Dallas Mavericks forward/center Daniel Gafford (back) is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. He couldn't practice on Thursday after being limited to only nine minutes due to a back issue in Game 2. Maxi Kleber saw 28 minutes off the bench on Tuesday, while Dereck Lively II also benefited. Both should figure heavily in the rotation again on Friday if Gafford can't play. Lively II could be an intriguing DFS play if he joins the first unit. The rookie from Duke averaged 8.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks as a starter during the regular season.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's Game 3 against the Clippers. Dallas' three-point bomber sprained his right ankle in Game 2 and hasn't recovered in time for Friday's game. Josh Green and Dante Exum will have a chance to log extra minutes without Hardaway Jr., although they aren't good fantasy options. Both players failed to score in Game 2, with the Mavericks relying heavily on their first unit.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) continues to carry a doubtful designation on the injury report ahead of Friday's Game 3 against Indiana. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers believes that Antetokounmpo is getting "close" to returning, but it looks like his comeback won't happen on Friday. Bobby Portis has started in Antetokounmpo's absence, averaging a double-double in the series with 14.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in 30.5 minutes. He could see a few more minutes on Friday, as Khris Middleton (ankle) is considered questionable for the contest.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) didn't practice on Thursday and is considered questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Pacers. Middleton hurt his right ankle in Tuesday's Game 2, although he was still able to log 36 minutes in the contest. The three-time All-Star has played well in the series, averaging 19.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) likely remaining on the shelf, Damian Lillard would be expected to do even more offensively. Malik Beasley and Jae Crowder should share most of Middleton's minutes if he's out, with one of them likely moving to the first unit.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) has been ruled out for the first-round series against Orlando. He missed the end of the regular season with a knee injury and hasn't featured in the first two playoff games either. Georges Niang, Caris LeVert, and Isaac Okoro lead the Cavaliers bench without Wade. Okoro has been the most productive player of the trio in the playoffs, although his 7.0 points and 2.5 steals per game shouldn't excite many DFS players.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III had an eight-point outing on Wednesday as the team suffered a blowout loss in Game 2 against the Thunder. The 23-year-old saw his shot disappear after leading the Pelicans with 21 points in the series opener. He finished with 3-for-8 shooting and made only two of six attempts from three-point land. Murphy III grabbed five rebounds and swatted away one shot while handing out two assists. The Pelicans will look to produce a bounce-back performance on Saturday at home, with Murphy III set to remain Zion Williamson's (hamstring) fill-in in the starting unit.

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum was limited to 15 points in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Thunder, shooting 6-for-14 from the field and 1-for-5 from outside. Nine points came in the second quarter following a zero-point effort in the first. McCollum posted half of the team's four steals and picked up five rebounds with four assists. The veteran is now 3-for-14 from downtown through the first two games of the series. A big improvement is needed from him in home games for New Orleans to have a shot in the series.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Ingram finished Wednesday's Game 2 loss against Oklahoma City with a full line after initially struggling in the contest. Ingram had only four points in the first half before finding his rhythm in the second and finishing with 18 points on 5-for-10 shooting. He nailed all eight free throws and tallied four rebounds with three assists, one steal, and one block. Ingram hasn't looked quite himself since returning from a knee injury in the regular-season finale. The talented scorer has yet to make a three-pointer in the series against OKC and averages a measly 15.0 points on 37 percent shooting.

