Fantasy Basketball

Jokic contributed 22 points (9-19 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds and two assists across 36 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Jokic delivered one of the best performances of his playoff career in Game 5 of the series, but he was unable to repeat those numbers in this woeful loss despite a respectable stat line. Jokic shot under 50 percent from the field for the third time in the series, and the Nuggets have lost every time that has happened. While the entire Nuggets offense must perform better in a do-or-die Game 7 contest on Sunday, Jokic will be the one who sets the tone early on.

Lively totaled 11 points (3-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Lively has been playing off the bench due to the solid play of Daniel Gafford down low, but the rookie out of Duke made his presence felt on both ends of the court Wednesday. Aside from missing just one shot from the field, Lively was active defensively and recorded the first playoff double-double of his career. Lively is averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in the postseason, and while he looked very good in this pivotal win, he's not expected to move to a starting role ahead of Game 6 on Saturday.

Horford accumulated 22 points (8-15 FG, 6-13 3Pt), 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and one steal in 35 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 win over the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Horford dominated the boards in a series-clinching win Wednesday, leading all players in the contest in rebounds to go along with a handful of assists, a team-high trio of blocks and ending as one of two Celtics with 20 or more points in a double-double performance. Horford reached double figures in rebounds for the first time this postseason, also crossing the 20-point mark for the first time.

Allen (ribs) has been ruled out for Wednesday's Game 5 in Boston, Spencer Davies of SI.com reports.

Allen will miss an eighth straight game due to a right rib contusion. Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Caris LeVert (knee) are also out, so Cleveland's starting lineup for Wednesday's potential elimination game features Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Dean Wade and Evan Mobley.

Jokic supplied 40 points (15-22 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 8-9 FT), seven rebounds, 13 assists, one block and two steals over 41 minutes during Tuesday's 112-97 victory over the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Jokic took over during Game 5, leading the Nuggets to a third consecutive victory over the Timberwolves. Despite going up against Rudy Gobert, the Defensive Player of the Year, Jokic had no issues getting what he wanted around the basket and finished with a playoff-high 40 points. The series will head back to Minnesota, where Jokic and the Nuggets will look to wrap things up Thursday.

Reid contributed seven points (3-8 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and one block in 20 minutes during Tuesday's 112-97 loss to the Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Reid was a non-factor in the loss, continuing his recent struggles. Coming off a career-best regular season, Reid has been unable to produce consistently during the postseason. He has scored fewer than 15 points in eight of the Timberwolves' nine playoff games. Now facing a must-win matchup, Reid will look to turn things around in front of his home fans.

Towns finished Thursday's 115-70 victory over Denver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals with 10 points (4-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 13 rebounds and five assists across 29 minutes.

Towns had a couple of clutch buckets in the early stages of the game, but for the most part, he took a backseat in the scoring column as Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels carried Minnesota offensively in this win. The Timberwolves need Towns to be at his best if they want to have a shot at winning a complicated Game 7 on the road, and for that to happen, he'll need to be even more aggressive on the offensive end of the court, an area in which he hasn't been consistent throughout the series. Towns has reached the 20-point mark in four of the six games he's played in the semis, and the Timberwolves have gone 3-1 in those contests.

Gordon recorded 12 points (4-7 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 28 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 loss to Minnesota in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The entire Nuggets offense struggled in this game, as shown by the fact the team shot 30.2 percent from the field and 19.4 percent from three-point range in this Game 6 loss. Despite the collective struggles, Gordon found a way to make an impact with his two-way play, and he was also one of just three Denver players who scored in double digits in this loss. Gordon has been arguably the second-best player for Denver in this series, and he'll aim to deliver another strong showing in Game 7 at home on Sunday.

Tatum supplied 25 points (9-16 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 10 rebounds, nine assists and four steals across 43 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 win over Cleveland in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Tatum once again led Boston in the semifinals, nearing a triple-double to boost the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum led all Boston players in scoring, assists and steals while hauling in a double-digit rebound mark and coming up one dime shy of a triple-double. Tatum joined Larry Bird as the only Celtics players with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and four steals in a playoff game. If Tatum can continue to play at the level he played at in the semifinals, Boston will be a tough team to top in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Morris finished with 25 points (10-13 FG, 5-6 3Pt, 0-1 FT), three rebounds and two steals over 33 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Morris provided the shorthanded Cavaliers with a much-needed boost off the bench in Game 5, leading all bench players in scoring while connecting on a team-high handful of threes in a bench-leading minute total. Morris recorded his best outing of the postseason Wednesday, surpassing double figures in scoring for the second time in these playoffs.

