21 hours agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has been downgraded to out and will not play in Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. This doesn't come as a surprise since Antetokounmpo was already listed as doubtful, but this series gets even harder for the Bucks now that they don't have the two-time MVP for the first game on the road. The Bucks only had a record of 18-22 on the road and the Pacers have the momentum after grabbing a win in Game 2. With Antetokounmpo remaining on the bench,
Bobby Portis should stay in the starting lineup while
Khris Middleton will have to step up as a scorer alongside
Damian Lillard.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell couldn't get much going and the team as a whole could only muster up 83 points in a blowout loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday. The star combo guard posted just 13 points on 6-for-16 shooting and only knocked down one out of six three-point attempts. Throughout Mitchell's playoff career, which consists of 47 games, he's only scored fewer than 13 points five times. Despite the rough shooting night, he didn't produce many turnovers as he only committed two of them and registered seven assists with five rebounds.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
1 day agoOrlando Magic forward
Paolo Banchero dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers en route to a blowout win in Game 3 on Thursday night. After producing two high-turnover totals in the first two playoff games of his career, Banchero settled in and didn't turn the ball over once on Thursday. The Duke product finished this contest with 31 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and one steal while shooting 13-for-26 overall and 4-for-9 from downtown. Banchero is the driving force of the Magic offense, so when he gets into a rhythm, the Magic look a lot better as a unit. He's also produced fewer turnovers and better shooting percentages when playing at home this season.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
1 day agoLos Angeles Lakers center/forward
Anthony Davis put together a big-time performance but couldn't get the help he needed from the rest of the team to get into the win column. He shot 14-for-23 from the floor and registered 33 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two turnovers. Davis has not only been the most consistent player for the Lakers so far this postseason, he's also been their best. Over the first three games of this series, Davis averages 32.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 61.5% from the floor.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
1 day agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic almost registered his 18th postseason triple-double in their Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The two-time MVP finished the game with 24 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and three turnovers. In his 13 shot attempts, Jokic only missed four of them and added 6-for-7 from the line. Jokic continues to put up some big numbers in the first half of each game and continues the momentum through the fourth quarter. The Lakers have yet to find any sort of answer to Jokic's abilities despite having one of the best defensive big men in the league in
Anthony Davis.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
1 day agoDenver Nuggets forward
Aaron Gordon was the high-man in terms of scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. The veteran wing finished the game with 29 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and one steal while shooting a red-hot 12-for-18 from the floor. He also knocked down five of his six free throw attempts. Gordon was getting all sorts of easy dunks and buckets in the lane which accounts for the fact that he only took one three-point shot and didn't make it. Gordon was a big part of the Nuggets' success over the past few seasons and he'll likely remain a top contributor in this postseason.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Basketball Reference
2 days agoNew York Knicks center
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) exited Thursday's loss to Philadelphia and didn't return. He reinjured his surgically repaired left ankle, with
Joel Embiid's flagrant foul potentially contributing to his premature departure. Robinson played well in Game 1, nearly amassing a double-double with four blocks. Yet, he didn't do much in Monday's win and entered Game 3 riding a questionable tag. Unfortunately, Robinson's night ended after logging 12 minutes to finish with two points and seven rebounds. With the Sixers taking back a game in this series, the teams will meet again on Sunday. However, Mitchell may not be available for that one.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Peter Botte
2 days agoNew York Knicks guard
Jalen Brunson finished with a team-high 39 points in Thursday's loss to Philadelphia. He added 13 assists and two rebounds. However, Brunson's potent performance wasn't enough, with the Sixers earning a much-needed win. With another stellar showing in the books, the 27-year-old is now averaging 28.3 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in this series. His shooting numbers need to improve. But Brunson should remain one of the top DFS options for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers guard
Tyrese Maxey finished with 25 points in Thursday's much-needed victory over the Knicks. He added seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals. With
Joel Embiid dropping a game-high 50 points, Maxey still got his scoring chances. Granted, it was his worst game of the series. However, his efforts were still good enough for DFS managers. With the Sixers hoping to tie up the series on Sunday, fantasy participants should expect the 23-year-old to see plenty of minutes and remain heavily involved on both sides of the floor.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) led his team to a win over the Knicks on Thursday evening. Embiid logged 41 minutes and finished with a game-high 50 points, adding eight rebounds, four assists, and one block. He also went 13-for-19 from the field and 5-for-7 from behind the arc, a significant improvement from the series' first two games. The MVP of the 2022-23 campaign came into this contest listed as questionable because of his ailing left knee, although that's nothing new. However, Embiid came back to life in Thursday's victory, so he'll receive even more attention from DFS managers for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoDallas Mavericks forward
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (ankle) won't play on Friday against the Clippers. The rookie tweaked his ankle during practice on Thursday. However, he hasn't seen much action this postseason, logging just one minute in Game 1, meaning he wouldn't have garnered any attention from DFS managers even if he was available.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard (knee) is questionable for Friday's postseason meeting with the Dallas Mavericks. The veteran battled knee inflammation, forcing him to miss time toward the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He also wasn't available for Game 1, although he was back on the floor for Tuesday's loss. Despite struggling shooting the ball, Leonard still finished with 15 points, seven boards, four steals, and one block. Nonetheless, with the series tied at one game each, the 32-year-old should be cleared to suit up and see a full workload.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoGolden State Warriors guard
Stephen Curry was named the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year on Thursday night. The veteran sharpshooter has had plenty of big moments throughout his career, so this shouldn't surprise anyone. With that said, Curry, who has been in the league for 15 seasons, is as good as ever. He averaged 26.4 points and 5.1 assists during the 2023-24 campaign. He also appeared in 74 games, his most since 2016-17. While Curry might only have a few seasons left, he should remain productive until he calls it quits.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Shams Charania
2 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (knee) has been cleared to play in Game 3 against the Knicks on Thursday. The team has upgraded him from questionable to available. He was always going to play, and Philadelphia will need him to play well to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the first-round series. Embiid has averaged 31.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 38.0 minutes through the first two games in the matchup.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia 76ers
2 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
Daniel Gafford (back) is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. He couldn't practice on Thursday after being limited to only nine minutes due to a back issue in Game 2.
Maxi Kleber saw 28 minutes off the bench on Tuesday, while
Dereck Lively II also benefited. Both should figure heavily in the rotation again on Friday if Gafford can't play. Lively II could be an intriguing DFS play if he joins the first unit. The rookie from Duke averaged 8.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks as a starter during the regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
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