Kylor

Kelley

Reeves will replace Kylor Kelley in the starting unit as the lone change to the Pelicans’ opening lineup in Game 82. Reeves had 19 points off the bench on Friday and will look to have another strong scoring night in the final game of his rookie season.

Olynyk will miss New Orleans’ final three games, ending a disappointing fantasy season for the veteran center/power forward. Olynyk did not offer much fantasy value until he was traded from Toronto to New Orleans, and he needed Zion Williamson’s absence to do that. At this stage in his career, Olynyk is essentially a “silly season” hero in fantasy basketball, and even that isn’t guaranteed. Due to New Orleans’ depleted frontcourt, Kylor Kelley and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will play significant minutes.

Alvarado returns from a calf injury that sidelined him for Thursday’s loss to the Bucks. However, he replaces Antonio Reeves in the starting lineup, not Payton. The other change of note is Kelley, who will start due to the absences of Yves Missi and Karl Matkovic.

Alvarado missed the Pelicans’ game against the Bucks and could be replaced by Elfrid Payton against Miami. Matkovic has a chance to start if healthy, but Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Kylor Kelley are waiting in the wings.

Missi and Olynyk leave the Pelicans’ frontcourt depleted. Karlo Matkovic and Kylor Kelly could be needed to step in and man the painted area.

After playing eight games for the then-shorthanded Mavericks, seven of which occurred before the All-Star break, the undrafted rookie out of Oregon State was waived in early March. Kelley’s signing with the Pelicans could impact how the team utilizes Kelly Olynyk for the rest of the season, as he has been a fixture in the starting lineup for the lottery-bound team. With Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic also in the rotation, there’s no need to add Kelley in fantasy leagues.

Davis has avoided needing surgery but will miss a significant amount of time. A host of players could fill in at power forward while he’s away from the team. Daniel Gafford (knee) and PJ Washington (ankle) are dealing with injuries, which means that Naji Marshall, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and even Kylor Kelley will have to play significant minutes in the frontcourt.

Gafford suffered a right knee sprain in Monday’s matchup with Sacramento, and he will be sidelined until at least February 25. Dallas is now down Gafford, Anthony Davis and Dwight Powell, meaning Mavericks legend Kylor Kelley could be in line for some big minutes before the All-Star break.

Gafford joins the list of injured Mavs, which leaves them even more shorthanded in the frontcourt. Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II are still sidelined, which means that Kylor Kelley is the only available center in the lineup. Gafford bumped knees with Malik Monk, and Dallas should provide a clearer timeline for his return if this ends up being a lengthy absence.

Gafford exited early on Tuesday after getting hit in the head, which caused his neck to “jam up”. Gafford’s left arm numbed up, though he said that he probably should have played through it. When asked if he would play against Boston on Thursday, Gafford said, “I’ll be on the floor”. Managers should expect him to suit up, though the official injury report will make it clear.