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  • Kristaps Porzingis plays 16 minutes in Game 5 win
    Kristaps Porzingis tallied five points (2-of-4 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs) and one rebound in 16 minutes in Monday’s 106-88 win over Dallas.

    Advice: Having picked up a DNP-CD in Game 4 despite being cleared to play, Porzingis logged 16 minutes off the bench on Monday. He wasn’t under any specific restrictions, but it was clear that the Celtics wouldn’t push him too far. The result was Boston’s 18th title in franchise history and the first for the “Unicorn.” After a stellar 2022-23 season in Washington, Porzingis being traded to Boston may have led to his being undervalued in fantasy basketball. Boasting a Yahoo ADP of 43.1, he provided top-15 per-game value in 9-cat formats and top-25 in 8-cat. The lone negative was availability. Porzingis only appeared in 57 games due to injury, with his absence boosting backup Al Horford’s fantasy value. Injuries were also an issue for Porzingis during the Celtics’ run through the playoffs, and he’s only appeared in at least 60 regular season games once (2022-23) since the 2016-17 campaign. KP is immensely valuable to fantasy managers when healthy, but that’s why his ADP is likely to take a hit. Rotoworld Monday, 8:36 pm
     
  • Al Horford posts 9/9/2/1 line in Game 5 victory
    Al Horford finished Monday’s 106-88 win over Dallas with nine points (3-of-6 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), nine rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 32 minutes.

    Advice: In his 17th NBA season, Horford finally has his elusive championship. The veteran big man remained in the starting lineup despite Kristaps Porzingis’ return, and he gave the Celtics solid minutes throughout the series. The title was a fitting reward for Horford, who sacrificed by volunteering to come off the bench before the season began. Horford had a Yahoo ADP of 128.4, and the veteran center exceeded that number despite the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis. Appearing in 65 games, Horford offered 10th-round per-game value in 8-cat formats while cracking the top 100 in 8-cat. Selecting him with a top 100 pick in drafts ahead of the 2024-25 season would be a fool’s errand, as his workload will likely be managed again. Horford did not play both ends of back-to-backs this season, and that’s unlikely to change with his turning 38 years old earlier this month. Rotoworld Monday, 8:31 pm
     
  • Jrue Holiday grabs 11 rebounds in title clincher
    Jrue Holiday finished Monday’s 106-88 win over the Mavericks with 15 points (7-of-14 FGs), 11 rebounds, four assists, one block, and one 3-pointer in 43 minutes.

    Advice: The Celtics wrapped up their 18th NBA title on Monday, and the win was lucrative for Holiday. The veteran guard earned a bonus worth nearly $1.265 million and recorded a double-double while doing so. Traded to the Celtics just before the start of training camp, Holiday’s fantasy value took a hit this season. However, ranking just outside the top 75 in 9-cat formats (and just inside that threshold in 8-cat), it isn’t like his production fell off a cliff. Holiday’s averages remained consistent outside of points and assists compared to his 2022-23 season with the Bucks. The veteran guard agreed to a four-year extension (player option for Year 4) in April, so his immediate future in Boston is secure. Holiday should once again be a top 75 fantasy player. Rotoworld Monday, 8:27 pm
     
  • Derrick White posts 14/8/1/2/1 line in Game 5 win
    Derrick White logged 38 minutes in Monday’s win over Dallas, amassing 14 points (4-of-10 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, one assist, two steals, one block, and four 3-pointers.

    Advice: Boston did not truly break out from beyond the arc in the NBA Finals, but Game 5 was the night they came closest. And White was a key factor, hitting four of the team’s 13 3-pointers as Boston locked up its 18th championship. Pegged by many as the player whose fantasy value would suffer the most after Boston added Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, White was an excellent guard to have rostered. Appearing in 73 games, he finished the regular season ranked just outside the top 25 in 8- and 9-cat per-game value. White was a better option in 9-cat formats due to his averaging just 1.5 turnovers per game, and his numbers improved across the board compared to the 2022-23 campaign. Selecting White in the third round of drafts may be a bit much, but this season proved he’s capable of offering that kind of value in Boston. Rotoworld Monday, 8:22 pm
     
  • Coming off bench in Game 5
    Porzingis (lower leg) will come off the bench for Monday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals versus the Mavericks.

    Advice: Porzingis will again come off the bench for the Celtics, as he did in the first two NBA Finals games. In those two contests, Porzingis accumulated 32 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and an assist while shooting 12-for-20 from the field. Prior to Game 5, head coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis will not have any restrictions after sitting out the last two games due to a left posterior tibialis dislocation, but Al Horford will remain in the starting lineup Monday. Rotowire.com Monday, 5:09 pm
     
  • Luka Doncic (chest) available for Game 5 Monday
    Luka Doncic (thoracic contusion) is available for Monday’s game against the Celtics.

    Advice: This status upgrade was expected, with Doncic considered probable on the initial injury report. With Dallas looking to extend the NBA Finals to a Game 6, he’ll play at least 40 minutes unless the game turns into a blowout. Rotoworld Monday, 4:25 pm
     
  • Gets green light for Game 5
    Doncic (thoracic contusion) is available for Monday's Game 5 of the NBA Finals versus the Celtics.

    Advice: Doncic is dealing with a thoracic contusion, but he has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Monday's Game 5. The All-Star will lead the Mavericks into Boston as Dallas looks to cut the series deficit to 3-2 and come back from down 3-0, a feat that has never been accomplished in NBA Finals history. Doncic has been solid throughout the series, averaging 29.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.5 steals across 37.8 minutes while shooting 47.0 percent from the field. Rotowire.com Monday, 4:20 pm
     
  • Expected to play in Game 5
    Coach Joe Mazzulla said to expect Porzingis (lower leg) to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against Dallas on Monday, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News reports.

    Advice: Porzingis was ruled out ahead of Game 3 after suffering a left posterior tibialis dislocation in the third quarter of Game 2. He got the green light for Game 4 but didn't see any playing time during the blowout loss. However, with the Celtics looking to close out the series at home, Porzingis won't have any restrictions, though it remains unclear if he'll be in the starting lineup. In Game 1, his first appearance after a 10-game absence due to a calf injury, Porzingis scored 20 points (8-13 FG) and blocked three shots in 21 minutes. Rotowire.com Monday, 3:50 pm
     
  • Kristaps Porzingis (leg) available for Game 5 Mon.
    Kristaps Porzingis (left posterior tibialis dislocation) is available for Monday’s game against the Mavericks.

    Advice: Porzingis is officially available for Game 5, but that does not mean he’s guaranteed to play. The Celtics cleared him for Friday’s Game 4, but Porzingis did not see action. Before that game, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the 7-foot-3 big would only play in “very specific instances,” and the contest turned into a blowout by the end of the first quarter. Mazzulla did say before Game 5 that he “expects to see” Porzingis play, but DFS players should not expect too much from him production-wise. Rotoworld Monday, 3:33 pm