3 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
3 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
3 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
3 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
3 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
3 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
4 days agoIndiana Pacers point guard
T.J. McConnell continued his strong stretch of performances with a good 25-minute outing in Tuesday's Game 1 loss to Boston. He scored 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting off the bench and dished out four assists while recording three rebounds and one steal. McConnell has become a very useful spark plug off the pine for the Pacers, posting a pair of double-doubles and scoring in double figures in six of the last eight games. Boston has one of the most unproductive benches in the league, meaning Indiana's second unit has a big role to play in the series if the team wants to match the Celtics.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoIndiana Pacers forward/center
Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the team took a heartbreaking 133-128 overtime loss against the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday. The former Raptor finished without a made three-pointer for the first time in four games but went a solid 12-for-23 overall from the field and led the Pacers starters with a plus-five rating after also posting seven assists and one steal. This marks Siakam's first double-double since he opened the playoffs with two in two games. It's been a struggle for him on the glass, but things have clicked for Siakam offensively following a quiet spell. The Cameroonian star has gone for 20-plus points in five of his last six appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoIndiana Pacers center
Myles Turner contributed all over the floor in Tuesday's Game 1 against Boston, registering 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in a 133-128 overtime loss. Indiana's big man got off to a red-hot start in the contest and racked up 18 points in the first half with 7-for-10 shooting. His scoring pace was much slower after the break, but it was still an impressive outing from Turner, who finished with 9-for-13 shooting, hitting three of his four attempts from deep. Indiana will hope to see more of the same from Turner in Game 2.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoIndiana Pacers point guard
Tyrese Haliburton finished Tuesday's Game 1 loss against Boston with a team-high 25 points, 10 assists, three rebounds, three steals, and one block. His productive outing included six made three-pointers, which tied the NBA record for most triples made in a Conference Finals debut. Haliburton sunk a couple of crazy efforts from deep and finished 6-for-14 from behind the arc while going 8-for-18 overall from the field. That's now back-to-back games with six made shots from three-point range for him, and Haliburton ended a seven-game run without a double-double on Tuesday, which will be encouraging for the Pacers. However, Haliburton also had a couple of bad turnovers at crucial times, and he will need to do better in that department in Thursday's Game 2.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard
Jrue Holiday had by far the best offensive outing of the 2024 postseason on Tuesday, finishing a 133-128 overtime victory against Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Entering Tuesday, Holiday hasn't managed more than 18 points in any playoff game this year, finishing with less than 10 points in four of 10 games, but he looked like a different man on the court Tuesday night. As usual, Holiday, who finished 4-for-8 with the three-ball, also made his mark defensively, snagging three steals, and he capped off his line with seven rebounds and eight assists. This could be another quick series for Boston if Holiday can keep up his form for the rest of the week.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics forward
Jayson Tatum had a big double-double in Tuesday's Eastern Conference Finals opener against Indiana, scoring a game-high 36 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to help the team to a 133-128 overtime win. He scored 11 of Boston's 16 points in overtime after
Jaylen Brown had hit a tough three-pointer to extend the game. With him shooting 12-for-26 from the field, Tatum wasn't very efficient with his scoring, but his overall work, which included four assists and three steals, resulted in a game-best plus-20 rating. It's scary what he could do if he shoots better in Game 2. Tatum will enter Thursday's contest with a four-game double-double streak.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard/forward
Jaylen Brown kicked off the Eastern Conference Finals in style, playing a massive role in a 133-128 overtime win in Game 1 on Tuesday. Brown hit a tough contested corner triple to take the game into the extra frame and stood out at the other end in overtime, stealing the ball with 37 seconds remaining, which helped Boston to get over the finish line. The three-time All-Star had three total steals in the game and added a block at the defensive end while scoring 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting. It was a full line from Brown in Game 1, as he also recorded seven rebounds and five assists. Brown has been very potent in these playoffs, reaching the 25-point plateau in five of the last seven games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoAccording to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Los Angeles Lakers guard
D'Angelo Russell is drawing interest from the Orlando Magic. The 28-year-old is coming off a quality season, averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds. He also shot a career-high 41.5% from deep. He can earn nearly $19 million if he accepts his player option. But if Russell wants to test the market, the Magic could look to add some stability to their backcourt, something the team desperately needs. From a fantasy standpoint, he's expected to remain a reliable option no matter where he ends up, although injuries have sometimes overshadowed his play throughout his career.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Kelly Iko
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard
Mike Conley (calf) is questionable for Wednesday's postseason battle with the Mavericks. The 36-year-old suffered a right Soleus strain during the Western Conference semifinals against OKC. While the injury cost him Game 5, he was available for the series' final two contests. Conley averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and shot 52.9% from deep in four regular-season meetings versus Dallas. However, he's not always reliable for DFS purposes, and he may be even less dependable due to the injury.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
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