NBA Player News

The Illinois guard is only 19 years old and one of the best playmakers in the draft. At 6’6”, he was also effective on the glass in college, and while he wasn’t able to get one during his time at Illinois, Jakucionis was able to approach triple-double territory on multiple occasions. He averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 three-pointers per game for the Fighting Illini. The turnovers (3.7) were certainly concerning, and he didn’t contribute much on the defensive end. Still, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to Jakucionis as a tall playmaker. Miami is still looking for an answer at multiple positions, so Jakucionis should get his fair share of minutes right out of the gate.

Saturday’s double-double was Eason’s first since moving into the Rockets’ starting lineup, and he’s capable of producing those stat lines consistently. Depending on the diagnosis for Alperen Şengün, who sprained his ankle during the first quarter of Saturday’s defeat, there may be a greater need for what Eason brings to the table, especially as a rebounder. He’s still rostered in 33 percent of Yahoo! leagues, which is too low for Eason. He should be a popular option for those competing in category leagues going into Week 12.

With Houston losing Alperen Şengün to a sprained right ankle just over a minute into Saturday’s game, Durant was needed to do even more offensively. Despite even more defensive attention, he shot over 50 percent from the field and was a steal shy of a complete stat line. Over the past two weeks, Durant has offered top-15 per-game value in eight-cat formats. The Rockets play four games in Week 12, starting with the Suns on Monday.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s decision to drop Ryan Nembhard to the bench did not result in Williams being moved into the starting lineup. However, he played 24 minutes, while Nembhard (five points, three assists and one three-pointer) played 13. Neither guard has been exceptionally reliable in fantasy basketball this season, with both ranked outside the top-200 in eight- and nine-cat formats. For that reason, fantasy managers should not rush to add either, especially ahead of a three-game Week 12.

Anthony Davis may have been the headliner on Saturday, but he received ample help from Christie. The Mavericks guard has scored at least 18 points in three consecutive games, providing third-round fantasy value over the past week. Christie appears well-positioned to hold onto his starting job for the foreseeable future, which makes him worth a look in 14-team leagues. He’s currently rostered in 12 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

The decision to replace Ryan Nembhard in the starting lineup with Daniel Gafford (9/8/1/0/2 in 19 minutes) pushed Davis to his preferred power forward role, and he had one of his most impactful games of the season. In addition to recording his 11th double-double of the season, the Mavericks’ forward/center tallied a season-high five blocked shots. Davis is more comfortable at the four, but how much he gets to play there depends on Gafford’s availability. The Mavericks play three games in Week 12, starting with the Kings on Tuesday.

Back in the lineup after sitting out Friday’s loss to the Thunder, Green picked up two technical fouls in quick succession after arguing that Utah’s Kyle Filipowski should have been called for a three-second violation. He finished with eight points (3-of-4 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), three rebounds, two assists, one block and one three-pointer. Trayce Jackson-Davis replaced Green in the lineup after his ejection.

Fox hit two corner threes during the fourth quarter, which boosted the final points tally for the night. Over the past two weeks, the Spurs guard has offered eighth-round per-game value in eight-cat formats. Fox’s problem recently has been the foul line, as he’s making just 65.4 percent of his attempts. While he’s never been an elite foul shooter, that’s poor for a guard of his caliber. The Spurs begin a four-game Week 12 in Memphis on Tuesday, and they’ll have two back-to-backs.

Castle has recorded at least seven assists in six consecutive games, with Saturday’s tally being the most for him since an 11-assist night on December 21 against the Wizards. However, the lack of three-pointers and low field-goal percentage limits his value in eight-cat formats. Castle remains a player who needs to be rostered in most leagues, but his ceiling will be somewhat limited until he becomes more consistent in those areas.

After coming back to earth in Friday’s win over the Pacers, Champagnie had a better night shooting the basketball on Saturday. In addition to the 20 points and four three-pointers, he recorded his fourth double-double of the season. With Devin Vassell (adductor) out until mid-January, Champagnie is worth streaming in deep leagues.