New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson finished with a team-high 39 points in Thursday's loss to Philadelphia. He added 13 assists and two rebounds. However, Brunson's potent performance wasn't enough, with the Sixers earning a much-needed win. With another stellar showing in the books, the 27-year-old is now averaging 28.3 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in this series. His shooting numbers need to improve. But Brunson should remain one of the top DFS options for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey finished with 25 points in Thursday's much-needed victory over the Knicks. He added seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals. With Joel Embiid dropping a game-high 50 points, Maxey still got his scoring chances. Granted, it was his worst game of the series. However, his efforts were still good enough for DFS managers. With the Sixers hoping to tie up the series on Sunday, fantasy participants should expect the 23-year-old to see plenty of minutes and remain heavily involved on both sides of the floor.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was named the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year on Thursday night. The veteran sharpshooter has had plenty of big moments throughout his career, so this shouldn't surprise anyone. With that said, Curry, who has been in the league for 15 seasons, is as good as ever. He averaged 26.4 points and 5.1 assists during the 2023-24 campaign. He also appeared in 74 games, his most since 2016-17. While Curry might only have a few seasons left, he should remain productive until he calls it quits.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a 12-point, 12-assist double-double in Tuesday's Game 2 victory over the Bucks. He already had seven assists in the first half and didn't have any trouble completing his double-double after the break, hitting three shots from downtown with seven attempts and finishing with 4-for-10 overall shooting. Additionally, Haliburton grabbed four rebounds and disrupted Milwaukee's offense by registering one steal and one block. The young Pacers star was a nightmare for the Bucks during the regular season, but they have found a way to limit him to 10.5 points in the playoffs so far. However, he's been shooting 40 percent from three-point range, and it looks to be only a matter of time before Haliburton explodes for a big performance in his first playoff campaign.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards couldn't replicate his Game 1 performance in the second game of the first-round series against Phoenix, settling for 15 points on 3-for-12 shooting in Tuesday's 105-93 win. He made two shots from outside with six attempts and was 7-for-8 at the line. Edwards couldn't get going shooting-wise but helped out well in other areas, delivering a game-high eight assists and notching five rebounds with three steals and one block. Karl-Anthony Towns also struggled to make an impact offensively, but Minnesota still dominated the contest, which must be very encouraging for the team going forward. The series shifts to Phoenix on Friday, with Edwards looking to produce a bounce-back performance in Game 3.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back) returned to Tuesday's matchup with the Clippers. He logged just three minutes before exiting in the first quarter with back soreness. But it appears Gafford is at least feeling well enough to return, although there's a chance he could be limited. The 25-year-old also tweaked his ankle on Sunday in Game 1, so he may appear on the injury report heading into Game 3 on Friday night.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels scored a game-high 25 points in Tuesday's win over the Suns. He shot the ball well, going 10-for-17 from the field, and added eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal. The 23-year-old had just nine points in Game 1, which isn't unusual. Yet, with production like this, his popularity will increase heading toward Game 3 on Friday night. However, his rostering cost should also rise after the efficient performance.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back) is questionable to return to Tuesday's matchup with the Clippers. The 25-year-old lasted three minutes before being escorted to the locker room with back soreness. The Mavs lost Game 1, so the team is certainly hoping he can get back out there. But if Gafford is done for the evening, Dereck Lively II and Maxi Kleber would likely absorb most of the surplus minutes.

Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (calf) won't play on Wednesday versus the Heat. The 28-year-old sustained a calf injury at practice and wasn't available for the series opener, with his absence likely to extend at least a few more contests. While Kornet had a semi-consistent role in the rotation during the regular season, head coach Joe Mazzulla only utilized three players outside of the starting lineup in Game 1, so he probably won't do much for DFS managers once he's healthy enough to return.

Phoenix Suns forward Grayson Allen (ankle) won't return to Tuesday's postseason meeting with Minnesota. He tweaked his right ankle during the Game 1 loss on Saturday night and was considered day-to-day. However, the former Blue Devil managed to suit up for this one, although he reinjured the same ankle, ending his night after logging only 17 minutes. With Game 3 on Friday night, Allen may not be healthy enough to get on the floor. The Suns already lack depth, so the starting lineup would presumably get plenty of work if that's the case. In addition, Royce O'Neale and Eric Gordon would be the favorites to absorb the surplus minutes.

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (ankle) has been cleared to play in Tuesday's Game 2 against Minnesota. An ankle injury forced him to exit the series opener early on Saturday, but Allen has fully shaken off the injury and reportedly won't have a minutes limit on Tuesday. The 28-year-old sharpshooter averaged 19.0 points against Minnesota during the regular season with a sizzling 62.5 percent success rate from deep, but he had an off night in Game 1. Before injuring his ankle, Allen notched only four points, which all came via free throws. He finished 0-for-3 from the field in 25 minutes of action.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (hip) has been listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 2 against Phoenix. Anderson hurt his right hip in the series opener at the weekend, playing only five minutes. Nickeil Alexander-Walker earned extra trust off the bench and had an outstanding day at the office on Saturday with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, and four steals. Everybody's favorite sixth man, Naz Reid, should also eat up a few more minutes on Tuesday if Anderson can't play.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 24 points in Monday's win over Philly. He added eight rebounds and six assists. While the 27-year-old led the way on the scoring end, he still had trouble shooting the ball, going 8-for-29 from the field and 1-for-6 from deep. He posted similar shooting percentages in Game 1, so it's apparent the Sixers will continue to make him a focal point defensively. However, Brunson can get it done in multiple ways, keeping him on the radar as a top DFS option for any lineup when these clubs meet for Game 3 on Thursday night in Philadelphia.