3 days agoDallas Mavericks guard
Luka Doncic (knee, ankle) is probable for Friday's postseason encounter against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The multi-time All-Star has been dealing with various ailments for weeks. However, he'll be on the floor for Game 2, barring a setback. But just because Doncic is available doesn't mean the injuries won't continue to impact his play on the floor, especially since he shot 12-for-26 from the field and 3-for-10 from deep in the Game 1 win on Wednesday night.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoBoston Celtics center
Luke Kornet (wrist) is questionable to return to Thursday's playoff meeting against Indiana. Kornet, who has been getting more action without
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) in the lineup, lasted only five minutes before exiting with a sprained left wrist. If he doesn't return, he'll finish with two rebounds. While
Oshae Brissett could get some work, there's a chance
Jayson Tatum could spend time in the middle, although
Al Horford should remain the top option at the five.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Jay King
3 days agoAccording to ESPN's Lisa Salters, reporting during the second quarter of Thursday's postseason matchup between the Celtics and Pacers, center
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) hasn't participated in practice. However, he's still been around the team. The veteran has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a right Soleus strain. While a report indicated Porzingis could be back for Game 4 on Monday night, head coach Joe Mazzulla stressed that he remains without a timetable for a return. With that said, it's not uncommon for Mazzulla to withhold information on an injured player, although the latest update isn't good news for the C's. But until he's back on the floor,
Al Horford will get most of the minutes in the middle and remain a relatively reliable DFS option.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Lisa Salters
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center
Naz Reid had a busy night off the bench in Wednesday's Game 1 against Dallas, recording 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in a 108-105 loss. Reid demonstrated perfectly why he was voted the Sixth Man of the Year, making an impact in all areas across 24 minutes of action. He finished with 5-for-9 shooting, going 3-for-6 with the three-ball. Reid's numbers have dropped in the playoffs, along with his playing time, but that's now three efforts in four games with 10-plus points from him. Minnesota will need more of the same in the battle against Dallas' well-equipped frontcourt.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward/center
Karl-Anthony Towns took a team-high 20 shots but made only six efforts in Wednesday's Game 1 loss to the Mavericks, posting 16 points. Towns' inefficiency from the field ended up being costly for the team, as the Timberwolves suffered a narrow three-point defeat. Half of his misses came from downtown with nine attempts, and Towns was also limited to seven rebounds while registering two assists and one steal. With
Anthony Edwards also struggling to score, the two Timberwolves stars combined for 12-for-36 shooting. Yet, the team was still close to walking away with the victory. We should see a much-improved effort from the star duo in Friday's Game 2.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard/forward
Anthony Edwards struggled to get points on the board but went close to his first career triple-double in Wednesday's Game 1 loss to the Mavericks. Edwards shot a very good 5-for-12 from downtown, but he finished 6-for-16 overall from the field and managed only 19 points. However, he led his team with 11 rebounds and eight assists, adding a pair of steals to his stat line. Edwards has had a huge postseason campaign, but after playing 44 minutes in Game 7 against Denver on Sunday, he logged 41 minutes on Wednesday and looked gassed in the closing stages. The games are coming thick and fast, with Game 2 of the series scheduled for Friday, and the Timberwolves will be in big trouble if Edwards can't get his energy levels back.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves forward
Jaden McDaniels opened Wednesday's Game 1 against Dallas with 4-for-4 three-point shooting and was the team's top scorer in the end in a 108-105 loss with 24 points. The 23-year-old enjoyed his third consecutive 20-point effort with 9-for-15 shooting, hitting six of his nine attempts from behind the arc. McDaniels' night also included four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Minnesota's young forward has built himself a reputation as a very good defensive player, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team at the start of the week. But McDaniels has also been on a roll offensively lately thanks to some very sharp three-point shooting, going 12-for-18 from deep across his last three appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center
P.J. Washington recorded 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks as the team opened the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota with a 108-105 win on Wednesday. It was a rough shooting night for the 28-year-old, as Washington finished 4-for-10 from the field and 2-for-8 with his three-point attempts, but he made a big shot late in the game to set the Mavericks on their way. Washington's second triple gave Dallas a 104-102 lead with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Despite the poor shooting, Washington led all Mavericks starters with a plus-12 rating. The former Hornet has looked great in these playoffs, and the Mavericks tend to have a tough time when he's off the court.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoDallas Mavericks guard
