4 weeks agoPhoenix Suns guard/forward
Devin Booker set a new playoff career high with 49 points in Sunday's Game 4 loss to Minnesota. The four-time All-Star shot 13-for-21 from the field with a 3-for-5 record from deep and hit 20 of his 21 free throws, but the Suns couldn't stay alive in the series despite Booker's monster effort. Booker, who also posted five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block on Sunday, is now 0-4 for his career in elimination games. He had previously averaged only 14.0 points in elimination games, so Booker took a major step forward from a personal perspective, but the Suns as a team seem stuck in the same place. Since reaching the Finals in 2021, Phoenix has won only two playoff series, going 10-13 in the postseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center
Karl-Anthony Towns played a big part in Sunday's Game 4 victory over Phoenix with 28 points and 10 rebounds. He was a major threat all over the place, nailing four of his six attempts from deep and shooting 11-for-17 overall. He also handed out three assists. Towns finished the series with back-to-back double-doubles, averaging 19.3 points and 9.5 rebounds overall. He hit a very impressive 9-for-17 from outside in four games and will be a massive headache for the next opponent if he keeps this up. The Timberwolves are the first team to qualify for the second round and will meet either Denver or the Lakers next.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard/forward
Anthony Edwards went for a team-high 40 points as his squad completed a first-round sweep against Phoenix on Sunday with a 122-116 win. Edwards exploded after being limited to nine points in the first half, shooting 13-for-23 from the field and hitting 7-for-13 from downtown. Minnesota's young superstar also collected nine rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two blocks, breaking a tie with Kevin Garnett for most 30-point playoff games in franchise history. In fact, Edwards has now scored 30-plus points in over half of his 15 postseason appearances. He finished the series against the Suns with a 31-point scoring average.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Monday's Game 5 against Denver. He's been out since Feb. 1 with a mid-foot sprain. After missing the start of the season, Vanderbilt featured in only 29 regular-season contests, averaging 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds across 20.0 minutes. He'll be a good addition to the rotation if he plays on Monday, although it's unlikely Vanderbilt will be ready to carry a full workload. The Lakers didn't use
Christian Wood at all in Game 4 after he was cleared to return to the lineup after a lengthy absence.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 weeks agoMiami Heat point guard
Delon Wright (personal) appears ready to return to the lineup on Monday versus Boston, as the team has listed him as probable for the contest. Wright missed Game 3 of the series for personal reasons. He started the playoffs with a big 17-point performance but settled for only five points in Game 2.
Terry Rozier's (neck) absence has given Wright an opportunity to average 23.0 minutes per game in the postseason, and he should play a significant part in the rotation again on Monday. However, his inconsistency makes Wright a risky option for DFS managers.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 weeks agoMiami Heat point guard
Terry Rozier (neck) will remain absent for Game 4 against Boston on Monday. The former Celtic is struggling to overcome neck spasms, which have already sidelined him for nine games.
Tyler Herro has taken over a lot of the playmaking duties without Rozier and will continue to lead the charge on Monday. The Heat backcourt is expected to get some help as well, with
Delon Wright (personal) on the cusp of returning to the lineup.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 month agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Khris Middleton (ankle) finished with 25 points in Sunday's loss to Indiana. He added 10 boards, five assists, and one steal.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and
Damian Lillard (Achilles) were ruled out heading into the contest. However,
Bobby Portis got ejected after a physical confrontation with
Andrew Nembhard, although Middleton couldn't lead his team to a win. Unfortunately, the veteran has had issues with both ankles during this series, so he'll likely appear on the injury report for Game 5 on Tuesday. But with Milwaukee hoping to avoid elimination, Middleton should be out there, although he likely won't be fully healthy.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoIndiana Pacers forward
Pascal Siakam flirted with a triple-double in Sunday's win over Milwaukee, finishing with 13 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. He also got after it defensively, adding two steals and one block. Although the former Raptor was more productive in the series' first two games, he's a big reason Indiana is one game away from advancing to the next round. With that in mind, DFS managers should remember him for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoIndiana Pacers guard
Tyrese Haliburton finished with 24 points in Sunday's win over the Bucks. He added four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. The former King popped up on the injury report shortly before the start of the contest because of back spasms. However, he was at least healthy enough to lead his team to another victory. Haliburton could appear on the injury report again heading into Game 5 on Tuesday. But with Indy looking to finish off the series, he should be out there.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoIndiana Pacers center
Myles Turner had a game-high 29 points in Sunday's playoff victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. He was locked in from deep, going 7-for-9, adding nine rebounds and three blocks. The Bucks were without
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf), and with
Bobby Portis getting ejected, Turner took advantage to finish with one of the best games of his career. The 28-year-old has been rolling, so he'll be a favorite DFS option for Game 5 on Tuesday, with the Pacers hoping to finish the series.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoDenver Nuggets guard
Jamal Murray (calf) is questionable for Monday's contest against the Lakers. He has a left calf strain, which could explain his struggles in Saturday's loss to the Lakers. While the 27-year-old still finished that one with 22 points, he had trouble shooting the ball, going 9-for-23 from the field and 0-for-4 from deep. It's hard to imagine Murray will miss Game 5. However, the ailment could continue to be an issue and limit his DFS potential.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 month agoDallas Mavericks guard
Luka Doncic had a triple-double in Sunday's loss to the Clippers. He struggled shooting the ball, going 10-for-24 from the field and 1-for-9 from deep. However, he still finished with 29 points, adding 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and one block. The Clippers didn't have
Kawhi Leonard (knee) for this one, with his absence potentially extending through the rest of the series. Unfortunately, Dallas couldn't take advantage, so the series will head back to Los Angeles knotted at two games a piece. As always, DFS managers should expect Doncic to remain a top performer.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Bobby Portis was ejected in Sunday's playoff matchup with the Pacers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and
Damian Lillard (Achilles) weren't available for this contest, so Portis was expected to play a pivotal role offensively. However, after receiving two technicals for a physical confrontation with
Andrew Nembhard, his night is over. Portis will finish with four points and three rebounds, with
AJ Green,
Andre Jackson Jr., and
Pat Connaughton expected to see more action for the shorthanded Bucks.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: TV Broadcast
1 month agoDallas Mavericks guard
Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 40 points in Sunday's postseason contest versus the Clippers. However, it wasn't enough, as Los Angeles took the win to tie the series at two games each. In all fairness, Irving can't take any of the blame, considering he had his best showing of the postseason. DFS managers should expect his rostering cost to increase for Game 5 after his strong effort in Game 4. But he will likely have a difficult time staying as productive.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoLos Angeles Clippers guard
James Harden tied with
Paul George to finish with a team-high 33 points in Sunday's win over the Dallas Mavericks. The multi-time All-Star played well in the series' first three games, so he kept it going to help lead his club to a much-needed win. With
Kawhi Leonard (knee) uncertain for the remainder of the series, Harden will see as many minutes as possible for Game 5. He'll also remain a pivotal component of the offense, something DFS managers should keep in mind.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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