Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Gary Harris hits two triples in Game 7 defeat
    Gary Harris (hamstring) accounted for six points (2-of-4 FGs), two rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 27 minutes in Sunday’s Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers.

    Advice: Questionable for Sunday’s game after sitting out Game 6 with a strained hamstring, Harris started and played 27 minutes. While he did make two 3-pointers, the overall impact was muted. Unfortunately for Harris, injuries have been a significant storyline since the nine-year pro arrived in Orlando via the Aaron Gordon trade. He played 54 games this season, finishing ranked well outside the top 200 in 8- and 9-cat formats. Harris will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and regardless of where he could land, fantasy managers don’t need to consider selecting him in most drafts. Rotoworld Today, 1:49 pm
     
  • Franz Wagner endures brutal Game 7 performance
    Franz Wagner shot 1-of-13 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Sunday’s 106-94 loss to the Cavaliers, scoring six points with six rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 34 minutes.

    Advice: Playing in the biggest game of his brief NBA career, as were many of his Magic teammates, Wagner struggled mightily on Sunday afternoon. He could not make anything happen offensively, missing all five of his 3-point attempts while shooting 1-of-8 from two. Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro certainly deserves some credit for that, but this performance was a severe departure from the norm for Wagner. Based on the Yahoo ADP (66.6), 2023-24 went as expected for Franz, who finished the regular season as a 6th-round player in 8- and 9-cat formats. Sunday wasn’t a good way for him to go out, but Wagner will be one of Orlando’s solid building blocks moving forward. He’s eligible for a contract extension this offseason; it would be surprising if the front office did not make that happen. Rotoworld Today, 1:34 pm
     
  • Evan Mobley records 16 boards, five blocked shots
    Evan Mobley accounted for 11 points (5-of-8 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), 16 rebounds, one assist, and five blocked shots in 41 minutes in Sunday’s 106-94 win over the Magic.

    Advice: Cleveland is headed to the second round, with their series against Boston beginning on Tuesday. While Mobley struggled with turnovers in Sunday’s Game 7, committing six, he was excellent as a rebounder and defender. He rejected five shots, moving his total to 12 in the series’ final three games. And those were games the Cavaliers played without Jarrett Allen, who is dealing with a rib injury. Both teams could be without an essential big man for Tuesday’s Game 1 in Boston, as the Celtics will not have Kristaps Porzingis (calf). If Allen cannot play, Mobley will continue to take on more responsibilities as the Cavaliers’ defensive anchor. Rotoworld Today, 1:25 pm
     
  • Caris LeVert chips in with 15 bench points Sunday
    Caris LeVert accumulated 15 points (5-of-9 FGs, 5-of-7 FTs), five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 29 minutes in Sunday’s Game 7 victory over Orlando.

    Advice: Cleveland went into the halftime break trailing by ten (53-43), with LeVert and Donovan Mitchell being why the home team remained within striking distance. LeVert scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, taking a back seat to Max Strus and Darius Garland (and Mitchell, of course) in the second. While he did score 15 points in Games 3 and 7, LeVert was responsible for 22 total in the other five games. The Cavaliers will need more consistent production in the second round against Boston, with Game 1 of that series set for Tuesday night. Rotoworld Today, 1:19 pm
     
  • Max Strus scores 11 second-half points in Game 7
    Max Strus finished Sunday’s Game 7 victory over the Magic with 13 points (5-of-9 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and three 3-pointers in 31 minutes.

    Advice: After scoring seven points or less in the series’ first four games, Strus hit double figures in the final three. He was critical during the second half of Game 7, scoring 11 of his 13 points to (along with Darius Garland) give Donovan Mitchell the offensive assistance Cleveland’s star guard desperately needed. Garland had a rough Sunday overall, shooting 3-of-13 from the field and finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer. While he and Strus did what was required to get past Orlando, both must be better in Cleveland’s second-round series against Boston. Game 1 is on Tuesday night. Rotoworld Today, 1:14 pm
     
  • Paolo Banchero records 38/16/2/3/1 line in Game 7
    Paolo Banchero logged 41 minutes in Sunday’s 106-94 loss to Cleveland, amassing 38 points (10-of-28 FGs, 15-of-18 FTs), 16 rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: Between the field goal percentage and his five turnovers, Banchero did not have the most efficient Sunday afternoon. However, his overall play was the primary reason why Orlando had a chance to win Game 7. The lack of consistent help from others factored into Banchero’s efficiency issues. Still, he gained a significant amount of respect from mainstream followers of the NBA with his play throughout the series. Orlando lost all four games its standout forward committed at least five turnovers. And that category significantly impacted his fantasy value during the regular season. While a top 100 player in 8-cat formats, Banchero finished the regular season outside the top 150 in 9-cat. How Orlando handles its needs on the perimeter (consistent shooting and playmaking) will impact whether Banchero comes off in the fifth round of most drafts (as he did last fall) or slightly higher. Rotoworld Today, 1:05 pm
     
  • Practices Sunday
    Coach Jason Kidd said Hardaway (ankle) returned to practice Sunday, Grant Afseth of SI.com reports.

    Advice: Hardaway sprained his right ankle during Game 2 of the opening-round series against the Clippers and missed the final four contests. His return to practice is an encouraging sign, but Hardaway's official status for Tuesday's Game 1 against the Thunder likely won't be known until Monday afternoon. Rotowire.com Today, 11:41 am
     
  • Won't start Game 7
    Isaac won't start Sunday's Game 7 against the Cavaliers, Philip Rossman-Reich of OrlandoMagicDaily.com reports.

    Advice: With Gary Harris (hamstring) returning to the starting lineup after missing Game 6, Isaac will revert to a reserve role. Across three appearances off the bench during the opening-round series, Isaac has averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 19.3 minutes per game. Rotowire.com Today, 9:39 am
     
  • Back to bench
    Morris won't start Sunday's Game 7 against the Magic, Serena Winters of Bally Sports Cleveland reports.

    Advice: With Jarrett Allen (hip) sidelined, Morris got a chance in the starting unit during Game 6 but finished with just two points (1-7 FG) and eight rebounds in 27 minutes during a disappointing loss. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has reinserted Isaac Okoro into the starting lineup in place of Morris for the decisive Game 7. In Game 5, Morris came off the bench and posted 12 points (4-9 FG) in 26 minutes. Rotowire.com Today, 9:36 am