Boston

Celtics

Brown is dealing with a left quad contusion, but the good news for the Celtics and for fantasy managers is that he’s probable for Sunday’s game. If he’s unable to go, Baylor Scheierman is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup.

While he was not in the starting lineup for Friday’s game, that did not stop Garza from having one of his most productive nights of the season. He played 27 minutes to starting center Neemias Queta’s 18 against the Grizzlies, shooting 75 percent from the field. All that Garza’s final line lacked was a blocked shot. He still isn’t in a place where he needs to be rostered in fantasy leagues, but Garza may be worth a look on nights when the Celtics are playing lottery-bound teams.

Queta was on his way to a double-double by halftime, having recorded 10 points and seven rebounds in 11 minutes of action. The Celtics center would get his double-double in the second half, needing just 18 minutes to do so. Rostered in 41 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Queta has been a top-100 player for most of the season, far exceeding the expectations of many fantasy managers.

On a night when Jayson Tatum (13 points, nine rebounds and two three-pointers) shot 3-of-15 from the field, Brown picked up the slack in Memphis. The Celtics’ wing has scored at least 30 points in three straight and four of his last five games. Since the All-Star break, Brown has provided first-round value in eight-cat formats. The Celtics return home for their final game of Week 21, Sunday against the Timberwolves.

After ending his Week 20 with a four-point effort on 2-of-11 shooting in a March 14 win over the Wizards, Pritchard has recorded consecutive 19-point stat lines. He’s made eight of 16 three-point attempts in Boston’s first two games of Week 21 while also recording 13 assists. Had Pritchard not begun the season as a starter, he would be a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, which he won last season. With Jayson Tatum back in the fold, the Celtics have the look of a team capable of playing deep into the spring.

Tatum is getting more comfortable by the game, with Wednesday’s effort being his fifth straight with at least 20 points. The Celtics’ forward also recorded his third double-double since returning to the lineup, the second with at least 20 points scored. Boston has two more games in Week 21 without a back-to-back, which should bode well for Tatum’s availability.

Brown and the Celtics grabbed control of Wednesday’s game early and never looked back, going on to win by a 120-99 final score. He recorded his 31st 30-point game of the season and did so while recording excellent percentages from the field and the foul line. The lone issue, at least for managers in nine-cat leagues, was the five turnovers. The Celtics play two more games in Week 21, starting with the Grizzlies on Friday.

Strong three-point shooting was the highlight of White’s productive offensive performance. He sank a handful, which accounted for all but six of his total points on a night in which he finished as one of three Celtics with at least 20 points. The versatile combo guard also contributed well as a facilitator along the way to help Boston earn a second consecutive win. White’s production hasn’t altered much since Jayson Tatum’s return to the lineup, which should put fantasy managers at ease during the fantasy playoffs.

Tatum reached the 20-point mark for the fourth consecutive game on Monday as he tied a season-high in minutes played. In the win, he also finished with his highest shooting percentage since making his season debut earlier in March. The subtle improvements could be seen as encouraging for those fantasy managers who have him rostered. While Tatum understandably isn’t yet performing at his former All-NBA level this early in his return from the Achilles injury, he should be a productive option in fantasy playoffs.

Brown went for more than 30 points for the second time in the past three games, using an 18-point fourth-quarter explosion to help lead Boston to victory. The one-time Finals MVP shot the ball efficiently throughout the night and got lots of scoring production from the free-throw line along the way. Brown also tied for team highs in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots on the evening to land one of his better all-around performances of March. He’ll look to stay hot on Wednesday against the Warriors.