If you’re new to fantasy basketball, you might find that it’s a bit different from other fantasy sports. While there are a few ways to play, the most popular format is 9-category (or 9-cat) head-to-head. It’s the classic setup, and if you’re in a Yahoo league, there’s a good chance this is your format. This guide is here to walk you through everything you need to know to build a winning team, from draft day to the championship.

[Join or create a fantasy basketball league for the 2025-26 NBA season]

For anyone coming from the world of fantasy football, the idea of “categories” might seem a little strange. Fantasy football is based on points, but in 9-cat, you’re going head-to-head with an opponent each week across nine different statistical areas.

Those nine categories are:

• Points (PTS)

• Rebounds (REB)

• Assists (AST)

• 3-Pointers Made (3PM)

• Steals (STL)

• Blocks (BLK)

• Field Goal Percentage (FG%)

• Free Throw Percentage (FT%)

• Turnovers (TO)

Each week, the goal is simple: win more categories than your opponent. If you win points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, but lose the other four, you finish the week with a 5−4 victory. These wins and losses pile up over the season to decide the league standings.

Big-Picture Draft Strategies

Think of your 9-cat draft as less of a race to grab the biggest names, and more of a puzzle. The best player available isn’t always the right pick for your team. You’re building a portfolio of stats, and every pick changes the equation.

1. The Balanced Build

This is the bread and butter of 9-cat strategy. The goal here is to build a solid team that can compete in every single category, every single week. You want to draft versatile players who stuff the stat sheet without torpedoing any of your categories.

Dan Titus’ Category League Rankings

We’ve all seen it: A dominant center who grabs every rebound but shoots 50% from the free-throw line, single-handedly losing you that category. On the flip side, some score-first guards can tank your field goal percentage and rack up turnovers. Very few players are elite in everything. The key is to pay attention to how each player you draft affects your team’s overall stat profile. Keep an eye on your projected totals after every pick and make sure you’re not accidentally digging yourself a hole in one category. Speaking of which …

2. The “Punting” Strategy

Now for a more advanced, high-risk/high-reward strategy: Punting. This is where you intentionally decide to ignore, or “punt,” one or more categories so you can build a powerhouse in the others. It’s a bold move, but if you do it right, you can create a team that’s almost guaranteed to win you 5 or 6 categories every week.

Here are a couple of popular ways to punt:

• Punt the Guard Stats: Load up on centers and forwards. By punting categories like Assists, 3s and Free-Throw Percentage, you can build a monster team in Rebounds, Blocks and Field Goal Percentage. You’ll usually be solid in Turnovers, too, leaving you to fight for Points and Steals each week.

• Punt the Big Man Stats: This is the reverse. You grab elite, high-usage guards and wings, aiming to dominate Points, Assists, 3s, Steals and Free-Throw Percentage. You basically concede Rebounds, Blocks and FG% from the jump. This can be a bit riskier, as there’s less room for error when you’re aiming for that 5−4 win every time.

• Punt Percentages: Another way to go is to just focus on the “counting” stats (points, boards, assists, etc.) and forget about FG% and FT%. This works great if you plan to be very active on the waiver wire, because the more games your players play, the more counting stats you’ll rack up.

How to Manage Your Team During the Season

The draft is just the beginning. Winning a championship is all about how you manage your team week in and week out.

Know Your Opponent

Take a look at your opponent’s team each week. What are they good at? Where are they weak? You can use your weekly waiver wire moves to counter their strengths. If they’re loaded with guards, maybe you stream a center to lock up rebounds and blocks. And don’t be afraid to bench players on a Sunday! If you have a slim lead in FG% and a risky shooter on your team, sitting them is a smart tactical move to secure the category win.

Master the Stream

Having a dedicated streaming spot on your roster is a massive advantage. At the start of each week, look at the schedule. See which teams have four games or a nice back-to-back set. You can pick up a player from one of those teams to maximize your games played for the week. You’ll get a huge boost in those counting stats, and you might even stumble upon a player worth keeping long-term. Sure, you’ll make a few drops you regret, but the extra stats you gain over the season are well worth it. Also, learn to manage your losses. A tough 4−5 loss is fine, but a crushing 1−8 defeat can sink your season.