Kyrie Irving had one of his best offensive games of the 2024 postseason on Wednesday with a 30-point effort in a 108-105 win over Minnesota. Irving did a great job in getting to the rim early in the game and had 24 points in the first half alone. He couldn't get any threes to drop with three attempts but shot a good 12-for-23 overall from the field and posted five rebounds with four assists and one block. In the previous series against the Thunder, Irving averaged only 15.7 points, so he looked almost like a different player in the Western Conference Finals opener, and his scoring is a major plus for the Mavericks.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoDallas Mavericks point guard
Luka Doncic took over in the fourth quarter and led the team to a 108-105 win against Minnesota in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals Wednesday night. Doncic scored seven straight points early in the quarter and had 15 of his game-high 33 points inside the final 12 minutes. He also came up big on the defensive end when it mattered the most, finishing with three steals and one block. Unfortunately, Doncic failed in his attempt to become only the third player in NBA history with a four-game postseason triple-double streak. But he still recorded a full line, dishing out eight assists and grabbing six rebounds. With more efficient shooting -- Doncic was only 12-for-26 from the field and 3-for-10 from downtown -- this could have been a monster game for the Mavericks superstar.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoAccording to Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, forward
Jayson Tatum could spend time at center at some point during the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Pacers. While Mazzulla wasn't definitive about it, Tatum's potential move to the middle could mean less work for
Al Horford, who has been starting in place of
Kristaps Porzingis. With that in mind, Porzingis could be back for Game 4 on Monday, meaning Horford's DFS outlook for the rest of the series doesn't look as promising as it was during the Conference semifinals. It is even worse news for
Luke Kornet, although the door could be open for
Sam Hauser to get more action.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Jay King
4 days agoBoston Celtics center
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) won't play on Thursday night versus the Pacers. The veteran has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a right Soleus strain. Fortunately, it appears Porzingis is moving in the right direction, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that he could be back for Game 4 on Monday night. With
Xavier Tillman Sr. (personal) questionable,
Al Horford and
Luke Kornet should continue to absorb nearly all of the minutes in the middle. However, Horford is the better DFS option by far.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoBoston Celtics forward/center
Xavier Tillman Sr. (personal) is questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers. He wasn't available for the overtime win on Monday night. However, the 25-year-old has logged just eight minutes throughout the postseason, averaging 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, meaning he likely wouldn't have received much (if any) work. That likely won't change, considering there's a chance
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) will be back for Game 4 on Monday. In the meantime,
Al Horford will hold things down in the middle, keeping him on the DFS radar, with
Luke Kornet coming in off the bench.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoNew York Knicks forward
Bojan Bogdanovic (wrist) underwent successful surgery on his left wrist and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks. The 35-year-old began the 2023-24 campaign in Detroit, where he averaged 20.2 points and shot 41.5% from deep. He was traded to New York ahead of the deadline. However, he struggled in 29 games with the Knicks, averaging only 10.4 points. Bogdanovic has one year left on his current contract. Although his fantasy stock can't get much lower, considering he also had foot surgery in April, he could work his way into the rotation in 2024-25. On the other hand, the Knicks could part ways with him, especially since the final year of his contract is partially guaranteed.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: New York Knicks
4 days agoNew York Knicks guard
Jalen Brunson (hand) underwent successful surgery on his left hand, which he injured in the Game 7 Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Pacers. He will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks. Brunson, who is expected to sign a lucrative extension this summer, finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging a career-high 28.7 points and 6.7 assists in 77 appearances. He also received MVP consideration. The 27-year-old should be good to go before training camp starts, barring a setback, and he's expected to be a top-10 fantasy option in all formats heading into the new season.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: New York Knicks
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