Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (calf) is available for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Toronto after being upgraded earlier in the day. He has not played since early April, so his role remains uncertain and likely limited off the bench behind Jarrett Allen. Bryant's return is not expected to change Cleveland's rotation much, with Allen and Evan Mobley continuing to handle most frontcourt minutes. Bryant is not a DFS option due to workload concerns, while Mobley remains the stronger play given his consistent production.

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (illness) is available for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Cleveland after initially carrying a questionable tag. With Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) still out, Walter should continue seeing steady run after averaging 10.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 28.0 minutes in the first two games. He remains a viable DFS value play given his role stability, especially if his minutes hold. Jamal Shead should still handle lead guard duties, while Walter's presence helps support secondary scoring behind RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram.

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) is out for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Cleveland and will miss at least one more contest in this series. He has yet to suit up in the matchup, leaving Toronto to continue relying on alternate backcourt options. Jamal Shead is expected to remain in the starting role after logging 38 minutes with three points and four assists in Game 2, while Ja'Kobe Walter adds scoring punch off the bench after a 14-point outing. Shead offers volume-based DFS value, while Walter remains the better scoring option.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero was quiet offensively in Wednesday's 98-83 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons, recording 18 points. He went 7-for-17 from the field and 4-for-8 at the line as Orlando scored 21 or fewer points in three of four quarters during a rough outing. Additionally, Banchero's efforts included a team-high eight assists, six rebounds, one steal, and one block in 34 minutes. After a strong regular-season series against the Pistons, Banchero has been limited to 20.5 points in the playoffs. Next, the 23-year-old star has a pair of home games to build momentum.

Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham led his squad to a 98-83 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, finishing with a 27-point, 11-assist double-double. He made nearly 58 percent of his field-goal attempts, adding six rebounds, one steal, and one block to his line. On the negative side, the Pistons star committed a game-high seven turnovers and was just 1-for-6 from three-point range. Still, this was another excellent outing from Cunningham, who now boasts five double-doubles through his first eight career postseason games. Detroit fans will want to see more of the same as the series shifts to Orlando this weekend.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker scored 22 points in Wednesday's 120-107 Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, adding seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal to his line. He also had five turnovers in 40 minutes. Booker went 50.0 percent from the field, but the Thunder limited him to only 14 attempts. The Suns' leader couldn't get anything to drop from downtown, going 0-for-3. So far in the series, Booker has averaged 22.5 points per game and must do a lot more after being part of two clear defeats. He will hope to hit top gear in front of home support on Saturday.

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Dillon Brooks was his team's leading scorer in Wednesday's Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, racking up 30 points with a 12-for-23 effort from the field. He finished 5-for-9 from deep and had five rebounds with one assist in 38 minutes. Brooks stood out on offense as Devin Booker and Jalen Green combined for only 43 points. Although Brooks produced an efficient performance on Wednesday, the Suns are likely to go down in four games in the first round if they have to rely on him offensively. The team must get more out of Booker and Green, especially with Grayson Allen remaining a DNP-CD in Game 2.

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 37 points in Wednesday's 120-107 win over the Phoenix Suns. The reigning MVP also had the most assists in the game with nine, along with five rebounds and one steal in 38 minutes. After struggling from the field in the series opener, Gilgeous-Alexander improved his efficiency to 52.0 percent on Wednesday night, sinking two of five from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.0 points and 8.0 assists through the first couple of postseason games. The Thunder's dependence on him could grow going forward, depending on Jalen Williams' (hamstring) status for the rest of the series.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren scored 19 points and blocked a game-high four shots in Wednesday's 120-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns. He finished two rebounds shy of a double-double, making seven of his 12 field-goal attempts with a 3-for-6 record from deep. Holmgren already has six blocks in the series and has chipped in well on the offensive end, posting 17.5 points per game. Phoenix has been without its starting center, Mark Williams (foot), making things easier for the Thunder's frontcourt on both ends. Isaiah Hartenstein also narrowly missed a double-double on Wednesday, recording nine points and 10 rebounds.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) is looking at another spell on the sidelines. He appeared to have aggravated a left hamstring injury midway through the third quarter in Wednesday's Game 2 win over Phoenix. The team plans to re-evaluate Williams in the next couple of days before providing an update. Before his early exit, Williams tallied 19 points, one rebound, four assists, and one steal in 23 minutes. The 2025 All-Star has battled injuries throughout the year, making only 33 appearances during the regular season. If Williams misses time, the defending champions have several options to replace him in the first unit, including Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl still remains very much part of the team's plans this postseason. That was called into question after Monday's Game 2 loss to Cleveland, where Poeltl saw just nine minutes of action and sat out the entire second half. "He needs to be part of the solution for us," Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic told reporters on Wednesday, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN. "He needs to be more aggressive. He needs to dominate the glass. He's going to be a big part of Game 3 and I believe he's going to perform really well." While Rajakovic appears confident in a bounce-back performance from Poeltl, he didn't commit to a starting center for Thursday's game. Collin Murray-Boyles started the second half at the No. 5 spot on Monday night, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.

Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie will join the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, filling in for Jordan Goodwin (calf). The Suns are forced to make a switch after Goodwin injured his left calf in the series opener. A starting role isn't new to Gillespie, who benefited from Jalen Green's health issues during the regular season and appeared as a starter in 58 contests. In those games, Gillespie averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals. The Suns will be hoping for similar production from him on Wednesday night as they try to even the series.

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (hamstring) will suit up on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Whether Allen will take the court is another matter. Recently, he has picked up a few DNP-CDs as Allen has been managing a hamstring injury. With Jordan Goodwin (calf) out on Wednesday, the Suns could really use him. Allen might be his replacement in the starting lineup, although even after Goodwin left Game 1 with a calf injury, Suns head coach Jordan Ott elected not to use Allen.

San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson has become the second player in franchise history to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. Hall of Fame member Manu Ginobili was San Antonio's only previous winner of the award. Johnson set the Spurs' record for most bench points this season, finishing with 1,081. He appeared in all 82 games, averaging 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.3 minutes. Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Denver's Tim Hardaway Jr. were the other finalists for the award. So far, Johnson's efforts to replicate his form in the playoffs haven't worked out, as he has been limited to 5.0 points per game against Portland.

Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) will miss Wednesday's Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After suffering a calf injury in Game 1, Goodwin was listed as questionable on the initial injury report. He has now been downgraded to out, leaving a starting spot open. Royce O'Neale is the likeliest candidate to fill it, while Ryan Dunn could also have an expanded role in Wednesday's game. The two would also benefit from the absence of Grayson Allen (hamstring), who is a game-time decision.

Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (foot) will sit out Wednesday's Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He will be unavailable for a third consecutive game after the team downgraded Williams' status from questionable to out. The big man has been battling a left foot injury since the Play-In Tournament. Due to Williams' absence, the Suns have been forced to lean more on Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach at the center position. Ighodaro had a mixed performance in Game 1, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds but going scoreless in 26 minutes. Maluach also failed to score in 15 minutes but contributed three rebounds. It's a very tough matchup for the youngsters against Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren.

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (illness) is questionable for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Cleveland as the series shifts back to Toronto. He logged 28 minutes in each of the first two games with Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) sidelined, including 14 points and three three-pointers in Game 2. If Walter sits, Jamal Shead could again push toward 38 minutes after posting three points, four assists, and two steals, while A.J. Lawson may enter the rotation. Walter carries DFS appeal if active, though his role is sensitive to Quickley's status.

Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) is probable for Thursday's Western Conference first-round Game 3 against Minnesota and is expected to play through left calf tightness. He has averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 33.0 minutes this series, though he managed just eight points with seven rebounds and four assists across 37 minutes in Game 2. Gordon remains a secondary DFS option tied to peripheral stats, while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray continue to dominate usage. Bruce Brown would see a slight bump only if Gordon is limited.

Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (hamstring) is out for Thursday's Western Conference first-round Game 3 against Minnesota, extending his absence to eight straight games. He has yet to appear in this series and remains without a clear return timeline. Watson averaged 14.6 points and 1.5 three-pointers during the regular season, but Denver has adjusted without him. Christian Braun logged 16 points, five assists, and two steals in 35 minutes in Game 2, while Cameron Johnson added 13 points in 28 minutes. Both remain viable DFS options with stable roles.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (knee) is questionable for Thursday's Western Conference first-round Game 3 against Denver due to right knee injury maintenance after being listed with the same tag in the first two games. He still played 39.0 minutes per game in the series, averaging 26.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks, including a 30-point, 10-rebound effort in Game 2. If active, he remains a top DFS anchor. If not, Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland would see expanded roles, with Dosunmu offering safer minutes and Hyland bringing scoring upside.