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  • Keegan Murray (hip) limited to 11 points Friday
    Keegan Murray (left hip) shot 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line in Friday’s 105-98 loss to New Orleans, tallying 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes.

    Advice: After torching the Warriors on Tuesday, Murray could not rebound from a slow start in Friday’s loss to New Orleans. He began 2-of-7 from the field, and suffering a left hip injury during the second quarter didn’t help. Murray did return and go on to play 38 minutes, but a solid second season in the NBA came to a disappointing end. Beginning the season with a Yahoo ADP of 104.5, the 2022 lottery pick ranked just outside the top 50 in 8- and 9-cat formats. The key for Murray moving forward will be to play with consistent aggression and not go through stretches in which he’s overly deferential to De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. At a minimum, he’ll be worth selecting with a top-75 pick in standard league drafts. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:06 pm
     
  • Harrison Barnes scores 17 in season finale vs. NOR
    Harrison Barnes accumulated 17 points (6-of-14 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), five rebounds, four assists, and three 3-pointers in 38 minutes in Friday’s 105-98 loss to New Orleans.

    Advice: Barnes was solid in his final game of the season, duplicating his point total from Tuesday’s win over the Kings. Something evident in the Kings’ six games against the Pelicans (all losses) was a need to get more athletic on the wings. Sacramento should emphasize improving that area of the roster during the offseason, especially in free agency. Barnes has two seasons remaining on his contract, but the positions held by him and Kevin Huerter (when healthy) for most of the 2023-24 campaign are worth keeping an eye on. Entering the season with a Yahoo ADP of 143.4, Barnes finished ranked outside the top 150 in 8- and 9-cat formats. He should be a late-round pick, at best, next season if his role does not change. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:59 pm
     
  • Domantas Sabonis posts 23/14/7/3/1 line vs. Pels
    Domantas Sabonis played 42 minutes in Friday’s 105-98 loss to New Orleans, accounting for 23 points (9-of-14 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), 14 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one blocked shot.

    Advice: As was the case on many nights, Sabonis recorded a double-double in his final game of the 2023-24 season. He recorded a league-best 77 double-doubles, including 61 straight at one point. Sabonis posted a full stat line on Friday, par for the course for a player who provided top 20 per-game value in 8-cat formats. He finished the season ranked 30th in 9-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. Sabonis did not make good on his Yahoo ADP (15), but he wasn’t far off, with free-throw percentage (70.4%) and turnovers (3.3 per game) being the issues. He’s unlikely to last past the end of the second round in most drafts next fall. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:52 pm
     
  • Trey Murphy tallies 16 points, eight rebounds
    Trey Murphy played 43 minutes in Friday’s win over Sacramento, amassing 16 points (6-of-12 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: Due to Zion Williamson (hamstring) sitting, Murphy was back in the starting lineup for Friday’s “winner-take-all” matchup with the Kings. He was productive, with the turnover count (four) being the most significant issue. During the regular season, Murphy averaged 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 3.3 3-pointers per game in 23 starts. At a minimum, the Pelicans will need similar production in their first-round series against the Thunder, which will begin on Sunday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:33 pm
     
  • Brandon Ingram scores team-high 24 points Friday
    Brandon Ingram shot 10-of-20 from the field and 3-of-3 from the foul line in Friday’s 105-98 win over the Kings, scoring 24 points with six rebounds, six assists, one block, and one 3-pointer in 37 minutes.

    Advice: With Zion Williamson (hamstring) out, Ingram had to do more as a scorer. He answered the call, shooting 50% from the field while dishing out six assists. Ingram was responsible for four turnovers, but the overall production (and contributions from the bench) were more than enough to make up for that. Also of greater significance was Ingram playing 37 minutes without issues; he logged 23 and 25 minutes in his first two games after returning from a knee injury. The Pelicans advance into the playoffs, where they’ll face No. 1-seed Oklahoma City in the first round. Game 1 is on Sunday night in OKC. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:14 pm
     
  • Cleared to return
    Murray (hip) has returned to Friday's Play-In Game against New Orleans, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Murray went to the locker room at the end of the first half with left hip soreness, but he's been cleared to return. He'll be asked to play a big role down the stretch with the Kings facing a nine-point deficit to begin the third quarter. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:02 pm
     
  • Heads to locker room
    Murray went to the locker room after suffering a left hip injury during the second quarter of Friday's Play-In Game against the Pelicans, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Murray appeared to slip on a wet spot on the court, and he was reportedly favoring his hip on the way to the locker room, per Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento. Trey Lyles and Colby Jones would likely be asked to step up if Murray can't return. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:43 pm
     
  • Solid showing in season-ending loss
    DeRozan ended Friday's 112-91 Play-In Game loss to the Heat with 22 points (8-16 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal across 41 minutes.

    Advice: DeRozan did his part as his squad looked to advance to the opening round of the postseason, knocking down 50.0 percent of his tries from the field while contributing on the defensive end. He went on an impressive run to end the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 29.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals over his last six appearances. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:20 pm
     
  • Provides quality bench minutes
    Love supplied 16 points (2-6 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 10-10 FT), seven rebounds and one assist in 12 minutes during Friday's 112-91 Play-In Game win over the Bulls.

    Advice: Love didn't make much of an impact until the second half, and his veteran presence aided Miami in maintaining a big lead down the stretch. The 35-year-old totaled 11 points, six rebounds and one assist in eight second-half minutes. Love could see his role increase heading into the Heat's opening-round series against the Celtics given his extensive postseason experience. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:08 pm