Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Naz Reid had a busy night off the bench in Wednesday's Game 1 against Dallas, recording 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in a 108-105 loss. Reid demonstrated perfectly why he was voted the Sixth Man of the Year, making an impact in all areas across 24 minutes of action. He finished with 5-for-9 shooting, going 3-for-6 with the three-ball. Reid's numbers have dropped in the playoffs, along with his playing time, but that's now three efforts in four games with 10-plus points from him. Minnesota will need more of the same in the battle against Dallas' well-equipped frontcourt.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns took a team-high 20 shots but made only six efforts in Wednesday's Game 1 loss to the Mavericks, posting 16 points. Towns' inefficiency from the field ended up being costly for the team, as the Timberwolves suffered a narrow three-point defeat. Half of his misses came from downtown with nine attempts, and Towns was also limited to seven rebounds while registering two assists and one steal. With Anthony Edwards also struggling to score, the two Timberwolves stars combined for 12-for-36 shooting. Yet, the team was still close to walking away with the victory. We should see a much-improved effort from the star duo in Friday's Game 2.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards struggled to get points on the board but went close to his first career triple-double in Wednesday's Game 1 loss to the Mavericks. Edwards shot a very good 5-for-12 from downtown, but he finished 6-for-16 overall from the field and managed only 19 points. However, he led his team with 11 rebounds and eight assists, adding a pair of steals to his stat line. Edwards has had a huge postseason campaign, but after playing 44 minutes in Game 7 against Denver on Sunday, he logged 41 minutes on Wednesday and looked gassed in the closing stages. The games are coming thick and fast, with Game 2 of the series scheduled for Friday, and the Timberwolves will be in big trouble if Edwards can't get his energy levels back.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels opened Wednesday's Game 1 against Dallas with 4-for-4 three-point shooting and was the team's top scorer in the end in a 108-105 loss with 24 points. The 23-year-old enjoyed his third consecutive 20-point effort with 9-for-15 shooting, hitting six of his nine attempts from behind the arc. McDaniels' night also included four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Minnesota's young forward has built himself a reputation as a very good defensive player, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team at the start of the week. But McDaniels has also been on a roll offensively lately thanks to some very sharp three-point shooting, going 12-for-18 from deep across his last three appearances.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving had one of his best offensive games of the 2024 postseason on Wednesday with a 30-point effort in a 108-105 win over Minnesota. Irving did a great job in getting to the rim early in the game and had 24 points in the first half alone. He couldn't get any threes to drop with three attempts but shot a good 12-for-23 overall from the field and posted five rebounds with four assists and one block. In the previous series against the Thunder, Irving averaged only 15.7 points, so he looked almost like a different player in the Western Conference Finals opener, and his scoring is a major plus for the Mavericks.

Dallas Mavericks forward/center P.J. Washington recorded 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks as the team opened the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota with a 108-105 win on Wednesday. It was a rough shooting night for the 28-year-old, as Washington finished 4-for-10 from the field and 2-for-8 with his three-point attempts, but he made a big shot late in the game to set the Mavericks on their way. Washington's second triple gave Dallas a 104-102 lead with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Despite the poor shooting, Washington led all Mavericks starters with a plus-12 rating. The former Hornet has looked great in these playoffs, and the Mavericks tend to have a tough time when he's off the court.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic took over in the fourth quarter and led the team to a 108-105 win against Minnesota in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals Wednesday night. Doncic scored seven straight points early in the quarter and had 15 of his game-high 33 points inside the final 12 minutes. He also came up big on the defensive end when it mattered the most, finishing with three steals and one block. Unfortunately, Doncic failed in his attempt to become only the third player in NBA history with a four-game postseason triple-double streak. But he still recorded a full line, dishing out eight assists and grabbing six rebounds. With more efficient shooting -- Doncic was only 12-for-26 from the field and 3-for-10 from downtown -- this could have been a monster game for the Mavericks superstar.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (calf) won't play on Thursday night versus the Pacers. The veteran has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a right Soleus strain. Fortunately, it appears Porzingis is moving in the right direction, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that he could be back for Game 4 on Monday night. With Xavier Tillman Sr. (personal) questionable, Al Horford and Luke Kornet should continue to absorb nearly all of the minutes in the middle. However, Horford is the better DFS option by far.

According to Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, forward Jayson Tatum could spend time at center at some point during the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Pacers. While Mazzulla wasn't definitive about it, Tatum's potential move to the middle could mean less work for Al Horford, who has been starting in place of Kristaps Porzingis. With that in mind, Porzingis could be back for Game 4 on Monday, meaning Horford's DFS outlook for the rest of the series doesn't look as promising as it was during the Conference semifinals. It is even worse news for Luke Kornet, although the door could be open for Sam Hauser to get more action.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (hand) underwent successful surgery on his left hand, which he injured in the Game 7 Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Pacers. He will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks. Brunson, who is expected to sign a lucrative extension this summer, finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging a career-high 28.7 points and 6.7 assists in 77 appearances. He also received MVP consideration. The 27-year-old should be good to go before training camp starts, barring a setback, and he's expected to be a top-10 fantasy option in all formats heading into the new season.

