NBA Player News

“Former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, ex-Thunder coach Billy Donovan and Clippers assistant Ty Lue are expected to be part of the next round of interviews and are strongly vying for and interested in the position,” Shams adds. Brand is on the record saying that he doesn’t intend to trade Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid so they’ll be looking to bring in someone who could maximize their talents while upgrading the rest of the rotation after they were exposed in the playoffs.

Mitchell has scored in double figures in five straight and nine of his last 10 games. Injuries that have beset the Thunder this season have created more opportunities for the third-year guard, who is averaging a career-high 18.5 points per game and providing top-100 fantasy value. As long as Mitchell stays healthy, he’s capable of maintaining his current production all season long.

After scoring 19 points off the bench in Saturday’s rout of the Wizards, McCain returned to the Thunder starting lineup on Tuesday. Shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, the third-year guard recorded his third 20-point stat line of the season. While he can be inconsistent, McCain is on a bit of a heater, scoring 21, 19 and 21 points in his last three games.

After playing the entire third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander did not play at all in the fourth, as Portland managed to pull away. Due to Oklahoma City’s many injuries, the two-time MVP is being asked to do even more heavy lifting on offense. SGA’s field-goal percentage suffered on Tuesday, but that doesn’t do much to change his status as one of the most valuable players to roster in fantasy basketball. Oklahoma City plays Portland again on Wednesday, and the extra rest time he picked up in the fourth quarter on Tuesday could pay dividends for SGA.

Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori made a change to his starting lineup on Tuesday, replacing Scoot Henderson with Cissoko. While he didn’t shoot well from the field, Sidy finished with a season-high point total and a solid overall stat line in 33 minutes. Henderson played 23 minutes and finished with 11 points, one rebound, four assists and three three-pointers. Cissoko isn’t a must-add, but he’s worth watching, especially with Ja Morant (hamstring) out for a few more weeks.

Avdija and Damian Lillard took over the third quarter of Tuesday’s 123-103 victory, combining to score 22 of the Trail Blazers’ 38 points. The former supplemented his nine points with three rebounds and three assists in the period, and Deni has scored at least 21 points in eight of Portland’s 10 games. The two teams meet again on Wednesday in what could be another big night for Avdija, who finished Tuesday’s win two assists shy of a double-double.

Fans got to see “vintage Dame” during the third quarter, with his production helping Portland grab control of the season. Shooting 5-of-6 from the field, Lillard scored 13 points in the third. The final three points came on a 35-footer as time expired, giving Portland a 17-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Lillard didn’t play in the fourth quarter, and the 24 minutes he did play may ensure he’s available for Wednesday’s rematch.

Youngblood injured his right foot early in the fourth quarter and has been ruled out for the rest of the night. Sidy Cissoko and Scoot Henderson can absorb the minutes that would have gone to Youngblood, who is sitting on the Trail Blazers’ bench.

Achiuwa had to leave Tuesday’s game with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter with a leg contusion and did not return. His early exit gave Dylan Cardwell (1/12/1/2/2) more playing time, and he logged 29 minutes off the bench. Keegan Murray (11/2/1 with four blocks and two three-pointers) played 24 minutes as he continues to work his way back from an ankle injury.

While fellow Kings veteran Domantas Sabonis went scoreless on Tuesday, LaVine had one of his most productive games of the season. He recorded his second 30-point game of the season, but he had to head to the locker room during the third quarter with an apparent ankle injury. Sacramento doesn’t play again until Friday, so LaVine will have a little time to recover.

Acuff continues to impress for the Kings, who fell to 1-10 on Tuesday. The rookie guard has scored at least 20 points in nine of Sacramento’s 11 games, and he’s been a first-round player in 12-team leagues over the last two weeks. As long as he keeps the turnovers in check, Acuff will be a highly valuable fantasy option, regardless of league format.