Yahoo Sports Fantasy Basketball

Player Notes

  • Dean Wade logs 17 minutes, goes 5/3/3 in return
    Dean Wade accounted for five points, three rebounds, three assists, a block and a three-pointer across 17 minutes in Saturday’s loss to Boston.

    Advice: Wade returned after over two months on the sidelines, and he made an instant impact. The numbers don’t leap off the page, but he provided floor-spacing and meaningful peripheral contributions in his first game back. Marcus Morris Sr. and Tristan Thompson logged just five minutes apiece, and Wade’s return should continue to cut into their playing time. Expect Wade’s playing time to gradually increase as he works his way back into game shape. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:20 pm
  • Jaylen Brown can’t miss, drops 28 in win over CLE
    Jaylen Brown accumulated 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting in Saturday’s win over the Cavs, adding nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and two three-pointers across 41 minutes.

    Advice: Brown finished behind only Jayson Tatum (33 points) for team lead in the scoring department, and the former is Boston’s leading scorer thus far into the playoffs with an average of 24.2. He dropped 32 in Game 1 and “fell off” a bit in Game 2 with 19 points on just 7-of-17 shooting, so it was nice to see a bounce-back effort in this one. He and Tatum have scored at least 25 points in a playoff game 14 times, trailing only Larry Bird and Kevin McHale (17 such games) for most in Celtics history. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:11 pm
  • Jayson Tatum’s 33 fuels Boston to Game 3 victory
    Jayson Tatum compiled 33 points (11-of-25 FG), 13 rebounds, six assists, a steal, a block and a pair of triples across 42 minutes in Saturday’s 106-93 win over Cleveland.

    Advice: Tatum came into this one averaging 21.7 points and 10.0 boards in this season’s playoffs, but he came through with new season highs in points and boards. Tatum wasn’t particularly efficient, but he led his team on offense and came away with his sixth double-double in his last eight games. Boston’s superstar forward averaged 26.0 points and 11.3 rebounds in three regular-season matchups with Cleveland, so Saturday’s strong performance shouldn’t be a big surprise. He’ll look to keep the positive momentum going in Game 4 on Monday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 8:02 pm
  • Records 13/8/3 line in loss
    Holmgren finished Saturday's 105-101 loss to Dallas in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals with 13 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-5 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, four blocks and one steal in 35 minutes.

    Advice: Holmgren has struggled a bit against Dallas' defensive front through three games after averaging 15.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots over four games against the Pelicans. The Mavericks have been able to stay fresh in the paint with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively platooning at the five, and Jaylin Williams hasn't offered the same kind of secondary support. Holmgren has also failed to keep Luka Doncic off the glass, and he'll need to improve in several areas to keep the Thunder in the series. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:39 pm
  • Scores 16 points after exit
    Williams totaled 16 points (7-12 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, eight assists and one block across 38 minutes during Saturday's 105-101 loss to Dallas in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Although Williams headed to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury, he eventually returned to the court and finished as the team's second-highest scorer. Williams has been an invaluable piece of the Thunder's game plan on both sides of the ball, and his DFS salary has steadily risen throughout the playoffs. Josh Giddey's inconsistent play has forced Williams to produce with more frequency, and although Luguentz Dort has shown signs of life in the postseason, his defensive prowess doesn't always translate to favorable fantasy totals. Along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, Williams will likely continue to be one of the team's best fantasy assets. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:29 pm
  • Scores team-high 27 points
    Washington contributed 27 points (11-23 FG, 5-12 3Pt), six rebounds and two assists in 40 minutes during Saturday's 105-101 win over the Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Washington enjoyed another splendid shooting night beyond the arc after draining seven shots from downtown in Game 2. The 23 shot attempts matched a season high for Washington, who is averaging 13.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.0 blocks in the playoffs. He's also converting 52.9 percent of his shots during the postseason. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 6:04 pm
  • Not on injury report
    Alexander-Walker is not on the injury report ahead of Sunday's Game 4 against the Nuggets.

    Advice: Alexander-Walker appeared to hurt his left shoulder during Game 3 Friday, and he was complaining about the pain in the locker room after the game. However, it appears that he escaped without anything too serious, and fantasy managers can expect him to suit up in his usual role Sunday. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 2:51 pm
  • OG Anunoby (hamstring) out for Game 4 Sunday
    OG Anunoby (left hamstring strain) is out for Sunday’s game against the Pacers.

    Advice: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday that Anunoby was not expected to be available for Game 4, so this status update is unsurprising. Precious Achiuwa started Game 3 and had issues defending Pascal Siakam. Anunoby’s absence also freed up rotation minutes for Alec Burks, who scored 14 points on Friday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 2:47 pm
  • Aaron Nesmith (shoulder) questionable for Game 4
    Aaron Nesmith (right shoulder soreness) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Knicks.

    Advice: Nesmith tweaked his shoulder during Friday’s victory but did not miss any time. Moving him onto Jalen Brunson improved things defensively for the Pacers, so look for Nesmith to take on that role once again on Sunday afternoon. Rotoworld Yesterday, 2:44 pm