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Dillon Brooks accounted for 13 points (4-of-8 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and three three-pointers in 28 minutes in a Game 3 loss to the Warriors on Saturday.
While Brooks was the lone Rockets starter to shoot at least 50 percent from the field in Game 3, he struggled with foul trouble throughout. The veteran defender would pick up four fouls in the first half and foul out with 3:47 remaining and the Rockets trailing by four. Houston would go on to lose by 11, falling behind the Warriors two games to one. With Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green (9/6/5/1 with one three-pointer in 39 minutes) being inconsistent scorers, any production the Rockets receive from Brooks will be welcome. Game 4 is on Monday.
Max Strus shot 0-of-9 from the field in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, going scoreless with seven rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.
Game 5 was brutal for Strus, who missed all six of his three-point attempts and could not make a shot from the field overall. While he did grab seven rebounds, three more than fellow starter Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers needed more offensive production from Strus. Due to offseason ankle surgery, Strus did not make his first appearance until just before Christmas, which put him in a difficult spot regarding fantasy value. While many managers did not expect much from Strus beyond offering late-round value, he finished outside the top-175 in eight- and nine-cat formats. Look for him again to be a late-round pick in most fantasy leagues.
Jarrett Allen accumulated nine points (4-of-6 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), four rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers.
After scoring 12 points or more in the first three games of this series, Allen was a shell of himself in Games 4 and 5. While more effective as a scorer in Game 5, the Cavaliers’ center’s impact was once again muted as the East’s top seed watched its season end. That’s an unfortunate conclusion for Allen, who matched his Yahoo! ADP (53) in nine-cat formats during the regular season, according to Basketball Monster. While he was a sixth-round player in eight-cat formats, Allen’s value taking a hit due to Evan Mobley’s emergence was unsurprising. He may not come off the board within the first 50 picks in most drafts next fall, but Allen should remain a dependable option for fantasy managers needing a center.
Evan Mobley logged 37 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 24 points (8-of-12 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs) with 11 rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one three-pointer.
Recording his third double-double in four games, Mobley had his best performance of the series in Game 5. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t good enough to force a Game 6, as Cleveland combined to shoot 9-of-35 from beyond the arc. A sprained ankle sidelined Mobley for Game 2, and the blown lead in that contest set the tone for the Cavaliers. Regarding fantasy basketball, the Cavaliers forward exceeded his Yahoo! ADP (38) in eight- and nine-cat formats, providing top-25 value in the latter. Mobley’s ADP should be considerably higher next fall as he continues establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top frontcourt players.
Darius Garland shot 4-of-16 from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers, scoring 11 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.
On a night when the Cavaliers needed Garland to be his best, the point guard could not rise to the challenge. Not only did he miss all six of his three-point attempts, but Garland was also responsible for five turnovers. His toe injury suffered during the first round did Garland no favors, but this was a disappointing way for him to end the 2024-25 season. While having a Yahoo! ADP outside the top-50, the Cavaliers’ point guard finished within that threshold in eight- and nine-cat formats. Playing alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley may limit his ceiling, but Garland’s fantasy floor is relatively safe.
Orioles C/1B prospect Samuel Basallo went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI on Tuesday for Triple-A Norfolk.
Basallo’s third and fifth inning round-trippers traveled a combined 823 feet before he doubled off the top of the wall a couple frames later, narrowly missing his third big fly of the contest. The 20-year-old prodigy is still striking out a healthy amount and has six homers in 21 games this season. It’s been encouraging to see him back behind the plate recently after being limited defensively at the outset of the year due to right elbow inflammation during spring training. He’s a top-15 range prospect for dynasty purposes right now given his offensive upside and potential to retain catcher eligibility at the outset of his big-league career.
Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer on Tuesday for Triple-A Worcester.
It’s unclear how much longer the Red Sox can keep Meyer on the doorstep of the big leagues with veteran Trevor Story continuing to struggle. The 22-year-old top prospect is hitting .275 with eight homers, 38 RBI and one steal in 35 games this season at the Triple-A level. He offers some multi-position defensive versatility, if Boston wants to get creative with their infield mix, but he projects as the organization’s shortstop of the future. His time is coming.