Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Limited at Friday's practice
    Coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis (calf) participated in a couple of drills during Friday's practice and is pleased with where the big man is at in his rehab progress, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com reports.

    Advice: Porzingis was still mostly limited to individual shooting drills during the media portion of Friday's practice, but he looked to be moving well. He hasn't played since Game 4 of the Celtics' opening-round series versus Miami on April 29, so Porzingis will likely need to get at least a few days of 5-on-5 work in before getting full clearance for game action. The Celtics face the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals next Thursday, June 6, giving Porzingis ample time to increase his activity. Rotowire.com Friday, 12:11 pm
     
  • Jaden McDaniels scores eight points in Game 5 loss
    Jaden McDaniels logged 21 minutes in Thursday’s 124-103 loss to the Mavericks, amassing eight points (3-of-6 FGs), one rebound, two blocks, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: McDaniels struggled with fouls in Game 5, playing a series-low 21 minutes as a result. After scoring 24 points in the series opener, the Timberwolves wing struggled in Games 2 and 5 while producing solid all-around efforts in Games 3 and 4. McDaniels is one of the top wing defenders in the NBA, but his fantasy value is capped due to his being no higher than fourth in the offensive pecking order on most nights. While his status as a starter led many fantasy managers to select Jaden with a late-round pick (Yahoo ADP: 114), he finished just inside the top 200 in 9-cat formats. McDaniels should be selected in most drafts, but managers must keep their expectations in check. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:53 pm
     
  • Naz Reid struggles in Game 5 blowout loss to Mavs
    Naz Reid shot 2-of-10 from the field and 1-of-1 from the foul line in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks, tallying five points, four rebounds, one assist, and one blocked shot in 27 minutes.

    Advice: Reid’s production tailed off considerably after scoring 14 points or more in the first three games of the Western Conference Finals. He only attempted six shots in Game 4, but Game 5 was arguably his most disappointing effort of the postseason. The five points were the fewest in a game for Reid since Minnesota’s Game 2 win over Phoenix in the first round, and he missed all four of his 3-point attempts. While Reid finished the regular season ranked outside the top 100 in fantasy, he was a dependable option despite coming off the bench. Minnesota would likely have to move Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert for his ceiling to be raised. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:45 pm
     
  • Anthony Edwards finishes Game 5 loss with 28 PTS
    Anthony Edwards logged 43 minutes in Thursday’s 124-103 loss to the Mavericks, accumulating 28 points (10-of-18 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), nine rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, and four 3-pointers.

    Advice: Edwards did what he could to extend the Western Conference Finals, but the lack of production from Minnesota’s supporting cast was too much to overcome. Already accepted as one of the NBA’s top young talents, Ant-Man took things to another level this season. He played well enough during the run to the conference finals to be the focus of some “future face of the NBA” chatter, which should only intensify in the years to come. Edwards’ fantasy value moving forward will depend on how much of the playmaking responsibilities he’s asked to shoulder. Mike Conley isn’t getting any younger, and there could come a point where Edwards shifts to the point. That could be what makes him a first-round player in standard leagues. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:31 pm
     
  • Karl-Anthony Towns posts 28/12/2/1 line in Game 5
    Karl-Anthony Towns shot 9-of-20 from the field and 9-of-10 from the foul line in Thursday’s 124-103 loss to Dallas, tallying 28 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 38 minutes.

    Advice: Towns may have tied for the team lead in scoring, but he had another rough night from three in Minnesota’s final game. After shooting 4-of-5 from three in Game 4, KAT was 1-of-6 on Thursday night. He shot 24.2% from three for the series and 37.9% from the field overall. A player many expected to approach top 25 fantasy value before the season began, Towns was a 4th-round player in 9-cat formats. While the chemistry between KAT and Rudy Gobert improved, the continued emergence of Anthony Edwards factored into the former’s fantasy production. As long as Minnesota keeps Towns and Gobert together, the former will have a lower fantasy ceiling than he did pre-trade. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:16 pm
     
  • Still sidelined for Game 5
    Prosper (ankle) has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota on Thursday.

    Advice: Prosper continues to deal with an ankle injury and will be unavailable for a 16th consecutive game. It's unclear when he'll be able to return. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 1:51 pm
     
  • Making good progress
    Coach Joe Mazzulla said Wednesday on the Zo and Bertrand Show that Porzingis (calf) is "ramping up the intensity level" ahead of the NBA Finals, but the big man's status for Game 1 remains to be determined.

    Advice: The Celtics are waiting on the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the Mavericks and Timberwolves, but it sounds like Porzingis has a shot to return early on in the NBA Finals. There are likely to be daily updates on Porzingis' status, but Boston fans have reason to be optimistic based on Muzzulla's update. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 10:10 am
     
  • Improves in Game 4
    Towns closed with 25 points (9-13 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes before fouling out of Tuesday's 105-100 victory over the Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: Towns had been heavily criticized due to his shooting struggles throughout the series, but he bounced back in a big way Tuesday, missing just one of his five attempts from beyond the arc and just four of his 17 shots overall when including free throws. One game won't erase all his struggles, but this was certainly a step in the right direction. Towns will need to produce at this rate again if Minnesota is going to win Game 5 on Thursday to extend the series. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 7:57 am
     
  • Carries Minnesota in Game 4 victory
    Edwards posted 29 points (11-25 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-8 FT), 10 rebounds and nine assists across 40 minutes during Tuesday's 105-100 victory over the Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: No Timberwolves player had more points, rebounds or assists in Game 4 on Tuesday, and the star shooting guard came through when his team needed him the most. The efficiency levels shown in previous rounds aren't there yet, but Minnesota needed Edwards to get the job done Tuesday, and he did. Edwards needs to carry the momentum into Game 5, as the Timberwolves remain down 1-3 in the series but will have home-court advantage Thursday. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 7:55 am