May 8, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder guard
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander registered a game-high 34 points on an incredible 11-for-13 shooting performance in Wednesday's dominant 149-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets. He was 1-for-2 from outside and 11-for-11 at the free-throw line, adding four rebounds and eight assists to his account. Gilgeous-Alexander finished a massive plus-51 over just 30 minutes of playing time. The series is now tied at one ahead of a pair of games in Denver, and Gilgeous-Alexander has, of course, been the main man for the Thunder. He has averaged 33.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in the matchup, shooting 59 percent from the field.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Boston Celtics guard
Derrick White nearly collected his second double-double in Wednesday's 91-90 loss to the New York Knicks, scoring 20 points on 6-for-17 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. He also had five assists and a team-high two blocks in 40 minutes of action. White has been productive to start the series, but everyone on the Celtics roster appears to be struggling with their shooting at the moment, including him. He has nailed just 34.3 percent of his attempts from the field against the Knicks, while going 29.6 percent from outside. Despite his poor efficiency, White was tied for the most points on the team Wednesday night and is sure to play a big role again on Saturday, when the series continues in the Big Apple.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
Boston Celtics guard/forward
Jaylen Brown finished Wednesday's 91-90 loss in Game 2 against the New York Knicks with 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and two steals. The four-time All-Star had a hot start in the contest but completely cooled off in the second half. Brown only added three points to his tally in the second 24 minutes, shooting 1-for-7 from the field. Four of his six turnovers also came after halftime. The Celtics have seen both Brown and
Jayson Tatum struggle to hit shots in the series, and the superstars definitely must improve for the team to avoid a second-round exit. On Wednesday, Brown shot only 8-for-23 from the field and 2-for-7 from downtown. The Knicks have restricted him to 35 percent shooting overall, and he has made only three of 17 attempts from three-point range.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
New York Knicks guard/forward
Josh Hart emerged as a surprising top scorer in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, putting up 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting in a 91-90 victory. While most superstars struggled for efficiency, Hart was extremely effective, contributing in other areas as well. He recorded a team-high two blocks and grabbed six rebounds, while also delivering three assists. Hart, who went 3-for-6 from behind the arc, failed to extend his double-double streak to three games, but he will still be happy with his effort. The Knicks are now 2-0 in the series as they head home and must be confident about securing a spot in the Conference Finals, with Hart making an impact all over the court. He has averaged 13.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in these playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 8, 2025
New York Knicks guard/forward
Mikal Bridges put up 14 points and had seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in Wednesday's dramatic 91-90 Game 2 victory against the Boston Celtics. After making a big impact late in the series opener, Bridges once again played a pivotal part in another comeback win, scoring all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, which the Knicks won by 13. Bridges, who shot 6-for-18 from the field and 2-for-8 from downtown, completed his 43-minute shift with a steal in the final seconds to deny Boston a chance to win the game. The 28-year-old has battled inconsistency in the postseason, but Bridges has been a big part of New York's success. He has averaged 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.9 steals in 40.0 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 7, 2025
New York Knicks center
Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double in the win over the Celtics on Wednesday evening. After getting in foul trouble in Game 1 and finishing with only 14 points, KAT had 21 points in Game 2, adding 17 rebounds and one block. While Towns has been streaky throughout the postseason, he averaged 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in two meetings with the Celtics during the regular season, so it appears he has an excellent chance to keep things going on the scoring end in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 7, 2025
New York Knicks guard
Jalen Brunson had 17 points in the postseason win over the Celtics on Wednesday night. He added seven assists, three rebounds, and one block. The 28-year-old had 29 points in Game 1. While he cooled off in this one, he stepped up when it mattered the most, helping the Knicks come from behind to put New York up 2-0 in the series. Both clubs will head to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. With that in mind, Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 7.5 assists at home in two meetings with the Celtics during the regular season, so he's certainly worth considering for DFS lineups.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 7, 2025
Boston Celtics center
