Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Stands tall in victory
    Lively had 12 points (5-6 FG, 2-3 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 29 minutes during Saturday's 117-116 victory over the Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Lively continues to play well above his age, producing when it mattered most as the Mavericks eliminated the Thunder. Despite coming off the bench, Lively played the majority of the center minutes, recording his second straight double-double. Dallas will face either the Timberwolves or the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, and either team will provide Lively with elite opposition at the center position. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 9:07 pm
     
  • Dereck Lively II grabs 15 rebounds in Game 6 win
    Dereck Lively II accumulated 12 points (5-of-6 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 30 minutes in Saturday’s 117-116 win over Oklahoma City.

    Advice: He may not have been a starter like fellow rookie Chet Holmgren, but that did not prevent Lively from impacting the action in this series. He was outstanding in Game 6, establishing a new playoff high with 15 rebounds while dishing out three assists. Lively hit double figures in scoring in three of the series’ final four games, and the Game 6 double-double was his first. Lively’s play meant he took the lion’s share of the playing time on Saturday, with starter Daniel Gafford (10/7/1/0/1) playing 19 minutes. The partnership has worked well for the Mavericks, and that will also need to be the case in the Western Conference Finals. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:08 pm
     
  • Rare appearance in loss
    Sims racked up one rebound, one assist and one block across four minutes during Friday's 116-103 loss to the Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Sims played four minutes of garbage time as the Knicks were soundly beaten by the Pacers. Though he is known for playing his stars heavy minutes, even in losses, common sense prevailed with Tom Thibodeau closing with his second unit. Despite another ankle injury to Mitchell Robinson, Sims has been unable to carve out a consistent role, something that doesn't bode well for his future when looking beyond this season. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:42 am
     
  • Efficient off bench in Game 5
    Lively totaled 11 points (3-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Lively has been playing off the bench due to the solid play of Daniel Gafford down low, but the rookie out of Duke made his presence felt on both ends of the court Wednesday. Aside from missing just one shot from the field, Lively was active defensively and recorded the first playoff double-double of his career. Lively is averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in the postseason, and while he looked very good in this pivotal win, he's not expected to move to a starting role ahead of Game 6 on Saturday. Rotowire.com Thursday, 9:04 am
     
  • Dereck Lively II records 11/10/1/1/1 stat line
    Dereck Lively II shot 3-of-3 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Wednesday’s 104-92 win over the Thunder, accounting for 11 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one blocked shot in 23 minutes.

    Advice: Dallas received 48 minutes of solid basketball from its rotation centers, with Lively recording a double-double off the bench and Daniel Gafford (9/7/1/0/1 in 25 minutes) shooting 4-of-4 from the field. Oklahoma City has continued to foul Lively intentionally during crunch time, and the rookie delivered in Game 5. He shot 5-of-6 from the foul line in Game 5 and is now 14-of-21 (66.7%) over the last three games. That percentage isn’t great, but it is much higher than Lively’s number during the regular season (50.6%). Dallas leads the series three games to two and will look to close out the Thunder on Saturday. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:14 pm
     
  • Marcus Morris goes off for 25 points in Game 5
    Marcus Morris Sr. shot 10-of-13 from the field and 0-of-1 from the foul line in Wednesday’s loss to the Celtics, accumulating 25 points, three rebounds, and five 3-pointers in 33 minutes.

    Advice: With Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert sidelined, the Cavaliers needed additional scoring from someone. Enter Morris, who went off for a season-high 25 points. To say this was a departure from the norm for the veteran center would be an understatement; he scored 30 points total during the regular season and reached double figures once during the postseason (Game 5 against Orlando). Morris will be a free agent this summer, and his days as a reliable fantasy option are in the rear-view mirror. Rotoworld Wednesday, 7:00 pm
     
  • Owns glass in Game 5 double-double
    Horford accumulated 22 points (8-15 FG, 6-13 3Pt), 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and one steal in 35 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 win over the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Horford dominated the boards in a series-clinching win Wednesday, leading all players in the contest in rebounds to go along with a handful of assists, a team-high trio of blocks and ending as one of two Celtics with 20 or more points in a double-double performance. Horford reached double figures in rebounds for the first time this postseason, also crossing the 20-point mark for the first time. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 7:00 pm
     
  • Shines off bench in Game 5 loss
    Morris finished with 25 points (10-13 FG, 5-6 3Pt, 0-1 FT), three rebounds and two steals over 33 minutes during Wednesday's 113-98 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Morris provided the shorthanded Cavaliers with a much-needed boost off the bench in Game 5, leading all bench players in scoring while connecting on a team-high handful of threes in a bench-leading minute total. Morris recorded his best outing of the postseason Wednesday, surpassing double figures in scoring for the second time in these playoffs. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 6:52 pm
     
  • Al Horford makes history with stellar Game 5
    Al Horford finished Wednesday’s 113-98 win over Cleveland with 22 points (8-of-15 FGs), 15 rebounds, five assists, one steal, three blocks, and six 3-pointers in 35 minutes.

    Advice: While Cleveland may have attempted to target Horford in the two-man game this series, the 37-year-old pivot made them pay in Game 5. He became the oldest player in NBA history to tally at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five 3-pointers in a playoff game, passing LeBron James. Horford has been influential this season, especially with Kristaps Porzingis (calf) sidelined. That will remain the case in the conference finals, whether the Celtics draw New York or Indiana. Rotoworld Wednesday, 6:41 pm