NBA

Doncic remains on the Mavericks injury report, but the probable tag indicates that he will be on the court for Game 2. He played 38 minutes in Thursday’s NBA Finals opener, failing to meet or exceed 40 minutes for the third time this postseason. Unless the game is a blowout, Doncic plays at least 40 minutes.

Vezenkov is under contract for this upcoming season, so he can’t simply “not return”. However, there is plenty of time for them to trade him or buy out his contract. Stefanou’s report also indicates that Vezenkov hasn’t decided if he will continue to play in the NBA or return to Europe. Vezenkov averaged 5.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 triple in 11.9 minutes per game across 44 appearances. He may have some upside if he lands with a different team that will grant him a larger role, but this shouldn’t have a direct impact on fantasy hoops at this point.

Making his second NBA Finals appearance, Tatum struggled with inefficiency on Thursday. In addition to shooting below 50% from the field, he was responsible for six of Boston’s 12 turnovers. Tatum averaged 3.3 turnovers per game in Boston’s four-game sweep of the Pacers, and the average has increased by the round in these playoffs. His performance in Game 1 did not weigh down Boston, as Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis helped pick up the slack, but he will need to be better moving forward. Game 2 is on Sunday night.

Boston opened the 2024 NBA Finals on a high note, as they blitzed the Mavericks early and kept the visitors at a safe distance throughout. White was one of six Celtics in double figures and one of two players (Jayson Tatum) to make three 3-pointers on the night. The Celtics shot 16-of-42 from deep as a team, outscoring Dallas by a 48-21 margin. Backcourt sidekick Jrue Holiday also had a good night, as he finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 35 minutes. Boston will look to take a 2-0 series lead when the teams meet again on Sunday.

DFS players who slotted Brown into their lineups were rewarded handsomely on Thursday, as he produced a full stat line while leading the Celtics in scoring, steals, and blocks (tied with Kristaps Porzingis). The Eastern Conference Finals MVP did not skip a beat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which was good for Boston, as Jayson Tatum struggled with his shot and turnovers. Brown has been on a roll recently, and the lower price tag could make him a better pick to lead your DFS squad than Tatum moving forward.

Appearing in a game for the first time since April 29, Porzingis showed no signs of rust in his NBA Finals debut. The 7-foot-3 big man was elite in the first quarter, tallying 11 points, three rebounds, and three blocked shots. Porzingis did not start on Thursday, with Joe Mazzulla electing to stick with Al Horford. The approach was successful, and Boston not having to extend Porzingis minutes-wise was another positive. Horford played 20 minutes and was productive, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two 3-pointers. Game 2 is on Sunday night; we’ll see if Mazzulla leaves Porzingis in the sixth-man role or moves him back into the starting lineup.

Like many of his teammates, Washington struggled from deep in Game 1. The Mavericks forward was 0-of-3 from three, and the Mavericks shot 7-of-27 as a team. With Boston making 16 3-pointers, the 27-point margin was too significant for Dallas to overcome. Washington has reached double figures in six consecutive games, but Thursday ended a three-game streak of at least two 3-pointers. He and the Mavericks will look to rebound in Game 2 on Sunday night.

Playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since his last season with the Cavaliers (2016-17), Irving struggled mightily in Game 1. Not only did he fail to make a 3-pointer, missing all five attempts, but he did not attempt a free throw. Boston outscored Dallas by a 48-21 margin from three, and the Mavericks also struggled from inside the arc. While Dallas needs to be better, beating a team as good as the Celtics with Irving struggling is challenging. He’ll look to bounce back in Game 2 on Sunday.

Doncic was relatively effective as a scorer, but he could not do much playmaking for others in his NBA Finals debut. Boston did its best to avoid committing too many bodies to defending Doncic, resulting in a postseason-low one assist. Also, Luka was responsible for four of Dallas’ ten turnovers on the night. It would be wise to avoid overreacting to Game 1, as the Mavericks dropped their series openers against the Clippers and Thunder. But Doncic’s assist tally will be something to track moving forward.

Horford will remain in the starting lineup for Game 1 in a move that may surprise some. Kristaps Porzingis, who has been sidelined since injuring his calf during Game 3 of Boston’s first-round series against Miami, will come off the bench in his first game back. The last time Porzingis came off the bench in a game, regular season or playoffs: January 19, 2017, as a member of the Knicks.