NBA Player News

Coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis (calf) participated in a couple of drills during Friday's practice and is pleased with where the big man is at in his rehab progress, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com reports.

Porzingis was still mostly limited to individual shooting drills during the media portion of Friday's practice, but he looked to be moving well. He hasn't played since Game 4 of the Celtics' opening-round series versus Miami on April 29, so Porzingis will likely need to get at least a few days of 5-on-5 work in before getting full clearance for game action. The Celtics face the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals next Thursday, June 6, giving Porzingis ample time to increase his activity.

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.

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.

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.

Lively (neck) could return as soon as Thursday's Game 5 against Minnesota, Shams Charania said on FanDuel's Run It Back.

Lively avoided the concussion protocol and is trending in a positive direction. If Lively can give it a go, Dwight Powell would be unlikely to crack the rotation and Maxi Kleber's floor would be a bit lower in fantasy formats. More clarity is expected on Wednesday afternoon after the Mavericks practice.

Kleber (shoulder) played 13 minutes and finished with two points (1-3 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound and one assist in Tuesday's 105-100 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

The Mavericks were without backup center Dereck Lively (neck) for Game 4, but the return of Kleber from an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder -- which he suffered in Game 6 of the opening-round series against the Clippers -- helped restore some depth in the frontcourt. Kleber and Dwight Powell (three minutes) saw only light run behind Daniel Gafford (31 minutes) and P.J. Washington (42 minutes), and if Lively is back for Game 5 on Thursday, Kleber could see his playing time decline further.

Kleber (shoulder) has been cleared to play in Tuesday's Game 4 against the Timberwolves, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Kleber has been on the sidelines since May 3 with an AC joint separation, but he returned to practice Monday. The fact that the Mavericks are clearing him to play prior to warmups is also a good sign. Kleber could absorb some of the minutes that Dereck Lively (neck) was getting recently.

Turner left Monday's Game 4 against the Celtics due to a back injury but was cleared to return for the second half, Tony East of SI.com reports. He finished with eight points (2-6 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds and one assist over 27 minutes in the loss.

Turner's performance indicates that his back injury slowed him down, as he wasn't much of a factor in the 105-102 loss. The Texas product also contended with foul trouble, which limited his ability to be aggressive. Turner will now shift his attention to the offseason after his squad was swept by Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.