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Russell Westbrook Russell Westbrook plays 9 minutes in Game 6 loss
Fri, May 3, 2024, 7:16 PM
Russell Westbrook shot 2-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from the foul line in Friday's loss to the Mavericks, scoring six points with one rebound, one assist, and one steal in nine minutes.
Analysis: In what could be his final game as a Clipper, Westbrook offered little value in Game 6. Tyronn Lue needed more scoring, especially with P.J. Tucker starting, which led to Los Angeles effectively going with a six-man rotation. Westbrook entered the season with a Yahoo ADP of 109.3, a generous placement for a veteran point guard whose role would be limited. Give Russ credit for willingly taking a step back after the Clippers added James Harden, but his days as a consistently relevant fantasy option may have ended. Westbrook has a player option for the 2024-25 season and will be, at best, a late-round pick in deep leagues. |
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Norman Powell Norman Powell scores team-high 20 points in Game 6
Fri, May 3, 2024, 7:13 PM
Norman Powell finished Friday's 114-101 loss to the Mavericks with 20 points (6-of-14 FGs, 6-of-8 FTs), four rebounds, and two 3-pointers in 36 minutes.
Analysis: Powell played a series-high 36 minutes in Game 6, hitting the 20-point mark for the first time since he scored 21 in Game 3. The Clippers playing without Kawhi Leonard resulted in more opportunities for Norm, even if he remained in a reserve role. Powell was once again one of the NBA's most productive bench scorers, but his fantasy value will remain capped as long as the Clippers have Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on the wings. Powell is under contract for two more seasons, and unless George were to opt out and leave, his place within the Clippers' rotation is unlikely to change in 2024-25. He's worth selecting with a late-round pick, but Powell is most valuable on nights when the Clippers are shorthanded on the perimeter. |
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Ivica Zubac Ivica Zubac finishes with 17 points, 11 boards
Fri, May 3, 2024, 7:05 PM
Ivica Zubac logged 37 minutes in Friday's Game 6 loss to the Mavericks, accumulating 17 points (6-of-11 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), 11 rebounds, and one assist.
Analysis: After recording double-doubles in the series' first two games, Zubac did not get another until the finale on Friday. However, he did score in double figures in all six games, providing consistent production in that regard. While Zubac does not rank among the elite fantasy centers, he once again provided solid value in 2023-24. Exceeding his Yahoo ADP (120.2) in 8- and 9-cat formats, Big Zu finished the regular season as a top 100 player in the latter. Regardless of what happens with James Harden and Paul George this summer, Zubac will remain the unquestioned top option at the center position. Fantasy managers may not use a top-100 pick on him, but Zubac is good enough to approach that value by the season's end. |
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Paul George Paul George scores 18 points in Game 6 defeat
Fri, May 3, 2024, 6:58 PM
Paul George shot 6-of-18 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in Friday's 114-101 loss to the Mavericks, amassing 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block, and two 3-pointers in 42 minutes.
Analysis: Facing elimination, the Clippers needed elite production from George and James Harden, and neither could come through. They also struggled in Game 5, making for a disappointing end to the season. Neither health nor production was an issue for George this season, as he appeared in 79 regular season games and provided top 20 per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats. The production exceeded PG-13's Yahoo ADP (31.4) by a considerable margin, but there are questions heading into the summer. George still can opt out of the final season of his deal, and even with the expectation that he'll remain with the Clippers, there's no shortage of potential suitors. Regardless of where he plays in 2024-25, George's 2023-24 season should renew the faith of fantasy managers. |
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James Harden James Harden drops 16 points, 13 assists Friday
Fri, May 3, 2024, 6:54 PM
James Harden finished Friday's 114-101 loss to the Mavericks with 16 points (5-of-16 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), seven rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and one blocked shot in 43 minutes.
Analysis: Harden may have dished out 13 assists while only committing one turnover in Game 6, but he struggled shooting the basketball in his final game of the season. The Beard did not play well in the series' final two games, which was also the case for Paul George. Friday's loss sends James into what could be another offseason of change. Harden's season began with instability, as he made it clear that he wanted out of Philadelphia. The 76ers ultimately accommodated that desire, and after a slow start to his time with the Clippers, The Beard rounded into form. Harden's Yahoo ADP (31.3) suffered due to the preseason questions, but he finished the year as a top 30 player in 8- and 9-cat formats. Harden will be a free agent this summer, and the Clippers could also have to negotiate a new deal with George. Look for his ADP to improve by a few spots if the Clippers keep the roster intact. |
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P.J. Tucker LAC starting Harden, Mann, George, Tucker, Zubac
Fri, May 3, 2024, 3:06 PM
Mirjam Swanson on Twitter
James Harden, Terance Mann, Paul George, P.J. Tucker, and Ivica Zubac will start Friday's Game 6 against the Mavericks.
