Finland trapped Jokic on the perimeter, exposing Serbia’s rim-protection gaps after Bogdanovic’s hamstring injury. Jokic remained pivotal, but the supporting cast struggled to compensate as Finland closed the game with timely threes and smart pressure. Alperen Sengun and Mika Morinin provided standout moments, illustrating how versatile bigs can swing matchups in knockout play. Upcoming Georgia clash and France’s guard gaps loom as fresh tests for the contenders.

Jaylen Brown steps into the lead role with Tatum sidelined, carrying a heavy usage load but facing efficiency and turnover questions that cap upside. Boston’s center rotation remains muddled as Porzingis exits (to Atlanta) and Horford/Drew Holiday return, making mid-round value hard to pin down. Derek White pops as a durable supportive target, while Payton Pritchard and Anthony Simons vie for secondary ball handling and scoring with big swings in minutes. Sam Hauser provides floor spacing though minutes remain volatile; draft strategy should emphasize upside within a clarified guard rotation and contend with a crowded frontcourt.

The Celtics’ win projection sits around a mid-40s total, with FanDuel’s 42.5 line drawing attention to the balance of risk and upside. In this environment, late-round gambles on White and Hauser offer steadiness, while Brown’s ceiling hinges on how Boston mitigates the absence of Tatum and how aggressively the new pieces fit around him. The narrative centers on opportunistic rosters that can capitalize on gradual usage shifts and minutes).

NBA fantasy drafting gets a fresh look: value is found in multi category contributions, not rigid positions. Nikola Jokic anchors the top tier, with Victor Wembanyama, Giannis, Luka and Stephen Curry forming a second wave of elite stat stuffers who push upside beyond traditional rosters. The plan centers on targeting players who exceed average in five of eight standard categories, even later in drafts, rather than chasing a single best player available pick.

The method shifts from positions to statistical groupings, considers playoff schedules and ADP variance, and stresses roster balance through mid to late rounds by identifying versatile contributors. The takeaway for fantasy managers is to map players by cross category impact, then fill gaps with flexible, high upside role players for a comprehensive, adaptable squad.

Jakob Poeltl anchors late-round value with top-50 upside when healthy, but rest days and a 25-game absence keep his floor volatile. Jalen Suggs carries elite steals upside if he stays on the floor, but injury risk keeps his ceiling tempered. Payton Pritchard can push into strong 9-cat value in Boston’s shuffled lineup, while Shaedon Sharpe and Onyeka Okongwu offer high-upside, high-usage paths with caveats in efficiency and role clarity. Kristaps Porzingis, Miles Bridges, Scoot Henderson and Desmond Bane add varied pathways—floor-safe totals, durability, and breakout potential in a crowded 9-cat landscape.

Careful construction around these names can unlock strong roto totals and 9-cat upside this season, especially when rosters are built to weather rest days and shifting rotations. The episode dives into how changes in starting lineups, rest schedules, and new teammates impact usage, efficiency, and categoricals, framing a pragmatic ladder for late-round fantasy growth and early-round risk.