Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Does it all in Game 5 victory
    Tatum had 31 points (11-24 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 8-8 FT), 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals across 45 minutes during Monday's 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Tatum had an all-time classic of a game to help deliver Boston banner No. 18 on Monday. The five-time All-Star was the first Celtics player since Larry Bird in 1986 with 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and five-plus rebounds in an NBA Finals game. The 26-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks across five contests in the Finals. Overall, Tatum was spectacular in the 2023-24 playoffs, averaging 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 42.7 percent from the field. The Celtics will look to repeat their success next season, as Tatum and Jaylen Brown will attempt to lead the team to back-to-back titles. Rotowire.com Monday, 9:09 pm
     
  • PJ Washington struggles mightily in Game 5 loss
    PJ Washington played 34 minutes in Monday’s 106-88 loss to the Celtics, tallying four points (2-of-7 FGs), six rebounds, three assists, and two blocked shots.

    Advice: Washington had a brutal Monday in Boston, as he missed all five of his 3-point attempts and finished with as many turnovers as points (four). It’s an unfortunate end to the season for him, as his arrival at the trade deadline was one reason why Dallas made a run to the NBA Finals. Washington began the season in Charlotte, and despite being in a position to start for the then-suspended Miles Bridges, his fantasy ADP remained relatively low (128.1). Sure enough, that’s how things played out, with being traded to Dallas only giving Washington’s fantasy value a modest boost. From February 14 through the end of the regular season, PJ was a 10th-round per-game player in 9-cat formats. The issue for Washington was percentages, as he shot 41.6% from the field and 63.8% from the foul line. Playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the hope was that Washington would be a more efficient player, but that didn’t happen. An entire training camp to strengthen the on-court chemistry should help Washington, but he’ll remain a late-round option in most leagues. Rotoworld Monday, 9:03 pm
     
  • Derrick Jones Jr. scores 10 PTS in Finals finale
    Derrick Jones Jr. shot 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line in Monday’s 106-88 loss to Boston, amassing 10 points, one blocked shot, and one 3-pointer in 22 minutes.

    Advice: Despite hitting double figures for the second time in the series, Jones’ performance on Monday was not impactful. Besides the points, he only supplied one blocked shot and failed to grab a rebound in Game 5. Jones entered the season competing for a place in the Mavericks starting lineup but remained off the radar in most fantasy drafts. While “Airplane Mode” started 66 of the 76 regular season games he appeared in, he did not offer consistent fantasy value. Jones finished the year ranked well outside the top 200 in 8- and 9-cat formats, which surprised no one. He’ll be a free agent this summer, and regardless of where he lands, Jones is likely to be more valuable to his team than to fantasy managers. Rotoworld Monday, 8:52 pm
     
  • 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
     
  • Jayson Tatum seals title with 31/8/11/2 stat line
    Jayson Tatum shot 11-of-24 from the field and 8-of-8 from the foul line in Monday’s 106-88 win over the Mavericks, tallying 31 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 45 minutes.

    Advice: The Celtics wrapped up their 18th NBA championship on Monday, with Tatum leading the way as a scorer and creator. He made some history, becoming the first Celtics player to account for at least 20 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in an NBA Finals game since Larry Bird in 1986. The championship caps quite the journey for the Celtics star, who has been an elite fantasy option for most of his career. Tatum’s scoring average dropped by more than three points per game compared to his 2022-23 production, so he finished the regular season ranked 15th in 8- and 9-cat per-game value, according to Basketball Monster. That certainly isn’t “bad,” but most fantasy managers were hoping to get top 5 value out of the Celtics star. Tatum’s ceiling still makes him a player who should be selected in the first round of most drafts, but Boston’s depth slightly lowers his fantasy ceiling. Rotoworld Monday, 8:08 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
     
  • 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