Dillon

Brooks

Brooks finally had a big game on offense in this series. He hadn’t been bad, but this was the first time he surpassed 20 points in a game this series. It was a great response from him after he allowed Jimmy Butler to take over in the second half on Monday and lead the Warriors to victory. Brooks will need to continue to shoot the ball like he did in this game for the Rockets to win in Golden State in Game 6 on Friday.

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.

Through the first two games of this series, Brooks has shot 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. While that isn’t necessarily great, he’s done enough to keep the Warriors honest thus far. Brooks will need to continue to do so as the series moves to San Francisco, whether Golden State has Jimmy Butler (pelvis) or not. Game 3 is on Saturday night.

Having scored 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting in Houston’s April 6 win over the Warriors, Brooks likely entered Sunday’s series opener with ample offensive confidence. While he did have a better night shooting-wise than starting guards Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green, Brooks offered limited offensive value, and the defensive stats weren’t there, either. He and Amen Thompson (8/9/6/1/1 in 33 minutes) will have their hands full in this series, and they’ll need to provide some offense as well. The Rockets will look to even the series at 1-all in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Despite already securing the two-seed in the West, the Rockets have made their key players available for Sunday’s regular-season finale. How much VanVleet and Brooks will play remains to be seen. However, the lack of stakes for Houston should ensure Reed Sheppard of rotation minutes.

VanVleet and Brooks are set to miss their second straight meetings with the Clippers. Reed Sheppard and Jeff Green will likely be among the players called upon to notch spot starts against Los Angeles ahead of the weekend.

Brooks and Thompson were among the Rockets’ starters who did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers. They’ll return to the lineup on Friday, likely pushing Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore to the bench. While Eason should remain rostered in active fantasy leagues, Whitmore does not have to be held in standard formats.

Brooks is unavailable for rest reasons, leaving Jalen Green as the lone Rockets starter who will play on Wednesday. Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore are well-positioned to benefit from Brooks’ absence, with the former possessing a much higher fantasy ceiling.

Brooks was back on the court after serving a one-game suspension on Friday, and he significantly contributed to the Rockets’ victory on Sunday. He’s scored 21 points or more in two straight games, and his 24 on Sunday were the most he’s had in a game since March 17. Jabari Smith Jr.'s playing time took a hit with Brooks back in the lineup, but he still contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, one assist and two three-pointers in 27 minutes off the bench. Smith remains the superior fantasy option, but Brooks can have the occasional night when he can provide unexpected value.

Smith has been cleared to play after the Rockets initially listed him as questionable. He’ll come off the bench again, and Smith’s value takes a slight hit with Dillon Brooks returning from a one-game suspension. Smith should still be rostered in most leagues.