Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics forward/center Al Horford had a special night on Monday as the team finished off Dallas in the 2024 NBA Finals with a 106-88 win. He shook off an unwanted status as the active player with the most playoff appearances without winning an NBA championship. Horford, who made his debut with Atlanta in 2007-08, played in his 186th career playoff game on Monday. He had a good all-around outing with nine points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The 38-year-old, who also became the first Dominican-born player to win an NBA championship, filled in admirably for Kristaps Porzingis as the starting center throughout the postseason. James Harden is now the record-holder among active players with 166 playoff contests without winning a ring, while Karl Malone has the all-time mark with 193 games.

Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (leg) returned to the court in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals against Dallas on Monday. Despite carrying a leg injury, he contributed six points in 16 minutes off the bench as the team earned banner No. 18 with a 106-88 win. Porzingis, who became the first Latvia native to win an NBA championship, has been diagnosed with a torn medial retinaculum, allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon. The 28-year-old told ESPN that he will require surgery and have a recovery process of a "few months." Porzingis had another injury-riddled campaign in 2023-24, and his health status is definitely something fantasy managers must consider when planning for the new season.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum closed out the 2024 NBA Finals in style, going close to a 30-point triple-double in Monday's title-clincher against Dallas. He led all scorers with 31 points and registered eight rebounds and 11 assists with two steals. The Boston star had two 30-point efforts in the five-game series and ended up as the team leader in points, rebounds, and assists. However, the 2024 Finals MVP award went to Tatum's partner in crime, Jaylen Brown. Tatum's scoring numbers dropped in 2023-24, but he recorded a career-high 4.9 assists and had another good fantasy year overall.

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown was named the 2024 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP after the team closed out Dallas with a 106-86 victory on Monday. Brown, who was also voted the Eastern Conference Finals MVP during Boston's successful playoff campaign, had 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals in the title-clincher. He averaged 20.8 points in the Finals with 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals. The 27-year-old is the seventh Celtics player to be named the Finals MVP, the first since Paul Pierce in 2008. Brown has just entered his prime and should remain a valuable fantasy piece for a long time.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (leg) is questionable for Monday's meeting with the Dallas Mavericks. Porzingis returned for Game 1 of the NBA Finals after missing over a month because of a Soleus strain. Unfortunately, he suffered a dislocated Left Posterior Tibialis in Game 2 and didn't suit up in Game 3. Porzingis was available in Friday's loss. However, he never made it on the floor. The Mavs built a big lead early in that contest, so it's unknown if Joe Mazzulla would have put him into the game had the score remained close. But if the veteran is active on Monday evening, he's certainly a risky DFS option, considering he may not get off the bench.