NBA Player News

Brown scored 37 points in 34 minutes on Friday, but there is a chance that he is sidelined against Denver. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are both doubtful, so Sam Hauser and Torrey Craig will likely both start if Brown is sidelined. However, Payton Pritchard will see a boost in minutes and provide a scoring boost off the bench.

Jokić only played 29 minutes and sat out the entire fourth quarter with the Nuggets blowing out the Jazz Monday night. The 30-year-old center still managed to record a triple-double, though he only attempted seven field goals and had one his lower scoring games with 14 points. The three-time MVP will be back in action Tuesday against the Mavericks.

As long as Marshall is in the starting lineup, he’s worth rostering in 14-team leagues and some 12-team leagues as well. He didn’t record any defensive stats in Monday’s defeat, but the Mavericks wing has been a top-100 player over the last two weeks. Marshall will look to build on that production when Dallas hosts Denver on Tuesday.

Flagg’s final line was good with one notable exception: free-throw shooting. The rookie missed half of his 10 attempts, a surprising performance given that he was an 82.8 percent shooter from the foul line entering the game. Over the last two weeks, Flagg has been a fourth-round player in eight-cat formats, which aligns with his Yahoo! ADP (42). The season-long value remains two rounds lower than his ADP, but he’s headed in the right direction after a slow start.

Thompson came out hot on Monday, making some wonder if a “turn back the clock” performance was in store. Unfortunately, after shooting 7-of-12 from the field in the first half, the veteran wing missed all five of his attempts in the second half. Thompson’s final stat line was good, but Monday served as a reminder both of what he’s capable of and how much more difficult it is for him to sustain that production over the course of a game.

After scoring two points in a December 5 loss to the Thunder, Davis has tallied at least 24 in four of his last five appearances. Monday’s performance was the best of the bunch, with the Mavericks forward/center recording a season-high point total and extending his double-double streak to four games. With Daniel Gafford (three points, five rebounds and two steals in 14 minutes) still limited, all of Davis’ minutes were played at the five on Monday. That’s been the norm recently, and the center position may be where AD is most valuable to fantasy managers, even if he prefers to play the four.

Murphy struggled with his shot on Monday, but the Pelicans’ balanced offense carried the day. Six players reached double digits in shot attempts, and each scored in double figures. The good news for Murphy managers is that he recorded four steals, one shy of his season-high. And even with his poor shooting on Monday, the Pelicans forward remains a top-20 player in eight-cat formats.

Bey continues to start, and he continues to provide solid value in his role. He’s reached double figures in 14 straight games, and since moving into the starting lineup on November 22, he has provided sixth-round value in eight-cat formats. While there may be some concern about what happens if Bey is moved to the bench in favor of Zion Williamson, that hasn’t happened yet. He’s worth picking up in 12-team leagues, especially with the Pelicans playing again on Tuesday in Cleveland.

The Pelicans have won five straight, and Queen has recorded a double-double in three consecutive games. Much to the delight of those who have him rostered, the rookie’s fantasy value has not been negatively affected by the returns of Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole. The Pelicans are still running a lot of offense through Queen, and he’s been up to the task. Over the last two weeks, he has been a fourth-round player in eight-cat formats.

Don’t look now, but the Pelicans have won five straight games. Williamson came up big on Monday, scoring ten of his team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter. He’s still coming off the bench, with Saddiq Bey’s play making the decision easier for interim head coach James Borrego. Since returning to action, Williamson has been a ninth-round player in eight-cat formats, sitting just outside the top-100.

The Pacers lost their fifth straight game and fell to 6-23 on the season with the loss to the Celtics on Monday. Siakam still remains the top scoring option in Indiana and he had 25 points and four three-points against Boston. The 31-year-old power forward isn’t known for his three-point shot, but now has eight three-pointers over his last three games. The Pacers take on the Bucks on Tuesday in the second game of a back-to-back.