Mobley provided 33 points (15-24 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 3-5 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal across 43 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Mobley once again stepped up in the starting lineup for the shorthanded Cavaliers, putting forth his best game of the series despite the team coming up short as Cleveland's season come to an end. Mobley led all players in Wednesday's contest in scoring while hauling in a team-high-tying rebound total and notching a team-best pair of blocks. Mobley concluded the semifinals by averaging 21.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 62.7 percent from the field.

Wade will move into the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 in Boston, Serena Winters of Bally Sports Cleveland reports.

Wade should get all the run he can handle with the Cavaliers' backcourt depleted, and he'll be joined in the first unit by Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus and Evan Mobley. Sam Merrill should also see an uptick in minutes due to Caris LeVert (knee) joining Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Jarrett Allen (ribs) on the sidelines for Game 5.

McDaniels notched 21 points (8-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal over 30 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 victory over Denver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

McDaniels is not known for his scoring ability and often gets recognition for his defensive work. Still, he stood out when it mattered the most in this series and finished as Minnesota's second-highest scorer. McDaniels is not expected to hover around the 20-point mark regularly going forward, but this was an excellent showing in a game during which his team needed him to step up. In fact, this was McDaniels' second-best scoring output in the current playoff run, as he scored 25 points in the Game 2 win over the Suns in the first round.

Alexander-Walker will move to the bench for Thursday's Game 6 versus Denver.

This is an expected move with Mike Conley back from his injury. Alexander-Walker fared well in his spot start in Game 5, producing 14 points (5-12 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists and two blocks across 39 minutes.

Anunoby (hamstring) has been ruled out for Friday's Game 6 versus Indiana, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reports.

As expected, Anunoby will not be available for Game 6, and considering he's still been limited to light on-court work, it's unlikely he'd be available for Game 7 if one is required. Miles McBride, Precious Achiuwa and Alec Burks will help pick up the slack in Anunoby's absence.

Dort finished with 12 points (4-11 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to the Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Dort didn't have his best shooting performance and was particularly woeful from three-point range, but he still delivered decent fantasy value due to his ability to fill the stat sheet. Dort will need to be better Saturday, as the Thunder will try to avoid elimination in a pivotal Game 6 in Dallas, but the odds are against him. Through five games in the series, Dort is averaging just 10.4 points while shooting a meager 31.4 percent from the field.

Jones had 19 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The Mavericks needed someone to step up offensively due to P.J. Washington's cold shooting and Kyrie Irving's struggles throughout the series, and Jones embraced that role to deliver a playoff-best scoring mark. Jones has scored in double digits in back-to-back contests, setting him up for having a solid role Saturday in Game 6. He's averaging 9.8 points per game in the current postseason run.

Williams registered 12 points (6-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists and three steals across 39 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Williams hasn't been able to repeat the same numbers he posted during the first-round series against the Pelicans, and he's yet to surpass the 20-point mark in the current series against the Mavericks -- an alarming figure given he averaged 19.1 points per game in the regular season and 21.3 points per contest against New Orleans. Williams is also shooting a meager 40.8 percent from the field in the current series against Dallas.

Edwards notched 27 points (8-17 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 7-8 FT), four rebounds, four assists and three steals in 34 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 victory over Denver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Edwards bounced back from an ugly outing in Game 5 and led Minnesota in scoring in this pivotal matchup, as he looked far more aggressive than during his previous appearance. Edwards deserves credit for his constant off-the-ball movement as well, as his movements on the perimeter, coupled with the return of Mike Conley from a one-game absence, made things very difficult for Denver on defense. This was Edwards' fourth game with at least 25 points in the series, and he's expected to operate as Minnesota's primary offensive weapon in Sunday's do-or-die Game 7 at Ball Arena.

