Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) returned to practice on Sunday. The veteran sniper got hurt in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Clippers, spraining his right ankle. Dallas had no trouble finishing off the Clippers in six games, but Hardaway Jr. will make a welcome return if he's ready to go for the second round against the Thunder on Tuesday. The 32-year-old was among the league's most prolific bench scorers in the regular season, averaging 14.4 points in 26.6 minutes.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber (shoulder) will be re-evaluated in three weeks. He was initially expected to miss the rest of the postseason after Kleber suffered a separated shoulder in Friday's first-round clincher against the Clippers. It now looks like Kleber could be back for the Western Conference Finals if Dallas gets past Oklahoma City in the second round. In the meantime, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II will share the frontcourt minutes. The Thunder have struggled in the rebounding department this season, putting the three in a position to have a productive series.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (calf) is questionable for Monday's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although the 27-year-old managed to suit up for Game 1 on Saturday night, it appears the calf injury impacted his play. He finished that one with 17 points, a significant decline from his scoring contributions in the previous series versus the Lakers. In all fairness, the rest of the roster struggled, so Murray and company could turn things around in Game 2.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell led his team to a series-clinching win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. He had 50 points in Game 6 on Friday night. While the 27-year-old wasn't as impactful on the scoring end in this one, he still finished with 39 points and added nine rebounds, five assists, one block, and one steal. Mitchell and company will get a day off on Monday before meeting the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night to begin the semi-finals. He played well against the C's during the regular season, averaging 30.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. However, the Cavs could struggle as a whole, meaning it could be difficult for Mitchell to stay as productive.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (rib) is questionable heading into Sunday's pivotal matchup with the Orlando Magic. The 26-year-old has averaged 17.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks during this series. However, a rib contusion prevented him from suiting up for the team's last two contests. With the series tied at three games each, the Cavaliers certainly hope to get Allen back for Game 7. But if he can't play, Marcus Morris Sr. and Isaac Okoro could get more work, although neither player is a reliable DFS contributor.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray had 17 points in Saturday's playoff loss to the Timberwolves. He added four assists and one rebound. The 27-year-old had trouble finding his rhythm in this one. But to be fair, his teammates didn't play much better, with Nikola Jokic going 11-for-25 from the field and 2-for-9 from deep. Murray averaged 17.3 points, 7.7 assists, and shot 53.8% from behind the three-point line in three meetings with Minnesota during the regular season. With that in mind, he has an excellent chance of bouncing back in Game 2 on Monday night.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic finished with 32 points in Saturday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He added nine assists, eight rebounds, and three steals. While the multi-time MVP nearly had a triple-double, he had issues finding the bottom of the net in Game 1, shooting 11-for-25 from the field and 2-for-9 from deep. He also had seven turnovers. The Timberwolves did a fantastic job preventing Jokic from getting comfortable. With that in mind, head coach Mike Malone will make adjustments heading into Game 2 on Monday evening, so Jokic should play better.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber (shoulder) is sidelined indefinitely and could miss the remainder of the postseason. The 32-year-old exited Friday's series-clinching win over the Los Angeles Clippers because of a shoulder injury. Unfortunately, an MRI revealed an AC joint dislocation. Kleber averaged a career-low 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds this season. However, he still had a valuable role in head coach Jason Kidd's rotation. But with Kleber out of the mix, Dereck Lively II, who had 10 points, nine rebounds, and one steal in Game 6, should see more work off the bench behind Daniel Gafford.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (knee) exercised his $21.4 million option for the 2024-25 campaign. This was expected, especially since the 2017 No. 2 overall pick has been sidelined by a left knee injury for over two years. During his time away, he's undergone three surgeries to address the issue, including a cartilage transplant. Ball most recently played 35 games for the Bulls after being traded by the Pelicans and posted some of his best numbers, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting a career-high 42.3% from behind the arc. With that said, the 26-year-old doesn't have a return date. But even if he gets back on the floor at some point, it could take him a while to work his way up to full speed. The risk of re-injury and potential decreased production will also be factors for fantasy managers to consider, even if there is a positive update regarding his health at some point in the next few months.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland played well in Friday's loss to Orlando. The 24-year-old scored 21 points, finishing second on his team in scoring behind Donovan Mitchell, who had 50. He added six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Garland struggled during the first four games of the series. However, he's now combined for 44 points in the last two contests. While the 2019 No. 5 overall pick has lost the trust of some DFS managers, he deserves fantasy consideration for Game 7 on Sunday, primarily since Orlando will likely focus on keeping Mitchell from having another explosive performance.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell had a game-high 50 points in Friday's postseason meeting with Orlando. However, his efforts weren't enough, as the Magic earned the win to extend the series. The 27-year-old continues to deal with an ailing knee. But after a few unimpressive showings during this round, Mitchell got his act together in Game 6. With the series knotted at three games each, both clubs will head back to Cleveland for Game 7 on Sunday. Mitchell has played well on his home turf throughout this series, averaging 27 points. Yet, the Magic will likely focus on slowing him down, meaning he may not be as productive as he was on Friday evening.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (leg) was seen at shootaround ahead of Friday's Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks. Mann is listed as questionable heading into this game due to a right leg contusion. The fact Mann was seen at shootaround is a good sign heading into Friday's game. The team will likely wait to see how Mann feels during pregame warmups before making a final decision. His absence would likely mean increased playing time for Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (ribs) remains listed as questionable for Friday night's Game 6 against the Orlando Magic. The big man was spotted at shootaround on Friday morning but his level of participation is unclear. He was unable to play in Game 5 on Tuesday due to the rib contusion, so it seems like he'll be a game-time decision in this potential series-clinching game. DFS managers will want to check back when it gets closer to tipoff since his presence usually means a bit of a value hit to Evan Mobley when it comes to rebounds and defensive stats.

