NBA Player News

Given the Celtics depleted front court (Kevin Garnett starts at center) the move makes a lot of sense. Williams last played in the NBA for Dallas and has been in the D-League. He would help Greg Stiemsma off the bench.

Powell was limited to just 28 minutes in the loss, but even in his more limited action, he managed to finish as one of Miami’s top scorers. Efficient shooting allowed him to reach 20 points for the first time in three games. However, the first-year Heat guard didn’t make many other contributions aside from his scoring. His fantasy value was almost exclusively tied to his scoring on Wednesday, which is the risk fantasy managers run with having Powell on their roster. Yet, he’s always capable of big scoring performances and isn’t someone you want on your bench.

Bane’s contributions on the offensive end played a big factor in Orlando ending its four-game losing streak on Wednesday. He made shots efficiently from behind the three-point line as well as inside it, while his contributions as a passer led him to finish as one of the Magic’s leaders in assists on the evening. Bane didn’t get to the free-throw line in this game and also failed to make much of an impact on the glass. However, his passing and production as a scorer were enough to land him a nice final line.

Black was exceptional on Wednesday evening against the Heat. Offensively, he shot the ball with great accuracy, leading him to finish as one of three Magic players to score at least 20 points. He added a handful of assists, as well, but also tallied six stocks on the defensive end to give him fantastic fantasy production in the win. Black’s performance against Miami may be the one that gets him back on track following a few underwhelming performances.

Banchero was, once again, dominant on Wednesday. He logged a second straight 30-point double-double, mostly operating inside the arc to tally his points. The fourth-year forward led all scorers in the game and has slowly picked up his production in January following a rough December. If Banchero can continue playing at this level, he’ll have a chance to get the Magic back on track over the second half of the season. Fantasy managers should be excited about his recent progress.

Like most of his teammates not named Brandon Ingram, Barrett had a rough night shooting the basketball. His points tally was boosted by a good night at the foul line, and fantasy managers should also benefit from the rebounds and assists. Barrett entered the season with a top-100 ADP in Yahoo! leagues, but managers may have been expecting too much from him, given the track record throughout his career.

For the first time in nearly a month, Barnes has recorded double-doubles in consecutive games. However, there was a negative on Wednesday, as the All-Star hopeful finished with as many turnovers as assists — five. Barnes’ season-long fantasy value has been excellent, so there isn’t too much need for concern following his output against the Knicks. The Raptors have two more games in Week 15, starting with the Magic on Friday.

Shooting 6-of-8 from the field, Ingram was essentially the only Raptors player who did not cool down after halftime on Wednesday. He’s scored at least 20 points in four of his last five appearances, with Wednesday’s tally being the highest for Ingram since dropping 30 in a January 14 win over the Raptors. Ingram has managed to stay relatively healthy, and fantasy managers have reaped the rewards, as he has been close to a top-50 player in eight-cat formats.

While Towns didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, he didn’t let those struggles affect him in other areas. With no Mitchell Robinson (ankle), KAT dominated the glass, grabbing a season-high 22 rebounds. So even with the poor shooting, there was still some value to be gained by fantasy managers. The Knicks head home for their final two games of Week 15, starting with the Trail Blazers on Friday.

On a night when Jalen Brunson (13 points, one rebound, four assists and one block) was under the weather, Hart was among the Knicks who picked up the slack. Dealing with a sore ankle, the Knicks’ wing matched his season-high in points and finished a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Even with his usually limited scoring output, Hart continues to provide excellent value in category leagues. And every so often, he has a night like Wednesday in which the shots are falling consistently.