NBA Player News

He’ll miss his second straight contest, but this doesn’t move the fantasy needle one bit.

Leonard, who was snubbed for the All-Star team despite the game taking place in home arena, put on a show for the fans in Phoenix on Sunday. The 34-year-old small forward led the Clippers, who were down James Harden (personal), with 25 points in 30 minutes as Los Angeles won 117-93. He’s provided third-round per game value over the last two weeks. Leonard and the Clippers have four games in Week 16, starting with a matchup against the 76ers on Monday.

The NBA’s leading scorer, Dončić, has scored at least 30 points in six of his last seven games, except for a 29-point effort against the Cavaliers on Wednesday. He finished Sunday’s defeat two assists shy of a triple-double and has been the top-ranked player in fantasy basketball over the past two weeks, according to Basketball Monster. The Lakers play three games in Week 16, starting with the final game of their road trip on Tuesday against the Nets.

With Miles McBride missing the last three games with an ankle injury, the Knicks have called Shamet’s name more often. After totaling 14 points in his prior three games, the 6-foot-4 wing answered the call in a big way on Sunday. Shamet matched his season-high with six three-pointers, and the 23 points were the most in a game for him since dropping 36 in a November 14 win over the Heat. While he isn’t in a place where he has to be rostered in deep leagues, Shamet is capable of getting hot as he did on Sunday.

Brunson didn’t shoot the ball well, but he didn’t let that stop him from stepping up in other areas. The 13 assists were a season high, and he was also effective on the glass. Over the past two weeks, Brunson has shot 41.5 percent from the field. However, his value has not taken a significant hit, with the guard still offering top-50 per-game value. Brunson will look to put up a few more points when the Knicks open a four-game Week 16 on Tuesday against the Wizards.

Hart isn’t relied on for his scoring prowess, but the Knicks’ forward has been on a roll recently. Including Sunday, he’s recorded three consecutive 20-point games for the first time this season. And Hart’s production against the Lakers was needed, as stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined to score 23 points on 9-of-26 shooting. Hart doesn’t need to score 20 points to offer solid category-league value, but no fantasy manager will turn up their nose when he does.

Anunoby led three Knicks with at least 20 points in Sunday’s victory, and he’s been on a nice run recently. The 6-foot-7 forward has scored at least 23 points in three of his last four appearances, providing top-10 value in eight-cat formats during this stretch, according to Basketball Monster. The Knicks play four games in Week 16, starting with the Wizards on Tuesday.

Inclement weather, which prevented the Spurs from getting back to Texas after losing on Saturday in Charlotte until mid-afternoon Sunday, is the reason for the time change. Fantasy managers with Pelicans or Hornets on their rosters will need to set their lineups a few hours earlier than they may have planned.