Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • So-so line in woeful team showing
    Tatum chipped in 15 points (4-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT), five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal across 27 minutes during Friday's 122-84 loss to the Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: The Celtics had a dreadful showing on both ends of the court Friday, as they suffered one of the most lopsided defeats in the history of the NBA Finals. Tatum didn't have a good shooting performance, but his 15-point output aligned with the numbers he'd been posting during the last few games with the exception of his 31-point effort in Game 3. Tatum and the rest of the Celtics will look to bounce back to close out the series Monday at home. Rotowire.com Friday, 9:08 pm
     
  • Kristaps Porzingis (leg) a DNP-CD in Game 4 loss
    Kristaps Porzingis (left posterior tibialis dislocation) did not play in Friday’s 122-84 loss to the Mavericks.

    Advice: Porzingis was cleared to play after sitting out Game 3. However, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said during his pregame availability that he would only play in “very specific instances,” so the chances of KP seeing action were slim. With Game 4 getting out of hand by the end of the first quarter, there was no reason for Mazzulla to consider inserting Porzingis. Game 5 is on Monday night, with Porzingis’ availability impacting Al Horford and Xavier Tillman if he’s allowed to play. Rotoworld Friday, 8:30 pm
     
  • Jayson Tatum limited to 15 points in Game 4 loss
    Jayson Tatum shot 4-of-10 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line in Friday’s 122-84 loss to Dallas, accounting for 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, two blocks, and one 3-pointer in 27 minutes.

    Advice: Even with Tatum recording a full stat line, there weren’t any positives to take from Friday’s blowout defeat. The Celtics struggled to keep Dallas out of the paint from the start of Game 4, and Joe Mazzulla decided to pull the plug with about four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Tatum and the Celtics will return home for Game 5, with a win netting the franchise its first NBA title since 2008. Rotoworld Friday, 8:04 pm
     
  • Warming up Friday
    Porzingis (lower leg) was out on the court warming up ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks on Friday.

    Advice: Porzingis is still officially listed as questionable after missing Game 3 with a left posterior tibialis dislocation. While an official determination of Porzingis' status will likely be made closer to tipoff at 8:30 ET, he seems to be moving well, which bodes well for his availability moving forward in the series. Rotowire.com Friday, 3:06 pm
     
  • Suffers ankle injury
    Jovic was diagnosed with a minor left ankle sprain Thursday and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

    Advice: Jovic is still expected to compete for Serbia in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which begin on July 28. Jovic made 38 starts for Miami this year and could start alongside Nikola Jokic in the frontcourt for Serbia. Rotowire.com Thursday, 11:24 am
     
  • Comes close to double-double
    Washington finished with 13 points (3-9 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 4-6 FT), eight rebounds and two assists across 39 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 loss to the Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Washington finished just two rebounds shy of recording what would've been his first double-double since May 15, when he recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds in the Game 5 win over the Thunder. He's been surprisingly consistent in the Finals despite Dallas' three straight losses, scoring in double figures and grabbing at least seven boards in each outing. He'll aim to keep this streak going in Game 4 on Friday. Rotowire.com Thursday, 7:00 am
     
  • Active on both ends in Game 3
    Horford registered eight points (3-6 FG, 2-5 3Pt), five rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals across 37 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 win over the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Horford plays a secondary role in the Celtics' offensive scheme, though that's not surprising since he shares the court regularly with established superstars such as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. However, the veteran big man does all the little things contending teams need to win games consistently, and he regularly finds a way to contribute. Though he's not much of a reliable fantasy option at this point of his career, Horford is averaging 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in the current NBA Finals. Rotowire.com Thursday, 6:44 am
     
  • Drains three threes in Game 3 win
    Hauser ended Wednesday's 106-99 victory over the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals with nine points (3-4 FG, 3-4 3Pt), three rebounds and one assist across 14 minutes.

    Advice: Hauser led the Celtics with a plus-16 plus-minus ratio during the win. In addition to hitting three of four attempts from beyond the arc, Hauser also delivered excellent defense. The reserve forward stopped Mavericks star Luka Doncic on a few drives. Hauser's 14 minutes of run led Boston's bench. The three-point sniper has now hit 1.2 triples per game throughout the playoffs. The Celtics will try to sweep the Finals on Friday in Dallas. Rotowire.com Thursday, 6:03 am
     
  • Plays 11 minutes in Game 3 win
    Tillman closed with three points (1-1 FG, 1-1 3Pt), four rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 win over Dallas in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: It was Tillman, not Luke Kornet, who picked up the slack at center due to Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) being out. Coach Joe Mazzulla clearly preferred Tillman switching on Mavericks star Luka Doncic on pick-and-rolls, and the move paid off. Tillman got multiple stops when forced to guard Doncic. Tillman also hit a clutch corner three during a key second-half Boston scoring run. His four boards and two blocks were just what the Celtics needed while managing 38-year-old Al Horford's workload. Tillman and his teammates will look to finish the Finals in Dallas on Friday. Rotowire.com Thursday, 5:16 am