Gilgeous-Alexander racked up 30 points (12-22 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 4-6 FT), six rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals across 43 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Whether the Thunder struggle offensively or not, Gilgeous-Alexander will always get the job done. Unfortunately, he couldn't do everything on his own Wednesday, and he came up short of carrying OKC to a Game 5 victory despite filling out the stat sheet admirably. With the Thunder's back against the wall, Gilgeous-Alexander will need to be at his best on Saturday, as the Thunder will aim to avoid an early playoff exit on the road in Game 6. The star floor general is averaging 31.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in the current series against Dallas while riding a four-game streak of appearances with 30 or more points.

White closed with 18 points (7-17 FG, 4-9 3Pt), five rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 victory over the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

White had a strong outing from deep in Wednesday's series-clinching win, connecting on a quartet of threes to go along with a half-dozen assists, a handful of rebounds and a pair of blocks in a near 20-point showcase. White stepped up for Boston in the semifinals, tallying at least 18 points in two of the five contests. White could be a key factor once again for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals as an additional option offensively behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Strus ended Wednesday's 113-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with 12 points (3-10 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and nine assists in 45 minutes.

Strus put up a well-rounded stat line, handing out a team-high-tying assist total to go along with a team-high-tying rebound mark in a near double-double outing. Strus reached double figures in scoring in three of the five games against Boston, adding at least seven rebounds and seven assists in the final two games of the series.

Joe is part of the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 against Dallas, Brandon Rahbar of DailyThunder.com reports.

Joe replaces Josh Giddey in the first unit, a relatively unsurprising move considering Joe has played more minutes than Giddey in three straight games. Despite his starting status, fantasy managers shouldn't expect the three-point specialist to see normal starter's minutes. Instead, he'll likely settle in at around the high teens or low twenties.

LeVert (knee) has been ruled out for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Celtics, Spencer Davies of SI.com reports.

LeVert started in place of Donovan Mitchell (calf) during Monday's Game 4 loss but aggravated a lingering knee injury and will join Mitchell and Jarrett Allen (ribs) on the sidelines Wednesday. Dean Wade will move into the starting lineup, which also features Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus and Evan Mobley. LeVert's season will be over if Cleveland doesn't win Wednesday in Boston.

Murray recorded 10 points (4-18 FG, 2-7 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists and one steal over 33 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 loss to Minnesota in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Murray had been the catalyst of the Nuggets offense during this series, but he struggled massively Thursday, though the entire team looked overmatched from start to finish. There's no doubt the offense runs through Nikola Jokic, but it's also not a secret that Denver tends to struggle heavily when Murray is not at his best, and that has been the case in each of the three losses the Nuggets have suffered in this series. Murray will aim to bounce back in Sunday's Game 7, as the Nuggets need him at his best to avoid a monumental upset and keep their hopes of a title defense alive.

Murray (calf) is available for Thursday's Game 6 against Minnesota.

Murray has been playing through questionable tags for the duration of this series, so this news isn't a surprise. There's no word of any restrictions ahead of tipoff.

Conley (Achilles) will play in Game 6 against the Nuggets on Thursday, head coach Chris Finch told Jack Borman of SB Nation.

Finch also said the Wolves will be "mindful" of Conley's minutes after he missed Game 5 with an Achilles injury. Still, the veteran floor general will be out there in what could be the last game of the season for a Minnesota team that has lost three in a row against the defending champions. Conley is averaging 11.3 points, 7.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game during the current postseason run, and even though he'll have his minutes monitored, it would be shocking if he's not part of the starting lineup.

Conley (Achilles) is expected to play in Thursday's Game 6 against the Nuggets, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Conley is expected to return to action Thursday after missing Game 5 with right Achilles soreness. If the veteran guard is ultimately upgraded from questionable to available, he will likely reclaim his starting spot from Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Conley (Achilles) is at Minnesota's shootaround ahead of Thursday's Game 6 against Denver, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Conley is listed as questionable for Thursday's contest after missing Game 5 with right Achilles soreness. While Conley's presence at shootaround is a good sign of his availability, the veteran guard was also at shootaround ahead of Game 5 before being ruled out.

Doncic provided 31 points (12-22 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 10 rebounds, 11 assists and one block over 41 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 victory over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Doncic has been playing through several ailments of late, but that didn't seem to slow him down Wednesday, as he posted his second triple-double of the series while carrying the Mavericks to a huge road win. The Mavericks are now potentially 48 minutes away from reaching the Western Conference Finals, and Doncic is expected to play a prominent role on offense in Game 6 on Saturday.