Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (abdomen) has been upgraded to doubtful on the injury report before Friday's Game 3 against the Boston Celtics. Embiid is two weeks removed from a successful appendectomy and was a limited participant at Thursday's practice. He appears to be nearing his return to action, but Friday's game could come too soon for the former MVP. With Embiid on the shelf, Adem Bona and Andre Drummond have held down the fort at the No. 5 spot in the first-round series. Drummond has offered more DFS production, averaging 6.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals in 24.0 minutes.

Denver Nuggets guard/forward Spencer Jones will take Aaron Gordon's (calf) spot in the starting lineup on Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 24-year-old will start at least one game as Gordon manages left-calf tightness. A spot in the starting unit typically puts players in a better position to make an impact, but Spencer's effectiveness has not shown up in the box score. In 37 regular-season starts, he averaged 7.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown will also help cover for Gordon's absence.

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (ankle) is questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers. The veteran star returned from a knee injury in Game 2 of the series, but he's now back on the injury report with a left ankle sprain. If Durant can't suit up on Friday night, Reed Sheppard is set to return to the starting unit. Even with a full lineup, Sheppard will carry a heavier workload in Friday's game after Rockets head coach Ime Udoka told reporters on Thursday that he would see increased minutes. In Tuesday's Game 2, Sheppard was limited to 11 minutes.

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (concussion) has been tagged as questionable on the official injury report before Friday's Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers. The French phenom has traveled with the team to Portland and could be available to play despite his nasty fall in Tuesday's Game 2 loss. Wembanyama must clear concussion protocol before he can suit up again. If that doesn't happen in time for Friday's game, Luke Kornet would start at center. During the regular season, Kornet rolled with the first unit in 25 games, averaging 7.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (knee) will play in Game 3 against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Edwards has been listed as questionable on the initial injury report ahead of each game this postseason as he deals with a knee problem. However, it doesn't seem to be a serious enough issue to keep him sidelined. That said, the injury could be affecting his play in this series, at least in terms of scoring efficiency. Edwards has made only 38.6 percent of his field-goal attempts, averaging 26.0 points per game. He has also notched 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks.

Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) will miss Thursday's Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gordon was listed as probable on the initial injury report before he was suddenly downgraded to questionable on Thursday afternoon. Now, he has been officially ruled out due to tightness in his left calf. Gordon's workload has increased to 33.0 minutes per game in the postseason, leaving the Nuggets with a significant void in the rotation on Thursday night. With Gordon absent, Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown could all assume more important roles.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) is considered week-to-week with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain and is expected to miss multiple games in the Western Conference first-round series against Phoenix, including Saturday's Game 3. He exited Game 2 early, and the timeline points to at least a short absence. Oklahoma City will likely spread his minutes across Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, and Ajay Mitchell, while Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins could also see increased run. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should carry even more usage, making him an elite DFS anchor.

San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (hand) will be available for Friday's Western Conference first-round Game 3 against Portland after exiting late in Game 2 with an upper-body issue. He logged 15 minutes with four points and one rebound before leaving but returned to practice ahead of this contest. Barnes is expected to continue in a limited bench role, making him a low-upside DFS option. His return adds wing depth, but Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell should continue leading the scoring load.

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (concussion) will travel with the team ahead of Friday's Western Conference first-round Game 3 against Portland, though his availability remains uncertain as he progresses through protocol. He was present at practice and did some light on-court work, but a final decision has not been made. If he sits, the Spurs would likely shift minutes across the frontcourt, with Keldon Johnson and Luke Kornet seeing more run. Wembanyama brings elite DFS upside if cleared, but the injury risk makes him a tougher call in single-game formats.

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.