RADIO
Dean Wade Returns to Starting Unit Tuesday
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade will rejoin the starting lineup for Game 1 against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. In Sunday's Game 7 matchup with Detroit, Wade was benched in favor of Max Strus. He's now getting a new opportunity to start, though this is unlikely to impact his numbers. Wade has been limited to 4.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game this postseason. Strus makes a living as a three-point specialist and may get another chance in the first unit later in the series.
Source: Cleveland Cavaliers
Source: Cleveland Cavaliers
OG Anunoby Starting on Tuesday
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (hamstring) will start Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ian Begley of SNY reports. Due to a hamstring injury, the 28-year-old missed the last two games of the second-round series matchup with Philadelphia, but he has been cleared to return to the lineup against Cleveland. Miles McBride will drop to the second unit to accommodate Anunoby's return. Anunoby has played some of the best basketball of his career this postseason, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.9 steals.
Source: Ian Begley
Source: Ian Begley
Tobias Harris May Remain in Motown
Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but the team wants to keep him around. "We hope that we can bring him back," Pistons general manager Trajan Langdon said on Tuesday. "He's somebody we want to keep in a Pistons uniform." Harris has spent the last two seasons in Detroit after signing a $52 million contract as a free agent in 2024. He averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 63 regular-season appearances this term. During the playoffs, Harris improved his production to 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, which might have been the decisive factor in Detroit's willingness to negotiate a new contract with him. At 33, Harris remains a dependable but modest contributor in fantasy basketball.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Pistons Eager to Keep Jalen Duren
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren had a disappointing postseason, but the team remains high on him and plans to lock him up with an extension this offseason. "JD had a fantastic season," Pistons general manager Trajan Langdon said on Tuesday. "He's one of the biggest contributors to us being a No. 1 seed." Duren became an All-Star in 2025-26, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. However, his production dipped to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds during the playoffs. This is set to hurt his value as a restricted free agent in the summer. But Duren, who has plenty of room to develop as a 22-year-old, remains very much part of Detroit's plans and should continue to be a double-double threat in fantasy for many years to come.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jason Kidd Fired as Mavericks Head Coach
Jason Kidd won't continue as the Dallas Mavericks' head coach, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. Two weeks ago, the Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri as the new team president, and they will now be looking for a new head coach. Kidd took over the Mavericks in 2021 after two years as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. Under his guidance, the team achieved instant success, reaching the 2022 Conference Finals. Two years later, Kidd led Dallas to the NBA Finals, where the team lost to Boston in five games. However, the Mavericks didn't make the playoffs in the other three seasons under Kidd, and he posted a losing regular-season record of 388-395. Kidd, who has also served as a head coach for the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, had four years and more than $40 million remaining on his Mavericks contract.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
De'Aaron Fox Officially Listed as Questionable for Game 2 Against Thunder
San Antonio Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox (ankle) has been officially listed as questionable for Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Earlier on Tuesday, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson deemed Fox a game-time call. The team will presumably make the final decision on Fox after he goes through the pregame warmup. Fox injured his right ankle in Game 4 against Minnesota in Round 2. He played through the injury for two games before sitting out the Western Conference Finals opener on Monday. If Fox isn't ready to return in Game 2, Dylan Harper will continue to have additional fantasy value as his replacement in the starting lineup.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Alex Caruso Erupts for 31 Points in Game 1 Loss to Spurs
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Alex Caruso led his team with a season-high 31 points in a 122-115 double-overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The veteran, who scored 25 total points in the second-round series against the Lakers, looked incredible in the Western Conference Finals opener, going 11-for-19 from the field with an 8-for-14 record from downtown. Additionally, he was busy on the defensive end with two blocks and two steals. In 32 minutes off the bench, Caruso also contributed a pair of rebounds and one assist. In the previous eight playoff games, Caruso finished with double-digit points just twice, so he is unlikely to match his Game 1 effort on Wednesday night. But he's a valuable member of the rotation and generally does a little bit of everything.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jalen Williams Productive in Comeback Game
