1 month agoOrlando Magic forward
Franz Wagner struggled in Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 22-year-old had 26 points in the Game 6 win on Friday night. However, he fizzled on Sunday, ending the afternoon with just six points off 1-for-15 shooting from the field. He had struggled on the road during this series, but his performance in Game 7 couldn't have gone much worse. With Orlando done, the team can make moves this offseason. But the roster should continue to be built around Wagner and
Paolo Banchero, with both players expected to improve even more in 2024-25.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoOrlando Magic forward
Paolo Banchero finished with a massive double-double in Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had a team-high 38 points and 16 rebounds, adding three steals and one block. Unfortunately, his stellar performance wasn't enough to lead his team to the win. With the Magic now eliminated from the postseason after seven hard-fought contests with the Cavs, Orlando will look to improve the roster during the offseason. With that said, the club will remain constructed around Banchero, who showed signs of growth in his second season in the league by averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. Although his shooting numbers could use some work, he'll likely improve in 2024-25, raising his stock in category formats.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell led his team to a series-clinching win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. He had 50 points in Game 6 on Friday night. While the 27-year-old wasn't as impactful on the scoring end in this one, he still finished with 39 points and added nine rebounds, five assists, one block, and one steal. Mitchell and company will get a day off on Monday before meeting the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night to begin the semi-finals. He played well against the C's during the regular season, averaging 30.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. However, the Cavs could struggle as a whole, meaning it could be difficult for Mitchell to stay as productive.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoCleveland Cavaliers center
Jarrett Allen (rib) is questionable heading into Sunday's pivotal matchup with the Orlando Magic. The 26-year-old has averaged 17.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks during this series. However, a rib contusion prevented him from suiting up for the team's last two contests. With the series tied at three games each, the Cavaliers certainly hope to get Allen back for Game 7. But if he can't play,
Marcus Morris Sr. and
Isaac Okoro could get more work, although neither player is a reliable DFS contributor.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 month agoDenver Nuggets guard
Jamal Murray had 17 points in Saturday's playoff loss to the Timberwolves. He added four assists and one rebound. The 27-year-old had trouble finding his rhythm in this one. But to be fair, his teammates didn't play much better, with
Nikola Jokic going 11-for-25 from the field and 2-for-9 from deep. Murray averaged 17.3 points, 7.7 assists, and shot 53.8% from behind the three-point line in three meetings with Minnesota during the regular season. With that in mind, he has an excellent chance of bouncing back in Game 2 on Monday night.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic finished with 32 points in Saturday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He added nine assists, eight rebounds, and three steals. While the multi-time MVP nearly had a triple-double, he had issues finding the bottom of the net in Game 1, shooting 11-for-25 from the field and 2-for-9 from deep. He also had seven turnovers. The Timberwolves did a fantastic job preventing Jokic from getting comfortable. With that in mind, head coach Mike Malone will make adjustments heading into Game 2 on Monday evening, so Jokic should play better.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard
Anthony Edwards led his team to a win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. He had 43 points, a postseason career-high, and added seven rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. The 22-year-old played well during the regular season. However, Edwards has played at a higher level, averaging 33.4 points while shooting 43.6% from behind the three-point line in his five playoff appearances. With the Timberwolves now leading the series, the Nuggets will try to knot things up on Monday night. As usual, expect Edwards to be featured in plenty of DFS lineups.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
Maxi Kleber (shoulder) is sidelined indefinitely and could miss the remainder of the postseason. The 32-year-old exited Friday's series-clinching win over the Los Angeles Clippers because of a shoulder injury. Unfortunately, an MRI revealed an AC joint dislocation. Kleber averaged a career-low 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds this season. However, he still had a valuable role in head coach Jason Kidd's rotation. But with Kleber out of the mix,
Dereck Lively II, who had 10 points, nine rebounds, and one steal in Game 6, should see more work off the bench behind
Daniel Gafford.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Tim MacMahon
1 month agoChicago Bulls guard
Lonzo Ball (knee) exercised his $21.4 million option for the 2024-25 campaign. This was expected, especially since the 2017 No. 2 overall pick has been sidelined by a left knee injury for over two years. During his time away, he's undergone three surgeries to address the issue, including a cartilage transplant. Ball most recently played 35 games for the Bulls after being traded by the Pelicans and posted some of his best numbers, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting a career-high 42.3% from behind the arc. With that said, the 26-year-old doesn't have a return date. But even if he gets back on the floor at some point, it could take him a while to work his way up to full speed. The risk of re-injury and potential decreased production will also be factors for fantasy managers to consider, even if there is a positive update regarding his health at some point in the next few months.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoCleveland Cavaliers forward/center
Evan Mobley struggled in Friday's loss to Orlando. The 2021 No. 3 overall pick had a stellar night on Tuesday, so expectations were high entering this one. Unfortunately, he couldn't get anything going offensively, ending the contest with just three points off 1-for-5 shooting from the field. Mobley at least had seven rebounds and five blocks. But it was still a subpar effort from the 22-year-old, who had added responsibility due to the absence of
Jarrett Allen (rib). At any rate, Mobley has had a double-double in two of his three appearances on his home court during this series, meaning he has an excellent chance to turn things around on Sunday afternoon for Game 7.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Darius Garland played well in Friday's loss to Orlando. The 24-year-old scored 21 points, finishing second on his team in scoring behind
Donovan Mitchell, who had 50. He added six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Garland struggled during the first four games of the series. However, he's now combined for 44 points in the last two contests. While the 2019 No. 5 overall pick has lost the trust of some DFS managers, he deserves fantasy consideration for Game 7 on Sunday, primarily since Orlando will likely focus on keeping Mitchell from having another explosive performance.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell had a game-high 50 points in Friday's postseason meeting with Orlando. However, his efforts weren't enough, as the Magic earned the win to extend the series. The 27-year-old continues to deal with an ailing knee. But after a few unimpressive showings during this round, Mitchell got his act together in Game 6. With the series knotted at three games each, both clubs will head back to Cleveland for Game 7 on Sunday. Mitchell has played well on his home turf throughout this series, averaging 27 points. Yet, the Magic will likely focus on slowing him down, meaning he may not be as productive as he was on Friday evening.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoLos Angeles Clippers guard
Terance Mann (leg) was seen at shootaround ahead of Friday's Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks. Mann is listed as questionable heading into this game due to a right leg contusion. The fact Mann was seen at shootaround is a good sign heading into Friday's game. The team will likely wait to see how Mann feels during pregame warmups before making a final decision. His absence would likely mean increased playing time for
Russell Westbrook and
Norman Powell.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Law Murray
1 month agoThe Los Angeles Lakers have moved on from head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons as the team's head coach. This move doesn't come as a shock and was expected after the Lakers loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the postseason. The Lakers will look for a new head coach after two straight playoff losses to the Nuggets. Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, and JJ Redick are all reported candidates for the open position.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski
1 month agoCleveland Cavaliers center
Jarrett Allen (ribs) remains listed as questionable for Friday night's Game 6 against the Orlando Magic. The big man was spotted at shootaround on Friday morning but his level of participation is unclear. He was unable to play in Game 5 on Tuesday due to the rib contusion, so it seems like he'll be a game-time decision in this potential series-clinching game. DFS managers will want to check back when it gets closer to tipoff since his presence usually means a bit of a value hit to
Evan Mobley when it comes to rebounds and defensive stats.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Chris Fedor
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