Sacramento Kings guard/forward Malik Monk (knee) is unsure if he can recover in time to play in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He missed his 10th consecutive game on Tuesday against Golden State while nursing an MCL sprain. Monk was initially ruled out for 4-6 weeks, meaning a return to the court in the first round appears unrealistic if Sacramento makes it to the playoffs. With Kevin Huerter (shoulder) also unavailable, Keon Ellis has stepped up big time for the Kings. He produced an outstanding two-way performance against the Warriors on Tuesday and will be expected to keep up the form in Friday's decisive play-in matchup against New Orleans. Davion Mitchell has also started to play a much more important role in the rotation due to the injuries.

Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (arm, ankle) has been cleared to play in Wednesday's play-in battle against Philadelphia. He suffered an arm contusion in the regular-season finale against Toronto on Sunday, logging just three minutes. However, the veteran has shaken off the injury ahead of a crucial part of the campaign. Love is set to provide cover for starting center Bam Adebayo in a tough matchup against Joel Embiid. The veteran has shown in 2023-24 that there's still some juice left in him, averaging 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 16.8 minutes.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (neck) won't suit up for Wednesday's Play-In contest versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The former Hornet has played well since arriving in Miami, so his absence is undoubtedly a tough blow. He's already missed four games because of the ailment. However, his status moving ahead remains a mystery. With that said, until Rozier is back on the floor, Tyler Herro will likely continue to hold things down at the one spot, meaning he should see a bump in usage. In addition, Delon Wright, averaging 8.3 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in the last three games, should be on every DFS manager's radar.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is questionable for Wednesday's Play-In meeting with the Miami Heat. The reigning MVP reaggravated his left knee injury during Friday's win over Orlando and didn't suit up for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Brooklyn Nets. Mo Bamba got the start in that one, although Paul Reed was more productive, amassing a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double with two steals and two blocks. Embiid has practiced in the last few days, which is a good sign. However, DFS managers will anxiously await another update on his availability for the pivotal contest.

Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond (ankle) is listed as questionable ahead of Wednesday's play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks. The big man has missed the last three games due to a left ankle sprain. His absence has opened up more playing time for Dalen Terry in the rotation. He has put together some decent performances and would likely be asked to play more minutes if Drummond sits out. Terry would have some low-end DFS appeal if Drummond is unable to play.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White might've found a long term home. Recently, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said that he wants to keep White around for as long as possible. This statement makes sense after the strong campaign that White posted during this season. He averaged 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 32.6 minutes per game across 73 contests. Both the rebounds and assists were career highs for White. The 29-year-old appears to have found a home in Boston, so we'll see what happens over the offseason.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) was able to get through a full practice session on Tuesday. The big man is currently listed as questionable ahead of Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat. Head coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid sat out of the regular-season finale for precautionary reasons. It's hard to believe the reigning MVP wouldn't suit up for this important play-in game. If he sits, Mo Bamba would likely start with Paul Reed getting increased minutes off the bench. DFS players will have to check back on Wednesday for another update.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) participated in a portion of Tuesday's practice, according to head coach Ty Lue. Leonard is working his way back to the court after missing the final eight games of the regular season. There is some concern over his status heading into the first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. Luckily, that series doesn't begin until Sunday, so Leonard does have time to get healthy before then. P.J. Tucker has been replacing him in the starting lineup, so he's expected to head to the bench once Leonard is healthy.

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (neck) did not practice on Tuesday. Neck spasms continue to bother Rozier, who didn't play in any of Miami's final four games of the regular season due to the issue. If his absence extends into Wednesday's play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Tyler Herro would function as the Heat's primary ball handler alongside Jimmy Butler and hold added DFS appeal. Stat-sheet stuffer Delon Wright would also play a more prominent role from the second unit in this case.

The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) for the start of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but they are hopeful treatment on his strained left calf will allow him to return sometime later in the series. It coincides with Monday's report from The Athletic's Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo's status for beginning of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals is very much up in the air, but the 29-year-old two-time MVP sounds to be doubtful at best for Game 1. For the Pacers, it's a big upgrade to the matchup outlooks of their entire offense from a DFS perspective, namely Pascal Siakam's. Damian Lillard will steer Milwaukee's offense in any games Antetokounmpo misses, with Bobby Portis being the direct fantasy beneficiary of any of the Greek Freak's absences.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis has given head coach Doc Rivers a vote of confidence, saying he has unlocked a whole new player in him. Rivers' fit with the Bucks has been questioned heavily after he replaced Adrian Griffin in late January and finished the regular season with a losing record at the helm. He went 17-19 with the Bucks, which saw the team drop to the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Portis averaged 15.3 points and 8.9 rebounds under Rivers, a slight improvement from his season averages. The 29-year-old could end up playing a very big role in the first-round matchup against Indiana, with Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in a race to get healthy for the series.

