NBA Player News

The lack of blocks was uncharacteristic for Claxton, but he was still able have an excellent night, specifically as a passer. He wasn’t able to match his 10 assists on Tuesday, but it was still encouraging to see Jordi Fernandez continue to go to him as a playmaker. Of course, the points and rebounds were the best part of his night, and he did take on a few extra minutes at center with Noah Clowney sidelined, which helped the slight bump in production. This was Claxton’s first double-double since before the All-Star break, and he’ll have two more opportunities to add more this week.

Hart finished Monday’s defeat with his 13th double-double of the season and third since the All-Star break. Due to decreased production across multiple categories, his fantasy value has dipped significantly since the All-Star break. The Knicks end their road trip with games against the Jazz and Pacers, two matchups that may serve Hart well. Fantasy managers will certainly hope that’s the case, as his value has been trending in the wrong direction, even with Monday’s double-double.

After dropping 34 points in the Knicks’ blowout of the Nuggets to open their five-game road trip, Anunoby struggled against the Lakers on Sunday. The wing rebounded nicely on Monday, even if it did not result in a Knicks’ victory. Since the All-Star break, Anunoby has provided top-50 value in nine-cat formats. While his season-long value has been better than that, his consistency has made OG a player whom fantasy managers have been able to rely on all season long.

Brunson was one of the few Knicks to shoot the ball well against the Clippers, making just over half of his attempts on the night. That was a positive development for fantasy managers, as the Knicks’ captain opened March shooting 37.5 percent from the field in his first five games of the month. Having lost both of their games in Los Angeles County, the Knicks dropped to 0-4 in California this season. The Knicks play three more games in Week 20, starting with the Jazz on Wednesday.

Including Towns, four players were responsible for 97 of the Knicks’ 118 points. Add in 20 turnovers, and it’s nearly impossible to win a game against a team that has postseason ambitions like the Clippers. The good news for fantasy managers was that Towns, who has played well over the past month, recorded a robust stat line that only lacked a steal. With the Knicks ending their road trip with games against the Jazz and Pacers, those could be big nights for KAT.

Mathurin has scored at least 21 points in three of his last four games. The 28 points in Monday’s win were the most for him since dropping a season-high 38 on the Nuggets in the Clippers’ first game out of the All-Star break. Mathurin has been close to a top-100 player in eight-cat formats since the break, providing excellent value off the bench on most nights. With the Clippers’ remaining Week 20 schedule including games against the Bulls and Kings, there could be at least one more big night in Mathurin’s immediate future.

Jones left Monday’s game briefly during the third quarter, having taken a shot to the head from Josh Hart while attempting to convert a reverse layup. “Airplane Mode” was able to return, and his three-pointer with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter extended the Clippers’ lead to nine, effectively serving as the dagger. While he isn’t a must-roster player in most leagues, Jones has been productive enough to provide consistent late-round value in 12-team leagues.

Garland’s playing time and scoring output have increased in each of his last three games, a positive development for the Clippers and those who have him rostered. The 23 points and 30 minutes were highs for the point guard since his move west, as were the five three-pointers. Garland, who shot 7-of-19 from deep in his first three games as a Clipper, made five of his nine attempts against the Knicks. With the Clippers’ final three games of Week 20 including a back-to-back, Garland may be limited to two appearances.

Counting Monday’s effort, Leonard has scored at least 20 points in 43 consecutive games. The Clippers’ star has remained relatively healthy since November, missing just four games. As a result, Leonard has been one of the most valuable players in fantasy basketball, regardless of league format. The Clippers play three more games in Week 20, all at home, starting with the Timberwolves on Wednesday.

While Podziemski missed all four of his free-throw attempts, he shot 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The rebounds, assists and steals also helped compensate for the poor shooting at the charity stripe, but Podz has made just 63.2 percent of his attempts since the All-Star break. He’ll look to clean that up moving forward, starting with Tuesday’s game against the Bulls.

Appearing in a game for the first time since December 4, Curry looked far from rusty in his 12 minutes. Shooting 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, the 12 points were two shy of his tally in his Warriors’ debut on December 2. Due to the lack of production in other categories and the minutes, Curry should not be rostered in fantasy leagues. The question is whether there’s enough time remaining in the season for the veteran guard’s minutes to hit an acceptable number for fantasy managers.