Just Stay Active!

Honestly, one of the biggest keys to success is simply paying attention. Set your lineup every day, stay on top of the news and be active on the waiver wire. Just by being more engaged than the other managers in your league, you give yourself a considerable leg up.

A Few Quick Tips for Your Draft

Find Value in Late-Round Guards

Right now, the guard position is incredibly deep. My favorite strategy this year is to lock up solid forwards and centers in the middle rounds and then pounce on the guard value that falls late. You can find guys like Reed Sheppard, Andrew Nembhard, D’Angelo Russell, Keyonte George, Bennedict Mathurin, Jalen Suggs and CJ McCollum well outside the top 100 picks. The big men in that range are often much bigger gambles.

Be Careful with Rookies

Every single year, people get hyped and overdraft rookies. It’s the classic case of chasing the shiny new toy instead of the reliable veteran who just gets the job done. For every rookie who hits the ground running, there are five who disappoint based on where they were drafted. This pushes proven, steady players down the draft board, creating amazing value for you. My personal rule is to generally let someone else take the risk on rookies. You can often trade for them a month into the season if they start slow anyway.

Final Thoughts: Trust Your Gut

At the end of the day, this is your team. While all this advice can give you a great foundation, you have to be the one to make the final call. A lot of fantasy decisions are basically coin flips, so you might as well go with your own opinion, right? Be confident in your picks and your strategy, and everything else will fall into place.

And remember, this is supposed to be fun! If you’re not enjoying the daily grind of fantasy basketball, you’re doing it wrong. Good luck!

When the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers were described as a superteam entering spring training, their bullpen was a major reason why.

A franchise long hesitant to spend big money on relievers — the Dodgers are usually decent at finding relievers via development or trade — spent the offseason trying to find a way to splurge with its World Series windfall. With the bullpen something of a question, the Dodgers dropped enormous money on three guys to anchor their bullpen:

• Free agent left-hander Tanner Scott: four years, $72 million

• Returning right-hander Blake Treinen: two years, $22 million

• Free agent right-hander Kirby Yates: one year, $17 million

Those three were among the best in baseball last season and were expected to turn the L.A. bullpen into a luxurious strength. Instead, they’ve become a $111 million liability, with their path to postseason innings a product of their team’s lack of other options.

[Get more Dodgers news: Los Angeles team feed]

It was Scott who felt the sting Tuesday. After six scoreless innings from Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ bullpen stumbled enough that L.A. entered the bottom of the ninth with a 4-3 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

They turned to Scott to finish the game and cut their magic number to win the NL West to two. Here’s what they got instead: hit-by-pitch, walk, sacrifice bunt, sacrifice fly, walk-off single. The worst that can be said about Scott is it felt inevitable from the moment his slider hit Ildemaro Vargas.

Here is a stat for you: The last time a Dodgers starting pitcher took a loss was Sept. 4, a span of nearly two weeks. They have gone 10-7 in that span. In all seven of those losses, Scott or Treinen took the loss.

Let’s reiterate: In every Dodgers loss since Sept. 4, it was one of two guys who yielded the winning runs.

Disastrous doesn’t begin to describe how the Dodgers’ bullpen is shaping up with the postseason only a week away. It’s not just that their bullpen ranks fifth-worst in MLB since the start of September, with a 5.69 ERA. It’s also that the three guys they were supposed to rely on the most have allowed 21 of their 43 earned runs allowed.

The Dodgers’ bullpen is running on empty

At this point, you might wonder why Scott was placed in a save situation Tuesday or why Treinen (11.57 ERA in September) is even on the active roster at this point. Let’s go through some of the Dodgers’ other options.

