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  • Derrick White drops 18/5/2/3/2 line in Game 2 win
    Derrick White tallied 18 points (6-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, two assists, three steals, two blocks, and four 3-pointers in 38 minutes in Sunday’s 105-98 win over Dallas.

    Advice: White came up big on both ends of the floor, hitting four of Boston’s 10 3-pointers while also tallying five “stocks” in Game 2. One of his biggest plays was a block of a PJ Washington dunk attempt with a little under one minute remaining and Boston holding a five-point lead. Jaylen Brown, who some argued fouled Washington on the shot, would score a layup on the other end to extend the Celtics’ lead and put the game away. The focus in championship series tends to be on the stars, but White and Jrue Holiday came up big for Boston in the first two games. They’ll look to continue that as the series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday. Rotoworld Sunday, 8:03 pm
     
  • Jaylen Brown finishes Game 2 win with 21 points
    Jaylen Brown accumulated 21 points (8-of-15 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), four rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one 3-pointer in 42 minutes in Sunday’s win over Dallas.

    Advice: Boston has a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals, and Brown was one of five Celtics to finish the game in double figures. He has now shot 50% or better from the field in six straight and seven of the Celtics’ last eight playoff games, picking up the slack for the slumping Jayson Tatum. The only negative for Brown in Game 2 was the turnover count, as he was responsible for six. However, this was the first game in which he exceeded three since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semis when JB racked up five in a win over the Cavaliers. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd may have gone the gamesmanship route when he said Brown was Boston’s best player, but that approach did not impact Game 2. Game 3 is on Wednesday night in Dallas. Rotoworld Sunday, 7:50 pm
     
  • Jrue Holiday shines in Game 2 win, scores 26 PTS
    Jrue Holiday shot 11-of-14 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line in Sunday’s 105-98 win over Dallas, tallying 26 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 41 minutes.

    Advice: With Jayson Tatum struggling from the field, the Celtics needed someone to step up in Game 2. Holiday was that man, as he led the Eastern Conference champions with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. This was his first 20-point effort since Game 1 of the conference finals and second of the postseason overall. Also, Holiday recorded his first double-double of these playoffs and a full stat line. As a result, he and the Celtics will head to Dallas with a 2-0 series lead, with Game 3 set for Wednesday night. Rotoworld Sunday, 7:36 pm
     
  • Cleans up in garbage time
    Hardy closed with 13 points (4-8 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds and one assist over 11 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 loss to the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Hardy scored 11 points in about five minutes of fourth-quarter garbage time. Considering the defensive presences of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, it may be difficult for Hardy to make an impact, though he'll likely continue to see light minutes to spell Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Rotowire.com Friday, 9:47 am
     
  • Strong in Game 1
    White amassed 15 points (5-11 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, five assists and one steal in 35 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 victory over the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: White did what we've come to expect from him in Game 1. The performance marked White's sixth consecutive with at least 13 points and four assists, and he's committed only four total turnovers during this stretch compared to nine steals and 11 blocks. He's also hit at least one three-pointer in every playoff game this season. Rotowire.com Friday, 9:34 am
     
  • Well-rounded two-way effort
    Holiday accumulated 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, five assists and one steal in 35 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 victory over Dallas in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: In addition to Holiday's solid stats, which included zero turnovers, he was a team-high plus-20. Not only that, but no Mavericks player registered a field-goal attempt while Holiday was the primary defender. While Holiday is expected to play a smaller offensive role than the last time he was in the NBA Finals with the Bucks, he will remain one of the most impactful defenders in this series. Rotowire.com Friday, 9:30 am
     
  • Undergoes minor nose procedure
    Beal underwent a minor procedure to realign his septum shortly after the Suns were eliminated from the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.

    Advice: Beal broke his nose after taking an elbow from Myles Turner during the second half of a Jan. 26 loss to the Pacers and had to wear a mask for several games. He eventually ditched the mask but still had trouble breathing out of his right nostril during the final months of the campaign. After dropping 36 points on the Timberwolves in the regular-season finale, Beal averaged just 16.5 points during the opening-round series as Minnesota swept Phoenix. Beal is expected to play a key role for the Suns next season, but things are subject to change, as Phoenix fired Frank Vogel early in the offseason and quickly hired Mike Budenholzer. Rotowire.com Friday, 8:11 am
     
  • Struggles from field in Game 1
    Irving finished with 12 points (6-19 FG, 0-5 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists and two steals across 36 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 loss to the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Irving was welcomed by loud boos from the crowd, and that continued every time he touched the ball. The veteran point guard didn't look like himself and had a rough outing, missing all five of his three-point attempts and struggling badly from the field. He'll aim to bounce back in Game 2 on Sunday. Rotowire.com Thursday, 8:49 pm
     
  • Fills stat sheet in Thursday's win
    Brown accumulated 22 points (7-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 6-11 FT), six rebounds, two assists, three blocks and three steals over 37 minutes during Thursday's 107-89 victory over the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

    Advice: Brown led the Celtics in scoring in the comfortable win, but he did more than just that, as he also left his mark on the defensive end and grabbed headlines with a posterizing dunk during the second quarter. Brown has been alternating with Jayson Tatum in the role of Boston's go-to player on offense, with the Celtics riding whoever has the hottest hand, and that was certainly the case with Brown in the series opener. He's now scored at least 20 points in five straight playoff appearances, representing his longest streak in the current postseason run. Rotowire.com Thursday, 8:46 pm