Plays 17 minutes in return Wade returned to action having missed the entire postseason due to an injured knee, totaling five points in 17 minutes. While he does provide the Cavaliers with some much-needed depth, he is far from a difference-maker. Saturday's loss leaves Cleveland trailing 2-1 in the series with Game 4 scheduled for Monday.
Struggles in Game 3 loss Strus continues to deliver nothing but mediocrity, scoring fewer than 15 points for the eighth time in the past nine games, all during the playoffs. If the Cavaliers have any chance of beating the Celtics, they are going to need Strus to rediscover his form from earlier in the season. Based on what we have seen during the postseason, that might be wishful thinking.
Fails to score in 11 minutes Merrill missed his only shot attempt, failing to have an impact once again. Although he did have a couple of bright spots throughout the season, Merrill has been a non-factor in the playoffs.
Rare appearance in win Brissett played one minute of garbage time as the Celtics held on for a relatively comfortable victory Saturday. Barring another sizeable margin, Brissett is unlikely to leave the bench on most nights, especially as we get deeper into the playoffs.
Limited in Game 3 win Hauser connected on a pair of three-pointers, the highlight of what was another passive performance. Boston is generally running with a shallow rotation, with Payton Pritchard the only depth piece playing meaningful minutes. Having wrestled back home court advantage, Boston will be pushing for a 3-1 series lead when the two teams line up again Monday.
Strong offensive showing Holiday was aggressive from the get-go, looking to score from the opening tip. Although he ended with just 18 points, the bulk of those came in the first half, keeping the Celtics on the front foot. Now leading 2-1 in the series, Boston will look to repeat this performance Monday before heading home for Game 5.
Records 13/8/3 line in loss Holmgren has struggled a bit against Dallas' defensive front through three games after averaging 15.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots over four games against the Pelicans. The Mavericks have been able to stay fresh in the paint with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively platooning at the five, and Jaylin Williams hasn't offered the same kind of secondary support. Holmgren has also failed to keep Luka Doncic off the glass, and he'll need to improve in several areas to keep the Thunder in the series.
Scores 16 points after exit Although Williams headed to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury, he eventually returned to the court and finished as the team's second-highest scorer. Williams has been an invaluable piece of the Thunder's game plan on both sides of the ball, and his DFS salary has steadily risen throughout the playoffs. Josh Giddey's inconsistent play has forced Williams to produce with more frequency, and although Luguentz Dort has shown signs of life in the postseason, his defensive prowess doesn't always translate to favorable fantasy totals. Along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, Williams will continue to be one of the team's best fantasy values.
Delivers double-double in loss Gilgeous-Alexander continued his run of stellar production in the Game 3 loss. The All-Star averaged a stunning 28.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists over six playoff games heading into Saturday's contest, making him one of the league's most prolific postseason contributors. His most noticeable stat of the evening was a career-high five blocked shots. Prior to Saturday, the guard had only recorded four swats three times in his pro career.
Scores team-high 27 points Washington enjoyed another splendid shooting night beyond the arc after draining seven shots from downtown in Game 2. His 23 shot attempts matched a season high for Washington, who is averaging 13.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.0 blocks in the playoffs. He's also converting 52.9 percent of his shots during the postseason.
Plays through injuries for the win Doncic sealed the Game 3 win by winning a jump ball in the closing seconds and grabbing the loose ball before the buzzer. While Doncic's inspired play was a clear difference-maker in the victory, he left the court favoring his left ankle. His injury struggles were noticeable throughout the game, as his ankle and lingering knee issue limited his speed in transition. Still, Doncic played through the pain and delivered his best rebound total of the postseason. Although Doncic may find himself on the injury report for Monday evening's rematch, he'll carry a full load if his body can take the beating.
