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  • 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 Today, 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 Yesterday, 9:02 pm
     
  • Records double-double
    Towns finished Thursday's 115-70 victory over Denver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals with 10 points (4-10 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 13 rebounds and five assists across 29 minutes.

    Advice: Towns had a couple of clutch buckets in the early stages of the game, but for the most part, he took a backseat in the scoring column as Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels carried Minnesota offensively in this win. The Timberwolves need Towns to be at his best if they want to have a shot at winning a complicated Game 7 on the road, and for that to happen, he'll need to be even more aggressive on the offensive end of the court, an area in which he hasn't been consistent throughout the series. Towns has reached the 20-point mark in four of the six games he's played in the semis, and the Timberwolves have gone 3-1 in those contests. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 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 Yesterday, 8:31 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 Yesterday, 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 Yesterday, 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
     
  • Dereck Lively II records 11/10/1/1/1 stat line
    Dereck Lively II shot 3-of-3 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Wednesday’s 104-92 win over the Thunder, accounting for 11 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one blocked shot in 23 minutes.

    Advice: Dallas received 48 minutes of solid basketball from its rotation centers, with Lively recording a double-double off the bench and Daniel Gafford (9/7/1/0/1 in 25 minutes) shooting 4-of-4 from the field. Oklahoma City has continued to foul Lively intentionally during crunch time, and the rookie delivered in Game 5. He shot 5-of-6 from the foul line in Game 5 and is now 14-of-21 (66.7%) over the last three games. That percentage isn’t great, but it is much higher than Lively’s number during the regular season (50.6%). Dallas leads the series three games to two and will look to close out the Thunder on Saturday. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:14 pm
     
  • Derrick Jones Jr. tallies 19 points, full line
    Derrick Jones Jr. played 28 minutes in Wednesday’s win over the Thunder, tallying 19 points (7-of-9 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, one assist, one steal, one block, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: Jones may not have offered much outside of the points and 3-pointers, but the scoring output was much-needed on a night in which only one other Maverick (Luka Doncic) scored more than 12 points. Airplane Mode was efficient with his scoring opportunities while also playing solid defense. PJ Washington only scored 10 points, but he was also responsible for 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in his 37 minutes on the floor. Dallas will need those two to remain productive in Game 6 on Saturday, with the Mavericks looking to close out the series. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:09 pm