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  • Aaron Nesmith scores 14 points in series decider
    Aaron Nesmith finished Monday’s Game 4 loss to the Celtics with 14 points (4-of-11 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 35 minutes.

    Advice: Nesmith struggled from beyond the arc in Game 4, making just one of his six attempts. He reached double figures in two of the four games, but Nesmith’s growth as a defender has been one of the important storylines for the Pacers this season. The season-ending injury suffered by Bennedict Mathurin pushed the former Celtic into the Indiana starting lineup, and he proved to be a good fit. Nesmith finished the regular season ranked just outside the top 100 in 9-cat formats, and his value for the 2024-25 campaign will depend on where Mathurin falls within the rotation. If Rick Carlisle decides to prioritize defense in that spot, Nesmith could enter the season as a starter, boosting his fantasy value. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:26 pm
     
  • Battles through back issue
    Turner left Monday's Game 4 against the Celtics due to a back injury but was cleared to return for the second half, Tony East of SI.com reports. He finished with eight points (2-6 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds and one assist over 27 minutes in the loss.

    Advice: Turner's performance indicates that his back injury slowed him down, as he wasn't much of a factor in the 105-102 loss. The Texas product also contended with foul trouble, which limited his ability to be aggressive. Turner will now shift his attention to the offseason after his squad was swept by Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:23 pm
     
  • Pascal Siakam finishes Game 4 with 19/10/3 line
    Pascal Siakam logged 39 minutes in Monday’s 105-102 loss to the Celtics, tallying 19 points (8-of-18 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), 10 rebounds, and three assists.

    Advice: Having scored at least 22 points in the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Siakam fell three points shy of that number in Game 4. Overall, Spicy P had a good series, averaging 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 55.3% from the foul line. Siakam being traded to Indiana rejuvenated him this season, with the former Raptor fitting in well with his new teammates. While he did finish ranked outside the top 75 in 9-cat formats, Siakam has proven in the past that he’s capable of more. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Pacers’ priority will be to re-sign Spicy P. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:21 pm
     
  • Andrew Nembhard produces 24 points, 10 assists
    Andrew Nembhard shot 10-of-18 from the field and 1-of-1 from the foul line in Monday’s 105-102 loss to the Celtics, finishing with 24 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, one block, and three 3-pointers in 39 minutes.

    Advice: The Pacers were again without Tyrese Haliburton, and Nembhard did his best to help make up for his absence. The second-year guard improved throughout the postseason and shined in Games 3 and 4. While there were some late-game turnovers that Nembhard will want back, his overall play should highly encourage the Pacers. He’s fit in well as a starter next to Haliburton, but that has not translated into reliable fantasy value. Nembhard finished the regular season ranked outside the top 200, but he’ll be worth selecting with a late-round pick in fantasy drafts next fall. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:12 pm
     
  • Jayson Tatum posts 26/13/8/1 line in Game 4 win
    Jayson Tatum played 44 minutes in Monday’s 105-102 win over the Pacers, accumulating 26 points (11-of-26 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), 13 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and three 3-pointers.

    Advice: For the third time in four games, the Celtics made more plays than the Pacers in crunch time. Tatum’s biggest play was a floater with 2:40 remaining that tied the game at 102. That would be the last scoring until Derrick White hit a three with 45 seconds remaining, and the Celtics would go on to close out the sweep. Tatum didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball on Monday and committed five turnovers, but he was productive in the rebound and assist categories. Boston will get some welcome time off, as the NBA Finals will not begin until June 6. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:56 pm
     
  • Jaylen Brown wins MVP honors as Celtics sweep IND
    Jaylen Brown finished Monday’s 105-102 win over Indiana with 29 points (11-of-22 FGs, 3-of-6 FTs), six rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block, and four 3-pointers in 44 minutes.

    Advice: Boston completed its sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday, but three games were highly competitive. Close-out games are rarely easy, and the Celtics’ stars led the way in Game 4. Brown tallied a game-high 29 points on 50% shooting while recording a full stat line. For the series, he averaged 29.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.5 3-pointers per game, shooting 51.7% from the field. Next up for Brown and the Celtics is the NBA Finals, which will not begin until June 6. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:45 pm
     
  • Jrue Holiday (illness) available for Game 4 Monday
    Jrue Holiday (non-COVID illness) is available for Monday’s game against the Pacers.

    Advice: As was the case with Game 3 on Saturday, Holiday is available after the Celtics listed him as questionable on the initial injury report. He will take on his usual duties as a starter alongside Derrick White. Holiday played 35 minutes in Game 3, making crucial plays on both ends of the floor to help Boston complete a comeback from 18 points down. Rotoworld Yesterday, 3:32 pm
     
  • Ready to go for Game 4
    Holiday (illness) has been cleared to play in Monday's Game 4 against the Pacers, Jay King of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Holiday made it through morning shootaround without issue and has now been given the green light to take the court Monday evening. He didn't face any type of restriction in Game 3 (38 minutes) and should be a full go as the Celtics aim for a series sweep. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:19 pm
     
  • Maxi Kleber (shoulder) questionable for Game 4
    Maxi Kleber (right shoulder AC joint separation) is questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves.

    Advice: Kleber injured his shoulder during the final game of Dallas’ first-round series with the Clippers and has not played since. Saturday marked three weeks since the injury, and Kleber was due to be re-evaluated then. The questionable tag suggests there’s a chance he’ll play on Tuesday, which would give Dallas another option to help account for Dereck Lively II’s potential absence. Lively is doubtful with a sprained neck, which he suffered during Sunday’s Game 3 victory. Rotoworld Yesterday, 1:44 pm