NBA Player News

The Celtics completed their four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals, once again being the team that executed better in crunch time. White’s 3-pointer with 45 seconds remaining was the difference in Game 4, and he was highly productive across the board. Shooting 50% from the field, he was also responsible for a staggering eight “stocks” in the series clincher. Boston also got a good night from Jrue Holiday, who added 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes. Boston has one of the best defensive backcourts in the NBA, and they’ll be tested in the NBA Finals, especially if Dallas takes care of its business in the West.

Valanciunas held his own on the glass again, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds on Monday. The veteran center has hit double digits in that category in four straight and five of his last six appearances. The increased rebounding production is why Valanciunas has been a top-25 player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. He’s already rostered in 85 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and JV will continue to have increased value while the Kings are without Domantas Sabonis (hamstring).

LaVine only attempted 10 shots on Monday, his lowest tally since joining the Kings a few days before the February trade deadline. While the percentages were good, he wasn’t particularly impactful in the Kings’ 133-104 defeat. However, LaVine has been a top 50 player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. The only negative for LaVine managers is Sacramento’s schedule, as they end Week 19 with a Thursday/Friday back-to-back against the Warriors and Suns.

Monk returned from a three-game absence on Monday and was not under any restrictions. However, there was a quick trip to the locker room during the second half, and the Kings getting blown out ensured Monk a few more minutes on the bench than planned. Monday’s game was his first with 20 points or more since before the All-Star break, and Monk’s scoring has taken a hit since the De’Aaron Fox trade. After averaging 18.0 points per game before February 1, he’s recorded 16.7 since the trade. With the Kings fighting to reach the postseason, they’ll need Monk to be more impactful as a scorer.

The Knicks recorded 34 assists on Monday, with three starters dishing out at least seven. Bridges was one of those three, matching his season-high with eight assists. While Jalen Brunson’s absence freed up additional opportunities on the offensive end of the floor, that isn’t only about the shot attempts. Bridges can also provide value as a playmaker, especially on nights when the Knicks are moving the ball as well as they did in Sacramento.

McBride vowed to be better after struggling in Friday’s loss to the Clippers, and he was a man of his word. The Knicks guard shot 5-of-7 from the field in the first quarter, setting the tone as New York moved to 1-2 on its current five-game road trip. Even with only two more games on his Week 19 schedule, McBride is worth adding in deep leagues as long as Jalen Brunson (ankle) remains out. The Knicks visit Portland on Wednesday before ending their road trip on Saturday against the Warriors.

Anunoby experienced an injury scare during the third quarter of Monday’s game as he rolled his left ankle on a drive to the basketball. However, the Knicks forward remained on the court after a timeout was called, and he played without further issues. While the Week 19 schedule hasn’t been great from a fantasy standpoint, the Knicks only playing two more games may work in the team’s favor if Anunoby’s ankle gives him any trouble ahead of Wednesday’s game in Portland.

After scoring an inefficient 23 points in Friday’s loss to the Clippers, Towns was considerably better on Monday. He shot over 50 percent from the field and recorded a complete stat line for the Knicks, who assisted on 34 of their 45 field goals. An elite fantasy option for most of this season, Towns’ production since the All-Star break has not been up to par. He’s ranked outside the top 50 in eight- and nine-cat formats, and losing Jalen Brunson for a few weeks doesn’t help matters. However, fantasy managers should not be too concerned about KAT moving forward.

Vassell had been quieter over San Antonio’s last two games after scoring 37 points last week, but he got back on track as a scoring option on Monday. His slump appears to be over, and he has contributed value in other areas, which has helped his fantasy impact. He has averaged 18.5 points, five rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.8 three-pointers per game over the last two weeks, which ranks inside the top-40 in nine-cat scoring. He should continue to be a strong option for the rest of the season.

Marshall has been in the starting lineup for the Mavs’ last four games, and he has been fantastic in that role. He scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half on Monday to extend his streak of 20-point games to four. During that stretch, he has averaged 27 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 three-pointers per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor. Rostered in 51 percent of Yahoo! leagues, he should be added where he is still available.

Thompson scored 17 of his 26 points in the second half, which allowed him to score at least 25 points for the third time in his last four appearances. More importantly, it was enough to help Dallas end their five-game losing streak. Thompson hasn’t shot the ball as efficiently as he did in this game, but he has stepped up on offense since Kyrie Irving (knee) went down for the year. He’ll look to stay hot over their final three games of the week, though they only play twice next week, which will limit his fantasy impact.