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.

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 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.

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.

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden had 22 points on 6-for-14 shooting in a 96-93 loss to Dallas on Tuesday. After opening the series with a vintage performance and 28 points, Harden scored only three points in the first quarter without making any field goals, and the Clippers' offense struggled throughout the night. Harden finished 6-for-14 shooting, including a 2-for-10 effort from deep, and tallied six rebounds with eight assists, one steal, and one block. The former MVP has plenty to think about ahead of Game 3, but at least the Clippers now have Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup to boost their chances in the series.

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard continued to roll in Game 2 against the Pacers on Tuesday, but his big performance wasn't enough this time around for the team to get the win. Lillard led his squad in a 125-108 loss with 34 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Most of his makes came from downtown, as Lillard went 6-for-13 with the three-ball. He delivered five assists in the contest and recorded four rebounds with one steal. The 2024 All-Star Game MVP is thoroughly enjoying his first postseason campaign in three years, sitting among the top scorers with 34.5 points and boasting a very impressive 50 percent success rate from behind the arc.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) will play in Game 2 against Dallas on Tuesday. The two-time Finals MVP will make his first appearance of the month, having sat out nine straight games. Leonard's return will drop Amir Coffey from the starting unit. Coffey could still play a decent role in the rotation, but his fantasy value takes a big blow with the move to the bench. Leonard has built himself a reputation as a prolific playoff performer, but he has struggled against the Mavericks this season. In three regular-season meetings, Leonard shot only 44.9 from the floor in the matchup to average 21.3 points with 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has been officially ruled out for Tuesday's Game 2 against Indiana. The former MVP is expected to return to action at some point in the series, but it's only been a couple of weeks since he strained his left Soleus muscle, and Antetokounmpo needs more time to heal. Bobby Portis has taken over Antetokounmpo's position in the starting unit. He opened the first-round series with a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton carry bigger loads offensively without Antetokounmpo.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) was present at the morning shootaround ahead of Game 2 on Tuesday versus the Dallas Mavericks. Dealing with inflammation in his right knee, Leonard hasn't played since March 31 and remains listed as questionable for the second game of the Western Conference quarterfinals. The 32-year-old two-way superstar's status is trending in the right direction but appears likely to come down to a game-time decision based on pregame warmups. Should Leonard remain out, James Harden and Paul George would dominate usage for the Clips as even more appealing DFS options on Tuesday's three-game slate. The sharpshooting Amir Coffey would figure to remain in LA's starting lineup as well, but he averaged only 11.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 three-pointers in 28.9 minutes over 13 games as a starter in the regular season.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic cooked up a special line against the Lakers in Monday's 101-99 win, leading the team with 27 points and bagging 20 rebounds and 10 assists. It's his fourth career playoff game with at least 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists. There have been only four other occasions in NBA playoff history when a player has managed to record these numbers. Jokic's night included a pair of steals in 41 minutes on the floor, as he shot 9-for-16 from the field and 2-for-4 from downtown. The reigning Finals MVP fills up the stat sheet with ease and should continue to do so as the series shifts to L.A. later in the week.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James had a vintage playoff performance in Game 2 against Denver on Monday in a 101-99 loss. He produced 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and totaled eight rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and two blocks. James was 3-for-6 with the three-ball and shot 9-for-19 overall. The NBA-s all-time leading scorer has now lost nine consecutive games against a single opponent for the first time in his 21-year career. He will try to spark a comeback in the series on Thursday when the two teams meet up in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis brought out all of his offensive moves to score a game-high 32 points in Monday's loss to Denver. Davis missed only five of his 19 shots and racked up 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block across 39 minutes. However, the Lakers needed one more swat from him, as Jamal Murray hit a 101-99 game-winner at the buzzer over Davis. The Lakers are now 2-0 down in the series, but Davis has been in outstanding form. He's averaged 32.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks through the first couple of games.

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.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) had a double-double in Monday's loss to the Knicks. He tweaked his surgically repaired left knee in Game 1 on Saturday and was listed as questionable heading into this one. However, the reigning MVP logged 39 minutes and finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. With the Sixers trailing two games, the series will head back to Philadelphia for Game 3. DFS managers should expect Embiid to appear on the injury report, just like he has since returning from his lengthy layoff. With that in mind, Embiid will remain one of the best fantasy options available, even though he's not fully healthy and has had issues shooting the ball in this series.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) is questionable for Tuesday's postseason clash with the Mavericks. He has started practicing, although it's unknown how involved he actually was. With that in mind, DFS managers likely won't see him on Tuesday night. However, it appears there's at least a chance Leonard could return during the series with Dallas. Nonetheless, Paul George, Ivica Zubac, and James Harden should lead the way offensively while Leonard is out. At the same time, there's room for Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell, and Terance Mann to benefit on the scoring end.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is doubtful to play in Tuesday's game versus the Pacers. TNT's Jared Greenberg reported on Sunday that the team remains optimistic the multi-time MVP will be back at some point during the series against Indiana. However, he's not expected to play in Game 2 as he continues to work his way back from a left Soleus strain. Of course, Damian Lillard will stay a popular DFS option on Tuesday night, especially after scoring 35 points in Game 1. In addition, Bobby Portis and Khris Middleton, each amassing a double-double on Sunday, will also see more attention from fantasy managers if Antetokounmpo is officially ruled out.

According to TNT's Chris Hayes, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will suit up for Monday's matchup with the Knicks. Embiid tweaked his surgically repaired left knee in Game 1, forcing him to exit the contest briefly. However, he managed to finish the game, amassing 29 points. The 30-year-old looked tired at times throughout Saturday's loss to the Knicks and also had trouble shooting the ball. There's also a chance of re-injury, meaning he's a risky DFS option despite the obvious upside.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is listed as probable for Monday's postseason clash with the Denver Nuggets. By now, most should expect him on the injury report for the remainder of the playoffs. But unless James suffers a significant setback with his nagging ankle injury, DFS managers should expect to see him out there. The 39-year-old continues to produce at a high level, most recently amassing 27 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in the Game 1 loss to the champs. He also had seven turnovers, although that shouldn't keep DFS managers from putting him in their lineups.