Fred

VanVleet

Both of Houston’s veterans will sit out the season finale, since they have been eliminated from the postseason for a little while now. Cam Whitmore should slide into the starting unit in place of Brooks, while Jock Landale will remain in the starting unit in place of FVV, with Amen Thompson filling the point guard minutes.

VanVleet is out after scoring a season-high 42 points and playing 40 minutes in Thursday’s loss to the Jazz. Aaron Holiday’s minutes will increase as he’s the player likely to move into the starting lineup. VanVleet’s absence also impacts Amen Thompson and Jalen Green, who will have more opportunities to serve as primary playmakers.

VanVleet came out red-hot, scoring 20 points in the first quarter alone. But Utah was able to cool him down considerably after that hot start, and Mr. Bet on Yourself made only three of his 17 2-point attempts on the night. The overall stat line was excellent, especially the nine 3-pointers on 13 attempts, but VanVleet’s field-goal percentage took a significant hit. He did what he could to compensate for Jalen Green’s poor showing, as he shot 1-of-7 from the field and finished with three points, one rebound, one assist, and one 3-pointer in 19 minutes.

VanVleet dropped a season-high 34 points on March 23 against the Jazz, but in eight games after that, he averaged just 16.1 on 38.7% shooting. FVV came alive on Tuesday with a new season-high in the scoring department and an efficient shooting night that included a 6-of-11 mark from long distance. VanVleet’s peripherals were stupendous, and he was a game-best +21 in the box score. This was a marvelous performance from a Houston team that’s been eliminated from playoff contention against a Magic team vying for a top-3 seed in the Eastern Conference,

VanVleet finished Sunday’s defeat with his first double-double since March 16, and the 12 assists were the most in a game for him since March 21 (12 vs. Chicago). He was one of three Rockets to score at least 21 points, with Dillon Brooks (29) and Jalen Green (21/6/8/2/1 with two 3-pointers) being the others. The Rockets have been officially eliminated from postseason contention, which may impact how they approach Week 24. Fantasy managers whose leagues run that long should consider Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson if they are available on the waiver wire.

A top 40 player in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks, Green struggled on Thursday as Houston’s hopes of earning a play-in spot took a significant hit. During Houston’s three-game losing streak, he’s failed to crack 15 points twice, with Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota (26 points) being the outlier. Before this run, Green tallied at least 26 points in eight straight games, earning his first Western Conference Player of the Week honor during that stretch. Fred VanVleet also struggled against the Warriors, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds, nine assists, and five steals, shooting 2-of-7 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line.

VanVleet didn’t have his best night shooting the basketball, but the overall stat line was excellent regarding fantasy value. The veteran point guard accumulated seven “stocks,” the most in a game for him since January 26 against Charlotte (one steal and six blocks). VanVleet has produced some impressive blocked shot totals this season and has provided top-5 per-game value in 9-cat formats over the past month. Houston continues its pursuit of a play-in spot, still trailing Golden State by one game in the loss column.

Utah didn’t have an answer for VanVleet in this game, and if the score had been closer, he may have had an even better night. In just 28 minutes, he set a season-high for 3-pointers with 10. He got hot early and had 17 points on five triples at the end of the first quarter. This was their eighth win in a row, and they are now just a game and a half out of the Play-In Tournament. They play four games next week, starting with a home matchup against Portland on Monday.

VanVleet didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, but he continues to rack up assists. FVV has accounted for 11 or more in three straight games, tallying 39 assists and just five turnovers (three on Thursday). Over the past two weeks, VanVleet has provided top 20 per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats. Rookie Amen Thompson has also been productive, ranking within the top 50 over the past two weeks. Thompson finished Thursday’s victory with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 26 minutes.

VanVleet didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball but was masterful as a distributor. The 15 assists are the most in a game for him since December 18, when he dished out a season-high 17 in a win over...Cleveland. Also, VanVleet only committed one turnover on Saturday. The poor shooting was an anomaly regarding his recent play, as Mr. Bet on Yourself has shot 46.3% from the field over the past two weeks. The improved shooting is one reason he has provided top 10 per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats during that stretch. Houston visits Washington on Tuesday, the first of three games the Rockets will play in Week 21.