NBA

Clifford struggled from beyond the arc on Tuesday, missing all five of his attempts. The good news is that the rookie guard shot over 50 percent from two-point range, and he also provided solid production in rebounds, assists, and steals. Clifford played 39 minutes, an encouraging number, even if it may not be sustainable for the rest of the season. The key is that he’s getting a lot of playing time, which makes Clifford a more attractive option during the silly season.

After logging 22 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Lakers in his return from a thigh injury, Westbrook played 31 minutes against the Suns. The veteran point guard shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc on Tuesday, and fantasy managers in category leagues can also use the assists and steals. However, it’s fair to question whether Westbrook will be asked to play 30-plus minutes consistently between now and the end of the season, especially with Devin Carter needing more playing time for evaluation. Carter only played nine minutes on Tuesday, finishing with two points, two rebounds and one steal. With the Kings headed for the draft lottery, Carter should be the priority, but that wasn’t the case against the Suns.

Raynaud finished Tuesday’s defeat with his 13th double-double of the season, which leads all rookies. The 7-foot-1 center may not offer much value as a shot-blocker, but fantasy managers know what they’re going to get from him as a scorer and rebounder on most nights. For good measure, Raynaud dished out four assists against the Suns. Among Kings players, only Precious Achiuwa has been more valuable to fantasy managers since the All-Star break.

Achiuwa has been a popular add in fantasy leagues recently, and with good reason. The 6-foot-8 forward has recorded at least nine rebounds in five straight games and at least one steal and one blocked shot in four of the last five. Rostered in 28 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Achiuwa has been a top-50 player since the All-Star break, according to Basketball Monster. With the Kings headed for the draft lottery, playing time should not be an issue for Achiuwa the rest of this season. If he’s sitting on the waiver wire, pick him up.

Allen shot 4-of-12 from beyond the arc against the Kings, and he clearly knows where his bread is buttered. In seven games since February 1, the Suns guard has attempted at least nine three-pointers in each appearance while scoring at least 18 points in six of them. Even with Devin Booker returning from a hip strain, Allen’s scoring opportunities will remain plentiful, as the Suns are still without Dillon Brooks (hand).

While Green did rack up seven turnovers on Tuesday, the overall stat line was solid. And it was good to see him record another 20-point game, something that had occurred just once in the seven games Green played before Tuesday. During that run, he averaged 13.9 points on 33.1 percent shooting from the field and 20.8 percent from three. Against the Kings, Green was only 2-of-8 from three, but he shot 5-of-8 inside the arc. And having Devin Booker back in the fold should help with Green’s shot quality moving forward.

Gillespie has been one of the league’s most improved players, with his production a reason the Suns are in the thick of the playoff chase despite not having Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, or Jalen Green for extended periods at various points this season. Gillespie was responsible for Phoenix’s first six points on Tuesday, knocking down two of his five three-pointers. Shooting 60 percent from the field, he also offered excellent value in the rebound and assist categories.

Back in the Suns’ lineup after a four-game absence, Booker was under a minutes limit on Tuesday. Averaging 33.3 minutes per game on the season, he logged 31 against the Kings. While Booker didn’t shoot the ball well from inside the arc, making only two of his 10 attempts, his rebounds, assists, and three-pointers were solid. He also made some history, joining Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard as the only players in league history to accumulate at least 17,000 points and 1,500 three-pointers in 720 games or fewer. Ryan Dunn, who was bumped from the starting lineup to make room for Booker, played 17 minutes, finishing with two points and one rebound. Phoenix’s final three games of Week 19 include a back-to-back, so Booker could be limited to two appearances.

Following a one-game absence with an ankle injury, which came after playing in 35 straight games, Williamson returned to take on Los Angeles. Excluding the game he exited early with the ankle injury, Zion has scored at least 20 points in six straight games. They have a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, and while Williamson had been playing in back-to-backs, there is a chance he sits out as he manages this ankle injury. If he does, he’ll likely sit against the Kings on Thursday and play against the Suns on Friday.

This was Murphy’s second game back after missing five games with a shoulder injury. He scored 16 points in the first one, but he was more effective in this outing. Murphy has been excellent this season, but this two-game stretch hasn’t been his best. They have a back-to-back coming up on Thursday and Friday, but since it wasn’t a lower body injury, Murphy should be fine to suit up for both games.