NBA Player News

Edgecombe was one of two 76ers to play at least 30 minutes on Thursday, with forward Dominick Barlow (6/10/2/1) being the other. The rookie guard was utilized in multiple roles in his exhibition debut. He played off the ball when sharing the floor with Tyrese Maxey and got a few opportunities to initiate offense when the star guard rested. What truly stands out at this extremely early juncture is Edgecombe’s athleticism, which could be an asset for the 76ers, especially as they await the returns of Jared McCain (thumb) and the recently re-signed Quentin Grimes. While Dallas’ Cooper Flagg will be the first rookie selected in drafts, Edgecombe has an excellent argument to be next off the board.

Smith has had some subpar performances recently, but he was able to turn in a strong line on Friday. This was only his second double-double of the month, and despite being a high-level defender, Smith hasn’t been able to consistently contribute defensive stats. That wasn’t the case in this game. He didn’t do much scoring, but he was efficient. He’ll look to keep it going against the Grizzlies on Monday.

Barrett returns to the lineup and the starting five following a two-week absence (ankle). His return will give the Raptors a boost on the offensive end as they look to win their third straight game and end Portland’s four-game win streak. Toronto is currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Cissoko will get the start for Deni Avidja (back), who has been ruled out for the second game of a back-to-back. Without their best scorer, the Trail Blazers will rely on contributions from several players against the Raptors in order to obtain their fifth win in a row. Portland is currently in ninth place in the Western Conference standings.

The Nuggets’ starting unit on Friday features many changes. With Nikola Jokic, Peyton Watson, Christian Braun and Jamal Murray all out with injuries, several reserves have been elevated to the starting lineup. The unusual combination of players will look to overpower the Bucks, put together a second straight victory, and remain near the top of the Western Conference standings.

The Suns are calling it “precautionary right hamstring tightness,” so hopefully this doesn’t end up being another long-term absence for him. He only played four minutes in the first half. His absence should open up minutes for Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin.

CMB will miss a third straight game, which means Sandro Mamukelashvili will be in line for another start. He had 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists as a starter on Wednesday and should be in for another productive night.

Watson is one of multiple starters for Denver that will miss this game. He has been on fire as of late, and they’ll have to turn to Julian Strawther, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Spencer Jones to try and make up some of that production.

Murray will sit out on Friday due to lower-body injuries. His absence will come on the second game of a back-to-back, as the Nuggets look to put together back-to-back wins. The veteran point guard’s scoring and improved facilitating have been key for the Nuggets during Nikola Jokic’s extended absence (knee). Without Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown could see increased opportunities.

Valančiūnas returned to the lineup on Thursday following a multi-week absence, so it isn’t surprising that he’ll miss the second leg of this back-to-back. Zeke Nnaji and DaRon Holmes should take on larger roles with Valančiūnas out of the lineup, though only Nnaji has upside as a streamer.

Barrett will return from a seven-game absence to make his first appearance in two weeks. The veteran guard has been limited to 23 games this season due to injuries, but his return will provide the Raptors with another scoring threat. Toronto will look to collect its third straight win on its current trip to the West Coast.