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma plans to come back next season with a "different type of conditioning." The 28-year-old has just completed his third campaign in D.C., averaging a career-high 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, which is another career-best number for him. However, Kuzma went from averaging 35 minutes a night to clocking 32.6 minutes. He'll be carrying extra fantasy value in 2024-25 if he can stay on the court for longer. Kuzma is set to be among the team leaders for a while after Washington inked a four-year, $102 million deal with him last offseason.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Derrick Rose (groin, back) is planning to be back on the court with the team next season. The former MVP signed a two-year deal with the Grizzlies last summer and appears to have no plans of retiring despite another injury-riddled season. Rose, who will turn 36 in early October, played his final game of the campaign on Feb. 28 and ended up featuring just 24 times for the Grizzlies. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes as a bench piece. He will likely be used even more sparingly next season, with a number of younger players on the rise in Memphis.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (knee) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Lakers. The 26-year-old injured his knee during a matchup with the Orlando Magic in March and was sidelined for 12 games. However, he returned for the regular-season finale versus the Lakers, amassing 13 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Fortunately, head coach Willie Green reported that Ingram looked good during practice on Monday, so the plan is to increase his minutes for Tuesday's rematch with Los Angeles. Of course, he'll likely see less work than usual. But Ingram is still worth considering for any DFS contest after Green's latest update.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) practiced on Monday. The reigning MVP logged 32 minutes in Friday's win over the Orlando Magic, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one block. However, he briefly exited the contest after tweaking his knee, although he returned to finish the game. Embiid wasn't available for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Brooklyn Nets, so there is some concern about his health. Yet, head coach Nick Nurse indicated the 30-year-old was held out for precautionary reasons. With that said, it would be surprising if Embiid weren't available for Wednesday's Play-In battle with the Miami Heat. But if he can't suit up, Paul Reed would see a surge in interest from DFS managers.

Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (calf) won't suit up for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old missed the final three contests of the regular season because of a strained calf. With that in mind, Payton only averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds throughout the 2023-24 campaign, so his absence won't have much of an impact on DFS managers.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is probable for Tuesday's Play-In meeting with the New Orleans Pelicans. James has battled a left ankle injury for months. However, he should be ready to roll for the pivotal contest. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale, with James finishing with a 28-point, 17-assist, 11-rebound triple-double. He also had five steals and a block. Of course, the 39-year-old will receive plenty of attention from DFS managers. Yet, James will receive more if Anthony Davis (back) can't suit up.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (back) is questionable for Tuesday's Play-In matchup with New Orleans. These clubs met on Sunday for the regular-season finale. AD logged 33 minutes in that one, finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals. Unfortunately, his day ended after experiencing back spasms. As a result, Davis is now on the injury report, although he's adamant he will be out there for the pivotal contest. If he's not, Jaxson Hayes will presumably take his spot in the rotation. Hayes has averaged 11.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in five starts during the 2023-24 campaign, giving him plenty of value potential for DFS managers.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily, but there's some real doubt for his status to begin the first-round series versus the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Although Antetokounmpo has rare recovery ability, he's very much up in the air for Game 1. Antetokounmpo sustained a strained left calf in last Tuesday's win over the visiting Boston Celtics, and early indications suggest he won't be available for the Bucks at the start of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Expect Milwaukee's offense to run through co-superstar Damian Lillard for any games he sits out, as Lillard averaged 29.9 points, 7.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 three-pointers, and 1.1 steals over eight games without Antetokounmpo this season. Additionally, Bobby Portis averaged 20.8 points, 10.1 boards, 1.7 dimes, 1.2 swipes, and 2.0 threes across eight outings sans the Greek Freak this year.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic eased his way to his 68th double-double of the year in Sunday's 126-111 win over Memphis, completing the regular-season finale with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Jokic, who shot 7-for-11 from the field, also had five assists and stretched his streak with multiple steals to five games with four swipes. The two-time MVP posted a new career-high in double-doubles this year and registered 25 triple-doubles. He ended up averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists. It's been another spectacular campaign for Jokic, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him earn MVP honors again. The big man from Serbia will now begin the title defense with the team in the 2024 playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference.