Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Al Horford posts modest line in Game 5 victory
    Al Horford played 23 minutes in Wednesday’s Game 5 win over the Heat, finishing with eight points (3-of-4 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one 3-pointers.

    Advice: The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a strained right soleus muscle during Game 4. As was the case throughout the regular season, Horford moved into the starting lineup. The veteran big man didn’t have to do much, as Boston got off to a hot start and never looked back in their decisive win over the Heat. Ending this series in five games gets the Celtics additional rest, especially if the Cleveland/Orlando series goes the distance. With Porzingis unlikely to return before the conference finals (should Boston advance that far), Horford will serve as the starting center in the second round. Rotoworld 17 minutes ago
     
  • Jaylen Brown finishes series with 25-point effort
    Jaylen Brown logged 26 minutes in Wednesday’s 118-184 win over the Heat, amassing 25 points (11-of-19 FGs, 2-of-5 FTs), six rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer.

    Advice: Brown recorded a solid point total, shooting well over 50% from the field, but efficiency remains problematic in other areas. In addition to committing five turnovers in the series decider, he shot 40% from the foul line. For the series, Brown was 9-of-20 (45%) from the charity stripe, which will not get it done against stronger opposition. Add in 16 turnovers in the five-game series, and Brown has some things to clean up before the second round begins. Boston will play Cleveland or Orlando, with the Cavs leading that series by three games to two. Rotoworld 23 minutes ago
     
  • Caleb Martin scores 10 points in Game 5 blowout
    Caleb Martin played 36 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Celtics, tallying 10 points (4-of-9 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), four rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer.

    Advice: Martin reached double figures in three of the series’ five games, including a 21-point performance in Miami’s Game 2 victory. But the inconsistency meant he wasn’t a reliable option for DFS players, mirroring his season-long fantasy value. Martin was a late-round pick, at best, in most fantasy leagues before the season began, and his production bore that out. He finished the regular season ranked outside the top 200 in 9-cat formats and offers a significantly lower fantasy ceiling than Jaime Jaquez Jr. There’s little reason to plan on selecting Martin in drafts next fall. Still, there will be times when he’s worth the streaming risk. Rotoworld 27 minutes ago
     
  • Nikola Jovic records 8/7/4 line in Game 5 loss
    Nikola Jovic accounted for eight points (3-of-7 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), seven rebounds, and four assists in 27 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Celtics.

    Advice: After reaching double figures in each of the series’ first three games, Jovic faltered in Games 4 and 5. That was the tale of his season, with the second-year forward failing to provide consistent production. It has been said that Miami likes Jovic’s potential, but that didn’t always result in extended minutes this season. He averaged just 19.5 minutes per game in 46 appearances this season, ranking outside the top 250 regarding fantasy value. Unless the Heat were to make drastic changes to their roster, Jovic isn’t a player who should be selected in most leagues. However, he could offer streaming potential at points during the season. Rotoworld 28 minutes ago
     
  • Tyler Herro scores inefficient 15 points in rout
    Tyler Herro shot 6-of-19 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line in Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to the Celtics, recording a line of 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, and one 3-pointer in 35 minutes.

    Advice: Miami was without Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. for Game 5, putting even more pressure on Herro to perform with the team’s season on the line. He struggled, as many guards do when dealing with Jrue Holiday. While he established new career-highs in points (20.8 per game), assists (4.5), and 3-pointers (3.1), injuries limited Herro’s fantasy value. Beginning the season with a Yahoo ADP of 68.9, he finished the regular season ranked just inside the top 90 in 9-cat, per-game value, according to Basketball Monster. If Herro can play 65-plus games, as he did during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, he’s capable of approaching top-60 fantasy value. He’ll be worth selecting in the 6th round of standard league drafts, depending on potential changes to the Heat roster. Rotoworld 30 minutes ago
     
  • Bam Adebayo finishes Game 5 loss with 23 points
    Bam Adebayo played 36 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Celtics, accounting for 23 points (10-of-26 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer.

    Advice: For the second straight game, Adebayo hit a 3-pointer. As was the case in Game 4, it did not matter, as the Heat were eliminated from the playoffs in blowout fashion. Bam led the team in points and assists but was inefficient as a scorer. Given how shorthanded Miami was, they needed a near-perfect game from the available players to have a shot. That didn’t happen, so attention now turns to the offseason. Adebayo entered the season with a Yahoo ADP of 32.7, and while the availability was there (70 games played), the production dipped slightly. The three-time All-Star averaged one point less per game compared to the 2022-23 campaign, and Bam also experienced decreases in field goal and free throw percentages. While he finished this season ranked outside the top 50, Adebayo will remain a safe 3rd-round pick in standard league drafts in the fall. Rotoworld 31 minutes ago
     
  • Jayson Tatum grabs game-high 12 rebounds in rout
    Jayson Tatum logged 32 minutes in Wednesday’s 118-84 win over Miami, finishing with 16 points (4-of-9 FGs, 6-of-9 FTs), 12 rebounds, three assists, one block, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: The only people upset about Tatum’s performance may be bettors who placed money on his overs and DFS players hoping for a big night. Boston opened up an 18-point lead by the end of the first quarter, and things would only get worse for the visiting Heat in the series clincher. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points, and Boston’s reward is a few days off ahead of the second round. Next will be Cleveland or Orlando, with the Cavaliers leading that series three games to two. Rotoworld 32 minutes ago
     
  • Derrick White scores 25 points with five triples
    Derrick White shot 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line in Wednesday’s win over the Heat, scoring 25 points with five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and five 3-pointers in 29 minutes.

    Advice: It didn’t take long for White, who scored 38 points in Game 4, and the Celtics to turn the series clincher into a laugher. Boston tallied 41 points in the first quarter and did not look back, earning themselves some valuable rest days ahead of the second round. Whether the opponent is Cleveland or Orlando (CLE leads 3-2 ahead of Friday’s Game 6), White will be a crucial figure due to his defensive prowess. And the final games of the Heat series showed what he’s capable of offensively, especially if opponents devote too much defensive attention to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Rotoworld 33 minutes ago
     
  • Able to return after stitches
    Wright went to the locker room in the first quarter of Wednesday's Game 5 against the Celtics after taking an elbow to the face. However, he'll be available to return after receiving stitches, the Heat announced.

    Advice: Wright was elbowed in the chin as Jaylen Brown went up for a shot and ended up going back to the locker room after the play. He'll have stitches put on the inside of his lower lip/chin and will then return to the contest. Patty Mills and Duncan Robinson should see more minutes while Wright is absent. Rotowire.com Today, 5:01 pm