Triples-doubles in Game 6 win Doncic did just enough to get his team over the line, recording his third straight triple-double despite dealing with multiple injuries. Heading into the Western Conference Finals, Dallas will be hoping that Doncic can continue to play through his ailments. With a physical matchup almost certainly in the cards, Doncic is simply going to have to absorb any contact that might come his way while trying to maintain his composure.
Pours in 22 points Saturday Jones scored at least 17 points for the third straight game, playing a season-high 40 minutes as the Mavericks took care of business in front of their home fans. Jones' offensive output has been a blessing for the Mavericks, providing them with another viable scoring threat alongside Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Coming up against either the Nuggets or the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals is a daunting task. If Dallas is to pose a serious threat, Jones may need to maintain his offensive momentum.
Stands tall in victory Lively continues to play well above his age, producing when it mattered most as the Mavericks eliminated the Thunder. Despite coming off the bench, Lively played the majority of the center minutes, recording his second straight double-double. Dallas will face either the Timberwolves or the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, and either team will provide Lively with elite opposition at the center position.
Back in rotation Saturday Williams played for just the second time in the past five games, logging four minutes as Luguentz Dort was benched due to foul trouble. Despite a somewhat fantasy-friendly game, Williams is nothing more than a depth piece for a Thunder team with high aspirations heading into next season. There is no reason to think he will play a significant role moving forward.
Goes down swinging Gilgeous-Alexander did everything he could to get the Thunder over the line Saturday, pouring in a game-high 36 points. While he ultimately fell short of his goal, enough can't be said about how good he was this season. The Thunder are just starting their journey, and with so many draft picks to work with, there is an opportunity for them to improve their roster sooner rather than later. Despite the disappointing playoff exit, Gilgeous-Alexander is poised to continue his ascension and will likely be in the MVP discussion again next season.
Limited role Saturday Giddey played just 10 minutes in the loss, ending what has been a disappointing season for the young Australian. Having started the majority of the season, he was moved to the bench in recent games. In fact, he played fewer than 15 minutes in five straight contests to end the campaign, placing some doubt over what his role could look like in 2024-25.
Questionable for Sunday After missing Game 5 with this same injury, Conley played in Game 6 Thursday and finished with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and one block in 31 minutes. With Minnesota's season on the line, Conley will likely attempt to power through the issue again.
Available Saturday Doncic has been pushing through questionable and probable tags throughout the playoffs with various injuries, but he's yet to miss a single game. Look for him to see his usual workload Saturday.
Questionable for Sunday Murray has been listed as questionable throughout the entire series, but that's not surprising, as the star point guard has been dealing with a left calf strain since the end of Denver's first-round series against the Lakers. The Nuggets need Murray to be at his best if they want to win Sunday, as he's coming off a woeful showing in the Game 6 loss on Thursday, scoring 10 points while shooting 4-for-18 from the field.
Upgraded to questionable The questionable tag is all there is work with right now in terms of specifics, but New York fans will be thrilled that there's a chance Anunoby is able return for the first time since Game 2. There should be additional clarity on Anunoby's status following the Sunday morning shootaround.
Iffy for Game 7 with abdominal strain Hart exited Friday's Game 6 early with abdominal soreness but further testing indicated that Hart's dealing with a strained abdomen. Even if Hart gets the green light, it's unlikely that he'd be at 100 percent considering the recency of the issue. If the 28-year-old can't go, expect Miles McBride. Alec Burks and Precious Achiuwa to see more minutes.
