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  • Sniffs double-double in Game 1 loss
    Washington closed Thursday's 107-89 loss to the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with 14 points (5-11 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), eight rebounds and one assist over 36 minutes.

    Advice: The Mavericks struggled on offense all game long and didn't even reach the 90-point mark, but Washington was one of the few decent performers on a Dallas team that looked overmatched at times. Washington has looked comfortable being Dallas' third-best offensive player during this postseason run, but his efforts were not enough in this lopsided defeat. Washington has now scored in double digits in each of his last six playoff outings. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:47 pm
     
  • Double-doubles in Game 1 win
    Tatum finished with 16 points (6-16 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, five assists and one block across 42 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 win over the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Tatum took a step back on offense behind the impressive performances of both Jaylen Brown (22 points) and Kristaps Porzingis (20 points off the bench), but he delivered a strong fantasy line even though his shot wasn't falling. Tatum snapped a streak of eight consecutive outings with at least 20 points, but he should remain Boston's go-to player on offense, as well as a strong candidate for a bounce-back effort, in Game 2 on Sunday. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:44 pm
     
  • Shines off bench in return
    Porzingis closed with 20 points (8-13 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and three blocks across 21 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 victory over the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Head coach Joe Mazzulla wanted Porzingis to come off the bench in the first game of the Finals, and the star power forward responded admirably in his first taste of competitive action since April 29. It remains to be seen if Porzingis will move to the starting unit for Game 2 on Sunday or if he'll again come off the bench, but either way, his shooting ability and length on defense could be majors factors in the series, as was the case Thursday. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:42 pm
     
  • Jayson Tatum racks up six turnovers in Game 1 win
    Jayson Tatum logged 42 minutes in Thursday’s 107-89 win over the Mavericks, finishing with 16 points (6-of-16 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), 11 rebounds, five assists, one block, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: Making his second NBA Finals appearance, Tatum struggled with inefficiency on Thursday. In addition to shooting below 50% from the field, he was responsible for six of Boston’s 12 turnovers. Tatum averaged 3.3 turnovers per game in Boston’s four-game sweep of the Pacers, and the average has increased by the round in these playoffs. His performance in Game 1 did not weigh down Boston, as Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis helped pick up the slack, but he will need to be better moving forward. Game 2 is on Sunday night. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:40 pm
     
  • Kristaps Porzingis comes out hot, finishes with 20
    Kristaps Porzingis (right soleus strain) finished Thursday’s 107-89 win over Dallas with 20 points (8-of-13 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, three blocks, and two 3-pointers in 21 minutes.

    Advice: Appearing in a game for the first time since April 29, Porzingis showed no signs of rust in his NBA Finals debut. The 7-foot-3 big man was elite in the first quarter, tallying 11 points, three rebounds, and three blocked shots. Porzingis did not start on Thursday, with Joe Mazzulla electing to stick with Al Horford. The approach was successful, and Boston not having to extend Porzingis minutes-wise was another positive. Horford played 20 minutes and was productive, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two 3-pointers. Game 2 is on Sunday night; we’ll see if Mazzulla leaves Porzingis in the sixth-man role or moves him back into the starting lineup. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:08 pm
     
  • PJ Washington records 14/8/1 line in Game 1 loss
    PJ Washington finished Thursday’s 107-89 loss to the Celtics with 14 points (5-of-11 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), eight rebounds, and one assist in 36 minutes.

    Advice: Like many of his teammates, Washington struggled from deep in Game 1. The Mavericks forward was 0-of-3 from three, and the Mavericks shot 7-of-27 as a team. With Boston making 16 3-pointers, the 27-point margin was too significant for Dallas to overcome. Washington has reached double figures in six consecutive games, but Thursday ended a three-game streak of at least two 3-pointers. He and the Mavericks will look to rebound in Game 2 on Sunday night. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:04 pm
     
  • Coming off bench in Game 1
    Porzingis will come off the bench in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Mavericks on Thursday.

    Advice: Head coach Joe Mazulla said that Porzingis wasn't going to have any minute restrictions in Game 1, but the team opted to play it safe with his conditioning level, and he'll come off the bench. That decision makes sense given that Porzingis hasn't played since logging 14 minutes in the 102-88 win over the Heat on April 29 in Game 4 of the first-round series. For Game 1 of the Finals, Al Horford will remain in the starting lineup, though he's still expected to experience a downgrade in his minutes with Porzingis seeing action off the bench. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 5:15 pm
     
  • Al Horford to start NBA Finals opener Thursday
    Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford will start Thursday’s game against the Mavericks.

    Advice: Horford will remain in the starting lineup for Game 1 in a move that may surprise some. Kristaps Porzingis, who has been sidelined since injuring his calf during Game 3 of Boston’s first-round series against Miami, will come off the bench in his first game back. The last time Porzingis came off the bench in a game, regular season or playoffs: , as a member of the Knicks. Rotoworld Yesterday, 5:11 pm
     
  • Available for Game 1 of Finals
    Prosper (ankle) is available for Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Celtics on Thursday.

    Advice: Prosper used the break between the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals to recover from his injury, and he's ready to step on the hardwood for the first time since April 21. He's logged just one minute this postseason, so he's not expected to play a prominent role in the series. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 4:36 pm