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (hamstring) was officially listed as questionable when the injury report first came out, and head coach Jamahl Mosley confirmed that to still be the case. During shootaround on Friday morning, Mosley was asked if Harris was likely to play and he said, "He went through walk-through. He's going to go through his shooting slot, so he'll still be more of a game-time decision." While it's encouraging that he went through the walk-through and is still scheduled to get his shooting in, there could be some discomfort leading up to game time. DFS managers will want to monitor his situation if thinking about using him in any lineups.

New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart delivered yet again with huge hustle plays and a dagger three that officially moved the team into the second round of the playoffs. The former Villanova Wildcat finished the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and two turnovers while shooting 5-for-11 overall and 3-for-5 from three. He was the Knicks' second-leading scorer in this series and had double the amount of rebounds per game compared to their second-best rebounder. On top of that, he shot some of his best percentages from three in his career as he registered 43.2% from deep on 6.2 attempts per game.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid fouled out late in Game 6 after intentionally fouling with the clock ticking down, but he was able to keep the team in the game while battling on the offensive end and on the boards. The former MVP posted 39 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and five turnovers. He also shot 12-for-25 from the floor, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 13-for-13 from the free throw line. Despite the injured knee and Bells Palsy, the superstar big man ended this series with averages of 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game with shooting splits of .444/.333/.859.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson turned in a historic performance after posting a third-straight 40-point performance and his fourth game of at least 39 points and six assists. In Game 6, Brunson finished with 41 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, and two turnovers while shooting 13-for-27 from the floor and 3-for-8 from deep. The Villanova product hit multiple big shots down the stretch of the game to put it just out of reach for the 76ers and lead the Knicks to their second playoff series win since the 2012-13 season. Despite a rough start in the first two games of the series, he found his rhythm and carried the offense to the tune of 35.5 points per game and he's currently the leading scorer throughout the entire playoffs so far.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton had 14 points in Thursday's loss to the Pacers. He added four boards, three assists, and two steals. While the veteran did all he could, his efforts weren't enough to lead Milwaukee to a win, eliminating the team from the playoffs. Middleton finished the regular season by averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. However, as usual, the 32-year-old was limited to 55 games due to injury. Middleton's play is never a concern. But his inability to stay healthy will negatively impact his fantasy stock heading into the 2024-25 campaign, no matter where he's playing.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (Achilles) was back in the lineup for Thursday's playoff meeting with Indiana after missing a few contests with an Achilles injury. He played well, scoring a game-high 28 points while shooting 7-for-16 from the field and 4-for-12 from deep. Unfortunately, Lillard's return didn't help, as the Pacers got the win to eliminate the Bucks from the postseason. Lillard has been one of the league's most potent scorers for years. However, the 33-year-old took a step backward in his first season with the Bucks, averaging 24.3 points, nearly eight fewer than he had in his final season in Portland. On a positive note, he logged 73 games during the regular season, his most since 2017-18. But it appears Lillard is starting to regress statistically, so his fantasy ranking for next season won't be as favorable.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (rib) is questionable for Friday's matchup with Orlando. The veteran is bothered by a right rib contusion, keeping him off the floor for Tuesday's win. He didn't practice on Thursday, although it appears he still has a chance to suit up for Game 6. However, if Allen misses another contest, Isaac Okoro will likely remain in the starting lineup. On the other hand, Marcus Morris Sr., coming off a 12-point effort in Game 5, would be the preferred DFS value option if Allen can't go.