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) finished with eight points and four rebounds in Wednesday's loss to New York. The former Knick logged only 13 minutes in Game 1 before he was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. While he was able to suit up for Game 2, he's still dealing with the remnants of the illness that cost him time during the regular season, limiting him to only 14 minutes from off the bench. With only 27 minutes combined for Porzingis in the first two contests of the series, both teams will head to Madison Square Garden for Game 3. It's apparent the C's need Porzingis involved more than he has been. However, it's unknown how much action he'll see on Saturday, so DFS managers should consider keeping him out of the lineup.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 7, 2025
Boston Celtics forward
Jayson Tatum scored 13 points in Wednesday's 91-90 loss to the Knicks. He added 14 boards, five assists, three steals, and one block. The former Duke Blue Devil had a tough time finding the bottom of the net in Game 1. Unfortunately, that trend continued in Game 2, with Tatum going 5-for-19 from the field and 1-for-5 from behind the three-point line. With the Knicks up 2-0, the series will head back to New York for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. But on a positive note, Tatum averaged 36 points and 44% shooting from deep at Madison Square Garden during the regular season (two appearances), so there's reason to believe he may turn things around.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 7, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard
Rob Dillingham (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's Game 2 against the Golden State Warriors. The rookie guard is struggling to recover from an ankle injury, missing the entire postseason. Even if he were healthy, Dillingham would likely not be part of Minnesota's regular rotation.
Mike Conley and
Donte DiVincenzo share minutes at the point guard position, with the latter being a better option for DFS managers, despite coming off the bench.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
May 7, 2025
Boston Celtics forward/center
Al Horford will join the starting unit for Wednesday's Game 2 showdown against the New York Knicks. He is taking the starting spot from
Kristaps Porzingis. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla will try to shake things up after his team missed a historic 45 three-point shots in Monday's Game 1 loss. Horford will make his fifth start of the postseason. He has averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the role. While Porzingis drops to the bench, he should still have a significant role to play in the contest. Given his struggles this postseason, he may even feel more comfortable as a member of the second unit.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sean Grande
May 7, 2025
Boston Celtics forward
Sam Hauser (ankle) has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against the New York Knicks. This outcome was always likely after the team labeled him as doubtful on the initial injury report. Hauser is nursing a right ankle sprain sustained during Monday's Game 1 against the Knicks. While Boston will miss Hauser's outside shooting, his impact has been limited in these playoffs, and the Celtics should cope easily without him, especially with
Jrue Holiday back in the lineup for the series and
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) also available for Wednesday's contest.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Boston Celtics
May 7, 2025
Boston Celtics forward/center
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) has been upgraded from probable to available for Wednesday's Game 2 against the New York Knicks. Porzingis' night was cut short in the series opener due to illness, but he is ready to suit up for Wednesday's clash. On Monday night, Porzingis finished scoreless with four rebounds on 0-for-4 shooting, and a much better performance is expected from him in Game 2. However, he has been sluggish in these playoffs, averaging only 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds, making it difficult for fantasy managers to trust him.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Boston Celtics
May 7, 2025
Golden State Warriors point guard
Stephen Curry (hamstring) will miss at least one week of action. He was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain on Wednesday, and the team announced that Curry will be re-evaluated in one week. This means he is set to miss at least three games in the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 5 in the matchup is scheduled for next Wednesday, and it's possible Curry will then be ready to return. Curry's injury is a big blow for the Warriors, but they have seen
Buddy Hield step up big time in recent games and still have
Jimmy Butler III to lead the way.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 7, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Ty Jerome had a rough outing in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, shooting a horrible 1-for-14 from the field to finish a 120-119 loss with two points. Jerome took
Sam Merrill's spot in the starting unit and struggled right out of the gate, with Pacers center
Myles Turner blocking a pair of his shots. The 27-year-old made his only field goal early in the third quarter. He finished 0-for-4 from outside and had two rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes. With
Darius Garland (toe) injured, Jerome must do much more for the Cavaliers, who are now in an uncomfortable 2-0 series hole after losing two home games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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