We can assign “not an urgent concern” status to two guys currently on the active roster: Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda. The other four pitchers in the bullpen on the active roster are all rookies, with only Edgardo Henriquez possessing postseason experience (four earned runs in five innings last year).

So let’s assume the Dodgers aren’t keen on using those rookies with a postseason game on the line. What about Michael Kopech, a key piece of their 2024 World Series run? He’s on the injured list due to knee inflammation after walking nine in four innings of work in September.

What about Brock Stewart, their only bullpen acquisition from a curiously quiet MLB trade deadline? He has been on the IL since mid-August due to right shoulder inflammation. 

Brusdar Graterol, the fan-favorite fireballer? He hasn’t pitched at all this season due to shoulder surgery. Evan Phillips, their right-handed stalwart? Tommy John surgery in June.

It’s arguable that the top six right-handers for a full-strength Dodgers bullpen — Treinen, Kopech, Yates, Graterol, Phillips, Stewart — are all either hurt or unplayable right now.

You know that scene from the seminal “Homer at the Bat” episode of “The Simpsons,” in which Mr. Burns brags about how nine misfortunes couldn’t possibly befall his expensive lineup of ringers? And then eight of the nine All-Stars get taken down? 

The Dodgers’ bullpen has become the less funny version of that.

What will this bullpen look like in October?

It reached the point Tuesday that Clayton Kershaw, scheduled to start Sunday, volunteered for bullpen duty just to get through the D-backs series this week, per Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. That foreshadows how he might be used in the postseason, as the Dodgers are the rare team with more starting pitchers they trust than relievers they feel have a prayer.

A six-man rotation will likely become four in the postseason, with Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow getting starts while Kershaw and Emmet Sheehan move into relief roles.

That at least gives the Dodgers two extra relievers, though Kershaw’s postseason history isn’t going to inspire confidence, imminent retirement or not. There’s also the previously hyped rookie Roki Sasaki, who Roberts said would be activated from the IL Wednesday in a relief role, and Kyle Hurt, who was decent in abbreviated action last year and is currently on a rehab assignment in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Having a bullpen almost entirely composed of rookies, relievers with career-worst numbers and guys returning from injuries sounds like a formula for gray hairs in the playoffs. But that’s how it’s shaping up for L.A.

Not helping things is that their rotation, while effective when on the mound, is not known for long outings. Ohtani hadn’t pitched more than five innings in a start until Tuesday as he slowly returns from a 2023 UCL surgery. Snell is infamous for often needing 100 pitches to reach five innings. Glasnow is among the most injury-prone starting pitchers in baseball.

It seems very possible that the Dodgers will ask Kershaw and Sheehan to go the bulk-inning route after the starters and supply as many innings as possible before the current group of relievers gets called in. That won’t cover everything, though, so get ready for some high-wire acts starting next week.

How Steph Curry mentored Tyrese Haliburton on Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Star Warriors guard Steph Curry wasn’t just an iconic scorer for Team USA men’s basketball during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

He also was a phenomenal teammate and leader — just ask Tyrese Hailburton.

The 25-year-old face of the Indiana Pacers and fellow Team USA guard shared how Curry mentored him during the Olympics in Thursday’s edition of “The Young Man and The Three” podcast with filmmaker Spike Lee.

“He is so unbelievable the way he can like, he remembers people, he cares about people,” Haliburton told Lee. “I mean, I just, I can’t say enough good things about Steph. And then, like, through the Olympic experience, for me, I didn’t play a ton, so a lot of it was for me to learn, and pick guys’ brains, and Steph was just that guy for me.”

As he said himself, Haliburton didn’t play much during Team USA’s successful quest for gold.

But Curry still admirably took the up-and-comer under his wing and showed him what it’s like to dominate on the sport’s biggest international stage.

Curry led the Americans to glory after scoring 60 points over the team’s final two games, sinking eight 3-point shots — including the “Golden Dagger” — in the dramatic gold medal game win over Victor Wembanyama and Team France.

It is no wonder that Haliburton soaked in every moment with Curry.

