NBA Player News

Haliburton struggled in Game 5 after popping up on the injury report with the same back issue but still led his team with 16 points. Whether the ailment will affect him in Game 6 remains to be seen.

With Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert sidelined, the Cavaliers needed additional scoring from someone. Enter Morris, who went off for a season-high 25 points. To say this was a departure from the norm for the veteran center would be an understatement; he scored 30 points total during the regular season and reached double figures once during the postseason (Game 5 against Orlando). Morris will be a free agent this summer, and his days as a reliable fantasy option are in the rear-view mirror.

With Jarrett Allen again sidelined, Mobley did his best to help the Cavaliers force a Game 6. He fell short in his efforts, but this was a good performance for the third-year big man. Statistically speaking, Mobley’s 2023-24 season went as planned. He had a Yahoo ADP of 41.7 and produced at that level in 8- and 9-cat formats, ranking behind only Donovan Mitchell among Cavaliers players. However, Mobley only appeared in 50 regular season games due to injury. While capable of providing greater value to fantasy managers, Mobley sharing the court with Allen may limit his ceiling.

While Cleveland may have attempted to target Horford in the two-man game this series, the 37-year-old pivot made them pay in Game 5. He became the oldest player in NBA history to tally at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five 3-pointers in a playoff game, passing LeBron James. Horford has been influential this season, especially with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) sidelined. That will remain the case in the conference finals, whether the Celtics draw New York or Indiana.

All five Celtics starters finished Game 5 in double figures, with White being one of three to score at least 18 points. And this was a much-needed performance, as he shot 8-of-30 from the field in Games 2 through 4. White helped make up for Jaylen Brown, who finished with just 11 points while accounting for four rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block, and one 3-pointer. Brown took on more of a facilitator role, opening up scoring opportunities for his teammates. White having a better night in Game 5 should give him some positive momentum heading into the conference finals, with the Celtics set to host either New York or Indiana in Game 1 next week.

The Celtics may not have blown out the shorthanded Cavaliers as many expected, but the team with the NBA’s best record handled its business to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum finished one assist shy of a triple-double and was highly efficient in Game 5, shooting over 50% from the field while committing only one turnover. Boston has reached the conference finals in three straight and six of the last eight postseasons. Next up is either New York or Indiana, with the Knicks leading that series three games to two.

Oklahoma City has changed its starting lineup, with Joe replacing the ineffective Josh Giddey. With the defensive-minded Dort on the court, playing two non-shooters together wasn’t working for the Thunder. Giddey has lost minutes to Joe, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins throughout the series. He might remain in the rotation, but it’s unlikely that Giddey will reach 15 minutes.

As expected, Doncic is available for Wednesday’s pivotal Game 5. The injuries have factored into the Mavericks point guard’s inefficiency in this series, and he’ll need to be better if Dallas is to win and take a 3-2 lead.

Porter has not appeared in a game since Cleveland’s regular-season finale, and his absence has not impacted the rotation. That remains the case for Game 5, with the Cavaliers trailing three games to one.

The Cavaliers face long odds to extend their season, as Allen is one of three rotation players ruled out for Game 5. Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert are also out for Wednesday’s game. With Allen sidelined, Evan Mobley will continue to serve as the starting center for the Cavaliers.

After injuring his knee during Monday’s Game 4 defeat, LeVert will miss what could be Cleveland’s final game of the season. He joins Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen on the sideline, with Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade moving into the starting lineup. Sam Merrill will also play more minutes, as Cleveland lacks healthy options heading into Game 5.