NBA

After struggling in the first half of Monday’s series opener, Porzingis was not on the court with his teammates to begin the second half. According to the Celtics, he’s dealing with an illness and is questionable to return. Al Horford started the third quarter and will see his minutes increase if Porzingis cannot return. There will also be more minutes available to Luke Kornet.

Dillingham will remain sidelined for the start of the second round. The rookie’s continued absence does not impact the Timberwolves’ rotation, as he was not playing consistently before the ankle injury.

Payton did not play in Sunday’s win over the Rockets to conclude that series. His absence led to Jonathan Kuminga entering the rotation, but he went scoreless in seven minutes off the bench. Payton’s return will help the Warriors defensively, as they must account for Anthony Edwards.

Garland sat out the Game 1 loss to Indiana on Sunday, and his availability will be crucial to Cleveland’s success. Sam Merrill started Game 1 in Garland’s place, but Merrill only provided a 6/4/4 line with two triples across 18 minutes.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson “expressed real concern” for the availability of the two players, and Cleveland could be sorely shorthanded with Darius Garland also banged up. If Mobley and Hunter are ultimately sidelined, expect Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro to pick up some extra minutes.

The extension keeps Hardy with Utah through the 2030-31 season. The new deal is a vote of confidence from Utah’s front office as the team continues its rebuild in the post Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert era. Hardy has a record of 85-161 through three seasons as Utah’s head coach, but the team could be on the upswing with a 14% chance to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Dieng has not appeared in a game since March 15, when he strained his left calf against the Pistons. His availability will not impact the Thunder rotation, as he was not logging consistent minutes before the calf injury.

Brooks crashed back to earth after scoring 24 points in Game 5, totaling 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting. He’s been more valuable to the Rockets as a defender and veteran presence, hence his low Yahoo! ADP of 139. At best, Brooks will likely remain a late-round pick in standard leagues, while managers in 10-team formats can afford to leave him alone in drafts next fall.

Outside of Game 2, Green’s first postseason experience was a disappointment. Remove that 38-point effort, and the Rockets guard totaled 47 points on 16-of-53 shooting in the other six games. Green has long been a better option for points leagues than category leagues, but he has been worthy of a top-100 pick. Whether that remains the case ahead of the 2025-26 season depends on what the Rockets’ front office does this offseason. There’s a clear need for consistent perimeter shooting, especially with two starters (Green and Fred VanVleet) who shot below 43 percent from the field during the regular season.