NBA

Haliburton dealt with low back spasms during the Pacers’ first-round series against Milwaukee but did not miss any games. T.J. McConnell and Ben Sheppard would pick up additional minutes if the All-Star point guard cannot play on Monday, but DFS players should expect Haliburton to be available.

While Murray has refused to make any excuses regarding the strained calf, it was clear during Saturday’s series opener that he is not playing at full strength. Reggie Jackson would be next in line if the Nuggets are forced to play without their starting point guard, but look for Murray to play through the pain in a game the reigning champs can’t afford to lose.

After coming off the bench in the series’ first two games, Carter returned to the starting lineup ahead of Game 3 and remained in that role. Sunday’s series decider was his best game of the seven, with WCJ recording series-highs in points and steals. Beginning the season with a Yahoo ADP of 104.5, Carter’s value was again hampered by injuries. He appeared in 55 games this season and has surpassed six just once in his three full seasons in Orlando. Carter has two seasons remaining on his contract. Still, the injury history makes it difficult to trust him entirely in most fantasy leagues, especially when he failed to crack the top 150 in 8- and 9-cat formats.

Questionable for Sunday’s game after sitting out Game 6 with a strained hamstring, Harris started and played 27 minutes. While he did make two 3-pointers, the overall impact was muted. Unfortunately for Harris, injuries have been a significant storyline since the nine-year pro arrived in Orlando via the Aaron Gordon trade. He played 54 games this season, finishing ranked well outside the top 200 in 8- and 9-cat formats. Harris will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and regardless of where he could land, fantasy managers don’t need to consider selecting him in most drafts.

Despite opening the game making six of its first 11 3-pointers, the Magic received a harsh reminder of their most significant weakness in Game 7. Orlando would finish 10-of-31 from beyond the arc, with Suggs making two of his 10 attempts. The third-year guard reached double figures in six of the series’ seven games, but he shot below 40% from the field and 29% from three. While injury-related questions and limited production when healthy during his first two seasons negatively impacted Suggs’ ADP (141.9), he provided top 100 value in 8- and 9-cat formats. Whether or not this season gives his value a boost ahead of drafts in the fall depends on what changes Orlando makes to its perimeter rotation via the draft and free agency. Also, Suggs will be eligible for an extension this offseason. However, unlike Franz Wagner, the decision does not appear as clear-cut for the Magic front office, even with his improved 2023-24 campaign.

Playing in the biggest game of his brief NBA career, as were many of his Magic teammates, Wagner struggled mightily on Sunday afternoon. He could not make anything happen offensively, missing all five of his 3-point attempts while shooting 1-of-8 from two. Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro certainly deserves some credit for that, but this performance was a severe departure from the norm for Wagner. Based on the Yahoo ADP (66.6), 2023-24 went as expected for Franz, who finished the regular season as a 6th-round player in 8- and 9-cat formats. Sunday wasn’t a good way for him to go out, but Wagner will be one of Orlando’s solid building blocks moving forward. He’s eligible for a contract extension this offseason; it would be surprising if the front office did not make that happen.

Cleveland is headed to the second round, with their series against Boston beginning on Tuesday. While Mobley struggled with turnovers in Sunday’s Game 7, committing six, he was excellent as a rebounder and defender. He rejected five shots, moving his total to 12 in the series’ final three games. And those were games the Cavaliers played without Jarrett Allen, who is dealing with a rib injury. Both teams could be without an essential big man for Tuesday’s Game 1 in Boston, as the Celtics will not have Kristaps Porzingis (calf). If Allen cannot play, Mobley will continue to take on more responsibilities as the Cavaliers’ defensive anchor.

Cleveland went into the halftime break trailing by ten (53-43), with LeVert and Donovan Mitchell being why the home team remained within striking distance. LeVert scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, taking a back seat to Max Strus and Darius Garland (and Mitchell, of course) in the second. While he did score 15 points in Games 3 and 7, LeVert was responsible for 22 total in the other five games. The Cavaliers will need more consistent production in the second round against Boston, with Game 1 of that series set for Tuesday night.

After scoring seven points or less in the series’ first four games, Strus hit double figures in the final three. He was critical during the second half of Game 7, scoring 11 of his 13 points to (along with Darius Garland) give Donovan Mitchell the offensive assistance Cleveland’s star guard desperately needed. Garland had a rough Sunday overall, shooting 3-of-13 from the field and finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer. While he and Strus did what was required to get past Orlando, both must be better in Cleveland’s second-round series against Boston. Game 1 is on Tuesday night.

Between the field goal percentage and his five turnovers, Banchero did not have the most efficient Sunday afternoon. However, his overall play was the primary reason why Orlando had a chance to win Game 7. The lack of consistent help from others factored into Banchero’s efficiency issues. Still, he gained a significant amount of respect from mainstream followers of the NBA with his play throughout the series. Orlando lost all four games its standout forward committed at least five turnovers. And that category significantly impacted his fantasy value during the regular season. While a top 100 player in 8-cat formats, Banchero finished the regular season outside the top 150 in 9-cat. How Orlando handles its needs on the perimeter (consistent shooting and playmaking) will impact whether Banchero comes off in the fifth round of most drafts (as he did last fall) or slightly higher.