NBA Player News

Davis took an elbow to the head from Kevon Looney in the fourth quarter and had to leave the game early. According to Chris Haynes, AD was escorted out of Chase Center in a wheelchair, which puts his availability for Friday’s Game 6 in doubt. Davis has been a menace in this series on both ends of the court, and his absence would create a massive void for Los Angeles that would likely be filled by some combination of Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Wenyen Gabriel. We’ll keep a close eye on Davis’s status leading up to Friday.

Jones was one of several Bulls reserve players to contribute in a meaningful way on Friday. He came off the bench and tied a team-high in points, which included seven big fourth-quarter points to help the Bulls complete a come-from-behind win. Jones didn’t make his usual impact as a passer, but he’ll have a chance to put together a more balanced performance on Saturday against the Bucks.

Booker has cleared the lofty 30-point barrier twice in his last games after going nearly a month without doing so. The 29-year-old scoring machine served as Phoenix’s primary offensive catalyst in this one, knocking down 9-of-13 shots from inside the arc and getting to the line for a double-digit free-throw attempts. He’s delivered second-round fantasy value over the past week, averaging a sublime 29.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.7 blocks across three games during that span.

Williams did some serious damage on the interior, connecting on 8-of-12 shots in the paint, breaking the 20-point barrier for the sixth time this season. It was his first double-double since November 28. The 24-year-old big man is averaging a robust 13.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.9 blocks through 26 games this season.

While inefficient shooting led Giddey to an unspectacular scoring performance on Friday, the fifth-year guard delivered as a facilitator. He led all players in assists and found his way to a third straight double-double. The effort was enough to extend the Bulls’ winning streak to five games, the second time this season they’ve achieved such a streak. Giddey is nearly averaging a 20-point triple-double on the season and continues to function as the team’s most versatile offensive weapon.

Bailey exited Friday’s game during the second quarter and has been diagnosed with a left hip flexor strain. While Taylor Hendricks entered the lineup at the time of Bailey’s exit, Brice Sensabaugh may be the Jazz player who benefits the most if the rookie has to miss time. At a minimum, Sensabaugh offers a higher offensive ceiling than Hendricks.

George struggled with his shooting for a third consecutive game and is now shooting 12-of-39 from the field over that span. The inefficiency led to a below-average scoring performance from the decorated veteran forward. Yet, even without the scoring, George hit the glass hard to earn his first double-double of the season, and also tied a season high in assists to finish with a solid outing from a fantasy basketball perspective. Still, fantasy managers are hoping he can regain his shooting touch soon and return to form as a scorer.

Maxey struggled with his shooting efficiency in Friday’s loss. He started and ended the game cold, while 18 of his points came in the middle two quarters of the game. Although he was inaccurate overall, his five triples were helpful in helping him finish the night with a good fantasy basketball performance, as was his facilitating. Maxey has now shot 12-of-38 from the floor in his last two appearances, which were both Sixers losses. He’ll have a chance to bounce back on Sunday against the Thunder.

Embiid’s second 30-point game of the season came in a losing effort. The former league MVP had performed well on the offensive end through three quarters, but with just four fourth-quarter points on 1-of-4 shooting, he was one of several Sixers who failed to deliver down the stretch, as they were outscored by the Bulls 17-28 in the frame before losing by seven points. But from a fantasy basketball standpoint, Embiid has shown signs of being the dominant scorer of recent seasons; he’s averaging 29.8 points per game over his last four appearances, and has logged at least 30 minutes in each.