NBA Player News

The Wizards had no answer for Antetokounmpo and he knew it, with all by three of his shot attempts coming from outside the restricted area. He’s now scored 40 points or more in consecutive games, and 35 or more in five of his last six. While the foul shooting remains an issue, Giannis is a great building block for managers punting free-throw percentage in their roster builds. The good news for those who have him rostered is that two of Milwaukee’s three remaining games in Week 5 are against the Wizards and Trail Blazers.

Mathurin is ranked well outside the top 200 in 9-cat per-game value this season. His performance in Saturday’s In-Season Tournament final was one of his best in what has been a brutal campaign, but none of the numbers officially count. What could boost Mathurin’s value in the short term is that the Pacers open Week 8 in Detroit on Monday, with the Pistons losing 19 straight games. That said, Mathurin’s rostered percentage in Yahoo leagues (52%) is too high, given the production issues and his coming off the bench. On Saturday, he picked up the slack for Bruce Brown, who accounted for four points, two rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block in 19 minutes.

The Lakers looked to pressure Haliburton throughout Saturday’s In-Season Tournament final, and while they were able to do so, he still recorded a points/assists double-double. The Pacers’ star point guard did commit three turnovers, but those won’t count against his season statistics (no stats from Saturday’s final count). Haliburton’s been a top 5 player in fantasy basketball this season, and that’s unlikely to change, given how well he’s playing. The Pacers play four games in Week 8, beginning with a trip to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday.

As a team, the Lakers shot 2-of-13 from three, with their offensive focus being on dominating the paint and getting to the foul line. That approach impacted the action on both ends of the floor, as the Lakers shot 53.4% from the field, and the frequent trips to the foul line kept the game’s pace in check. Reaves came up with a big performance off the bench, joining Anthony Davis and LeBron James as Lakers with at least 24 points scored. The Lakers, inaugural champions of the In-Season Tournament, are scheduled to play three games in Week 8.

James wasn’t the most dominant Laker on the court in Saturday’s In-Season Tournament final, but he was that throughout the inaugural event. James was named MVP of the event, capping the Lakers’ run to the title with a double-double. Los Angeles went undefeated, going 7-0, with their quarterfinal win over the Suns being the most challenging test. The Lakers will play three games in Week 8, beginning with the Mavericks in Dallas on Tuesday.

The Lakers made a concerted effort to attack the Pacers in the paint, and the approach was highly successful. Davis led the way in the In-Season Tournament final, shooting 66.7% from the field and leading the Lakers in points, rebounds, and blocked shots. Saturday’s game doesn’t count toward official league standings or statistics, but it’s a reminder of what Davis is capable of when he looks to dominate. He’s ranked among the top players in fantasy basketball regardless of league format, and the Lakers will play three games in Week 8.

Nembhard injured his knee during Thursday’s In-Season Tournament semifinal win over the Bucks. Already ruled out for Saturday’s final against the Lakers, the second-year point guard will be re-evaluated in one week. This leaves T.J. McConnell as the lone backup to Tyrese Haliburton, but that won’t change the veteran guard’s fantasy outlook very much.

Irving exited Friday’s win over the Trail Blazers during the second quarter after Dwight Powell fell onto his leg. An injury that appeared severe at that time, with Irving exiting the arena in a wheelchair, has been diagnosed as a bruise. Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported that he’s dealing with a right heel contusion as opposed to a general foot contusion. No decision has been made regarding his availability for Monday’s game against the Grizzlies. Should Irving miss time, Seth Curry would be the next man up.

Thompson has been sidelined since November 1, when he suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain. With the rookie having appeared in one game for the Rockets’ G League affiliate, he’ll participate in Sunday’s practice and will be available to play on Monday. Thompson only surpassed 20 minutes in one of the four games he appeared in for the Rockets pre-injury, so fantasy managers shouldn’t expect too much in his initial games back. But he’s certainly a player to watch for the future due to his versatile skill set.

With Clarkson having been sidelined since November 29, he was done no favors with Friday’s matchup. The Clippers boast two of the league’s top perimeter defenders in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, the last thing a player returning from a hamstring injury needed to see. Deep-league managers shouldn’t read too much into Clarkson’s performance. However, those in standard leagues may want to consider potential alternatives. Clarkson, who’s rostered in 79% of Yahoo leagues, remains ranked outside the top 200 in 9-cat per-game value, but he’s a top 150 player in 8-cat. A rebuilding team isn’t the best place to look for efficient production.

Back in action for the first time since November 30, Olynyk played 18 minutes off the bench on Friday. The continued absence of Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) gives him a shot at establishing fantasy relevance, mainly if Jazz coach Will Hardy sticks with Olynyk and starter Walker Kessler (eight points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and five blocks in 31 minutes) as the only two bigs in the rotation. Omer Yurtseven, who started Utah’s prior six games, was a DNP-CD on Friday. Utah will play four games in Week 8, beginning with the Thunder on Monday.