Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

  • Stellar off bench in Game 6 win
    McConnell tallied 20 points (7-9 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT), nine assists, four steals and two rebounds over 23 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

    Advice: McConnell was outstanding off the Pacers bench in a series-clinching victory, ending second on the team in scoring and assists while leading all players in steals and coming up one dime shy of a double-double to provide a much-needed spark on the second unit. McConnell put forth his best performance of the postseason thus far, scoring more than 10 points for the first time while handing out his highest assist total of the first round. Indiana will look for McConnell to continue to provide a spark off the bench in the second round, which proved to be key for the Pacers to close out the series against Milwaukee. Rotowire.com 8 minutes ago
     
  • Top scorer off bench in Game 6
    Toppin posted 21 points (8-15 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and one block over 24 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

    Advice: Toppin gave Indiana a much-needed lift off the bench, leading all Pacers in scoring while connecting on a team-high-tying trio of threes and ending two rebounds shy of a double-double in just under 25 minutes on the second unit. Toppin has been stellar off the bench this postseason but posted his best outing of the playoffs thus far in the series-clinching victory. Toppin concluded the first-round series by surpassing the double-digit scoring mark in four straight outings. Rotowire.com 9 minutes ago
     
  • Top distributor in double-double
    Haliburton finished with 17 points (7-16 FG, 2-10 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 10 assists and six rebounds over 32 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 win over Milwaukee in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

    Advice: Haliburton once again provided an offensive lift for Indiana in a series-clinching victory, leading all players in Thursday's contest in assists while adding a half-dozen rebounds in a double-double performance. Haliburton recorded a double-double in three of the six games in the first round against Milwaukee, finishing with at least 15 points in four straight outings to round out the series. Haliburton, his production and his health will be key to keep an eye on as Indiana advances to the second round and hopes to continue its run in the postseason. Rotowire.com 9 minutes ago
     
  • Brook Lopez finishes season with 20-point night
    Brook Lopez logged 31 minutes in Thursday’s 120-98 loss to the Pacers, accounting for 20 points (7-of-12 FGs, 6-of-9 FTs), five rebounds, and one assist.

    Advice: While Lopez thoroughly outplayed Myles Turner in Game 6, it didn’t matter because Indiana had a far superior bench. The veteran center shot 50% or better from the field in all six games, scoring at least 20 points in three. To say this was a brutal ending for a team with championship ambitions would be an understatement. Lopez isn’t a “sexy” fantasy target, based on his Yahoo ADP of 69.7, but he once again exceeded expectations. The veteran center finished the regular season as a top 50 player in 9-cat formats while sitting just outside the top 60 in 8-cat. He’ll likely come off the board in the 6th round of standard league drafts, but Lopez is a relatively safe bet to exceed that. Rotoworld 14 minutes ago
     
  • Khris Middleton limited to 14 points in defeat
    Khris Middleton finished Thursday’s Game 6 loss to the Pacers with 14 points (6-of-16 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 37 minutes.

    Advice: While Damian Lillard did return from an Achilles injury, the Bucks were still without Giannis Antetokounmpo. That meant they needed another virtuoso performance from Middleton to keep their season alive, and that didn’t happen. The veteran wing finished with a series-low 14 points as the Pacers sent Milwaukee fishing. As in 2022-23, the inability to remain healthy sapped most of Middleton’s fantasy value this season. Managers expected this, based on Khash Money’s Yahoo ADP of 82.3. While his regular season fantasy value wasn’t terrible, the availability issues proved costly. Middleton finished the year ranked outside the top 100 in 9-cat formats, albeit by a few spots. How much managers should trust him in the fall will depend on the Bucks’ roster, but Middleton’s days as a top 60 fantasy player may be in the rear-view mirror. Rotoworld 17 minutes ago
     
  • Joel Embiid (knee) available for Game 6 Thursday
    Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery) is active for Thursday’s game against the Knicks.

    Advice: As expected, Embiid will play as the 76ers look to extend this series to a decisive seventh game. Should he encounter any flare-ups with the knee, Paul Reed would be the next man up in the rotation. Rotoworld 46 minutes ago
     
  • Available for Game 6
    Embiid (knee) is available and starting in Game 6 against the Knicks on Thursday.

    Advice: This is not a surprise considering the situation the 76ers are in, as Philadelphia must win this game to force a decisive Game 7. Embiid is averaging 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in the first-round series against the Knicks. Rotowire.com 47 minutes ago
     
  • Available for Game 6
    Robinson (ankle) will be available for Thursday's Game 6 matchup with the 76ers.

    Advice: Robinson logged 25 minutes in his return Tuesday, so he should see a similar workload in Game 6. With Robinson back in the mix, Precious Achiuwa will likely be out of the rotation. Rotowire.com 48 minutes ago
     
  • Mitchell Robinson (ankle) active for Game 6 Thurs.
    Mitchell Robinson (left ankle sprain) is available for Thursday’s game against the 76ers.

    Advice: Robinson was not wearing a walking boot on his left foot when he arrived at the arena, which was the first sign he would play. The Knicks’ backup center has officially been cleared to play in Game 6, ensuring New York has both of its preferred options in the middle. Isaiah Hartenstein remains the starter. Rotoworld 49 minutes ago