NBA Player News

With both Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura sidelined, Hayes and Knecht will slide into the starting unit to replace them. This will be the first career start for the Lakers’ first round pick from this summer, and he should be able to provide plenty of 3-pointers in an extended role.

MPJ will be good to go after initially being listed as probable for this game. Soreness in his right knee won’t keep him sidelined, and he’ll look to stay hot after scoring 34 points against the Magic on Wednesday.

Barnes briefly exited from Wednesday’s game against the Hornets due to a right knee injury, but he was able to return to finish out the game. However, he missed shootaround on Friday and is now expected to be sidelined. With Collin Murray-Boyles already starting, Sandro Mamukelashvili or Ochai Agbaji will likely start with Barnes expected out.

Calayton Jr. is enjoying a nice stretch to begin the new calendar year. Thursday’s solid performance gives him back-to-back games with double-digit points and four three-pointers. He logged north of 20 minutes in each of these games, which, notably, weren’t garbage-time minutes. The former national champion with the Florida Gators seems to be firmly in the nightly rotation at this point, with each productive performance likely helping him maintain his spot.

George had a relatively average game production-wise, finishing with fewer than 20 points for only the 12th time this season and less than two three-pointers for the 11th time. He was his usual productive self as a facilitator, leading Utah in assists for the game. And he was also active on defense, finishing as Utah’s leader in steals, ultimately helping his final line stand out a bit more. George has been stellar throughout his third NBA season and should continue to perform well moving forward.

Markkanen followed up his 29-point, 13-rebound double-double against OKC with another high-scoring performance against the Mavs. Inefficient three-point shooting and struggles from the free-throw line ultimately were the only things to slow his production. Markannen led all scorers and was the only player to take the floor and finish with multiple blocks. He’ll be back at it on Saturday against the Hornets.

Thompson needed just 13 shots to tie season-highs in points and three-pointers on Thursday. His production didn’t come in bunches; it was spread throughout the game, with at least five points in each quarter. Additionally, the four-time NBA champion set a new season-high in assists and finished second on the team in that department. Thompson’s second season in Dallas has featured several highs and lows, but Thursday’s game marked a trend in the right direction after failing to score in double figures in the three previous games.

Flagg came within two assists of his first-career triple-double, as he collected double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season, and reached 25 points or more for the seventh time. The rookie sensation also came through on the defensive end — there, he finished with four stocks and tied a career-high in steals. Flagg has enjoyed a stellar first NBA season. His trajectory could lead him to become one of the most productive fantasy players for years to come.

Davis was effective in his 35 minutes of game action, finishing as one of three Mavericks players to score at least 20 points and one of two to collect double-digit rebounds. Thursday’s double-double marked his 13th of the season. However, the veteran big man exited the floor late in the fourth quarter after suffering a hand injury and didn’t return. His status moving forward will certainly be worth monitoring from a fantasy basketball standpoint.

Anthony Edwards had a balanced performance on Thursday. He started the game strong with an 11-point opening quarter, which was later followed by an almost-as-good 10 points in the third quarter. Along the way, the superstar shooting guard shifted into his playmaking role — Edwards finished with a team-high in assists and fell just shy of a triple-double. He’ll face the Cavaliers again on Saturday, and fantasy managers hope more production follows.

McDaniels followed a strong 19-point outing against the Heat on Tuesday by breaking the 20-point mark for the 9th time this season. He made the most of his opportunities and shot the three-pointer well, and had his usual impact on the defensive end of the floor. McDaniels finished as one of four Timberwolves starters to score at least 20 points in this game, ultimately helping lead Minnesota to a fourth straight win.