New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas finished Wednesday's heavy 124-92 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 as the team's top scorer, netting 19 points in 23 minutes on 8-for-14 shooting. The Lithuanian big man had an incredible start to the contest, scoring all of New Orleans' first 11 points. A Herbert Jones triple broke Valanciunas' scoring run at the 7:58 mark in the first quarter. After gobbling up 20 rebounds in Game 1, Valanciunas settled for seven boards this time, adding two assists to his tally. The Pelicans center has been productive in the series, but his defensive shortcoming resulted in Chet Holmgren getting 20 first-half points in Game 2. The veteran definitely has to improve at that end to earn consistent playing time.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 33 points as the team grabbed a 2-0 series lead against New Orleans with a 124-92 victory on Wednesday. After struggling from deep in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander hit three three-point bombs with five attempts and shot a very efficient 13-for-19 overall. He also bagged a pair of steals and grabbed three rebounds while dishing out five assists. OKC's MVP candidate is averaging 30.5 points through the first couple of postseason games. The Pelicans need to find a way to slow him down if they want to advance to the next round.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Naz Reid was named the Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday. Reid, who signed a three-year, $42 million extension with the club last offseason, averaged a career-high 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 41.4% from deep in 81 appearances. Without question, he will play a vital role in Minnesota's rotation for years to come, and his fantasy stock will be significantly higher heading into the 2024-25 campaign after capturing the award.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is questionable ahead of Thursday's postseason game against the 76ers. Robinson was two points shy of a double-double in Game 1. He also had four blocks in that one. However, things were different in Game 2, with the 26-year-old finishing with just one point and four boards. With that said, he could be limited even if he's cleared to suit up, meaning DFS managers may want to keep him out of their lineups. Instead, Isaiah Hartenstein, amassing 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks on Monday night, should be the preferred fantasy option.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Knicks. The 30-year-old reaggravated the injury to his surgically repaired left knee in Game 1, forcing him to exit the contest briefly before returning. But despite carrying a questionable designation ahead of Game 2, Embiid was on the floor and finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in 39 minutes of action. At any rate, he should be listed as probable, considering the Sixers hope to avoid going down three games in this series. However, if Embiid can't go, Paul Reed and Mo Bamba will split time in the middle.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo logged a team-high 40 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Boston Celtics. He looked good in this one, finishing with a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. The C's have had issues with Adebayo during this series, with the 26-year-old averaging 22.5 points and shooting 61.3% from the field. With that in mind, the C's will likely adjust heading into Game 3 on Saturday, so everyone on the Heat roster could be in for a long night.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis had trouble getting anything going in Wednesday's loss to the Heat. The veteran scored just six points, the fewest of anyone in the starting lineup, going 1-for-9 from the field while missing all four tries from deep. Fortunately, he added eight boards, three steals, and two blocks, so his evening wasn't a total flop for DFS managers. With that in mind, Porzingis averaged 20.3 points against the Heat during the regular season, meaning he could easily turn things around on Saturday night.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored 28 points in Wednesday's matchup with the Heat. While Jaylen Brown had a game-high 33 points, Tatum still had a solid outing. His shooting numbers haven't been the best through the first two games of this series. However, he's made up for it in other statistical areas. Unfortunately, Tatum efforts weren't enough, with the Heat stealing a win. With the series tied at a game each, both teams will meet on Saturday night in Miami. The 26-year-old played well against the Heat during the regular season, and he should continue to see plenty of minutes, which is always ideal for DFS purposes.

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown had a game-high 33 points in Wednesday's postseason meeting with Miami. He added eight rebounds, one steal, and one block. The 27-year-old had 17 points in Game 1, so his offensive outburst was appreciated by DFS managers. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as the Celtics would go on to lose this one on their home turf. With the series knotted at one game each, both clubs will meet on Saturday night in South Beach. Of course, Brown will be a coveted DFS Option, although he may have a tough time matching his production from Game 2.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a team-high 24 points in Wednesday's shocking win over the Boston Celtics. He struggled in Game 1 of this series. However, the 24-year-old turned things around in Game 2, going 6-for-11 from deep and adding 14 assists. With Terry Rozier (neck) and Jimmy Butler (knee) out of commission, the offense will continue to run through Herro. Of course, the Celtics will make adjustments for Game 3 on Saturday, so the 2019 No. 13 overall pick could have difficulty remaining as productive as he was on Wednesday night.

Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but if the team has its way, he won't be going anywhere soon. According to general manager Sean Marks, tying Claxton down will be the "No. 1 priority" for the team in the summer. Marks added that he hopes Claxton will be a Net for "a very long time." The comments came after Brooklyn's new head coach, Jordi Fernandez, said at his introductory press conference that he believes Claxton has the potential to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Claxton, the 31st pick of the 2019 draft, has just completed his fifth NBA season. He averaged 11.8 points with a career-high 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 29.8 minutes.

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (ankle) hasn't been ruled out for Game 3 against Minnesota on Friday. X-rays came back negative after Allen re-injured his right ankle in Tuesday's Game 2. He is considered day-to-day. "Got to see what the next two days look like," Allen said when asked about his chances of featuring in Game 3. Allen, who initially hurt his ankle in Game 1 last week, has had a rough time in the first-round series, averaging only 3.5 points on 20 percent shooting. Royce O'Neale and Eric Gordon will figure more heavily in the rotation if he can't play on Friday.