6 days agoDallas Mavericks forward/center P.J. Washington continued to struggle from downtown in Game 2 against Boston on Sunday, but he still ended up as the team's second-best scorer behind Luka Doncic. The versatile big man finished a 105-98 loss with 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting. He was 1-for-5 with the three-ball and has now hit 9-for-40 overall from behind the arc since the start of the Western Conference Finals. The Mavericks could really use Washington's three-point bombs right now, having averaged only 93.5 points in the Finals. In Sunday's Game 2, the former Hornet also recorded seven rebounds with one assist and one block in 40 minutes.Source: ESPN
6 days agoDallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford was very close to his second postseason double-double of the year in Sunday's Game 2 defeat to Boston, finishing the contest with 13 points and nine rebounds. Gafford, who is an extremely efficient scorer, was once again sharp from the field, hitting 6-for-9. He registered one block at the other end, logging 23 minutes of action after being limited to only 14 minutes in Game 1. Following an underwhelming performance in the Finals opener, Gafford was back in form on Sunday. But it looks like the Mavericks need even more from him, with Boston now 2-0 up in the series.Source: ESPN
6 days agoBoston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis said he will be "good" for Game 3 against Dallas despite appearing to suffer a new injury blow in Sunday's Game 2. After missing 10 games with a calf problem, Porzingis appeared to have sustained another leg injury late in the game when he tried to contest a shot from P.J. Washington. He was moving gingerly following the incident and didn't see the court in the final 4:40. Porzingis added postgame that the ailment wasn't related to his right calf injury, which forced him to sit out over a month of postseason action. With Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla saying he has "zero" concern about Porzingis ' health moving forward, it looks like we will see the Latvian big man back on the court Wednesday night. Porzingis has posted 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks with superb 60 percent shooting from a bench role in the Finals.Source: Conor Ryan
6 days agoBoston Celtics guard Derrick White had a good two-way performance as the team grabbed a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals against Dallas with a 105-98 win on Sunday. White posted 18 points with five rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks. His second swat came late in the game against P.J. Washington at the rim to stop Dallas' comeback effort. The two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team member struggled a bit with his shooting, going 6-for-15 from the field, but he nailed four of his 10 attempts from behind the arc. White's three-point shooting provided a big boost to the Celtics, who otherwise had a miserable night from downtown with a 10-for-39 record. We should see White get involved in everything again on Wednesday as Boston tries to take a 3-0 lead in the series.Source: ESPN
6 days agoBoston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday enjoyed a big night in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals against Dallas on Sunday, scoring a team-high 28 points on near-perfect 11-for-14 shooting. It's his second-highest scoring effort of the season following a 28-point effort in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Indiana. Holiday got there mostly with nifty finishes around the rim, but he also shot the three-ball well, finishing 2-for-4 from downtown. The 2021 NBA champion also led Boston with 11 rebounds and registered three assists with one steal and one block. It's been a good start to the Finals for Holiday, who averages 19.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists with 44.4 percent three-point shooting through the first couple of games.Source: ESPN
6 days agoBoston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis came off the bench again for Game 2 of the NBA Finals versus Dallas. While he played better in Game 1, the 28-year-old still had a decent showing, ending the night by amassing 12 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. He has averaged just 22 minutes throughout the series. However, Porzingis appeared to injure his leg late in the contest, so there's reason to believe he may appear on the injury report for Game 3 in Dallas. Considering he missed over a month because of a Soleus strain, the team won't take any chances. With that said, DFS managers will likely get an update on Porzingis' health in the next day or two. But if he re-injured his calf, Al Horford could find himself getting more minutes.Source: ESPN
6 days agoBoston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown scored 21 points in the win over the Mavericks on Sunday. He added seven assists, four rebounds, and six steals. This wasn't Brown's finest outing, considering he shot 1-for-5 from deep and committed six turnovers. However, he was good enough to help his team go up two games in the series. The 27-year-old averaged nearly 30 points in the Eastern Conference Finals. But he hasn't been as productive against Dallas. With that in mind, Brown is due for a big performance, giving him plenty of upside for DFS managers for Game 3 on Wednesday night.Source: ESPN