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams made an all-around impact in Monday's Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In his first game in nearly four weeks, Williams had 26 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. He finished 11-for-25 from the field, including 1-for-3 at the free-throw line. Williams logged 37 minutes, proving he's fully healthy after overcoming a left hamstring injury. While the Thunder did well without Williams, his return may prove essential in the Western Conference Finals after the Spurs' impressive performance on Monday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Records First Double-Double of Postseason
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander logged his first double-double of the postseason with 24 points and 12 assists in Monday's Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. After picking up his second MVP award ahead of the game, Gilgeous-Alexander struggled to meet his usual high standards. He came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points to help the Thunder extend the game. Yet Gilgeous-Alexander cooled off again in overtime, posting only two points. The Canadian star went only 7-for-23 from the field and collected eight points from the free-throw line with nine attempts. His line included three rebounds, five steals, one block, and four turnovers. Oklahoma City needs Gilgeous-Alexander to be much sharper to avoid a 2-0 hole in the series on Wednesday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Stephon Castle Opens Conference Finals With Double-Double
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle produced a double-double in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, posting 17 points and 11 assists in a 122-117 double-overtime victory. He grabbed six rebounds and had one steal, but Castle also committed 11 turnovers, which marred his line. After losing De'Aaron Fox (ankle) from the lineup, the Spurs needed more playmaking from Castle, and things didn't go smoothly for him. Castle's field-goal efficiency also left a lot to be desired, as he finished 5-for-14 from the field and 1-for-6 from three-point range. Even after opening the Conference Finals with a double-double, Castle has plenty of room for improvement in Game 2.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dylan Harper Makes Outstanding Two-Way Impact in Game 1 Win
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper was one of the stars of the show in Monday's double-overtime victory in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, making a big impact at both ends of the floor. He notched 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and seven steals in 47 minutes as a starter. Harper, who went 8-for-20 from the field (1-for-7 from deep) and 7-for-7 at the charity stripe, moved into the first unit after De'Aaron Fox (ankle) was surprisingly scratched for the contest. If Fox returns for Game 2, we won't see Harper as influential in the game, but he will remain a viable DFS option even in a bench role. The 20-year-old has averaged 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steals during his first career playoff run.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Victor Wembanyama Dominates Game 1 Against Thunder
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama kicked off the Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a huge performance on Monday, amassing 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks in a 122-115 double-overtime win. The 22-year-old became the youngest player in NBA history to record a 40-point, 20-rebound performance in the playoffs, and the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to have a 40-20 game in his Conference Finals debut. Wembanyama went 14-for-25 from the field and 12-for-13 at the line, making one of his two attempts from deep. A big shock could be on the cards in this series if Wembanyama keeps up this level of play for the rest of the way.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Larry Nance Jr. is Questionable for Game 1 on Tuesday
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. (illness) is listed as questionable ahead of Tuesday's Game 1 against the New York Knicks. Nance was forced to miss Games 6 and 7 of the previous series against the Detroit Pistons due to an illness. There's a chance that Nance misses the beginning of this series as well. He played a total of five minutes during the series against the Toronto Raptors and didn't play at all versus the Pistons. The status of Nance isn't crucial unless Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen pick up an injury. He won't be a viable DFS option even if he does suit up on Tuesday.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
OG Anunoby is Probable for Tuesday's Game 1
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (hamstring) is listed as probable ahead of Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Anunoby is expected to return to the court after missing Games 3 and 4 of the previous series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He was a full participant in practice last week and appears to be ready to go for the beginning of this series. Assuming he plays, Miles McBride should take a backseat after starting each of the last two games. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of tip-off on Tuesday for another update on his status.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Luke Kornet is Cleared for Game 1
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (foot) is available to play ahead of Monday's Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kornet was questionable coming into this game due to a foot issue. He'll shed that tag and suit up for Monday's first game of the Western Conference Finals. Kornet is a solid backup center, but he won't see much playing time with Victor Wembanyama healthy and playing most of the minutes at center. DFS managers should look elsewhere for help as Kornet doesn't offer a ton of upside.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
