Fantasy News

Returns from locker room Nance went back to the locker room late in the third quarter but returned to the Pelicans bench to open up the fourth quarter. He should be considered good to go for the final period.

Heads to locker room Nance exited the contest late in the third inning and went back to the Pelicans locker room. While he's absent, Jonas Valanciunas could see more of the center work while Naji Marshall and Dyson Daniels could slide into larger roles. Nance should be considered questionable to return.

Surpasses 30 points in Game 2 loss Brown led all players in Wednesday's contest in scoring while connecting on a team-high mark from three and hauling in a team-high-tying rebound total in a well-rounded performance in a losing effort. Brown had his breakout game in the series against the Heat after posting 17 points in Sunday's Game 1 win. Brown has recorded at least 17 points and eight rebounds in both games, the type of performance the Celtics hope continues the rest of the quarterfinals series.

Nears 30 points in balanced game Tatum led all players in Wednesday's contest in minutes played while pacing the Celtics in shots made at the free-throw line and ending two points shy of the 30-point mark in a losing effort. Tatum, who also hauled in a team-high-tying rebound total, has impressed so far in the series against Miami, recording at least 20 points and eight boards in both postseason contests.

Boosts offense in double figures White provided a boost on the offensive end of the court for Boston in a losing effort, handing out a team-high-tying quartet of assists to go along with a pair of threes and concluding as one of three Celtics in double figures in scoring. White has pitched in nicely behind Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in the quarterfinals, recording at least 13 points and four rebounds in both outings against Miami.

Leads offensively in double-double Herro stepped up big for Miami in a bounce-back win in Game 2, leading all players in the contest in threes made and assists while leading all Heat players in scoring in an impressive outing. Herro set a season-high in assists for any Miami player this year, tying the second-most dimes by a Heat player in a playoff game in team history. Miami will need Herro to continue to step up offensively, especially with Jimmy Butler (knee) inactive.

Strong from deep in 20-point outing Martin had a breakout performance in Wednesday's bounce-back victory, earning his second straight start to begin the series against the Celtics. Martin connected on a handful of threes while ending as one of three Heat players with 20 or more points, a mark he surpassed on four occasions during the regular season. Martin responded well after scoring four points in Game 1 and Miami will look for him to continue to help boost the offense in Game 3 and beyond.

Records 20-10 outing in Game 2 win Adebayo led all players in Wednesday's contest in rebounds while ending as one of three Heat players with 20 or more points in a well-balanced 20-10 double-double to help Miami to a bounce-back victory. Adebayo posted his first double-double of the postseason, scoring north of 20 points in both games in the quarterfinals thus far.

Sidelined for Game 3 Reddish will miss a sixth consecutive game -- stretching back to the regular season -- with a sprained right ankle. Taurean Prince should continue to benefit from Reddish's absence. His next chance to play will come Saturday for Game 4.

Ruled out for Game 3 Wood has been ramping up his workload and was hopeful that he would be able to get back to the court for Game 3, but the medical staff will hold him out for at least one more game. His next chance to play will come Saturday.

Missing Game 3 Vanderbilt was highly involved in the Lakers' shootaround Monday and appears to be nearing his first taste of game action since Feb. 1. However, he'll still be inactive for Thursday's Game 3, making Saturday's Game 4 Vanderbilt's next chance to go.

Another probable tag James has been listed as probable for each of the first two games of the series but has averaged 39.5 minutes per contest. Considering he's looked to be 100 percent in both games and has been an injury report mainstay this season, fantasy managers should expect James to be available Thursday.

Probable for Thursday AD played through the back issue during Game 2 and logged 39 minutes on his way to a 32-point, 11-rebound double-double, so it clearly didn't impact him all that much. We should get official confirmation on his status closer to Thursday's tip.

Missing First Round series Wade hasn't taken the floor since March 8 due to a right knee sprain and will be sidelined for the remainder of the series against Orlando. In the announcement, the Cavaliers said that a recent MRI revealed that Wade would need more time for recovery and is out indefinitely. Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro should continue to see plenty of action off the bench at the forward spots.

Available for Game 2 Jovic was a late addition to the injury report due to a minor back issue, but as expected, he's been upgraded from probable to available. He posted 10 points, six rebounds and a block in 26 minutes during Sunday's 114-94 Game 1 loss.

Questionable for Thursday Robinson logged 30 minutes off the bench during New York's Game 1 win, but he was limited to just 18 minutes during Game 2, so perhaps his ankle was bothering him. We'll have a better idea on Robinson's playing status based on his activity level following Thursday's shootaround, but if he is forced to the sidelines, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims would have the opportunity to get into the rotation.

Won’t play Thursday Jerome is still recovering from ankle surgery and hasn't played since Oct. 27. Even if he's cleared to suit up during the postseason, he's unlikely to crack the rotation.

Good to go for Game 3 Suggs suffered a left knee sprain during Monday's Game 2 loss, but he returned in the second half and said he was fine following the contest. He was also able to practice Wednesday. The defensive-minded guard has totaled 22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and a block through the first two games of the opening-round series.

Won’t play Thursday Porter has yet to play this postseason, but he's a negligible part of the rotation. His next chance to wear a uniform will come Saturday.

Questionable for Thursday Melton has not yet made an appearance this postseason, but he was able to practice Wednesday, so he does appear to be close. However, he'll likely have his minutes closely monitored once he is eventually cleared to return.

