Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

Player Notes

  • Tyrese Haliburton drops 17 points, 10 assists
    Tyrese Haliburton (low back spasms) finished Thursday’s Game 6 win over the Bucks with 17 points (7-of-16 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), six rebounds, 10 assists, and two 3-pointers in 32 minutes.

    Advice: Haliburton only surpassed the 20-point mark once in six games, but the Pacers received enough production throughout the roster to eliminate the shorthanded Bucks in six games. The All-Star point guard hit double figures in assists for the third time in the series, with the Pacers winning all three of those games. Regardless of when the New York/Philadelphia series ends, Indiana won’t play again until Monday night, giving Haliburton and his teammates extra time off. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:58 pm
  • T.J. McConnell records 20/2/9/4 line in Game 6 win
    T.J. McConnell made the most of his 23 minutes in Thursday’s 120-98 win over Milwaukee, accumulating 20 points (7-of-9 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), two rebounds, nine assists, four steals, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: Indiana is headed to the second round for the first time in ten years, and their bench is a significant reason why. McConnell and Obi Toppin combined to score 41 points in Game 6, with the former also racking up nine assists and four steals. While Tyrese Haliburton is the headliner, and rightfully so, the Pacers have three solid point guards in the rotation. In addition to McConnell, starter Andrew Nembhard (14/5/4/2/1 with one 3-pointer) had an efficient Game 6. Next up for the Pacers is either New York or Philadelphia, with Game 1 of the second round scheduled for Monday. Indiana would have home-court advantage if Philadelphia advances. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:49 pm
  • Obi Toppin scores 21 in series-clinching win
    Obi Toppin was outstanding in Thursday’s 120-98 win over the Bucks, finishing with 21 points (8-of-15 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, two assists, one block, and three 3-pointers in 24 minutes.

    Advice: The Pacers are off to the second round after eliminating Milwaukee in six games, and Toppin was a massive factor in Game 6. A double-digit scorer in the series’ final four games, the fourth-year forward scored a team-high 21 points in Game 6. Toppin’s production was critical, as Indiana’s starting frontcourt struggled with fouls. Pascal Siakam (19/7/4/1 with one 3-pointer) and Myles Turner (5/5/1/0/1) were whistled for four fouls, while Aaron Nesmith (15/3/1 with three 3-pointers) picked up five. Indiana’s depth was a significant factor in the first round, and that could also be the case in the second, whether they get New York or Philadelphia. Game 1 is on Monday night. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:44 pm
  • Damian Lillard (Achilles) scores 28 points Thurs.
    Damian Lillard (right Achilles tendinitis) shot 7-of-16 from the field and 10-of-10 from the foul line in Thursday’s 120-98 loss to the Pacers, scoring 28 points with two rebounds, four assists, and four 3-pointers in 35 minutes.

    Advice: Initially doubtful for Game 6 after sitting out Game 5, Lillard led the Bucks in scoring while playing 35 minutes. But that doesn’t change that this was a disappointing end to his first season in Milwaukee. While he was not traded until just before the start of training camp, the expectations were high for Lillard regarding fantasy value. Entering the season with a Yahoo ADP of 11.3, he finished as a top 25 player in 8- and 9-cat formats. The Bucks’ lack of continuity, with Khris Middleton being limited to 55 regular season games and Adrian Griffin being fired despite a 30-13 start, certainly impacted Lillard’s value. An entire offseason should help him and his teammates establish better on-court chemistry, but there’s always the possibility of significant changes being made to the roster. Rotoworld Yesterday, 6:30 pm
  • Owns glass in season-ending loss
    Portis ended with 20 points (8-17 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-7 FT), 15 rebounds and two assists over 36 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 loss to Indiana in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    Advice: Portis once again dominated the glass for Milwaukee in a season-ending loss Thursday, leading all players in the contest in rebounds while ending as one of three Bucks with 20 or more points in a double-double outing. Portis stepped up nicely in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in the first-round series, posting a double-double in five of the six contests while surpassing the 20-point mark in the final two games against Indiana. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:24 pm
  • Held in check in Game 6 defeat
    Middleton recorded 14 points (6-15 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-1 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals over 38 minutes in Thursday's 120-98 loss to Indiana in Game 6 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    Advice: Middleton led Milwaukee seemingly on a nightly basis over the course of the first-round series against Indiana, but he was held in check in the series-ending contest Thursday while failing to record 15 points for the only time in the series. Middleton, who dealt with some foul trouble that seemed to impact his performance and aggressiveness in the first half, put together a strong opening-round series, scoring 20 or more points in four of the six contests. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:24 pm
  • 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 Yesterday, 6:06 pm
  • 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 Yesterday, 5:32 pm
  • Won't start Thursday
    Beasley is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's Game 6 against the Pacers, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.

    Advice: Beasley will head to the bench with the return of Damian Lillard to the starting lineup. Beasley averaged 19.0 points per game in the two starts he has made in the series against the Pacers. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 3:14 pm