Bounces back with 22 points After a season-low nine points in Game 2, Irving came back with a diverse stat line, helping the Mavericks even the series. Irving complemented teammate Luka Doncic with a series of key plays in the closing minutes, draining all four of his shots in the final stanza. Irving led the team with seven assists, which marked the fourth time the All-Star exceeded his seasonal average in the category during the playoffs.
Ruled out for Game 3 Allen has yet to see the court in the series against the Celtics, and he'll aim to be available for the Game 4 matchup on Monday. This means Evan Mobley will remain at center while Isaac Okoro should also remain in the starting lineup.
Good to go Saturday Wade has been sidelined since March 8, but he made it through warmups without any setbacks and is officially good to go. Jarrett Allen (ribs) remains out, however. It will be interesting to see what type of role Wade plays after being sidelined so long.
Not on injury report Alexander-Walker appeared to hurt his left shoulder during Game 3 Friday, and he was complaining about the pain in the locker room after the game. However, it appears that he escaped without anything too serious, and fantasy managers can expect him to suit up in his usual role Sunday.
Questionable to play Sunday Haliburton is pretty banged up, as the star floor general is dealing with three different injuries ahead of Sunday's contest: low back spasms, a sacral contusion and a right ankle sprain. Haliburton has been playing well of late and has surpassed the 30-point mark in each of Indiana's last two games.
Iffy for Game 4 Nesmith's shoulder injury is new, as he seemingly picked up the issue during the Pacers Game 3 win. Nesmith has averaged 34.3 minutes per game during the series, which could open up plenty of minutes for Doug McDermott and Ben Sheppard if Nesmith winds up sitting Sunday.
Ruled out for Game 4 This is hardly a surprise given how tricky hamstring injuries are to deal with. Anunoby has been traveling with the team and is likely getting treatment around the clock. In the meantime, the Knicks are likely to play a very tight rotation with Alec Burks getting extended run in Game 4.
Checking back in Williams took a trip to the locker room late in the third quarter with what seemed to be a left ankle injury, but he'll be back in action for the fourth period. His return should mean fewer minutes for Gordon Hayward and Jaylin Williams down the stretch.
Heads to locker room Williams stepped on Josh Green's foot and went down while the play continued. He limped off the court and directly into the locker room, where he'll undergo further evaluation. While he's out, Jaylin Williams and Gordon Hayward could see more action.
Starts second half Gafford briefly went to the locker room in the second period grabbing at his left shoulder but was able to take the floor for the second half. If he's restricted due to the injury, Dereck Lively would be next in line for minutes.
Questionable for Sunday Jackson played through the same questionable tag for Friday's Game 4 blowout win, but he saw just eight minutes with six points (2-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and one turnover.
Questionable for Game 4 Caldwell-Pope will land a questionable designation for a second consecutive contest due to a bruised abdomen. He was able to play through the injury in Game 3 and logged 37 minutes, so there should be a level of optimism ahead of Sunday's tilt.
Listed as questionable Murray has been playing through questionable tags for the entirety of the series so far, so fantasy managers can expect the same to continue Sunday. Murray looked sharp in Friday's Game 3, producing 24 points (11-21 FG, 2-5 3Pt), five assists, four rebounds and three steals over 38 minutes.
Heads to locker room An injury to Gafford could be devastating for the Mavericks, as he's been a solid contributor down low for Dallas. If he's unable to return, then Dereck Lively would be in line for a bigger role.
Undergoing offseason surgery In simpler terms, Carter will have a procedure to fully fix his left hand -- the same hand he sustained a fractured middle finger on early this season -- and is expected to be ready for the 2024-25 campaign. Carter missed a month and a half after sustaining the injury in November -- which required surgery -- but was able to return and appear in 55 games (48 starts) overall. He's set for re-evaluation four weeks after the procedure.
Good to go Doncic has been dealing with a sprained right knee and, more recently, a sore left ankle. However, he's been able to play in every playoff contest this far and will be active for Game 3. Doncic has averaged 24.0 points, 8.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals over 41.0 minutes in the first two games of the series.
