NBA Player News

Both wings are expected to be sidelined for the regular season finale. With Kevin Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. also doubtful, Pat Connaughton, Andre Jackson Jr. and Stanley Umude should play significant roles.

Williams shot poorly on Thursday but had enough volume to reach double figures in scoring for the fifth time in the last six games. He added double-digit rebounds, as well, to generate his fourth double-double of February. Williams’s role hasn’t changed much throughout the season, and his recent production should also be here to stay. He’ll likely remain a double-double threat each time he takes the floor, which has some value in fantasy basketball leagues.

Green had to shoulder an extra load on Thursday, as his backcourt mate, Devin Booker, was lost to injury after just nine minutes. Green took the majority of the shots and did a good job of converting efficiently, with his four three-pointers leading to just the second 20-point game of the season for him. Regardless of Booker’s health moving forward, Green will be counted on often when on the court. He’ll have a chance to produce on Saturday against the Magic.

Fox did about as much as he could in the blowout win, which limited him to 22 total minutes. In his time on the floor, he used a couple of three-pointers to help finish as one of six Spurs players to reach double figures in scoring. But his playmaking was also on full display, as he fell just a couple assists short of securing a double-double. The production wasn’t outstanding, but fantasy managers will take it. He’ll have a chance to log a bigger performance on Saturday against the Kings.

Jones did not return to Thursday’s game after halftime, as he was ruled out with lower back soreness. The rookie logged 14 minutes off the bench, and afterward, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that he hopes Jones can play in Friday’s rematch. He should be considered questionable, with his absence potentially meaning more minutes for fellow rookie Taelon Peter if Jones can’t play.

Okoro missed the Bulls’ last game before the All-Star break with left knee soreness, but returned for the game against the Raptors Thursday. The 25-year-old small forward had 16 points and made three three-pointers. It was a good offensive game for Okoro, but he isn’t consistent enough to be worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.

In limited minutes, Wemby did a little bit of everything in the rout of the Suns. He amassed six stocks, finished tied for second on the Spurs in points and assists, and was the only player on San Antonio to collect double-digit rebounds. The large margin of victory likely factored into Wembanyama’s 25 minutes of game action, so a more competitive regular-season game would likely lead to more minutes and opportunities to produce. Still, he got a lot done in his time on the floor Thursday.

Nesmith exited Thursday’s loss to the Wizards during the second quarter and did not return, logging 15 minutes before spraining his right ankle. He’s already been ruled out for Friday’s rematch, which likely means a return to the starting lineup for Kobe Brown. Brown started the third quarter and finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one block and two three-pointers in 33 minutes. He’s worth streaming in deep leagues for Friday, especially with Pascal Siakam (personal) also out.

Giddey missed eight games prior to the All-Star break before returning with five points in Thursday’s loss to the Bulls. The 23-year-old guard was understandably rusty given the amount of time off and managed to play only 21 minutes. The Bulls have two more games this week with a back-to-back against the Pistons on Saturday and Knicks on Sunday.

Castle led all Spurs players in scoring on Thursday and only needed 21 minutes of game action to do so. The second-year guard shot efficiently and made good on most of his scoring opportunities while also contributing as a facilitator and disruptive defender. His minutes were low, potentially due to the large second-half lead the Spurs held or to the fact that he finished the game with five fouls. Either way, fantasy managers should expect that Castle will see more minutes and have more opportunities to put up a big line on Saturday against the Kings.

Simons started and played 31 minutes even with Josh Giddey back from a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old shooting guard had 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field and four three-pointers. If you need volume scoring, Simons is your guy for the rest of the season.