NBA

Conley is once again on the preliminary injury report, but the expectation is that he will play in Game 5. The Timberwolves point guard has not missed a game this series, playing at least 31 minutes in all four games.

This was the expected outcome, with Keefe taking over the head coach duties after Wes Unseld Jr. was relieved of his position in late January. The Wizards went 8-31 under Keefe, finishing the season with an overall record of 15-67. While Washington led the NBA in pace, they were a bottom-five team in offensive and defensive rating. Keefe will have his work cut out for him in the nation’s capital, with Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, and Bilal Coulibaly being names for fantasy managers to be mindful of this offseason.

Doncic remains on the Mavericks’ preliminary injury report, but DFS players should expect to see him on the court on Thursday. He played 41 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 4 defeat and should take on a similar workload in Game 5.

After injuring his neck during Game 3, Lively did not play in Dallas’ loss in Game 4 on Tuesday. However, TNT did report that the rookie was making strides in his recovery, and a return for Game 5 was a realistic possibility. If Lively plays, Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell may fall out of the rotation entirely.

While he hasn’t figured prominently in the Mavericks’ rotation, Hardy’s minutes have increased in the Western Conference Finals. He’s played at least nine minutes in all four games, with Tuesday’s being his best. Hardy shot 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and reached double figures for the second time this postseason (Game 5 vs. LAC in the first round). Even with PJ Washington (10/5/2/0/1 with two 3-pointers in 42 minutes) struggling to knock down perimeter shots consistently, Hardy’s minutes are unlikely to increase in Game 5 on Thursday. He isn’t worth the risk in DFS tournaments.

With Dereck Lively II out with a sprained neck, it was evident that Gafford’s minutes would increase. The 31 minutes he played on Tuesday are the most for DG this postseason, and he was productive as a finisher, rebounder, and rim protector. Maxi Kleber played 13 of the remaining minutes, finishing with two points, one rebound, and one assist in his first game back from a separated shoulder. His minutes in Game 5 will be impacted by the status of Lively, who is trending toward being available to play on Thursday.

Throughout the postseason, Irving has made a habit of flipping the switch after halftime. He scored ten of his 16 points in the second half, but the overall inefficiency was an issue for Irving and the Mavericks. Tuesday’s loss drops his record in close-out games to 14-1, which is still remarkable. Kyrie and the Mavericks now have to head north for Game 5 on Thursday, where they’ll have another opportunity to seal their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.

Doncic recorded his second triple-double of the series on Tuesday, but Game 4 was his least efficient outing. The All-NBA guard shot 33.3% from the field, his lowest percentage since Dallas’ Game 4 loss to Oklahoma City in the second round. Doncic is up to a league-high six triple-doubles this postseason, but he must produce a “cleaner” effort in Game 5 on Thursday. No team that has led a playoff series 3-0 has lost four straight, so history is in Dallas’ favor.

Conley continues to play through a strained soleus muscle in his calf, and he was solid on both ends of the floor in Game 4. The veteran point guard has shot 50% or better from the field in the last three games and was also responsible for four steals on Tuesday. By comparison, Conley had four steals in the first three games of this series. While Conley will likely show up on the injury report ahead of Game 5, DFS players should expect to see him on the court.

The Timberwolves aren’t done yet, as their best players performed well enough to avoid being swept. Gobert recorded his second double-double of the series, the first coming in Minnesota’s Game 2 loss at home. He also played a series-high 39 minutes for the Timberwolves, who did not have to deal with Mavericks backup center Dereck Lively II (neck sprain). Gobert and the Timberwolves avoided falling apart in crunch time, which was an issue in the first three games of the series. They’ll look to extend the series even further on Thursday night at home.