Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Misses out on double-double
    Gafford amassed 11 points (3-3 FG, 5-6 FT), nine rebounds and one block across 20 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 win over the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: With the return of Dereck Lively, Gafford saw his playing time decrease from 31 minutes in Game 4 to 20 in Game 5. Regardless, Gafford was able to maintain his productivity, recording at least one block for the 11th straight contest. The 24-year-old big averaged 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 24.4 minutes across the five games in the Western Conference Finals. Rotowire.com Friday, 1:04 pm
     
  • Explodes for 36 points in Game 5
    Irving ended with 36 points (14-27 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds and five assists in 40 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 victory over Minnesota in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: Irving's 36 points tied Luka Doncic for a game-high mark and was his second-highest scoring tally of the playoffs so far. Irving's masterful performance helped clinch the series over Minnesota in which he averaged 27.0 points, 4.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds on 49.0/37.5/80.8 shooting splits across the five games. The 31-year-old guard will now face the Celtics in his fourth career NBA Finals appearance. Rotowire.com Friday, 12:45 pm
     
  • Dominant in series-clinching win
    Doncic posted 36 points (14-22 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in 37 minutes during Thursday's 124-103 win over the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

    Advice: Doncic set the tone early, tallying 20 points in the first quarter of Thursday's win to clinch the series over Minnesota. Doncic scored at least 30 points in four of the five contests and averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.2 steals on 47.3/43.4/84.6 shooting splits across the series. The superstar guard will head into his first NBA Finals against the Celtics after being awarded the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP. Rotowire.com Friday, 12:40 pm
     
  • 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
     
  • Fischer: Nic Claxton expected to remain with Nets
    Nic Claxton is expected to remain with the Nets on a four-year deal, per Yahoo’s Jake Fischer.

    Advice: Claxton will be a coveted free agent, but Brooklyn is expected to retain him on a deal that will cost them anywhere from $80-100 million over four years. He has been an excellent fantasy option the last two years, and that won’t change if he remains with the Nets. However, that will likely prevent Noah Clowney from moving into a prominent role in his second season with the team. They can legally begin negotiations with Claxton as soon as the NBA Finals conclude, so he may have a new deal in place within the next few weeks. Rotoworld Friday, 12:10 pm
     
  • Mike Conley posts 7/4/2/2 line in Game 5 loss
    Mike Conley recorded a stat line of seven points (2-of-5 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 21 minutes in Thursday’s 124-103 loss to the Mavericks.

    Advice: Dealing with a strained right soleus muscle throughout the conference finals, Conley only played 21 minutes on Thursday. The nature of Game 5 had much to do with that, as Dallas blew things wide open during the first quarter and did not look back. This was a rough end for a veteran point guard who played in 76 games after injuries limited him to 24 the season prior. Conley’s scoring average decreased by over two points but still provided top 75 per-game value in 9-cat formats. Expecting that level of production from him would be unrealistic, especially since he’ll turn 37 in October, but Conley is undoubtedly capable. Rotoworld Thursday, 9:01 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
     
  • Rudy Gobert limited to five rebounds on Thursday
    Rudy Gobert shot 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks, amassing nine points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 26 minutes.

    Advice: Gobert was relatively quiet on Thursday night after recording a double-double in Minnesota’s Game 4 victory. He averaged 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the series but could not significantly impact the action as a rim-protector. Gobert’s 2023-24 season was an improvement on 2022-23, his first after being traded to Minnesota. The chemistry between him and Karl-Anthony Towns improved, but the partnership lowered the fantasy ceilings of both players. Gobert has top-50 potential, but this represents his ceiling rather than his floor. Rotoworld Thursday, 8:37 pm