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Player Notes

  • Aaron Gordon struggles in Game 7 loss to Minnesota
    Aaron Gordon shot 2-of-5 from the field in Sunday’s 98-90 loss to the Timberwolves, accumulating four points, four rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot in 42 minutes.

    Advice: A standout for most of this series, Gordon picked a terrible time to struggle. He didn’t offer much value in Game 7, with Denver’s “supporting cast” being outplayed by Minnesota after leading by 20 in the second half. Game 7 was the first Gordon failed to reach double figures since Game 1 when he tallied nine in another defeat. As for his season overall, AG finished the regular season ranked just inside the top 150 in 9-cat, per-game value. That wasn’t on par with his Yahoo ADP (118.4), but the late-round production is unsurprising. Fantasy managers should expect similar value from Gordon in 2024-25. Rotoworld Sunday, 8:23 pm
  • Nikola Jokic goes for 34/19/7/0/1 in Game 7 loss
    Nikola Jokic accumulated 34 points (13-of-28 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), 19 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and two 3-pointers in 47 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves.

    Advice: Jokic recorded another elite stat line, but his production tailed off in crunch time. Minnesota’s depth and Denver’s lack of consistent options factored into the Joker playing tired, and the NBA will have its sixth champion in as many seasons. Jokic was once again one of the best players in fantasy basketball, ranking third in 9-cat formats and second in 8-cat. His days as the unquestioned 1.1 pick in drafts may be finished, as Victor Wembanyama appears poised to take over, but Jokic should be no worse than 1.3, regardless of league. Jokic is expected to play for Serbia in the Paris Olympics this summer, and their first group stage game is against the United States (July 27). Rotoworld Sunday, 8:16 pm
  • Anthony Edwards limited to 16 points in Game 7 win
    Anthony Edwards shot 6-of-24 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line in Sunday’s 98-90 win over Denver, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 44 minutes.

    Advice: On Sunday, Edwards got off to a brutal start, shooting 1-of-7 from the field in the first half. He was better in the third quarter, but give Ant-Man credit for not letting his offensive struggles impact his defense. He defended Jamal Murray well in the second half, and multiple members of Minnesota’s “supporting cast” stepped up offensively. Backcourt partner Mike Conley added 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three 3-pointers in 39 minutes. Next up for Minnesota is Dallas in the Western Conference Finals; Game 1 is on Wednesday. Rotoworld Sunday, 7:57 pm
  • Karl-Anthony Towns posts 23/11/2/2/1 line in Gm 7
    Karl-Anthony Towns finished Sunday’s Game 7 victory over the Nuggets with 23 points (8-of-14 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, and one 3-pointers in 39 minutes.

    Advice: On a night when Anthony Edwards struggled, Towns came up big offensively for the Timberwolves. He recorded his first 20-point double-double since Game 2, Minnesota’s 26-point blowout win in Denver. While Towns scored in double figures in each game, the rebounding and defensive production is just as crucial for the Timberwolves. One of the team’s more maligned players, KAT was one of their most valuable in the franchise’s second-ever Game 7 victory. Minnesota will host Dallas in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday. Rotoworld Sunday, 7:41 pm
  • Alec Burks contributes 26 points in Game 7 loss
    Alec Burks shot 8-of-13 from the field and 8-of-8 from the foul line in Sunday’s 130-109 loss to the Pacers, amassing 26 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two 3-pointers in 27 minutes.

    Advice: After not playing at all in the first seven games of the postseason, Burks moved into the Knicks rotation out of necessity. And the veteran guard was productive, reaching double figures in his last five games. Sunday’s performance was Burks’ best: he shot nearly 62% from the field and scored 26 points. That’s an excellent way to head into free agency this summer. Burks’ days of being a must-roster player in fantasy leagues may be finished, but he still has something left in the tank. Rotoworld Sunday, 4:42 pm
    Alec BurksNYK - PG,SG,SF
    Player Note
  • Isaiah Hartenstein goes scoreless in Game 7 loss
    Isaiah Hartenstein missed both of his shot attempts in Sunday’s 130-109 loss to the Pacers, going scoreless with eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one blocked shot in 30 minutes.

    Advice: The Knicks didn’t count on Hartenstein for consistent scoring, but his production dropped considerably as their second-round series progressed. The 7-footer went scoreless in Game 7 and did not attempt more than three shots in any of the final four games. Give Myles Turner and the Pacers credit for taking away Hartenstein’s beloved floater, and they did a better job of keeping him off the glass after iHart grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 5. Hartenstein earned himself a nice payday once he hits free agency this summer. The question is whether or not the Knicks will offer a contract that is large enough to keep him in the fold. With Mitchell Robinson’s injury history, it may take a lot for the Knicks not to get iHart re-signed. Rotoworld Sunday, 4:26 pm
  • Josh Hart plays 37 MIN despite abdominal strain
    Josh Hart shot 3-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Sunday’s 130-109 loss to the Pacers, tallying 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 37 minutes.

    Advice: Despite suffering a strained abdominal muscle during Game 6, Hart was on the court for Game 7. Give him credit for gutting out 37 minutes before fouling out, but he wasn’t himself physically. Hart still contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, but it wasn’t enough to help the Knicks erase an early deficit. Hart was expected to provide late-round fantasy value this season, and that’s precisely what he did. However, he was a 6th-round player in 9-cat formats after the trade deadline. Hart’s fantasy ceiling in 2024-25 will depend on what the Knicks do with the rest of the roster, as OG Anunoby can become a free agent, and Julius Randle (shoulder) will be healthy. Rotoworld Sunday, 4:14 pm
    Josh HartNYK - SG,SF
    Player Note
  • Donte DiVincenzo scores 39 in Game 7 defeat
    Donte DiVincenzo shot 11-of-21 from the field and 8-of-10 from the foul line in Sunday’s 130-109 loss to the Pacers, scoring 39 points with four rebounds, one assist, two steals, and nine 3-pointers in 40 minutes.

    Advice: As the Knicks continued to lose players, DiVincenzo kept firing away. He was outstanding in Game 7, shooting over 50% from the field and scoring 39 points. While DiVincenzo had a few games this postseason in which he struggled, the overall play was excellent. His 2023-24 season was better than anyone imagined, with DiVincenzo progressing from valued reserve to fixture in the Knicks starting lineup. He provided 3rd-round fantasy value after the trade deadline and finished the season just outside the top 60 in 9-cat formats. Expecting that level of production from DiVincenzo in 2024-25 would be a bit much, especially with a healthy Knicks roster. However, he’ll be worth selecting just inside the top 100. Rotoworld Sunday, 4:05 pm
  • Andrew Nembhard finishes blowout with 20 points
    Andrew Nembhard accumulated 20 points (8-of-10 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs), five rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 34 minutes.

    Advice: While he did commit four turnovers, Nembhard played very well in his first career Game 7. The second-year guard has fit nicely next to Tyrese Haliburton, and he reached double figures in each of the series’ final three games. Indiana will need similar production from Nembhard in the Eastern Conference Finals, as they’ll face the team with the NBA’s best record in the Boston Celtics. Game 1 is on Tuesday night in Boston. Rotoworld Sunday, 3:30 pm