Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Moves to bench
    Alexander-Walker will move to the bench for Thursday's Game 6 versus Denver.

    Advice: This is an expected move with Mike Conley back from his injury. Alexander-Walker fared well in his spot start in Game 5, producing 14 points (5-12 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists and two blocks across 39 minutes. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 5:04 pm
     
  • Steps up offensively in win
    Jones had 19 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: The Mavericks needed someone to step up offensively due to P.J. Washington's cold shooting and Kyrie Irving's struggles throughout the series, and Jones embraced that role to deliver a playoff-best scoring mark. Jones has scored in double digits in back-to-back contests, setting him up for having a solid role Saturday in Game 6. He's averaging 9.8 points per game in the current postseason run. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 9:05 am
     
  • Derrick Jones Jr. tallies 19 points, full line
    Derrick Jones Jr. played 28 minutes in Wednesday’s win over the Thunder, tallying 19 points (7-of-9 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, one assist, one steal, one block, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: Jones may not have offered much outside of the points and 3-pointers, but the scoring output was much-needed on a night in which only one other Maverick (Luka Doncic) scored more than 12 points. Airplane Mode was efficient with his scoring opportunities while also playing solid defense. PJ Washington only scored 10 points, but he was also responsible for 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in his 37 minutes on the floor. Dallas will need those two to remain productive in Game 6 on Saturday, with the Mavericks looking to close out the series. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:09 pm
     
  • Max Strus hits three 3-pointers in Game 5 loss
    Max Strus scored 12 points (3-of-10 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs) with seven rebounds, nine assists, and three 3-pointers in 44 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Celtics.

    Advice: Strus didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, but the overall line was solid for DFS players who may have slotted him into their lineups. The nine assists were a postseason high for the Cavaliers wing, who was asked to take on additional offensive responsibilities with Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert unavailable. Based on his Yahoo ADP, Strus was expected to provide late-round value this season, and that’s precisely what he did. Starting 70 games during the regular season, Strus established career-high averages in points (12.2), rebounds (4.8), assists (4.0), steals (0.9), and blocks (0.4). The best way for Strus to threaten top 100 status would be to improve the field-goal percentage, as he shot just 41.8% in 2023-24. Rotoworld Wednesday, 7:21 pm
     
  • All-around outing in Game 5 defeat
    Strus ended Wednesday's 113-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with 12 points (3-10 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and nine assists in 45 minutes.

    Advice: Strus put up a well-rounded stat line, handing out a team-high-tying assist total to go along with a team-high-tying rebound mark in a near double-double outing. Strus reached double figures in scoring in three of the five games against Boston, adding at least seven rebounds and seven assists in the final two games of the series. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 6:54 pm
     
  • CLE starting Garland, Strus, Okoro, Wade, Mobley
    Darius Garland, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, and Evan Mobley will start Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Celtics.

    Advice: Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert are all out for Game 5, which could be Cleveland’s final game of the season. Due to those absences, Okoro and Wade will start, which also puts more pressure on Garland, Strus, and Mobley to produce on offense. Rotoworld Wednesday, 3:25 pm
     
  • Starting Wednesday
    Wade will move into the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 5 in Boston, Serena Winters of Bally Sports Cleveland reports.

    Advice: Wade should get all the run he can handle with the Cavaliers' backcourt depleted, and he'll be joined in the first unit by Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus and Evan Mobley. Sam Merrill should also see an uptick in minutes due to Caris LeVert (knee) joining Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Jarrett Allen (ribs) on the sidelines for Game 5. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 3:23 pm
     
  • Serviceable in spot start
    Alexander-Walker amassed 14 points (5-12 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists and two blocks across 39 minutes during Tuesday's 112-97 loss to the Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Alexander-Walker moved into the starting lineup Tuesday, replacing Mike Conley who was ruled out due to an Achilles issue. While he was far from spectacular, Alexander-Walker cobbled together a serviceable performance, contributing on both ends of the floor. Now trailing 3-2 in the series, Minnesota will hope Conley is cleared to return for Game 6. If that's not the case, expect to see Alexander-Walker running with the starters again. Rotowire.com Tuesday, 11:41 pm
     
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker scores 14 points Tuesday
    Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished Tuesday’s 112-97 loss to Denver with 14 points (5-of-12 FGs), two rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and four 3-pointers in 39 minutes.

    Advice: Due to Mike Conley (Achilles) sitting out Game 5, Alexander-Walker was moved into the starting lineup. While he did finish with a minus-13, the overall stat line was solid. NAW made four of his eight 3-point attempts, and his five assists were countered by one turnover. Alexander-Walker’s place in the rotation for Thursday’s Game 6 depends on Conley’s availability; clearly, he will return to the bench if the Timberwolves’ starting point guard can play. Rotoworld Tuesday, 10:26 pm