NBA Player News

Dougie McBuckets will miss a second straight game, which means Julian Champagnie and Cedi Osman might get a couple of extra minutes, but neither are uber-appealing streaming options.

Randle is questionable after logging 38 minutes in Thursday’s win over the Pistons. Should he not be able to play in Toronto, Josh Hart would slide into the starting lineup, boosting his fantasy value. Hart’s rostered in 49% of Yahoo leagues, so he’s lurking on some standard league waiver wires.

The big man played through the injury Wednesday, but he’ll need a game off Friday. It’s a disappointing development for San Antonio, as Wemby has averaged 21.8 points, 11.8 boards and 5.8 stocks across his last four games. Zach Collins, Cedi Osman and Charles Bassey could see extended run in his absence.

Initially questionable for Friday’s game, Booker has officially been ruled out. With Grayson Allen (illness) available after missing the Suns’ last two games, he should slide into the starting lineup as Booker’s replacement. Also, look for Jordan Goodwin to figure more prominently in the rotation despite coming off the bench.

Embiid looks like a trye game-time decision for Friday’s heavyweight bout with the No. 1 seed Celtics, but if he’s unable to go, expect Marcus Morris Sr., Paul Reed and Robert Covington to take on additional minutes.

Dallas will be severely shorthanded in the frontcourt with both Doncic and Exum out of commission. Kyrie Irving will likely slide over to point guard, with Jaden Hardy and Seth Curry likely to see more minutes in the backcourt. Tim Hardaway Jr. (back) is questionable, so Dallas may have to lean on some of its players further down the depth chart. Olivier-Maxence Prosper (ankle) has been cleared to play, and he may be in line for a few extra minutes in this one.

LaVine’s absence comes after he sustained a foot injury Tuesday and sat out Thursday. He’ll miss Saturday’s matchup with New Orleans and both of Chicago’s games next week at minimum. His next chance to play won’t come again until Week 8. The Bulls play Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday that week, but it’s unclear if LaVine will return after the week off, or if that is the minimum time he’ll be sidelined. His extended absence will surely louden the whispers of a potential trade. While LaVine is out, Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams should benefit from extended minutes.

While a key member of the Thunder starting lineup due to his defensive prowess, Dort tends to be overlooked in fantasy basketball circles. And with good reason. He’s yet to finish a season ranked within the top 100 in either 8- or 9-cat formats, with poor shooting limiting his value. Well, things may be changing. Dort’s shooting 45.6% from the field and 78.9% from the foul line this season, a major reason why he’s currently ranked just outside the top 100 in 9-cat formats. Dort’s value slips a bit in 8-cat due to his not being a high-turnover guy, but his season-long production is at a level that can be used to justify considering him in some standard leagues. This isn’t the best time to add Dort, as he’s been quiet recently (Thursday notwithstanding), and OKC only plays once more in Week 6 and twice in Week 7. But he is worth tracking in the short term.

Holmgren had a good night at the office, but it could have been even better as he was 1-of-6 from three. The rookie is shooting over 40% from three on the season, evidence that nights like Thursday have not been the norm. For Holmgren to be close to a 50/40/90 player after missing all of last season was something very few people expected to see. Having entered the season with a Yahoo ADP of 46, he’s providing 1st-round per-game value in 9-cat formats and 2nd-round value in 8-cat.

In addition to being asked to provide scoring, Williams was the first line of defense in Oklahoma City’s quest to slow down LeBron James. While the future Hall of Fame forward put up 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, and four 3-pointers, he was also responsible for five turnovers. Give JDub some of the credit for that, while Oklahoma City’s ability to shut down the Lakers’ supporting cast was what truly blew the game wide open. After struggling in his first game back on Tuesday, Williams was much better two nights later.