April 18, 2026
Charlotte Hornets guard
LaMelo Ball recorded 23 points (7-17 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 6-6 FT), five assists, and two rebounds in 25 minutes during Friday's Play-In loss to Orlando, ending the Hornets' season. Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 28.0 minutes across 72 games, maintaining strong per-game production despite reduced minutes. His usage remains secure entering next season, with offense flowing through him.
Brandon Miller and
Miles Bridges should continue handling secondary scoring roles alongside Ball's playmaking.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA
April 18, 2026
Phoenix Suns guard/forward
Jordan Goodwin recorded 19 points (7-11 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds, two assists, and six steals in 34 minutes during Friday's win over Golden State, helping Phoenix secure the West's 8th seed. Goodwin averaged 12.6 points, 3.0 three-pointers, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 steals over his last five games, showing multi-category upside. His defensive production and rebounding give him DFS value if minutes hold, though his role could shift if
Grayson Allen (hamstring) returns.
Devin Booker and
Jalen Green continue to lead usage, limiting Goodwin's scoring ceiling.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA
April 18, 2026
Orlando Magic forward/center
Paolo Banchero recorded 25 points (9-17 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-8 FT), five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block in 33 minutes during Friday's Play-In win over Charlotte, sending Orlando into the playoffs as the East's 8th seed. Banchero averaged 20.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists over his last five games with a 30.7 usage rate, continuing to drive the offense. His all-around role keeps him firmly in play for DFS despite a tougher matchup against Detroit, while
Franz Wagner should continue handling a steady secondary role.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA
April 18, 2026
Phoenix Suns guard/forward
Jalen Green delivered 36 points (14-20 FG, 8-14 3Pt), six rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals in 40 minutes during Friday's win over Golden State, sending Phoenix into the playoffs as the West's 8th seed. Green has now scored at least 35 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 22.2 points over his last five outings. His scoring-heavy profile boosts his DFS ceiling, but a first-round matchup against Oklahoma City introduces efficiency risk.
Devin Booker should continue sharing primary usage, while
Dillon Brooks provides secondary wing support.
--Brian DailisanSource: ESPN
April 18, 2026
Houston Rockets guard/forward
Amen Thompson isn't listed on the injury report for Saturday's Game 1 against the Lakers after sitting out the regular-season finale. Thompson closed the season on a strong run, averaging 24.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.2 steals over his last five games while logging 38.1 minutes. His ability to contribute across categories makes him one of the more stable DFS options on the slate, with production not tied to shooting alone.
Alperen Sengun remains the primary offensive hub, while
Kevin Durant's (knee) status could influence Thompson's usage and scoring opportunities.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Houston Rockets forward/center
Jabari Smith Jr. is not on the injury report for Saturday's Game 1 against the Lakers after sitting out the regular-season finale. Smith averaged 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.3 three-pointers per game this season, and he enters the playoffs in strong form with 19.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 three-pointers over his last five outings in 33.6 minutes. His scoring remains tied to perimeter efficiency, making him a streaky DFS option.
Alperen Sengun continues to command usage inside, while
Tari Eason could absorb minutes if Smith cools.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 18, 2026
Houston Rockets forward/center
Alperen Sengun isn't listed on the injury report for Saturday's Game 1 against the Lakers after sitting out the regular-season finale. Sengun averaged 17.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 30.8 minutes over his last five games while posting a 26.7 usage rate, reinforcing his role as Houston's offensive hub. His multi-category production makes him a strong DFS anchor with a stable floor and ceiling combination.
Clint Capela is expected to remain in a limited backup role, which should keep his minutes and overall production low.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Denver Nuggets forward/center
Aaron Gordon (hamstring) will be available for Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. He is set to return from a two-game absence after the team removed him from the injury report. Denver and Minnesota met four times during the regular season, but Gordon was in the lineup for only two of the games. He averaged 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, making 50 percent of his attempts from outside. If Gordon can maintain his efficiency against the Timberwolves in the playoffs, he should easily overcome the consistency issues he faced late in the regular season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Minnesota Timberwolves power forward
Julius Randle (hand) isn't listed on the injury report before Saturday's Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets. A hand injury kept Randle sidelined for the last three regular-season games. During the regular season, Randle faced Denver four times and exceeded his averages. Despite being limited to 26.3 percent efficiency from behind the arc, Randle notched 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals against the Nuggets. With
Anthony Edwards (knee) potentially out for Game 1, Minnesota could lean heavily on Randle in Saturday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Los Angeles Lakers center
Jaxson Hayes (foot) will return to action on Saturday against the Houston Rockets. The former Texas Longhorn didn't play in the last four regular-season games due to a foot injury, but the Lakers haven't included him on the injury report ahead of their playoff opener. Hayes finished the regular season strong, averaging 14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in his last seven appearances. It would be a major boost for the injury-hit Lakers if they could get the same level of production from Hayes in the playoffs. Hayes' role during the regular-season series against Houston was minimal, as he contributed 0.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per game over two contests.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Phoenix Suns guard/forward
Grayson Allen (hamstring) will be in action on Friday against the Golden State Warriors. The team has listed Allen as available after initially tagging him as questionable. Allen has been dealing with a hamstring injury and sat out two of the last three regular-season games. The 30-year-old will add some offensive oomph to the Suns. Allen has played well against the Warriors this season, posting averages of 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals across two games. He has netted 40.9 percent of his triples in this matchup. With Allen back in the fold,
Jordan Goodwin and
Royce O'Neale may see their workload decrease.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Golden State Warriors forward/center
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) will play on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns. He came away from Wednesday's win over the Clippers with an ankle injury and was initially listed as questionable for Friday's tilt. But the team has upgraded Porzingis' status to available ahead of tip-off. Porzingis had a strong all-around performance on Wednesday, and Golden State's chances to reach the playoffs will be good if he can maintain his momentum. In 28 minutes, Porzingis notched 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and one steal against the Clippers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Houston Rockets forward
Kevin Durant (knee) is considered questionable for Saturday's tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers. The veteran star is bothered by a right knee contusion ahead of his 14th postseason campaign. This doesn't seem like a very serious issue, but if Durant misses the game, guys like
Tari Eason and
Josh Okogie are likely to get a lot more burn. In this situation, there will also be a lot of extra offensive usage to be shared across the team, with
Alperen Sengun set to be the head honcho.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Phoenix Suns center
Mark Williams (foot) has been ruled out for Friday's decisive Play-In Tournament matchup against the Golden State Warriors. After missing two of the last three regular-season games, Williams logged 22 minutes in Tuesday's play-in loss to Portland, but his foot flared up during the contest. Phoenix initially listed Williams as questionable for Friday before ruling him out.
Oso Ighodaro is expected to slide into the first unit to replace Williams.
Khaman Maluach and
Rasheer Fleming will also move up on the depth chart. Ighodaro started 24 games during the regular season, averaging 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 17, 2026
Denver Nuggets forward
Spencer Jones (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fellow teammate
Peyton Watson (hamstring) has already been ruled out for Game 1, but Jones has a chance to play through his injury. The absence of Watson could potentially mean a bigger role for Jones, assuming he's able to play. It's worth noting that Jones hasn't played since late March. When healthy, Jones was averaging 22.1 minutes per game, but the Nuggets might not push him too hard considering he hasn't played in a few weeks. If they both sit out,
Cameron Johnson and
Aaron Gordon would likely play heavy minutes with
Tim Hardaway Jr. possibly seeing more of a role as well.
--Andy WebbSource: NBA Injury Report
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