Analysis: The Clippers need a win to extend the series to a decisive Game 7, and Tyronn Lue has changed his starting lineup. Tucker replaces Amir Coffey, who started the three games Kawhi Leonard has missed due to a lingering knee injury. While the veteran forward doesn't offer much offensively beyond a few corner 3-pointers, his defense and physicality could be impactful for the Clippers. |
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Terance Mann Terance Mann (leg) available for Game 6 on Friday
Fri, May 3, 2024, 2:04 PM
Mirjam Swanson on Twitter
Terance Mann (right lower leg contusion) is available for Friday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Mann is good to go after injuring his leg during Wednesday's blowout loss at home. He will occupy his usual place in the starting lineup as the Clippers attempt to push the series to Game 7. Mann has done a solid job of defending Luka Doncic for most of this series, as the Mavericks' star guard struggled with inefficiency before going off in Game 5. |
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Terance Mann Terance Mann (leg) questionable for Game 6 Friday
Thu, May 2, 2024, 11:49 AM
Brad Turner on X
Terance Mann (right lower leg contusion) is questionable to play in Game 6 against Dallas on Friday.
Analysis: Mann's potential absence would open up a starting spot, which will likely be filled by Norman Powell. Mann has been an important piece of their starting unit, and it will be difficult to survive in Dallas without Mann and Kawhi Leonard. |
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Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Leonard (knee) still out for Game 6 Friday
Thu, May 2, 2024, 11:48 AM
Brad Turner on X
Kawhi Leonard (right knee inflammation) will remain sidelined for Game 6 against the Mavs on Friday.
Analysis: Kawhi will be sidelined once again, and if they aren't able to win on the road, then Kawhi's season will be over. Amir Coffey will continue to start in his place, though he only scored three points in 27 minutes in Game 5. |
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James Harden James Harden offers little in Game 5 blowout loss
Wed, May 1, 2024, 6:32 PM
James Harden played 33 minutes in Wednesday's 123-93 loss to the Mavericks, accounting for seven points (2-of-12 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), four rebounds, seven assists, and one 3-pointer.
Analysis: After shining in Sunday's Game 4 victory, Harden put up an absolute stinker in Game 5. He finished with more turnovers (four) than made field goals (two), failing to reach double figures in a postseason game for the first time since Game 7 of the 76ers' second-round loss to the Celtics last season. We've seen Harden have great games before, and he'll need to do the same in Game 6 on Friday if the Clippers are to extend their season. |
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Ivica Zubac Ivica Zubac posts 15/6/2/1 line in Game 5 loss
Wed, May 1, 2024, 6:32 PM
Ivica Zubac tallied 15 points (7-of-8 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), six rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 26 minutes in Wednesday's 123-93 loss to the Mavericks.
Analysis: While he has reached double figures in points in all five games, Zubac's influence on the boards has waned since Games 1 and 2. Having grabbed 27 rebounds in those contests, he produced 18 in Games 3 through 5. Add in Dallas' ability to exploit the Clippers' defensively in the two-man game, with Dereck Lively II receiving multiple lobs in Game 5, and this wasn't as good a night for Zubac as the shooting accuracy would lead some to believe. Essentially, it's known what Big Zu will bring to the table nightly, even if he isn't going to bring elite production to the table. |
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Paul George Paul George goes quiet, finishes with 15 points
Wed, May 1, 2024, 6:30 PM
Paul George shot 4-of-13 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Wednesday's Game 5 loss to the Mavericks, tallying 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two 3-pointers in 32 minutes.
Analysis: Like James Harden, George struggled after scoring 33 points in the Clippers' Game 4 win on Sunday. The good news for DFS managers is that he was productive as a rebounder, but the combination of poor shooting and turnovers (three) was too much to overcome. George will need to play better in Game 6 if the Clippers are to ensure that Wednesday's stinker wasn't their last as a tenant of Crypto.com Arena. Game 6 is on Friday night in Dallas. |
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Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Leonard (knee) ruled out for Game 5 vs. Mavs
Tue, Apr 30, 2024, 2:04 PM
Mirjam Swanson on X
Kawhi Leonard (right knee inflammation) will remain sidelined for Game 5 against Dallas on Wednesday.
Analysis: Unsurprisingly, Leonard has been ruled out for Game 5, though the situation isn't as bleak as many expected. The Clippers have won the two games that he hasn't played in, and they were able to reclaim home court advantage in Game 4. They won't force Kawhi back out on the court if he isn't 100%, which means that Amir Coffey should remain in the starting unit. |
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James Harden James Harden scores 33 points in Game 4 victory
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 12:48 PM
James Harden played 40 minutes in Sunday's win over the Mavericks, amassing 33 points (12-of-17 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), six rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block, and four 3-pointers.
