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  • Quiet night Tuesday
    Porter had six points (2-10 FG, 2-7 3Pt), seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 36 minutes during Tuesday's 112-97 victory over the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Porter managed just six points in the victory, continuing his recent offensive struggles. He has scored fewer than 10 points in three of the past four games, a very different story compared to how he opened the playoffs. Despite his poor shooting, the Nuggets now sit just one win away from another trip to the Western Conference Finals. Look for Porter to turn things around in the near future. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 11:53 pm
     
  • Struggles in Game 5 loss
    Reid contributed seven points (3-8 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and one block in 20 minutes during Tuesday's 112-97 loss to the Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Reid was a non-factor in the loss, continuing his recent struggles. Coming off a career-best regular season, Reid has been unable to produce consistently during the postseason. He has scored fewer than 15 points in eight of the Timberwolves' nine playoff games. Now facing a must-win matchup, Reid will look to turn things around in front of his home fans. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 11:38 pm
     
  • Starts second half
    Gafford (shoulder) has returned for the second half of Saturday's Game 3 against the Thunder, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: Gafford briefly went to the locker room in the second quarter grabbing at his left shoulder but was able to take the floor for the second half. If he's restricted due to the injury, Dereck Lively would be next in line for minutes. Rotowire.com Saturday, 2:09 pm
     
  • Heads to locker room
    Gafford exited in the second quarter of Game 3 against Oklahoma City on Saturday with a left shoulder injury, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: An injury to Gafford could be devastating for the Mavericks, as he's been a solid contributor down low for Dallas. If he's unable to return, then Dereck Lively would be in line for a bigger role. Rotowire.com Saturday, 1:46 pm
     
  • Michael Porter Jr. hits four 3-pointers in Game 3
    Michael Porter Jr. recorded a line of 21 points (6-of-10 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and four 3-pointers in 30 minutes in Friday’s Game 3 win over the Timberwolves.

    Advice: After scoring 20 points in Game 1, Porter had a brutal Game 2. He wasn’t the only Nuggets player who needed to redeem himself in Game 3, and MPJ came through with timely perimeter shooting. He’s scored at least 20 points in six of his last seven playoff games, and he finished Game 3 one blocked shot shy of his third straight full stat line. Also shooting the ball well from three for Denver was Aaron Gordon, who was 3-of-4 from deep and finished with 13 points, two rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. Given the amount of attention Minnesota has paid Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, there will be opportunities for Porter and Gordon to flourish. They took advantage on Friday and must do the same in Game 4 on Sunday. Rotoworld Friday, 9:18 pm
     
  • Strong from deep in 21-point Game 3
    Porter ended with 21 points (6-10 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal over 30 minutes in Friday's 117-90 win over the Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Porter provided a nice lift offensively for Denver in its first win of the conference semifinals, leading all Nuggets in threes made while ending as one of three players with 20 or more points in Game 3. Porter had a bounce-back performance after failing to reach double figures in scoring in Game 2, and he has now posted 20 or more points in two of the three games against Minnesota. Rotowire.com Friday, 9:17 pm
     
  • Daniel Gafford (hand) scores 13 points Thursday
    Daniel Gafford (right hand) shot 4-of-6 from the field and 5-of-9 from the foul line in Thursday’s Game 2 win over Dallas, scoring 13 points with seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 27 minutes.

    Advice: Despite injuring his right hand during the second quarter, Gafford played 27 minutes as the starting center and was one of five Mavericks to reach double figures. He did spend some time in the locker room before halftime, but the veteran pivot still shouldered his usual workload. There’s a quick turnaround for Game 3, which will be played on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. Should Gafford’s hand become more problematic, Dereck Lively II would take on added responsibility. The rookie played 20 minutes off the bench in Game 2, finishing with two points (1-of-7 FGs), four rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot. Rotoworld Thursday, 9:25 pm
     
  • Strong performance in loss
    Gafford totaled 16 points (5-12 FG, 6-8 FT), 11 rebounds, one assist and five blocks across 27 minutes during Tuesday's 117-95 loss to the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Gafford recorded a double-double in the loss, adding five blocks. It was arguably his best performance of the postseason and something the Mavericks are going to need more of should they hope to advance to the Conference Finals. Despite the loss, the scoreline does not reflect that the Mavericks kept this close for three quarters. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 10:28 pm
     
  • Daniel Gafford records 16/11 double-double
    Daniel Gafford recorded a double-double on Tuesday with 16 points (5-of-12 FGs), 11 rebounds, one assist and five blocks against the Thunder.

    Advice: Gafford had a quiet first round series against the Clippers, but he was much better in the first game of this series. He recorded his first double-double of this postseason and swatted five shots, which was his highest block total in a game since March. Gafford has a better matchup in this series, and with Maxi Kleber sidelined for at least three weeks, he’ll continue to see extra minutes. He played 27 minutes in this game, which was more minutes than he played in any game in the first round. He’ll play a large role once again in Game 2 on Thursday. Rotoworld Tuesday, 9:25 pm