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  • Shines off bench Wednesday
    Batum provided 20 points (7-12 FG, 6-10 3Pt), five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.

    Advice: It was widely known that Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were going to carry the Sixers in this matchup against the Heat, but the truth is that Philadelphia wouldn't have gotten the win hadn't it been for Batum's impressive effort off the bench. The 20-point output was a season-high mark for the veteran, and even though his role is not going to change drastically in the first-round matchup against New York, he should continue to see decent minutes on a regular basis. Perhaps surprisingly, he went scoreless in the four times he faced the Knicks during the regular season. Rotowire.com Today, 7:28 am
     
  • Plays big minutes in Play-In win
    Embiid logged 23 points (6-17 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 15 rebounds, five assists and one steal over 38 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over Miami.

    Advice: Embiid had a complicated matchup against Bam Adebayo, arguably one of the best defensive centers in The Association, and even though his efficiency was subpar, he still led Philadephia in scoring while coming through with a clutch performance from the charity stripe. Embiid should be in line for a productive first-round series against the Knicks, and even though he only faced them once in the regular season, he delivered a 30-point, 10-rebound, three-block performance on Jan. 5. Rotowire.com Today, 7:26 am
     
  • Scores 19 in win over Miami
    Maxey accumulated 19 points (6-16 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 6-6 FT), three rebounds and six assists across 44 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game victory over the Heat.

    Advice: Maxey had a rough night from three-point range, but he still salvaged his stat line by sniffing the 20-point mark and dishing out six assists. Maxey is expected to play a prominent role on offense in the first-round matchup against the Knicks, and it's worth noting he averaged 26.3 points per game in three games vs. New York during the regular season. Rotowire.com Today, 7:24 am
     
  • Decent stat line in loss
    Jaquez closed Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers with 15 points (6-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal across 22 minutes.

    Advice: Jaquez looked good despite coming off the bench and was one of Miami's top contributors on offense. He's widely expected to move into the starting lineup for Friday's matchup against the Bulls due to the absence of Jimmy Butler (knee), and that would translate into an uptick in his usage rate. Rotowire.com Today, 7:19 am
     
  • Double-double in loss Wednesday
    Adebayo posted 10 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt), 12 rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to the 76ers.

    Advice: Adebayo wasn't as involved as expected on the offensive end of the court, as he had to deal with a tough matchup against Joel Embiid, but he still found a way to finish with a double-double even if the Heat came up short of winning. Knowing the Heat will be without Jimmy Butler (knee) for Friday's game against the Bulls, Adebayo should experience an uptick in usage rate and volume while dealing with the matchup of Nikola Vucevic, who's nowhere near as good as Embiid on the defensive end of the court. Rotowire.com Today, 7:18 am
     
  • Paces team in scoring in loss
    Herro registered 25 points (9-27 FG, 4-14 3Pt, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and nine assists over 41 minutes during Wednesday's 105-104 Play-In Game loss to Philadelphia.

    Advice: Herro might have needed 27 shots to score 25 shots, but the uptick in usage rate happened since Jimmy Butler suffered a knee injury in the first quarter, which limited him considerably, and Bam Adebayo had a rough matchup with Joel Embiid. Herro has reached the 20-point mark in four of his last six outings, and considering Butler will miss Friday's win-or-go-home matchup against the Bulls, he should be in line for another heavy usage rate vs. Chicago. Rotowire.com Today, 7:13 am
     
  • Facing multi-week absence
    Butler is expected to be sidelined for several weeks after sustaining an MCL injury to his right knee Wednesday in the Heat's 105-104 loss to the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Butler sustained the injury in the final minute of the first quarter, and while he remained in the game, he was clearly operating at well below full strength and ultimately finished with 19 points (5-18 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 7-8 FT), five assists, five steals and four rebounds in 40 minutes. The Heat will send Butler in for an MRI on Thursday before providing an updated diagnosis of his injury, but the 34-year-old looks safe to count out for Friday's Play-In Tournament matchup with the Bulls, and quite likely, the first round of the playoffs if Miami should advance. Jaime Jaquez has regularly picked up starts when Butler missed time during the regular season, and the rookie first-round pick as well as Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin could all benefit from added minutes Friday. Rotowire.com Today, 6:58 am
     
  • Thnks fr th mmrs: Jimmy Butler out multiple weeks
    Jimmy Butler will be sidelined for multiple weeks after suffering what is feared to be an MCL injury in Wednesday’s loss to Philadelphia.

    Advice: Butler suffered the injury in the first quarter of Wednesday’s loss but managed to play the rest of the game. He was seen noticeably grimacing throughout the contest, most notably after a steal and fastbreak dunk. Butler’s absence couldn’t have come at a worse time for Miami. The Heat will play in an elimination game Friday against the Bulls, and the winner will advance to face the Celtics as the No. 8 seed. Without “Playoff Jimmy” on the court, Miami will have to lean more heavily on Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic and Caleb Martin. Rotoworld Today, 6:58 am
     
  • Posts 21 points in final game
    Bogdanovic ended with 21 points (8-18 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in 37 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to the Bulls.

    Advice: Bogdanovic jumped in and out of the starting lineup this season but still managed an average of 30.4 minutes per game, a career-best for the veteran. The sharpshooter saw a modest decline in his three-point percentage this season, averaging only 37.4 percent beyond the arc. He ended the season ranked fifth in the league with 651 three-pointers. Bogdanovic is in the midst of a four-year deal with the Hawks and he's expected to remain with the team. Rotowire.com Today, 4:08 am