Buddy

Hield

Needing a spark after falling behind by a 33-11 margin, 76ers coach Nick Nurse called on Hield for the first time since Game 3. Give the veteran sharpshooter credit for staying ready, as he came out hot and finished with 20 points off the bench after scoring two in Games 1 through 3. Nicolas Batum also had a good night off the bench, accounting for 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes. Hield and Batum are in a similar spot heading into the offseason, as they will be unrestricted free agents. The former offers a higher fantasy ceiling, but that would likely require him to land a starting role with a non-contender. As for Batum, he’ll spark interest among playoff-caliber teams needing a 3-and-D wing.

Melton has only been available to play in a handful of games since January, but there is a chance that he is back in the lineup for Game 3. He will likely play a limited role off the bench, but his shooting and defense could be an x-factor in this series, especially with the 76ers currently down 0-2.

Maxey put up a game-high 33 points in Saturday’s loss to New York in Game 1. His status is of vital importance ahead of Game 2, especially with Joel Embiid (knee) still banged up. If Maxey is unable to play, Cameron Payne and Buddy Hield would be in line for more playing time, and one of them would presumably replace Maxey in the starting five.

Melton has played in a total of seven games in 2024, with two coming this month. However, he is back on the sidelines for this one after missing their Play-In matchup with the Heat. Cam Payne and Buddy Hield will continue to fill out the backup guard minutes.

The 76ers initially announced that Hield would start, but Batum will receive the nod for defensive reasons. Hield is still worth rostering, as the 76ers are without Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris, but the lineup change gives Batum a slight boost.

The 76ers are without Kyle Lowry, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid for Sunday’s game, the team’s second in as many days. Also, Nicolas Batum will come off the bench. Payne, Hield, and Reed move into the starting lineup, and all three are worth streaming in deep leagues.

Despite only playing 21 minutes in Saturday’s blowout win, Lowry will get the night off against the Spurs on Sunday. Cameron Payne should start in his place, where he has had some success recently. Buddy Hield should also take on a few extra minutes.

Maxey may sit out the second night of a back-to-back, but they will already be short-handed in the backcourt with Kyle Lowry getting a rest night. Cameron Payne should start, and Buddy Hield will have a chance to join him in the opening group if Maxey doesn’t suit up.

Harris will miss a second straight game, which means Nic Batum (foot) will likely draw another start. Batum posted an 0/4/7/2/1 line across 32 minutes in his latest start. Batum is questionable, and if he can’t go, KJ Martin or Buddy Hield could slot into the starting five.

After a hot start to his tenure with the 76ers, Hield has fallen out of the rotation a bit over the past few weeks. However, he was able to provide them with some buckets in this game, which ended up being his highest-scoring performance since before the All-Star break. Hield has been a reliable source of 3-pointers all season, and after failing to knock one down for the first time since January in their last game, Hield got back on track in this one. However, he may not be able to keep it going moving forward, which makes him a difficult player to rely on.