Zaccharie

Risacher

Risacher had a solid rookie season overall, but he didn’t end it on a high note. Risacher’s second postseason game was one to forget, and Quin Snyder didn’t leave him out there long to work through his struggles. He played 29 minutes on Tuesday, but he only played 16 minutes in Friday’s play-in loss. The No. 1 overall pick from last summer didn’t contribute much fantasy value in his rookie year, though he did have some big games sprinkled through the season. However, he’ll have to make some serious strides over the summer if he is going to be worth drafting in standard leagues next season.

Risacher and Gueye started Sunday’s game but did not see any action during the second quarter. Neither player returned for the start of the third, and their respective regular seasons have concluded. Both will be available for Wednesday’s play-in tournament matchup with Orlando. Risacher finished with six points, two rebounds, one block and two three-pointers in 10 minutes, with Gueye tallying three points, four rebounds and one three-pointer in seven minutes. Jacob Toppin and Vit Krejci started the third quarter.

The Hawks and Magic will meet again in Orlando in a play-in tournament matchup, and Sunday’s result will not change that. Wallace, Mann and Barlow move into the starting five, filling in for Trae Young, Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu. Also, don’t expect Risacher to take on a full starters’ workload ahead of Tuesday’s rematch.

Overlooked by some after getting off to a slow start this season, Risacher has been one of the best rookies in the NBA since the All-Star break. Thursday’s performance was his best, with the Hawks wing shooting 75 percent from the field and establishing a new season-high point total. In addition to the scoring, Risacher recorded a complete stat line, impacting both ends of the floor. His late-season run may not be enough to earn Risacher the Rookie of the Year award, but dynasty managers should be encouraged by what he’s done since the break.

Rissacher topped his previous career high of 33 points set against the Knicks on November 6. The No. 1 pick in the draft hit 12-of-21 shots, including 5-of-11 from beyond the arc as he led all scorers in Atlanta’s blowout victory. He’s got eight games left in his inaugural campaign, and he’ll look to build on this quality performance during the home stretch.

While the production outside of points and three-pointers was limited, Risacher continues to make strides as a scorer. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 16.9 points per game on 53.5 percent shooting. Rostered in 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Risacher has provided ninth-round value in eight-cat formats during this stretch, sitting just outside the top 100. The rookie has steadily improved, especially after the All-Star break, which has been encouraging for Hawks fans and fantasy managers.

Most of the discussion regarding Rookie of the Year has centered around Stephon Castle and with good reason. However, one must not overlook Risacher, who has made strides since the All-Star break. Shooting 47.7 percent from the field, the rookie wing has averaged 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 three-pointers per game since the break. Risacher has not provided much value in the assist or defensive categories, which has limited his fantasy ceiling. However, the Hawks should be encouraged by his play over the past month.

With Atlanta shorthanded, the rookie stepped up on offense early, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. This was his fourth time scoring at least 20 points this season, two of those coming in his last five appearances. Risacher has gone under the radar as a rookie, but he is certainly in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. He hasn’t been able to produce value consistently, but when his shot is falling, he has been effective for Atlanta. He’ll look to keep it up against the Hornets on Wednesday.

Risacher had one of his best offensive games of the season in Memphis. He missed only two shots and made five three-pointers. Rostered in 21 percent of Yahoo! leagues, the rookie has provided ninth-round value in nine-cat formats since the All-Star break. Risacher still battles inconsistency, which is why the rostered percentage is so low despite him being a starter. The Hawks play three more games during Week 18, starting with the Bucks on Tuesday.

While he may not be the flashiest first-overall pick, Risacher has played solid basketball recently. Over the past three weeks, the rookie has averaged 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers per game. Shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 94.1 percent from the foul line, Risacher has provided top-100 value in nine-cat formats. And he played well enough on Sunday to remain in the closing lineup. This responsibility belonged to Caris LeVert (seven points, one rebound, one assist and one three-pointer in 23 minutes) since the Hawks acquired him from the Cavaliers at the trade deadline. That’s something to watch because consistently playing 30-plus minutes would raise Risacher’s fantasy ceiling.