NBA

Lively did not miss a shot in Dallas’ Game 5 rout, with that production being a byproduct of where he got his looks. Four of the rookie’s five makes from the field were dunks, with the fifth being a nine-footer. While there have been some injury-related hiccups, the tandem of Lively and Daniel Gafford (8/5/0/1/1 in 19 minutes) has been just what the doctor ordered for the Mavericks. Dallas will look to close out the series when they host Game 6 on Friday night.

After scoring 15 points in the first four games of this series, Kleber matched that output in an impressive shooting performance in Game 5. While he did enter Wednesday shooting 4-of-8 from deep, to put up 15 points with solid volume was something the Clippers may not have expected from Kleber. Whether or not he can carry this performance over into Game 6 remains to be seen, but at the very least, Maxi has given the Clippers something else to think about as they prepare for Friday’s game.

Irving caught fire in Sunday’s Game 4 defeat, shooting 14-of-25 from the field and 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. He cooled off considerably in Game 5, specifically from three (1-of-7), but still managed to shoot 5-of-7 from two. Luka Doncic snapped out of his self-proclaimed funk, and other Mavericks stepped up as they handed the Clippers their worst postseason defeat in franchise history. Dallas takes a 3-2 lead into Friday’s Game 6, and it’s fair to assume Irving will be better than he was on Wednesday.

After shining in Sunday’s Game 4 victory, Harden put up an absolute stinker in Game 5. He finished with more turnovers (four) than made field goals (two), failing to reach double figures in a postseason game for the first time since Game 7 of the 76ers’ second-round loss to the Celtics last season. We’ve seen Harden have great games before, and he’ll need to do the same in Game 6 on Friday if the Clippers are to extend their season.

While he has reached double figures in points in all five games, Zubac’s influence on the boards has waned since Games 1 and 2. Having grabbed 27 rebounds in those contests, he produced 18 in Games 3 through 5. Add in Dallas’ ability to exploit the Clippers’ defensively in the two-man game, with Dereck Lively II receiving multiple lobs in Game 5, and this wasn’t as good a night for Zubac as the shooting accuracy would lead some to believe. Essentially, it’s known what Big Zu will bring to the table nightly, even if he isn’t going to bring elite production to the table.

Like James Harden, George struggled after scoring 33 points in the Clippers’ Game 4 win on Sunday. The good news for DFS managers is that he was productive as a rebounder, but the combination of poor shooting and turnovers (three) was too much to overcome. George will need to play better in Game 6 if the Clippers are to ensure that Wednesday’s stinker wasn’t their last as a tenant of Crypto.com Arena. Game 6 is on Friday night in Dallas.

Having lamented after Game 4 that he wasn’t giving star teammate Kyrie Irving enough help, Doncic produced a masterclass despite still dealing with a sprained right knee. He shot 12-of-18 from two and dished out ten assists while only committing two turnovers as Dallas handed the Clippers their largest playoff defeat in franchise history. And as Doncic said in his postgame interview, the “job isn’t done,” as the Mavericks take a 3-2 series lead into Friday’s Game 6 in Dallas. Luka getting untracked to the level he did in Game 5 is an ominous development for the Clippers, even if he was just 2-of-8 from three.

The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a strained right soleus muscle during Game 4. As was the case throughout the regular season, Horford moved into the starting lineup. The veteran big man didn’t have to do much, as Boston got off to a hot start and never looked back in their decisive win over the Heat. Ending this series in five games gets the Celtics additional rest, especially if the Cleveland/Orlando series goes the distance. With Porzingis unlikely to return before the conference finals (should Boston advance that far), Horford will serve as the starting center in the second round.

Brown recorded a solid point total, shooting well over 50% from the field, but efficiency remains problematic in other areas. In addition to committing five turnovers in the series decider, he shot 40% from the foul line. For the series, Brown was 9-of-20 (45%) from the charity stripe, which will not get it done against stronger opposition. Add in 16 turnovers in the five-game series, and Brown has some things to clean up before the second round begins. Boston will play Cleveland or Orlando, with the Cavs leading that series by three games to two.

Martin reached double figures in three of the series’ five games, including a 21-point performance in Miami’s Game 2 victory. But the inconsistency meant he wasn’t a reliable option for DFS players, mirroring his season-long fantasy value. Martin was a late-round pick, at best, in most fantasy leagues before the season began, and his production bore that out. He finished the regular season ranked outside the top 200 in 9-cat formats and offers a significantly lower fantasy ceiling than Jaime Jaquez Jr. There’s little reason to plan on selecting Martin in drafts next fall. Still, there will be times when he’s worth the streaming risk.