Analysis: Harden was masterful at getting into the paint and converting during the fourth quarter, shooting 6-of-7 as the Clippers held on after blowing a 31-point lead. With Kawhi Leonard (knee) lacking a timeline for return, it will be up to The Beard and Paul George to shoulder most of the offensive workload in a series tied at two games apiece. Sunday's performances showed they're up to the task, as the two Clippers stars combined to score 66 of the team's 116 points. Game 5 is on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. |
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Paul George Paul George tallies 33 points, seven 3-pointers
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 12:30 PM
Paul George shot 11-of-19 from the field and 4-of-7 from the foul line in Sunday's 116-111 win over the Mavericks, scoring 33 points with six rebounds, eight assists, four steals, one block, and seven 3-pointers in 43 minutes.
Analysis: With Kawhi Leonard (knee) out, the Clippers desperately needed George to bounce back from a brutal Game 3 performance. That's precisely what happened: he scored 26 points in the first half as the Clippers led by as much as 31. Dallas rallied, eventually taking the lead during the fourth quarter, but George made a seemingly improbable corner 3-pointer to help seal the deal. The Clippers head home tied at two games apiece, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday night. |
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Amir Coffey Amir Coffey to start Sunday's Game 4 vs. Mavericks
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 8:07 AM
Law Murray on Twitter
James Harden, Terance Mann, Amir Coffey, Paul George, and Ivica Zubac will start Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Kawhi Leonard (knee) is out, so Coffey returns to the starting lineup for Game 4. He started Game 1 but failed to offer much value, finishing with six points, three rebounds, one assist, and two 3-pointers. In addition to Coffey starting, look for Norman Powell to play more minutes off the bench. |
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Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Leonard (knee) out Sunday, maybe longer
Sun, Apr 28, 2024, 7:53 AM
Law Murray on Twitter
Kawhi Leonard (right knee inflammation) will not play in Sunday's game 4 against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank announced on Sunday afternoon that Leonard will not play, despite the star forward's desire to do so. It was reported after Game 3 that Leonard's knee did not respond as hoped, casting doubt on his status for Sunday. The question now is when he will return, with Frank saying Leonard will not play until he can do all he needs to do on the court from a mobility standpoint. Amir Coffey started Game 1 and could return to the lineup, despite the Clippers facing a potential 3-1 deficit. |
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James Harden James Harden leads LAC with 21/2/5/2/1 line
Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 5:43 PM
James Harden led the Clippers with 21 points (7-of-13 FGs), two rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block, five triples and five turnovers in a 101-90 loss to Dallas in Game 3 on Friday.
Analysis: Harden tied Norman Powell as the leading scorer for the Clippers in this game. Harden was also able to contribute value across the board, though it wasn't enough for them to get the win. He played 44 minutes in this game, which Tyronn Lue said was a result of Paul George being in foul trouble. Harden is still an effective player, but he's going to need George to be better if they want to win this series without a healthy Kawhi Leonard. Harden will look to keep this production up in Game 4 on Sunday. |
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Paul George Paul George limited to 7/5/5 due to foul trouble
Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 5:39 PM
Paul George dealt with foul trouble on Friday and only contributed seven points (3-of-11 FGs), five rebounds, five assists and one triple in 30 minutes against Dallas in Game 3.
Analysis: George was only able to play 11 minutes in the first half of this game because of some early foul trouble. He was better at staying on the floor in the second half, but he still had a poor performance after scoring 22 points in each of their first two games. PG now has committed 14 fouls through the first three games of this series, though it only limited his minutes in this one. He can't impact the game from the sidelines, so he'll need to clean this up moving forward, especially with Kawhi Leonard not at 100% |
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Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Leonard (knee) limited to 25 minutes in G3
Fri, Apr 26, 2024, 5:30 PM
Joey Linn on X
Kawhi Leonard only played 25 minutes on Friday and finished with nine points (4-of-7 FGs), nine rebounds and two assists against the Mavericks in Game 3.
Analysis: After the game, head coach Tyronn Lue said that Kawhi is âstill dealing with knee inflammation that the team has to manageâ. He also said that he believes that Leonard will be able to suit up for Game 4 on Sunday. It would be surprising if he wasn't at least on the injury report, and he clearly isn't 100%. Healthy superstars simply don't play 25 minutes in a playoff game. If he isn't able to play like a star, it's hard to imagine them advancing to the second round. Hopefully this isn't another âwhat ifâ year for the Clippers because of injuries, but it is starting to feel that way. |
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