New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic (wrist) underwent successful surgery on his left wrist and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks. The 35-year-old began the 2023-24 campaign in Detroit, where he averaged 20.2 points and shot 41.5% from deep. He was traded to New York ahead of the deadline. However, he struggled in 29 games with the Knicks, averaging only 10.4 points. Bogdanovic has one year left on his current contract. Although his fantasy stock can't get much lower, he could work his way into the rotation in 2024-25, especially if the team makes moves this summer.

Indiana Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell continued his strong stretch of performances with a good 25-minute outing in Tuesday's Game 1 loss to Boston. He scored 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting off the bench and dished out four assists while recording three rebounds and one steal. McConnell has become a very useful spark plug off the pine for the Pacers, posting a pair of double-doubles and scoring in double figures in six of the last eight games. Boston has one of the most unproductive benches in the league, meaning Indiana's second unit has a big role to play in the series if the team wants to match the Celtics.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner contributed all over the floor in Tuesday's Game 1 against Boston, registering 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in a 133-128 overtime loss. Indiana's big man got off to a red-hot start in the contest and racked up 18 points in the first half with 7-for-10 shooting. His scoring pace was much slower after the break, but it was still an impressive outing from Turner, who finished with 9-for-13 shooting, hitting three of his four attempts from deep. Indiana will hope to see more of the same from Turner in Game 2.

Indiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the team took a heartbreaking 133-128 overtime loss against the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday. The former Raptor finished without a made three-pointer for the first time in four games but went a solid 12-for-23 overall from the field and led the Pacers starters with a plus-five rating after also posting seven assists and one steal. This marks Siakam's first double-double since he opened the playoffs with two in two games. It's been a struggle for him on the glass, but things have clicked for Siakam offensively following a quiet spell. The Cameroonian star has gone for 20-plus points in five of his last six appearances.

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton finished Tuesday's Game 1 loss against Boston with a team-high 25 points, 10 assists, three rebounds, three steals, and one block. His productive outing included six made three-pointers, which tied the NBA record for most triples made in a Conference Finals debut. Haliburton sunk a couple of crazy efforts from deep and finished 6-for-14 from behind the arc while going 8-for-18 overall from the field. That's now back-to-back games with six made shots from three-point range for him, and Haliburton ended a seven-game run without a double-double on Tuesday, which will be encouraging for the Pacers. However, Haliburton also had a couple of bad turnovers at crucial times, and he will need to do better in that department in Thursday's Game 2.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum had a big double-double in Tuesday's Eastern Conference Finals opener against Indiana, scoring a game-high 36 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to help the team to a 133-128 overtime win. He scored 11 of Boston's 16 points in overtime after Jaylen Brown had hit a tough three-pointer to extend the game. With him shooting 12-for-26 from the field, Tatum wasn't very efficient with his scoring, but his overall work, which included four assists and three steals, resulted in a game-best plus-20 rating. It's scary what he could do if he shoots better in Game 2. Tatum will enter Thursday's contest with a four-game double-double streak.

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday had by far the best offensive outing of the 2024 postseason on Tuesday, finishing a 133-128 overtime victory against Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Entering Tuesday, Holiday hasn't managed more than 18 points in any playoff game this year, finishing with less than 10 points in four of 10 games, but he looked like a different man on the court Tuesday night. As usual, Holiday, who finished 4-for-8 with the three-ball, also made his mark defensively, snagging three steals, and he capped off his line with seven rebounds and eight assists. This could be another quick series for Boston if Holiday can keep up his form for the rest of the week.

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown kicked off the Eastern Conference Finals in style, playing a massive role in a 133-128 overtime win in Game 1 on Tuesday. Brown hit a tough contested corner triple to take the game into the extra frame and stood out at the other end in overtime, stealing the ball with 37 seconds remaining, which helped Boston to get over the finish line. The three-time All-Star had three total steals in the game and added a block at the defensive end while scoring 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting. It was a full line from Brown in Game 1, as he also recorded seven rebounds and five assists. Brown has been very potent in these playoffs, reaching the 25-point plateau in five of the last seven games.

According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell is drawing interest from the Orlando Magic. The 28-year-old is coming off a quality season, averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds. He also shot a career-high 41.5% from deep. He can earn nearly $19 million if he accepts his player option. But if Russell wants to test the market, the Magic could look to add some stability to their backcourt, something the team desperately needs. From a fantasy standpoint, he's expected to remain a reliable option no matter where he ends up, although injuries have sometimes overshadowed his play throughout his career.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (calf) is questionable for Wednesday's postseason battle with the Mavericks. The 36-year-old suffered a right Soleus strain during the Western Conference semifinals against OKC. While the injury cost him Game 5, he was available for the series' final two contests. Conley averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and shot 52.9% from deep in four regular-season meetings versus Dallas. However, he's not always reliable for DFS purposes, and he may be even less dependable due to the injury.