played well in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 21.5 points, 9.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. He's also shot 58.3% from behind the arc. With Luke Kornet (wrist) doubtful, Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard could see even more minutes if Holiday doesn't play. But even if he does suit up, he could be limited.Source: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoAccording to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) won't suit up for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Celtics. Haliburton exited Thursday's loss due to left leg soreness. However, a later report indicated he was experiencing soreness in his left hamstring. The situation isn't good, considering the 24-year-old missed 10 games in January because of the same injury and took a while to return to form. In addition, the Pacers are down two games to none in the series, so it's a tough blow. Nonetheless, there's a good chance Haliburton could miss Game 4 as well. But in the meantime, DFS managers should anticipate more offensive opportunities for Pascal Siakam, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, and Myles Turner.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
2 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 15 points in Friday's loss to the Mavericks. He added seven rebounds and two steals. KAT struggled shooting in Game 1 on Tuesday night. However, things weren't much better in Game 2, with the 28-year-old going 4-for-16 from the field and 1-for-5 from deep. Towns shot the ball more efficiently in Minnesota's previous two series versus the Suns and Nuggets. Fortunately, the Timberwolves have played better on the road during the playoffs, meaning Towns has an excellent chance of bouncing back.Source: ESPN
2 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards struggled in Friday's 109-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. While he scored 21 points, he had a tough time finding the bottom of the net, going 5-for-17 from the field and 2-for-7 from behind the arc. Fortunately, Edwards added seven assists, five rebounds, and one block, so his performance wasn't a total flop for DFS managers. The 22-year-old averaged 27.7 points during the previous series versus the Denver Nuggets. However, he has averaged just 20.0 points in the Western Conference Finals. With that in mind, the Timberwolves have played better on the road throughout the postseason, so Edwards could turn things around in Game 3 on Sunday night.Source: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving shined in Friday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 32-year-old scored 20 points, finishing second on the team behind Luka Doncic, who had a game-high 32. He added six assists, four rebounds, and one steal while draining four of his seven tries from deep. Irving averaged only 15.2 points during the Mavs' previous series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, he's averaged 25.0 points in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. With that said, DFS managers should keep him in mind for Game 3 on Sunday night, with Dallas looking to go up three games in the series.Source: ESPN