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Jackson Jr. missed their last game, and with Pat Connaughton out, MarJon Beauchamp so the majority of the perimeter bench minutes, with AJ Green having a few minutes sprinkled in as well. With Connaughton out again, Jackson Jr.'s availability should have an impact on how many minutes Beachamp sees, but it shouldn’t really affect fantasy basketball.

Wagner was fairly quiet offensively through the first three quarters of Sunday’s contest, having totaled just eight points on 2-of-8 shooting. Yet, he served as Orlando’s closer. In the fourth quarter alone, the fifth-year forward consistently attacked the rim and ultimately converted all five of his field-goal attempts, scoring 11 of the Magic’s 31 points in the frame. Wagner ended as the team’s second-leading scorer on the evening and was one of five Magic players to log at least four assists. He was effective and timely in the victory, which is what Orlando hopes he can duplicate in Game 2.

Banchero rode the hot hand into Sunday’s performance and delivered another fine offensive outing in Game 1. As a result of efficient shooting, the former first-overall pick led Orlando in scoring and was the only one to reach the 20-point mark, even without tallying any points in the fourth quarter. Still, his scoring contributions through three periods helped the Magic build and mostly maintain a lead from start to finish. He also chipped in as a passer and came within one rebound of a double-double. Banchero played a strong game on Sunday and has Orlando in position to potentially steal two games on the road to open the series.

Watson’s 2025-26 postseason debut will have to wait at least one game longer, as the fourth-year guard is set to miss Monday’s second game. Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Spencer Jones should remain the primary wing options off the bench, as was the case in Denver’s Game 1 victory.

Edwards is showing up on Sunday’s injury report with a knee issue, likely the same injury that gave him issues and caused him to miss time down the stretch of the regular season. His potential absence would serve as a big blow to the Timberwolves as they look to even up the series. But even if he does play, he’ll likely need to improve on the inefficient 22-point performance he had in Game 1.

J-Dub and the Thunder grabbed control of Game 1 early and never looked back, winning by 35 points. As a playmaker, Williams was especially impactful during the second quarter, as he accounted for six points and four assists. Oklahoma City is a heavy favorite in this series, and its depth and defense carried the day in Game 1. They’ll look to do the same in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Holmgren came out hot in Game 1, scoring 13 points in the first quarter. He didn’t offer much production after that, but the Thunder really didn’t need much from him. Holmgren’s final line only lacked an assist, and he was one of three starters to block two shots. Oklahoma City’s bigs were excellent defensively, with Isaiah Hartenstein (eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks) and Jaylin Williams (five points, four rebounds, two assists, four steals and one three-pointer) all recording at least two “stocks.” Holmgren is one of the finalists for Defensive Player of the Year, joining San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson.

With Duren back in the lineup after missing the regular-season finale, Detroit will have its regular starting five for Game 1 on Sunday. The Pistons posted their first 60-win season in 20 years en route to securing the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed. They will face a Magic team that is just a couple of days removed from knocking off the Charlotte Hornets in the Play-In Tournament.

The Thunder began the postseason portion of their title defense with a 119-84 rout of the Suns, with the reigning league MVP leading the way. Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t shoot the ball well from the field, but his ability to apply pressure off the dribble and get to the foul line compensated for that. SGA was also responsible for seven assists, and the nature of Sunday’s game meant he needed to play just 29 minutes. Oklahoma City hosts Game 2 on Wednesday.

Green shot 2-of-7 from beyond the arc in Game 1, with the complete stat line being countered in an inefficient day of shooting the basketball. Like Devin Booker (23/6/2 with two three-pointers), the Suns are going to need a much better showing from Green if they’re to have any chance of making the series competitive, much less harbor ambitions of winning it. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night.

Given what he brings to the table defensively, Brooks earns a certain level of freedom on the offensive end of the floor. However, there’s no reason why he should lead the Suns in shot attempts when Devin Booker and Jalen Green are available. In Game 1, Brooks put up 22 shots, with Booker next in line with 17 attempts and Green finishing with 16. That’s something to keep an eye on moving forward, beginning with Wednesday’s Game 2. If the Thunder defense can funnel things towards Brooks consistently, this series could be a sweep.