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  • Suffers ankle injury
    Jovic was diagnosed with a minor left ankle sprain Thursday and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

    Advice: Jovic is still expected to compete for Serbia in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which begin on July 28. Jovic made 38 starts for Miami this year and could start alongside Nikola Jokic in the frontcourt for Serbia. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 11:24 am
     
  • Posts double-double in Game 3 loss
    Lively finished with 11 points (5-6 FG, 1-1 FT), 13 rebounds, one assist and two steals in 30 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 loss to Boston in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Lively was limited to just two points in Games 1 and 2, respectively, but he bounced back in this one, and the rookie posted his first double-double since the team's May 18 win over the Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The rookie was able to make an impact without Kristaps Porzingis (lower leg) on the court, and Lively will aim to be a factor in Game 4 on Friday, where the Mavericks need a win to keep the series alive. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:52 am
     
  • Drains three threes in Game 3 win
    Hauser ended Wednesday's 106-99 victory over the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals with nine points (3-4 FG, 3-4 3Pt), three rebounds and one assist across 14 minutes.

    Advice: Hauser led the Celtics with a plus-16 plus-minus ratio during the Game 3 win. In addition to hitting three of four attempts from beyond the arc, Hauser also delivered excellent defense. The reserve forward stopped Mavericks star Luka Doncic on a few drives. Hauser's 14 minutes of run led Boston's bench. The three-point sniper has now hit 1.2 triples per game throughout the playoffs. The Celtics will try to sweep the Finals on Friday in Dallas. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:03 am
     
  • Plays 11 minutes in Game 3 win
    Tillman closed with three points (1-1 FG, 1-1 3Pt), four rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 win over Dallas in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: It was Tillman, not Luke Kornet, who picked up the slack at center with Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) out. Coach Joe Mazzulla clearly preferred Tillman switching on Mavericks star Luka Doncic on pick-and-rolls, and the move paid off. Tillman got multiple stops when forced to guard Doncic. Tillman also hit a clutch corner three during a key second-half Boston scoring run. His four boards and two blocks were just what the Celtics needed while managing 38-year-old Al Horford's workload. Tillman and his teammates will look to finish the Finals in Dallas on Friday. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 5:16 am
     
  • Dereck Lively II drops double-double in Game 3
    Dereck Lively II played 30 minutes off the bench in Wednesday’s 106-99 loss to the Celtics, recording a line of 11 points (5-of-6 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), 13 rebounds, one assist, and two steals.

    Advice: Lively and starter Daniel Gafford effectively have a timeshare at the center position, with Mavericks coach Jason Kidd tending to stick with the “hot hand.” The rookie was that player in Game 3, recording a double-double and also accumulating two steals. As for Gafford, he finished with six points, three rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot in 16 minutes. The unpredictable nature of the minutes split makes it difficult to rely on Lively or Gafford in DFS, but the former proved to be a quality play on Wednesday. Rotoworld Wednesday, 8:48 pm
     
  • Xavier Tillman tallies four boards, two blocks
    Xavier Tillman logged 11 minutes in Wednesday’s 106-99 win over Dallas, accumulating three points (1-of-1 FGs), four rebounds, two blocks, and one 3-pointer.

    Advice: With Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) sidelined, Tillman was the first big off the Celtics bench on Wednesday. While there were a few hiccups on the defensive end, he still offered solid production in the rebound and blocked shot categories. Starter Al Horford also benefitted from Porzingis’ absence, logging 37 minutes and recording a line of eight points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers. While Horford is a more viable DFS option if Porzingis remains out for Friday’s Game 4, Tillman is not. Rotoworld Wednesday, 8:32 pm
     
  • Finds opportunity in Japan
    Watanabe agreed Wednesday to a contract with the Chiba Jets of the Japanese B.League, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com reports.

    Advice: The terms of Watanabe's deal aren't clear, but he should immediately become one of the B.League's top players after spending parts of the last six seasons in the NBA with the Grizzlies, Raptors, Nets and Suns. The 29-year-old forward appeared in 34 games for Phoenix in 2023-24 and averaged 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.7 three-pointers in 13.6 minutes but didn't make an appearance for Memphis after being sent to the Grizzlies in February on a deadline deal. Watanabe holds a $2.65 million player option for 2024-25, but he'll presumably decline that to facilitate his return to his home country of Japan. He's also expected to suit up for the Japanese national team during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 6:30 am
     
  • Muted impact in Finals
    Lively registered two points (1-3 FG) and seven rebounds across 19 minutes during Sunday's 105-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Through two Finals games, Lively has totaled just four points, 12 rebounds, one assist and one steal with no blocks and four turnovers. Dallas has tried more Maxi Kleber minutes to combat the Celtics' floor spacing, but the results have been less than stellar. Game 3 will be on the Mavericks' home floor, where Lively is averaging 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 blocks in the postseason. Rotowire.com Monday, 9:09 am
     
  • Solid in Game 2
    Jones notched 11 points (4-7 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 32 minutes during Sunday's 105-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Jones improved on his five-point performance from Game 1, but he struggled from distance. He also didn't offer much defensive resistance despite managing a block and a steal. The forward will look to improve again in Game 3 at home, where he's averaged 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocks in the postseason. Rotowire.com Monday, 8:51 am