NBA Player News

Working as hard defensively as Brooks does, there may be a little more freedom offensively, even if that isn’t always the best approach. With Jalen Green (hamstring) still unavailable, more shots are available for Suns not named Devin Booker. Brooks took full advantage in his official Suns debut, firing up 24 shots. The issue for him was the three-point shooting. While Brooks shot 50 percent from two, he was just 1-of-8 from three. A career 35.5 percent shooter, Brooks made 39.7 percent of his three-point attempts last season. However, Wednesday’s poor three-point shooter should not detract from Brooks’ all-around performance, which was one reason why the Suns erased a 17-point deficit and took home the victory. He isn’t the best fantasy option, but there should be room for Brooks on deep-league rosters due to the role he’s being asked to fill.

The first half was rough for Embiid, and he entered the break with just eight points on 2-of-10 FGs. However, he was far more effective after the break. That was enough to keep his streak of 20-point games alive, which now dates back to early December. The 76ers have now won four games in a row, and they’ll put that streak to the test in Golden State on Tuesday, which is the second night of a back-to-back. That means they’ll likely be without Embiid.

Maxey struggled in their last game on Saturday, but he was able to get back on track in this one. He matched his season high for three-pointers, which he initially set in his season debut. He has ranked inside the top three for nine-category value this season, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down. He’ll look to stay hot in Golden State on Tuesday, which is the second night of a back-to-back, meaning Joel Embiid will likely sit.

Barlow got the start for a second straight game and should remain in that role for most of the rest of the season with Paul George suspended for 23 more games. He took full advantage of the increased opportunity and set a new career high for points and a season high for rebounds. Barlow is still playing on a two-way deal, but more performances like this could help him earn a standard contract.

Miller had some strong scoring nights in January and got even hotter to kick off February. Not only did he surpass 20 points for the second time in 24 hours, but he was insanely efficient about doing it. He nearly matched his season high of 22 points, which he set in his season debut in November. Miller has scored in double figures in 10 of the Clippers’ last 12 games and should remain a crucial piece on offense moving forward.

With James Harden (personal) out for a second straight game, Sanders got another start at point guard and was even more productive than he was in the first. This was his fourth time scoring at least 17 points this season, and he nearly matched his season high of 20, which he set in early January. With reports that James Harden’s time with the Clippers may be coming to a close, Sanders should start at least a few more games, depending on who they get back in a Harden trade.

Win or lose, Leonard continues to produce at a high level consistently. His 29 points were his most in a game since he missed three games with a knee injury, and this came on the second night of a back-to-back, which would have been unheard of for Leonard just two years ago. He has been fantastic all season and will look to stay hot against the Cavaliers on Wednesday.

SI’s Chris Mannix also reported that the Clippers and Cavaliers are discussing a deal that would center around a swap of Harden and Darius Garland. Desperation tends to rise when pressure increases, and the trade deadline will do just that for teams that are looking to contend. Harden has missed the last two games due to personal reasons, and it seems there is a real possibility he has played his final game as a Clipper.

Williams was pushed back to the bench after starting the Grizzlies’ last game, but that didn’t stop him from having a productive night. He was one of seven players to score in double figures for Memphis, including three from off the bench. Williams matched his season high for scoring, and he was still able to contribute value in other categories. Williams hasn’t been productive like this in a while, so this doesn’t make him worth rostering in standard leagues.

Jerome remained on a minutes restriction, but that hasn’t stopped him from producing incredible value. Through two games, he is averaging 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.0 triples in just 20 minutes per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor. The absence of Ja Morant has allowed Jerome to immediately start after missing the first three months of the season, and he should be considered a must-roster player now. He’ll look to stay hot in Sacramento on Wednesday.

Following a one-game absence with a quad injury, Jackson returned to the lineup against Minnesota. That was enough to help snap a six-game losing streak. This was Jackson’s fourth 30-point game of the season, and this was a new career high for free throws made in a game without a miss. He wasn’t able to supply as many defensive stats as he typically does, but the added impact on offense helped make up for that. It was a slow start to the year, but Jackson has been a fantasy star in recent weeks.