NBA Player News

Hill was hurt when he fell during practice, and he’s scheduled to undergo an MRI to confirm the diagnosis. Houston is expected to call up center Greg Smith from the D-League.

After coming off the bench in Sunday’s overtime loss to the Hornets, Tyson was inserted back into the Cavaliers’ starting lineup. That was good news for fantasy managers, and the second-year wing responded with a complete stat line and his third 20-point game of the season. De’Andre Hunter (12/5/1 with two three-pointers) doesn’t offer a similar ceiling, whether you’re talking “real” or fantasy basketball. And based on the pregame reports, Tyson should be in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future. Providing top-100 value in eight-cat formats, he’s rostered in just 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Grab him if he’s sitting on your league’s waiver wire.

After playing 22 minutes in his first game back from a finger injury on Sunday, Allen logged 28 minutes against the Bulls and was more productive overall. With Evan Mobley (calf) out for a few weeks, there should be more room for Allen to operate in the post. However, he attempted only nine shots against the Bulls, and the volume could prove problematic. With Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland commanding the ball, Allen’s ceiling isn’t as high since he rarely looks to do anything scoring-wise from outside of 15 feet.

Garland continues to struggle with his shot, and that has negatively impacted his fantasy value. After Wednesday’s defeat, he’s shooting 36.3 percent from the field, which would be the lowest percentage of his NBA career by a sizable margin (previous low was 40.1 percent as a rookie). Add in the lack of defensive stats, and Garland has been one of the more disappointing guards in fantasy basketball this season. There’s still a lot of basketball to be played; hopefully, he can start the turnaround on Friday when the Cavs host the Bulls.

The Cavaliers continue to underwhelm, with Mitchell’s gaudy point total being one of the few bright spots on Wednesday. He’s scored at least 30 points in 15 of the 26 games he has played this season, one reason why Spida is providing top-10 per-game value in eight-cat formats. While injuries have left the Cavaliers shorthanded, inconsistent play has also been an issue. Mitchell has been left to shoulder a heavier workload. While that has benefited those who have him rostered, it isn’t the best approach for a team that fashions itself as a title contender.

Well, give Vooch credit for his “finishing kick.” The veteran center shot 6-of-9 from the field in the fourth quarter, which enabled him to record his first 20-point game since December 1. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 12.4 points per game, with the decreased scoring weighing down Vučević’s fantasy value. That said, his season-long value remains within the top-75 in eight-cat formats. Fantasy managers should not be too concerned, especially in the aftermath of his performance against the Cavaliers.

Wednesday’s performance was a reminder that Jones doesn’t necessarily need to start to provide solid fantasy value. He finished with his second double-double of the season, matching his season-high in the assist category. Of course, it should be noted that Chicago did not have Ayo Dosunmu (thumb), which freed up additional minutes on the perimeter. Jones has played at least 24 minutes in each of his last eight appearances, so playing time has not been a significant issue in recent games.

Since making his season debut on November 16, White has failed to score at least 20 points on just one occasion. While the turnovers have been somewhat problematic, he’s closing in on top-100 per-game value in eight-cat formats. The good news for those who have White rostered is that the Bulls play twice more in Week 9 without a back-to-back, so availability should not be an issue.

Giddey finished Wednesday’s victory with his 13th triple-double since joining the Bulls, moving to within two of Scottie Pippen for second place on the franchise’s all-time list. His stat line included a season-high five three-pointers, and the Bulls guard entered Wednesday shooting a career-high 39.8 percent from beyond the arc. While three-point percentage isn’t a scoring category in most fantasy leagues, Giddey’s improved proficiency has made him a better fantasy option than he’s been in years past.

After making his return from a hip injury on Sunday, Schröder is back on the Kings’ injury report. He played 25 minutes off the bench against the Timberwolves and would be in line for a similar workload if available to play against Portland. However, there isn’t much to gain from rostering Schröder as long as Russell Westbrook is starting at the point.

A little over a week after it was reported that he was doing some non-contact work in practice, Holiday still has not reached the point where he can return to game action. The Trail Blazers will continue to rely on Deni Avdija to run the offense, with Jerami Grant staying in the starting lineup.