24 hours agoOrlando Magic forward
Jonathan Isaac couldn't provide a spark off the bench as the team's season ended with a Game 7 loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Isaac was back in the second unit following
Gary Harris' return to action. He contributed only two points in 18 minutes and had two rebounds with one assist. It was an awful finish to the series from Isaac, who was held scoreless in Game 6. However, he showed his full potential through the first five games of the matchup. The 26-year-old averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals in 21.4 minutes. Isaac is an outstanding defensive presence when he's healthy. In 2023-24, he once again had some injury problems but managed to play in 58 regular-season games, his most since 2018-19.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
24 hours agoOrlando Magic center
Wendell Carter Jr. made a mark under both baskets in Sunday's Game 7 against Cleveland. He provided 13 points with 5-for-10 shooting and snagged three steals as the Magic's season ended with a 106-94 loss. The big man from Duke, who shot 2-for-4 from outside, also recorded seven rebounds and one assist in 35 minutes. After struggling initially, Carter Jr. had a strong finish to the series. In a sense, it summed up his entire campaign, as the Magic center was fairly inconsistent in 2023-24. Carter Jr. averaged 11.0 points and 6.9 rebounds in seventh year in the NBA. He was a double-double machine only a couple of seasons ago, so the 25-year-old should have plenty of potential to do better in 2024-25.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) returned to practice on Sunday. The veteran sniper got hurt in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Clippers, spraining his right ankle. Dallas had no trouble finishing off the Clippers in six games, but Hardaway Jr. will make a welcome return if he's ready to go for the second round against the Thunder on Tuesday. The 32-year-old was among the league's most prolific bench scorers in the regular season, averaging 14.4 points in 26.6 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Grant Afseth
1 day agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
Maxi Kleber (shoulder) will be re-evaluated in three weeks. He was initially expected to miss the rest of the postseason after Kleber suffered a separated shoulder in Friday's first-round clincher against the Clippers. It now looks like Kleber could be back for the Western Conference Finals if Dallas gets past Oklahoma City in the second round. In the meantime,
P.J. Washington,
Daniel Gafford, and
Dereck Lively II will share the frontcourt minutes. The Thunder have struggled in the rebounding department this season, putting the three in a position to have a productive series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tim MacMahon
1 day agoDenver Nuggets guard
Jamal Murray (calf) is questionable for Monday's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the 27-year-old managed to suit up for Game 1 on Saturday night, it appears the calf injury impacted his play. He finished that one with 17 points, a significant decline from his scoring contributions in the previous series versus the Lakers. In all fairness, the rest of the roster struggled, so Murray and company could turn things around in Game 2.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
1 day agoIndiana Pacers point guard
Tyrese Haliburton (back) remains on the injury report ahead of Game 1 of the second-round series against the Knicks. He landed on the report ahead of Game 4 against Milwaukee in the first round with lower back spasms. However, Haliburton didn't have any trouble playing through the issue, suggesting he will be good to go for the series opener against the Knicks on Monday. Indiana's young star has been a bit inconsistent with his postseason performances, registering 16.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 9.3 assists with poor 29.6 percent shooting from deep.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
2 days agoCleveland Cavaliers forward
Evan Mobley played much better on Sunday in the postseason win over Orlando. Mobley had trouble offensively in Game 6, finishing with three points. However, he turned things around in Game 7 to help his team advance to the semi-finals, amassing an 11-point, 16-rebound double-double. Mobley wasn't as impactful on the scoring end during the seven-game series versus the Magic. But he shined on the defensive end, amassing 23 blocks. The Cavs will take Monday off before starting the series with the Celtics on Tuesday night. Mobley met Boston just once during the regular season, only scoring four points. While he should play better, the entire roster could struggle throughout the series.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoOrlando Magic guard
Jalen Suggs struggled in Sunday's loss to the Cavaliers. The 22-year-old had one of his best offensive performances in Game 6, finishing with 22 points. However, he fizzled in Game 7, ending the afternoon with only 10 points off 2-for-14 shooting from the field. Although Suggs added nine boards, four assists, and one steal, he had five turnovers. But overall, Suggs showed signs of growth during the 2023-24 campaign and finished by averaging a career-high 12.6 points. He also shot 39.7% from deep, a significant upgrade from last season. While constructing the roster around
Paolo Banchero and
Franz Wagner is the team's priority moving ahead, Suggs should hold a stable spot in the rotation.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
2 days 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
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