Considered questionable for Game 3 Embiid played 37 and 39 minutes, respectively, during the first two games of the series and totaled 63 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals and one block. Despite the prolific stats, he hasn't looked 100 percent at times, but it'd be surprising if the reigning MVP didn't try to gut it out with his team facing a two-game deficit.

Still not scrimmaging Damian Lillard had another stellar first-half performance in Game 2 but couldn't keep the Bucks close in the second half as the Pacers evened the series. Antetokounmpo's status for Game 3 on Friday likely won't be known until Thursday afternoon, but Charania suggests Milwaukee should be preparing to play without Antetokounmpo again. The MVP candidate has missed five straight games dating back to the regular season and hasn't played since April 9. However, if Antetokounmpo gets the green light, it's safe to expect he'll handle as many minutes as necessary in an attempt to keep the Bucks' postseason hopes alive.

Dealing with minor back issue Jovic is still expected to suit up despite being a late addition to the injury report. He posted 10 points, six rebounds and one block in 26 minutes during the 114-94 Game 1 loss and has started 29 straight appearances dating back to the regular season.

Ruled out for Game 3 Wade hasn't suited up since March 8 due to a right knee sprain, and it's not yet clear when he'll be able to return. However, the team has been evaluating him on a game-by-game basis, and his next chance to suit up will be in Saturday's Game 4.

Goes through practice Coach Jamahl Mosley said that Suggs is feeling better, and previous reports have indicated that the guard is expected to play in Game 3 Thursday against the Cavaliers. Fantasy managers can expect more clarity when Orlando releases their official injury report Wednesday evening.

On track for training camp Simmons underwent a successful microscopic partial discectomy in mid-March to alleviate the nerve impingement in his lower back, marking yet another injury-related setback for the 2017 No. 1 overall pick. The 27-year-old has played in only 57 games across the last three seasons, but when available, he has shown he can still be an active defender and excellent playmaker. Simmons has one more year remaining on his current contract, a five-year extension he signed with Philadelphia in 2019.

Practices Wednesday Melton has appeared in only five games since Jan. 12 and last suited up April 12, so even if he gets the green light, he'll presumably be eased into action. The sixth-year wing made only 38 regular-season appearances and averaged 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 26.9 minutes per game.

Sees 21 minutes in win Daniel Gafford started this game, but he was ineffective in just nine minutes of action and left the game briefly due to a back injury. Lively had more success, obviously, but he didn't get a ton of burn either, as Maxi Kleber and P.J. Washington soaked up the bulk of the frontcourt minutes. The logjam at center is far from ideal for fantasy purposes for both Gafford and Lively.

Does not see the floor Anderson carried a questionable tag into Game 2 after picking up a hip injury in Game 1, but despite being cleared to play, Anderson never left the bench. Instead, Minnesota rolled with an eight-man rotation with Nickeil Alexander-Walker playing 31 minutes off the bench, while Anthony Edwards (38) and Jaden McDaniels (41) also played heavy minutes on the wing.

Poor off the glass in loss Although Lopez generated 22 points and drilled a season-high six three-pointers, his rebound production was conspicuously absent. His one rebound matched a season low for Lopez, who has seen a noticeable drop in the category during his 16th season in the pros.

Records double-double in loss Although Portis didn't come anywhere near Giannis Antetokounmpo's (calf) usual production, he's doing enough to keep the interior afloat. Portis is expected to play at least one more game as Antetokounmpo's fill-in, but he'll need to keep the double-doubles coming. The Bucks' playoff fortunes will fade rapidly without a stronger response to Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner in the paint.

Scores team-high 34 points in loss Lillard followed up his 35-point performance in Game 1 with another solid number, but his stellar play wasn't enough this time around. His supporting cast was much less effective in Game 2, and Giannis Antetokounmpo's (calf) missing output continues to plague the offense. Lillard's excellent start to the postseason is no surprise, as he's averaged 29.5 points, 6.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds over 62 playoff games in his career.

Ekes out double-double in win Although Haliburton's former reputation as a prolific scorer has faded over the course of the season, his skill as a ball facilitator is as strong as ever. The Pacers could certainly use a dose of Haliburton's former shot volume as they attempt to advance, but recent trends show that a big scoring numbers for the guard may not be coming. He's now gone four consecutive games with 20 points or less, and has only exceeded that number four times over his past 10 games.

Posts 22/7/6 line in victory Turner's value for the Pacers can't be understated, as the veteran consistently provides solid interior support. Interestingly, his exposure in fantasy contests is very low, making him one of the most underrated centers in the playoff bracket. Although players like Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson challenged him for playing time in the regular season, the 28-year-old Texas product was successful in keeping them at bay.

Flirts with double-double in win Although Toppin has largely been a non-factor for the Pacers recently, he provided solid support in the second unit during the Game 2 victory. Players like Toppin can hold a lot of value for fantasy players in DFS contests, as his inexpensive salary can help lineups stay below the salary cap after adding elite players. His 9/8 line is an encouraging sign that Toppin can match the value of his DFS salary moving forward.

Double-double onslaught continues The last player to open a postseason with two 35-point, 10-rebound performances was Wilt Chamberlain, which gives you an idea of how rare Siakam's run of production is in the playoffs. Siakam was the unquestioned offensive engine for the Pacers, shooting a deadly 69.5 percent from the floor while adding 11 rebounds. If Giannis Antetokounmpo's (calf) absence continues, Siakam should be able to keep his double-double streak intact.