6 days agoDallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving had 18 points in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Boston on Sunday night. He added six assists and two boards. Irving shot 6-for-19 from the field in Game 1. However, he improved on Sunday, ending the evening by going 7-for-18 from the field. Unfortunately, he has missed all eight tries from deep in the series' first two games. But the 32-year-old and the rest of the Dallas offense have a chance to get it together in Game 3 on Wednesday evening.Source: ESPN
6 days agoBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum just missed a triple-double in Sunday's win over the Mavericks, ending the night with 18 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. While the Celtics took the win to put the team up two games in the series, Tatum continues to struggle shooting the ball, going 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-7 from deep. Fortunately, he was still a welcome addition to DFS lineups, although his shooting woes must be addressed ahead of Game 3 in Dallas on Wednesday night.Source: ESPN
6 days agoDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic produced a triple-double in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Boston. But it wasn't enough, with the Celtics securing their second win of the series. Doncic entered this contest carrying a questionable designation because of a thoracic contusion along with knee and ankle soreness. While it's apparent he's still burdened by the ailments, he produced 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and four steals. The 25-year-old shot the ball better on Sunday than in Game 2. However, he also committed eight turnovers. With the Mavs down two games, both teams will head to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday. DFS managers should expect to see Doncic on the injury report, although he'll likely be out there.Source: ESPN
6 days agoDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (chest, knee, ankle) will play on Sunday night against the Celtics. Doncic has been banged up all postseason. He was probable on Saturday night because of lingering knee and ankle soreness. However, there was concern about his availability when he was downgraded to questionable on Sunday because of a thoracic contusion. Of course, there was little chance Doncic would miss such an important game. But with his list of ailments growing, his DFS impact may be less than usual.Source: Mavs PR
7 days agoDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (ankle, knee, chest) was downgraded to questionable ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Boston. He has been battling knee and ankle soreness throughout the postseason and was deemed probable to play as of Saturday night. However, the 25-year-old is now dealing with a thoracic contusion. With that in mind, Doncic will likely do everything he can to get on the floor on Sunday night. But considering he's the costliest DFS option available for fantasy managers, the ailments could make it challenging for him to exceed his value enough to justify his presence in any lineup. On a positive note, Doncic's condition could open the door for more involvement from Kyrie Irving, who struggled in Game 1.Source: NBA Injury Report
1 week agoDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (knee, ankle) is probable for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Boston. Doncic will likely remain on the injury report until the end of the series. However, barring a setback, he should continue to play. The 25-year-old wasn't his best in the loss to the Celtics on Thursday, scoring 30 points while shooting 12-for-26 from the field and 4-for-12 from deep. He also had just one assist. Doncic was observed grimacing throughout Game 1, so he's likely not 100 percent. With that in mind, he's a risky option for DFS managers, especially since he easily has the highest rostering cost.Source: NBA Injury Report
1 week agoAccording to Mihalis Stefanou of Eurohoops.net, citing sources, Sacramento Kings forward Sasha Vezenkov informed the team he doesn't intend to return. While it's unknown if the 2023 EuroLeague MVP wants to remain in the NBA or head back overseas, it appears he won't be suiting up for Sacramento in 2024-25. Vezenkov, who signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Kings last summer, averaged only 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 37.5% from deep in 42 games. With that said, there should be more updates on this situation heading into the offseason. But Vezenkov has plenty of talent, so he could turn things around if he stays in the NBA and gets playing time, whether it be in Sacramento or with a new team.Source: Mihalis Stefanou
1 week agoAccording to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham could receive a contract extension this offseason. Edwards, who covers the Pistons, is "99.9 percent sure" it will happen, adding he'd "be stunned" if it didn't. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick has averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds during his career. But some may argue against giving Cunningham a max rookie extension, considering he's been limited to 138 games since entering the league because of various injuries. Nonetheless, he still has upside for fantasy managers if he can stay healthy during most of the 2024-25 campaign. However, he has had issues taking care of the ball, averaging 3.5 turnovers. At the same time, Cunningham has shot a subpar 32.9% from behind the arc, which won't earn him praise from category participants.Source: James Edwards III