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  • Luka Doncic comes out hot, finishes with 36 points
    Luka Doncic shot 14-of-22 from the field and 2-of-3 from the foul line in Thursday’s 124-103 win over the Timberwolves, tallying 36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and six 3-pointers in 37 minutes.

    Advice: After failing to close out Minnesota in Game 4, Doncic and the Mavericks left no doubt in Game 5 on Thursday. He outscored the Timberwolves by himself in the first quarter, dropping 20 points to Minnesota’s 19. After that start, the outcome was not in doubt, and Doncic will make his first NBA Finals appearance next Thursday in Boston. The Celtics’ perimeter defenders can offer more defensive resistance, but Luka should benefit from the time off before the Finals begin. Rotoworld Thursday, 7:59 pm
     
  • Good to go for Game 5
    Conley (Achilles) will play in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas on Thursday.

    Advice: For the seventh game in a row, Conley will play through his right soleus strain. With Minnesota facing elimination with a loss, it's not a surprise to see Conley power through his injury again. Rotowire.com Thursday, 4:53 pm
     
  • Mike Conley (calf) available for Game 5 Thursday
    Mike Conley (right soleus strain) is available for Thursday’s game against the Mavericks.

    Advice: As expected, Conley is all set to play on Thursday night. Look for the veteran point guard to play a little over 30 minutes, as this has been the case throughout the series. Rotoworld Thursday, 4:44 pm
     
  • Luka Doncic (ankle, knee) will play in Game 5
    Luka Doncic (left ankle soreness, right knee sprain) is available for Thursday’s game against the Timberwolves.

    Advice: There is no surprise here, as the Mavericks have consistently listed Doncic as questionable before clearing him to play. DFS players should set their lineups accordingly; it would take a blowout in either direction for Doncic not to play at least 40 minutes. Rotoworld Thursday, 4:41 pm
     
  • Dereck Lively II (neck) available for Game 5 Thur.
    Dereck Lively II (neck sprain) is available for Thursday’s game against the Timberwolves.

    Advice: Lively is back after sitting out Tuesday’s Game 4 defeat, meaning Dallas will have both of its preferred centers available. Daniel Gafford remains the starter, while Lively’s return means fewer minutes for Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell. One of those two veterans is likely to fall out of the rotation entirely. Rotoworld Thursday, 4:39 pm
     
  • Cleared for Game 5
    Doncic (knee/ankle) is available for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Thursday.

    Advice: Doncic will shed yet another questionable tag as he continues to power through minor ankle and knee issues. There's no word of any restrictions heading into tipoff. Rotowire.com Thursday, 4:30 pm
     
  • Available to play Thursday
    Lively (neck) is available for Thursday's Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves.

    Advice: Lively participated in the Mavericks' morning shootaround and underwent his routine in pre-game warmups, so it's unsurprising to see him available, as he looked active and had no apparent limitations in his movements. He'll likely see regular minutes off the bench, as he's logged 21.0 minutes per game in the current series while averaging 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest. Rotowire.com Thursday, 4:30 pm
     
  • Present at shootaround
    Lively (neck) was present at the Mavericks' morning shootaround but remains questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.

    Advice: After sitting out the Mavericks' Game 4 loss, Lively is viewed as a game-time decision ahead of Thursday's 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff, but it was encouraging to see him on the court for the team's morning shootaround. The Mavericks will likely monitor how his neck sprain feels leading up to the opening tip, while starting center Daniel Gafford should continue to see increased playing time if Lively is unavailable. Rotowire.com Thursday, 8:35 am
     
  • Considered game-time decision
    Lively (neck) is considered a game-time decision for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves on Thursday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Lively officially remains questionable, and he plans to test his neck in the hours leading up to tipoff before the Mavericks determine his status. He'd provide a boost for Dallas as the team attempts to close out the series, as he averaged 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per game over the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. Rotowire.com Thursday, 7:33 am