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Paolo Banchero logged 41 minutes in Sunday’s 106-94 loss to Cleveland, amassing 38 points (10-of-28 FGs, 15-of-18 FTs), 16 rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block, and three 3-pointers.

Advice: Between the field goal percentage and his five turnovers, Banchero did not have the most efficient Sunday afternoon. However, his overall play was the primary reason why Orlando had a chance to win Game 7. The lack of consistent help from others factored into Banchero’s efficiency issues. Still, he gained a significant amount of respect from mainstream followers of the NBA with his play throughout the series. Orlando lost all four games its standout forward committed at least five turnovers. And that category significantly impacted his fantasy value during the regular season. While a top 100 player in 8-cat formats, Banchero finished the regular season outside the top 150 in 9-cat. How Orlando handles its needs on the perimeter (consistent shooting and playmaking) will impact whether Banchero comes off in the fifth round of most drafts (as he did last fall) or slightly higher. Rotoworld Sunday, 1:05 pm

Norman Powell finished Friday’s 114-101 loss to the Mavericks with 20 points (6-of-14 FGs, 6-of-8 FTs), four rebounds, and two 3-pointers in 36 minutes.

Advice: Powell played a series-high 36 minutes in Game 6, hitting the 20-point mark for the first time since he scored 21 in Game 3. The Clippers playing without Kawhi Leonard resulted in more opportunities for Norm, even if he remained in a reserve role. Powell was once again one of the NBA’s most productive bench scorers, but his fantasy value will remain capped as long as the Clippers have Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on the wings. Powell is under contract for two more seasons, and unless George were to opt out and leave, his place within the Clippers’ rotation is unlikely to change in 2024-25. He’s worth selecting with a late-round pick, but Powell is most valuable on nights when the Clippers are shorthanded on the perimeter. Rotoworld Friday, 10:13 pm

Paolo Banchero finished Friday’s Game 6 victory over the Cavaliers with 27 points (9-of-20 FGs, 7-of-10 FTs), eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 41 minutes.

Advice: With their backs against the wall, Banchero and the Magic stepped up to force a decisive Game 7. The All-Star forward led the way offensively while combining with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs to make some playoff history. That trio became the third-youngest to score at least 20 points in the same playoff game, joining two separate Oklahoma City Thunder tandems (Durant/Harden/Westbrook and Durant/Ibaka/Westbrook). Orlando will need to win in Cleveland on Sunday to advance. Still, Banchero’s performance in Game 5 should inspire confidence that he can play at a high level on the road, as he struggled mightily with turnovers (15) in the series’ first two games. Rotoworld Friday, 6:55 pm

Khris Middleton finished Thursday’s Game 6 loss to the Pacers with 14 points (6-of-16 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 37 minutes.

Advice: While Damian Lillard did return from an Achilles injury, the Bucks were still without Giannis Antetokounmpo. That meant they needed another virtuoso performance from Middleton to keep their season alive, and that didn’t happen. The veteran wing finished with a series-low 14 points as the Pacers sent Milwaukee fishing. As in 2022-23, the inability to remain healthy sapped most of Middleton’s fantasy value this season. Managers expected this, based on Khash Money’s Yahoo ADP of 82.3. While his regular season fantasy value wasn’t terrible, the availability issues proved costly. Middleton finished the year ranked outside the top 100 in 9-cat formats, albeit by a few spots. How much managers should trust him in the fall will depend on the Bucks’ roster, but Middleton’s days as a top 60 fantasy player may be in the rear-view mirror. Rotoworld Thursday, 6:03 pm