NBA Player News

Conley (Achilles) will play in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas on Thursday.

For the seventh game in a row, Conley will play through his right soleus strain. With Minnesota facing elimination with a loss, it's not a surprise to see Conley power through his injury again.

Doncic (knee/ankle) is available for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Thursday.

Doncic will shed yet another questionable tag as he continues to power through minor ankle and knee issues. There's no word of any restrictions heading into tipoff.

Lively (neck) is available for Thursday's Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves.

Lively participated in the Mavericks' morning shootaround and underwent his routine in pre-game warmups, so it's unsurprising to see him available, as he looked active and had no apparent limitations in his movements. He'll likely see regular minutes off the bench, as he's logged 21.0 minutes per game in the current series while averaging 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest.

Lively (neck) was present at the Mavericks' morning shootaround but remains questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.

After sitting out the Mavericks' Game 4 loss, Lively is viewed as a game-time decision ahead of Thursday's 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff, but it was encouraging to see him on the court for the team's morning shootaround. The Mavericks will likely monitor how his neck sprain feels leading up to the opening tip, while starting center Daniel Gafford should continue to see increased playing time if Lively is unavailable.

Lively (neck) is considered a game-time decision for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves on Thursday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Lively officially remains questionable, and he plans to test his neck in the hours leading up to tipoff before the Mavericks determine his status. He'd provide a boost for Dallas as the team attempts to close out the series, as he averaged 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per game over the first two games of the Western Conference Finals.

Conley (Achilles) is questionable for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Mavericks on Thursday.

Conley continues to deal with a right soleus strain, but he's been able to suit for six straight matchups after missing Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals versus Denver. He's averaged 13.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 32.3 minutes per game over the first four games versus Dallas and is unlikely to face limitations if he's cleared to play again Thursday.

Prosper (ankle) has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Thursday.

Prosper continues to deal with an ankle injury and will be unavailable for a 16th consecutive game. It's unclear when he'll be able to return.

Lively (neck) is questionable for Thursday's Game 5 against Minnesota.

Lively missed Game 4 due to his sprained neck, but he does appear to be trending in a positive direction. We should get another update following Thursday's morning shootaround, but if Lively is able to return, Daniel Gafford's minutes would dip and Dwight Powell could fall out of the rotation entirely.

Doncic (knee/ankle) is questionable for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Thursday.

Doncic continues to deal with a right knee sprain and left ankle soreness, but he hasn't missed time recently and has averaged 31.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 2.3 steals in 41.0 minutes per game over the first four games of the Western Conference Finals, including a 28-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Tuesday's loss in Game 4. It wouldn't be surprising to see him fully available once again Thursday as the Mavericks attempt to close out the series.

Coach Joe Mazzulla said Wednesday on the Zo and Bertrand Show that Porzingis (calf) is "ramping up the intensity level" ahead of the NBA Finals, but the big man's status for Game 1 remains to be determined.

The Celtics are waiting on the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the Mavericks and Timberwolves, but it sounds like Porzingis has a shot to return early on in the NBA Finals. There are likely to be daily updates on Porzingis' status, but Boston fans have reason to be optimistic based on Muzzulla's update.