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  • Cracks rotation in victory
    McDermott supplied zero points (0-1 FG) in three minutes during Friday's 116-103 victory over the Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: McDermott played three minutes to close the game Friday, at which point the Pacers had the game sealed up. Having played a total of just 19 minutes in the series, it's safe to say that McDermott is not going to play a role in determining the outcome of what has been a fantastic series between two bitter rivals. Rotowire.com Saturday, 3:55 am
     
  • Rare appearance in loss
    Sims racked up one rebound, one assist and one block across four minutes during Friday's 116-103 loss to the Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Sims played four minutes of garbage time as the Knicks were soundly beaten by the Pacers. Though he is known for playing his stars heavy minutes, even in losses, common sense prevailed with Tom Thibodeau closing with his second unit. Despite another ankle injury to Mitchell Robinson, Sims has been unable to carve out a consistent role, something that doesn't bode well for his future when looking beyond this season. Rotowire.com Saturday, 3:42 am
     
  • Remains out
    Prosper (ankle) won't play in Saturday's Game 6 against the Thunder.

    Advice: Prosper has yet to suit up this postseason while dealing with a left ankle sprain. While it is unclear when the rookie forward will return to action, it seems unlikely he will receive significant playing time even when available. Rotowire.com Friday, 2:34 pm
     
  • Excels in Game 6 victory
    McDaniels notched 21 points (8-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal over 30 minutes during Thursday's 115-70 victory over Denver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: McDaniels is not known for his scoring ability and often gets recognition for his defensive work. Still, he stood out when it mattered the most in this series and finished as Minnesota's second-highest scorer. McDaniels is not expected to hover around the 20-point mark regularly going forward, but this was an excellent showing in a game during which his team needed him to step up. In fact, this was McDaniels' second-best scoring output in the current playoff run, as he scored 25 points in the Game 2 win over the Suns in the first round. Rotowire.com Thursday, 9:02 pm
     
  • Jaden McDaniels scores 21 points in Game 6
    Jaden McDaniels racked up 21 points (8-of-10 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs) to go along with four rebounds, an assist, a steal, two blocks, and three made 3-pointers in 31 minutes.

    Advice: McDaniels has been fairly quiet offensively since the first round but topped 20 points for the second time this postseason on Thursday while trailing only Aaron Gordon in blocks. The Timberwolves wing affected his team’s offense and defense and offense significantly in a must-win contest. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:31 pm
     
  • Moves to bench
    Alexander-Walker will move to the bench for Thursday's Game 6 versus Denver.

    Advice: This is an expected move with Mike Conley back from his injury. Alexander-Walker fared well in his spot start in Game 5, producing 14 points (5-12 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists and two blocks across 39 minutes. Rotowire.com Thursday, 5:04 pm
     
  • Steps up offensively in win
    Jones had 19 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: The Mavericks needed someone to step up offensively due to P.J. Washington's cold shooting and Kyrie Irving's struggles throughout the series, and Jones embraced that role to deliver a playoff-best scoring mark. Jones has scored in double digits in back-to-back contests, setting him up for having a solid role Saturday in Game 6. He's averaging 9.8 points per game in the current postseason run. Rotowire.com Thursday, 9:05 am
     
  • Efficient off bench in Game 5
    Lively totaled 11 points (3-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Lively has been playing off the bench due to the solid play of Daniel Gafford down low, but the rookie out of Duke made his presence felt on both ends of the court Wednesday. Aside from missing just one shot from the field, Lively was active defensively and recorded the first playoff double-double of his career. Lively is averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in the postseason, and while he looked very good in this pivotal win, he's not expected to move to a starting role ahead of Game 6 on Saturday. Rotowire.com Thursday, 9:04 am
     
  • Isaiah Joe offers minimal value in spot start
    Isaiah Joe played 21 minutes in Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to the Mavericks, accounting for six points (2-of-9 FGs), three rebounds, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: Thunder coach Mark Daigneault changed the starting lineup for Game 5, with Joe replacing the ineffective Josh Giddey. Joe picked up two quick fouls and could not offer much value in his 21 minutes on the court. While Giddey (11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer) shot 5-of-8 from the field, the minutes total (12) is a clear sign that he isn’t trusted in this series. The question ahead of Saturday’s Game 6 is whether or not Daigneault will stick with Joe as the fifth starter. And even if Giddey receives the nod, he’s unlikely to get the minutes needed to be of value to DFS players. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:32 pm