NBA Player News

LaMelo injured his ankle during Friday’s game, but he was able to finish it out. Now he is questionable on the second night of a back-to-back, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they gave him the night off. If that happens, Terry Rozier would shift to point guard, which would leave an open spot in the starting unit. McGowens could fill that if he plays, and if he doesn’t Cody Martin could move back to a starting role. PJ Washington started at center in their last game with Richards out, though Nate Mensah still logged 20 minutes off the bench.

The Jazz won’t have Ace Bailey for Saturday’s game, as he suffered a left hip flexor strain during Friday’s win over the Pistons. He’s been replaced in the lineup by Sensabaugh, who scored 20 points against Detroit. While he isn’t a must-stream player now, there may come a point later in the season when Sensabaugh needs to be rostered.

While Aaron Nesmith is back after missing time with a knee injury, he will come off the bench. The lone change to the Pacers’ starting lineup is Furphy, who steps in for Quenton Jackson. There’s no need to consider streaming Furphy, but he’s worth watching for “silly season” prep.

Giannis is back in the Bucks’ lineup after missing more than three weeks with a strained calf. His return prompts two changes to the starting lineup. Rollins has returned to the starting five to provide more shooting/playmaking off of Giannis, while Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma head to the bench.

The Knicks won’t have Josh Hart (ankle) for their three-game road trip, and his absence opens up a spot in the starting lineup. Diawara will make his second start of the week, having done so in Tuesday’s loss to the Timberwolves. He isn’t worth streaming in any fantasy league, but the second-round pick is worth watching for those competing in dynasty leagues.

DeRozan didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, making 30 percent of his attempts from the field. But the ball was still in his hands quite often in crunch time, and the veteran wing provided solid value in the assist and defensive categories. With the Kings visiting the Lakers on Sunday, it would be unsurprising if the Compton native put on a show in his final game of Week 10.

After three games in which he was on the outskirts of the Kings’ rotation, Ellis found himself in the starting lineup on Saturday. And as the saying goes, “stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” The Kings’ guard shot 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and scored a season-high 21 points. Add in the defensive stats, and this was an excellent night for Ellis. While head coach Doug Christie has not hesitated to make changes to his lineups, one would think that Ellis did enough to hold onto his job for Sunday’s game against the Lakers. He’s worth the streaming risk in deep leagues, especially when considering how bad the Lakers have been defensively.

Since the beginning of December, Raynaud has reached double figures in eight of Sacramento’s ten games. The rookie center has filled in admirably for the injured Domantas Sabonis, offering top-100 per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats. For those needing a boost before the end of Week 10, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add Raynaud ahead of Sunday’s game against the Lakers.

Westbrook made some history on Saturday, as he passed Magic Johnson to move into seventh on the NBA’s all-time assists list. Overall, the veteran point guard played very well against the Mavericks, shooting 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc while also recording a game-high nine assists. While Westbrook did commit four turnovers, his production since moving into the starting lineup has put him back on the radar in standard leagues, and some shallow formats as well. That is something that few, if any, fantasy managers expected before the season began. The Kings play their final game of Week 10 on Sunday against the Lakers.

Garland was initially probable for Saturday’s game, so the upgrade in status is unsurprising. With Garland and Evan Mobley available, the Cavaliers have made Nae’Qwan Tomlin inactive.

Dieng last appeared in a game on December 17. His continued absence does not affect fantasy basketball, as he is not guaranteed rotation minutes when healthy.