2 days 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.Source: Adrian Wojnarowski
2 days 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.Source: Chris Fedor
2 days agoOrlando Magic guard Gary Harris (hamstring) was officially listed as questionable when the injury report first came out, and head coach Jamahl Mosley confirmed that to still be the case. During shootaround on Friday morning, Mosley was asked if Harris was likely to play and he said, "He went through walk-through. He's going to go through his shooting slot, so he'll still be more of a game-time decision." While it's encouraging that he went through the walk-through and is still scheduled to get his shooting in, there could be some discomfort leading up to game time. DFS managers will want to monitor his situation if thinking about using him in any lineups.Source: Josh Robbins
2 days agoNew York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart delivered yet again with huge hustle plays and a dagger three that officially moved the team into the second round of the playoffs. The former Villanova Wildcat finished the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and two turnovers while shooting 5-for-11 overall and 3-for-5 from three. He was the Knicks' second-leading scorer in this series and had double the amount of rebounds per game compared to their second-best rebounder. On top of that, he shot some of his best percentages from three in his career as he registered 43.2% from deep on 6.2 attempts per game.Source: Basketball Reference
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid fouled out late in Game 6 after intentionally fouling with the clock ticking down, but he was able to keep the team in the game while battling on the offensive end and on the boards. The former MVP posted 39 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and five turnovers. He also shot 12-for-25 from the floor, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 13-for-13 from the free throw line. Despite the injured knee and Bells Palsy, the superstar big man ended this series with averages of 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game with shooting splits of .444/.333/.859.Source: Basketball Reference
2 days agoNew York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson turned in a historic performance after posting a third-straight 40-point performance and his fourth game of at least 39 points and six assists. In Game 6, Brunson finished with 41 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, and two turnovers while shooting 13-for-27 from the floor and 3-for-8 from deep. The Villanova product hit multiple big shots down the stretch of the game to put it just out of reach for the 76ers and lead the Knicks to their second playoff series win since the 2012-13 season. Despite a rough start in the first two games of the series, he found his rhythm and carried the offense to the tune of 35.5 points per game and he's currently the leading scorer throughout the entire playoffs so far.Source: Basketball Reference
3 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton had 14 points in Thursday's loss to the Pacers. He added four boards, three assists, and two steals. While the veteran did all he could, his efforts weren't enough to lead Milwaukee to a win, eliminating the team from the playoffs. Middleton finished the regular season by averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. However, as usual, the 32-year-old was limited to 55 games due to injury. Middleton's play is never a concern. But his inability to stay healthy will negatively impact his fantasy stock heading into the 2024-25 campaign, no matter where he's playing.Source: ESPN
3 days agoMilwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) was back in the lineup for Thursday's playoff meeting with Indiana after missing a few contests with an Achilles injury. He played well, scoring a game-high 28 points while shooting 7-for-16 from the field and 4-for-12 from deep. Unfortunately, Lillard's return didn't help, as the Pacers got the win to eliminate the Bucks from the postseason. Lillard has been one of the league's most potent scorers for years. However, the 33-year-old took a step backward in his first season with the Bucks, averaging 24.3 points, nearly eight fewer than he had in his final season in Portland. On a positive note, he logged 73 games during the regular season, his most since 2017-18. But it appears Lillard is starting to regress statistically, so his fantasy ranking for next season won't be as favorable.Source: ESPN
3 days agoCleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (rib) is questionable for Friday's matchup with Orlando. The veteran is bothered by a right rib contusion, keeping him off the floor for Tuesday's win. He didn't practice on Thursday, although it appears he still has a chance to suit up for Game 6. However, if Allen misses another contest, Isaac Okoro will likely remain in the starting lineup. On the other hand, Marcus Morris Sr., coming off a 12-point effort in Game 5, would be the preferred DFS value option if Allen can't go.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) remains out for Friday's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. The sharpshooting veteran tweaked his right ankle in Game 2 of this series and hasn't been available since. Without him, Maxi Kleber and Josh Green have gotten more minutes, even though neither player has been able to take advantage of their extra time on the floor.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoLos Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (leg) is questionable for Friday's postseason encounter with the Mavericks. As expected, Kawhi Leonard (knee) remains out, so the team needs Mann to help fill the void in the lineup. The 27-year-old has posted double-digit scoring performances three times during the series. However, Mann is not a consistent fantasy producer, although the upside is there for the DFS managers willing to take a risk, assuming he plays. If he doesn't, Norman Powell, Amir Coffey, and Russell Westbrook should absorb most of his minutes.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoLos Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) won't play on Friday against the Mavericks. There isn't any new information concerning his ailment. However, the Clippers need to win the next two games to advance to the next round, although they will likely need to do it without Leonard in the lineup. As usual, Paul George and James Harden will do their best to lead the offense in Game 6. But Norman Powell, Russell Westbrook, and Terance Mann should continue to get more minutes and shot opportunities. With that said, nobody on the Clippers' roster has been consistent from a fantasy standpoint throughout this series.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoNew York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will be available for Game 6 against Philadelphia on Thursday. He has missed one game in the series with an ankle injury, but Robinson has been upgraded from questionable to available ahead of the Game 6 tip-off. Robinson has an important role to play behind starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, as the Knicks' success depends a lot on how well they deal with Joel Embiid.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will be in the lineup for Thursday's Game 6 clash against the Knicks. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Embiid has yet to miss any playoff action after returning from a left knee injury, and another big performance is expected from him in Thursday's elimination game. The 76ers superstar looked quite lethargic in Tuesday's survival battle but still produced a triple-double. He's averaging close to 32 points in the postseason with 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals.Source: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoIndiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back) will be good to go for Thursday's Game 6 against Milwaukee. An issue with his lower back has kept Haliburton on the injury report for the past few games, but the team has upgraded him from questionable to available ahead of Thursday's action. The young Pacers star will aim to produce a big finish to the series. Through five games, he's gotten to the 20-point mark only once, averaging 15.8 points in the first-round matchup with 5.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists.Source: Indiana Pacers