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  • Cason Wallace logs 24 minutes in Game 6 loss
    Cason Wallace shot 2-of-8 from the field in Saturday’s 117-116 loss to the Thunder, scoring five points with one assist, one steal, one block, and one 3-pointer in 24 minutes.

    Advice: Wallace didn’t offer much production in Game 6, but Josh Giddey’s struggles led to the rookie figuring more prominently in the Thunder rotation this series. The first-round pick averaged 21.5 minutes per game against Dallas, four more than his average against the Pelicans in the first round. Wallace wasn’t worth selecting in most redraft leagues before this season, but that could change in 2024-25. That will depend on what happens with Giddey, who is eligible for a rookie extension this summer. Does Oklahoma City extend him, or do they attempt to use Giddey to strengthen the roster (especially the frontcourt)? If Sam Presti decides to make a move, Wallace is one player who could benefit. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:02 pm
     
  • Luguentz Dort records 11/3/1/3 line in Game 6 loss
    Luguentz Dort shot 3-of-10 from the field and 3-of-3 from the foul line in Saturday’s 117-116 loss to the Mavericks, amassing 11 points, three rebounds, one assist, three steals, and two 3-pointers in 32 minutes.

    Advice: After shooting 52.2% from three in Oklahoma City’s first-round sweep of New Orleans, Dort reverted to form against the Mavericks. He shot 31.7% from distance against Dallas, averaging 6.8 attempts per game. Dort was slightly worse from the field overall, shooting 31.1% while averaging 10.5 points per game. Providing offense after defending Luka Doncic certainly isn’t easy, but Oklahoma City will need continued growth from Dort as they look to contend in the West. Until that happens, he will continue to have a limited fantasy ceiling. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:54 pm
     
  • Isaiah Joe hits three 3-pointers, scores 11 points
    Isaiah Joe played 29 minutes in Saturday’s Game 6 loss to the Mavericks, tallying 11 points (4-of-7 FGs), three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: Despite struggling in Game 5, Joe remained in the starting lineup for Game 6. He rebounded, shooting 3-of-4 from three and reaching double figures. Joe hasn’t been much more than a fantasy streamer during the regular season in Oklahoma City, but he, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins are worth watching this summer. Josh Giddey, who went from starter to playing limited minutes, is extension eligible, and this could be viewed as an opportunity to move him this summer. If so, Joe, Wallace, or Wiggins could be in play as a late-round option, depending on the potential return. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:43 pm
     
  • Improved performance Friday
    Nembhard finished with 15 points (6-12 FG, 3-4 3Pt), six rebounds, six assists and one block over 38 minutes during Friday's 116-103 win over New York in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Nembhard put together arguably his best performance of the postseason, especially when it comes to his efforts on the defensive end. Having been worked over by Jalen Brunson in the past couple of games, Nembhard appeared as though he was focused on making amends for his recent shortcomings. Although Brunson ended with a game-high 31 points, many of those came with the game already in the bag for Indiana. If the Pacers are to walk out of Madison Square Garden with a victory Sunday, Nembhard may need to again be more than a traffic cone on defense. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:52 am
     
  • Moves to bench
    Alexander-Walker will move to the bench for Thursday's Game 6 versus Denver.

    Advice: This is an expected move with Mike Conley back from his injury. Alexander-Walker fared well in his spot start in Game 5, producing 14 points (5-12 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds, five assists and two blocks across 39 minutes. Rotowire.com Thursday, 5:04 pm
     
  • Stuffs stat sheet in Game 5 defeat
    Dort finished with 12 points (4-11 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to the Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Dort didn't have his best shooting performance and was particularly woeful from three-point range, but he still delivered decent fantasy value due to his ability to fill the stat sheet. Dort will need to be better Saturday, as the Thunder will try to avoid elimination in a pivotal Game 6 in Dallas, but the odds are against him. Through five games in the series, Dort is averaging just 10.4 points while shooting a meager 31.4 percent from the field. Rotowire.com Thursday, 9:09 am
     
  • Isaiah Joe offers minimal value in spot start
    Isaiah Joe played 21 minutes in Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to the Mavericks, accounting for six points (2-of-9 FGs), three rebounds, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: Thunder coach Mark Daigneault changed the starting lineup for Game 5, with Joe replacing the ineffective Josh Giddey. Joe picked up two quick fouls and could not offer much value in his 21 minutes on the court. While Giddey (11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer) shot 5-of-8 from the field, the minutes total (12) is a clear sign that he isn’t trusted in this series. The question ahead of Saturday’s Game 6 is whether or not Daigneault will stick with Joe as the fifth starter. And even if Giddey receives the nod, he’s unlikely to get the minutes needed to be of value to DFS players. Rotoworld Wednesday, 9:32 pm
     
  • Max Strus hits three 3-pointers in Game 5 loss
    Max Strus scored 12 points (3-of-10 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs) with seven rebounds, nine assists, and three 3-pointers in 44 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Celtics.

    Advice: Strus didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, but the overall line was solid for DFS players who may have slotted him into their lineups. The nine assists were a postseason high for the Cavaliers wing, who was asked to take on additional offensive responsibilities with Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert unavailable. Based on his Yahoo ADP, Strus was expected to provide late-round value this season, and that’s precisely what he did. Starting 70 games during the regular season, Strus established career-high averages in points (12.2), rebounds (4.8), assists (4.0), steals (0.9), and blocks (0.4). The best way for Strus to threaten top 100 status would be to improve the field-goal percentage, as he shot just 41.8% in 2023-24. Rotoworld Wednesday, 7:21 pm
     
  • All-around outing in Game 5 defeat
    Strus ended Wednesday's 113-98 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with 12 points (3-10 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and nine assists in 45 minutes.

    Advice: Strus put up a well-rounded stat line, handing out a team-high-tying assist total to go along with a team-high-tying rebound mark in a near double-double outing. Strus reached double figures in scoring in three of the five games against Boston, adding at least seven rebounds and seven assists in the final two games of the series. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 6:54 pm