Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero made only four of 18 field-goal attempts in Monday's 94-88 win over the Detroit Pistons. He finished with 18 points, doing most of his scoring with a 10-for-13 effort at the line. For the second time in this series, Banchero failed to make a three-pointer, going 0-for-4 from behind the arc. The 2024 All-Star completed his line on Monday with eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. The Pistons have limited Banchero to 37.3 percent field-goal efficiency in the first-round matchup, but Orlando has still grabbed a 3-1 series lead. Banchero has made up for his efficiency woes with improved efforts in other areas. Through four games, he is averaging 21.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals.

Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Julius Randle scored a team-high 27 points in Monday's 125-113 Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets. He tied Nikola Jokic for the game-high, finishing 8-for-15 from the field and 9-for-11 at the line. Randle, who made two of his four attempts from deep, also led the Timberwolves with nine rebounds and matched a team high with six assists. The three-time All-Star stepped up his game, as was expected after Minnesota lost Anthony Edwards (knee). The Timberwolves need Randle to keep up his form to close out the series.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic finished Monday's 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists. He led his team in all categories as the Nuggets extended the first-round series. Jokic has struggled with efficiency this postseason, but the story was different on Monday night. He was 9-for-15 from the field and 8-for-10 at the charity stripe. However, the multi-time MVP still couldn't find his range from deep, going 1-for-4. Defensively, Jokic contributed two blocks. Jokic has posted two triple-doubles in the series, averaging 25.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 9.4 assists, and 1.2 steals. He will lead the way again when Denver faces another fight for survival in Game 6.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren had the strongest performance of this postseason on Monday, recording a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double in a 131-122 series-clinching win over the Phoenix Suns. He was 9-for-16 from the field, including 2-for-5 from downtown, and nailed all four attempts at the charity stripe. While Holmgren couldn't register any blocks, he helped out on the defensive end with two steals. The 23-year-old also had three assists in 34 minutes. The Thunder swept Phoenix, and Holmgren played a big role, posting averages of 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 1.3 steals.

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led his squad to a series-clinching 131-122 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, scoring 31 points and dishing out eight assists. He grabbed two rebounds and blocked one shot, while finishing 10-for-17 from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander sank nine of 11 attempts at the free-throw line and was 2-for-4 with the three-ball. The Suns couldn't contain the reigning MVP throughout the series, as Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 33.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists. Over the last three games, he notched 36.7 points with a 63.3 percent field-goal efficiency. This will provide Gilgeous-Alexander with strong momentum heading into the next series.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (calf) is set to have an MRI on Tuesday. The German star, who missed 48 games with an ankle sprain during the regular season, suffered another injury blow in Monday's win over the Detroit Pistons, exiting the game due to right calf soreness. Before he was forced to leave, Wagner was enjoying his best performance of the playoffs. He scored 19 points with a 7-for-15 effort from the field, adding five rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 24 minutes. Jamal Cain stands to see increased minutes in the rotation if Wagner misses more time. He was close to a double-double in Monday's win, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds.

Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds in a 125-113 win over the Timberwolves on Monday, Apr. 27.

Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic had a tough season in 2025-26, but the team still sees him as a big part of the franchise's future, Wes Goldberg of the Locked On Heat podcast reports. "We still look at [Niko] as one of our young, building guys," Heat president Pat Riley said on Monday at his annual end-of-the-season news conference. This season, Jovic managed only 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 17.2 minutes per game. He was limited to 47 appearances, starting once. Riley noted that he had projected Jovic as a starter before the season began. Although Jovic's campaign was disappointing, he still has time to develop, as he turns only 23 in July. The Serbian native signed a four-year, $62.4 million rookie contract extension with Miami in October.

Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) won't suit up for Monday's Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is not ready to play due to a left calf issue and is sitting out the action after being labeled a game-time decision. Gordon will miss his second game of the series and won't get a chance to return to the lineup this season if Denver doesn't win on Monday. Spencer Jones has previously filled in for Gordon in the starting unit and is likely to get the nod again. The team will also look to get more production from Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro will undergo a "preemptive procedure" on his foot, team president Pat Riley announced Monday at his annual end-of-the-season news conference. Health issues limited Herro to a career-low 33 appearances this season. "It's unfortunate what happened with Tyler this year," Riley said. "He's having a procedure done, preemptive procedure done, which is good. He'll be ready to go, I think, by July. So he's got more than enough time ahead of training camp." During his seventh season with the Heat, Herro averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. On track to recover in time for next season, the 2025 All-Star will also hope to agree on a contract extension with his team before then.

Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo is untouchable and won't be traded in the offseason, team president Pat Riley announced on Monday. At his annual end-of-the-season news conference, Riley joked he would consider trading Adebayo only if offered eight draft picks and Victor Wembanyama. The team plans to continue building around Adebayo, who has spent his entire nine-year NBA career in Miami. In 2025-26, Adebayo averaged a double-double for the fourth time, posting 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. On March 10, the three-time All-Star recorded the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, notching 83 points in a 150-129 victory over the Washington Wizards. Adebayo won't turn 30 until 2027 and should remain a top fantasy contributor for several more years.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (knee) was officially listed as week-to-week by the team ahead of Monday's Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets. He was already expected to miss multiple weeks after injuring his left knee in Game 4 on Saturday. The team is optimistic about Edwards returning in these playoffs. "We do know that if we keep extending this playoff series, he is going to come back," Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said Monday morning. "And he generally comes back ahead of the timeline." With Edwards sidelined, Julius Randle and Ayo Dosunmu are set to lead the offense. His absence also boosts Mike Conley's and Bones Hyland's fantasy appeal.

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Jordan Goodwin (calf) will remain sidelined in Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. The team initially listed him as questionable, and Goodwin was considered a game-time call. Since Phoenix lost Goodwin to a calf injury, Collin Gillespie has started back-to-back games. He has made an all-around impact, averaging 7.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale also have greater fantasy appeal without Goodwin, though the Suns will likely lean heavily on the starting unit as they face elimination on Monday.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year on Monday. The 19-year-old becomes the third Mavericks player to win the award, joining Jason Kidd and Luka Doncic. He was deserving of the honor after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 33.5 minutes per game across 70 games. Flagg led all rookies in points per game and was tied for first in assists. He lived up to the hype and his fourth-round ADP that will certainly rise after this season. The Mavericks have a cornerstone franchise player that they should be able to build around for years to come.

Detroit Pistons guard Kevin Huerter (hip) is available to play ahead of Monday's Game 4 against the Orlando Magic. Huerter is back in the mix after leaving Game 3 with left hip soreness. He only played 15 minutes in the game and didn't finish with any points. Normally, Huerter is a decent source of three-pointers, but he doesn't offer a ton of value outside of that. Huerter will likely continue to play minutes in the teens, which probably won't result in much DFS value.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (abdomen) is listed as probable ahead of Tuesday's Game 5 against the Boston Celtics. Embiid made his return to the court on Sunday after missing almost three weeks due to an emergency appendectomy. He played well with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists across 34 minutes of action in the loss. It appears the big man is finally healthy enough to play at full speed again. The Sixers have an uphill battle to climb as they're down 3-1 as they head into Tuesday's game. The return of Embiid means that Andre Drummond and Adem Bona will likely have extremely reduced roles.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) will officially remain sidelined for the entire first-round series. There was some hope that Doncic would play, but they'd decided to sit him out entirely. The Lakers currently hold a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets right now. It seems like the Lakers are going to be fine without Doncic, and hope that he returns for the next round. His absence should mean increased offensive workloads for LeBron James, Rui Hachimara, and Deandre Ayton.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (oblique) has a chance at returning for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Houston Rockets. Reaves was considered questionable for Game 4, but ultimately sat out of the contest. It sounds like possibly the Lakers were holding out Reaves as a precaution, with the team holding a 3-0 lead at the time. Now, the Lakers are up 3-1 as they head to Los Angeles for Wednesday's Game 5. Reaves appears to be trending in the right direction to return for that game to help the Lakers finish off the series. His return to the court would likely mean reduced roles for Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. Fantasy managers will need to check back ahead of tip-off on Wednesday for another update.

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's Game 4 against the Detroit Pistons. Isaac continues to deal with a sprained left knee that has kept him sidelined for nearly two months. It's unclear if Isaac is going to play at all during this series. Even if he does suit up eventually, Isaac will likely have an extremely limited role in the rotation. His continued absence should mean a larger role for Jamal Cain. He has been playing minutes in the teens and isn't worth a look as a DFS option right now.

San Antonio Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox contributed a game-high 28 points in Sunday's 114-93 road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Victor Wembanyama's return to action and his performance were in focus in this game, but Fox enjoyed a brilliant outing in the background. He had an 11-for-17 record from the field, going 4-for-8 with the three-ball, and also made a mark with six rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks. This was clearly Fox's best performance of the postseason, although his average numbers are looking solid. The two-time All-Star has tallied 20.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.