“After every practice, I’m like, ‘I got to work out with Steph,’” Haliburton said. “I got to do what he’s doing and kind of take things from him, and he was always like, before he would start, if I’m on the other end of the gym, he’ll be like, ‘Come on, Ty, we’re going to work out.’ So for me, I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Haliburton took Curry’s mentorship and ran with it based on his performance during the ensuing 2024-25 NBA season. 

He led the underdog Pacers to the NBA Finals, where Indiana lost to the deep-rostered Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. Haliburton, of course, tore his right Achilles tendon early in Game 7, exiting what always will be remembered as a “what-if.”

Curry’s influence and mentorship clearly have rubbed off on Haliburton. And no one is doubting the Pacer’s ability to recover — after he’ll miss the 2025-26 season — and reassume his role as franchise cornerstone.

Surely Curry, who has dealt with his fair share of injuries over his 16-year Golden State career, has more advice for Haliburton as his journey continues, too.

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Pre-camp Sixers questions: After setting lineups record, which unit will be best?  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers will travel to Abu Dhabi for preseason games vs. the Knicks on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. They’ll begin their regular season by facing the Celtics on Oct. 22. 

Before the action commences, we’re looking at key questions for the 2025-26 Sixers. 

So far, we’ve covered: 

• Are the Sixers about to enter a true youth movement?
• Can the Sixers be a passable rebounding team?
• Will the 2025-26 Sixers have any bargain role players?
• Can the Sixers avoid another disastrous start? 

Next up: After setting the starting lineups record last year, which unit will be the Sixers’ best? 

The Sixers’ lineup stats tell the story of their 2024-25 season. 

Injuries were everywhere and the Sixers started an NBA-record 54 different lineups. On opening night, head coach Nick Nurse went with Tyrese Maxey, Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre Jr., KJ Martin and Andre Drummond. He closed the season with Jared Butler, Quentin Grimes, Lonnie Walker IV, Marcus Bagley and Adem Bona.

The team’s two most-used lineups outside of garbage time played a mere 148 possessions together, according to Cleaning the Glass. They were:

• Maxey-Oubre-Paul George-Caleb Martin-Guerschon Yabusele (Plus-25.0 net rating)
• Maxey-Gordon-Oubre-Justin Edwards-Yabusele (Minus-14.4 net rating) 

Nurse knows all about adjusting the basics on the fly.

“My reaction (was) the same as it’s been most of the year,” he said after a slew of players were scratched for a Jan. 14 loss to the Thunder. “You take a little gut punch, and then you regroup and figure out the starting lineups, figure out the rotations, figure out what needs to change on the game plan as quickly as possible. And go play.”

In projecting ideal, healthy scenarios for this season, restricted free agent Grimes remaining unsigned is notable. However, if we pencil Grimes back on the Sixers’ roster, he’d be a logical starter alongside Maxey, Oubre, George and Joel Embiid. 

One or two of the Sixers’ young players could easily shake up that idea. Jared McCain started just eight games in his rookie season, but he obviously has the talent to thrive when handed tons of minutes. McCain averaged 23.8 points and 4.3 assists as a starter, and he shot 39.2 percent from three-point range on 9.3 attempts per game. 

Perhaps a youthful role player like VJ Edgecombe or Edwards will wind up meshing nicely with the Sixers’ high-usage stars and earn a starting spot. 

The Sixers could also lean into their guard-heavy nature, neglecting size at times in favor of offensive firepower and pace. The 6-foot-4 Grimes and 6-5 Edgecombe could defend bigger forwards on occasion in units with Maxey and/or McCain. Having Embiid as a rim protector would be helpful defensively in those lineups, although the Sixers could also play the shot-swatting Bona at center and encourage him to join the fun in transition offensively. 

Trendon Watford has only made 30 career NBA starts, but the Sixers believe the 24-year-old forward will keep improving and he could be pressed into heavy minutes on nights without George. 

Nurse will hope that he doesn’t have to scrap plan after plan, but there’s no doubt he’ll have many options in mind.