NBA Player News

Johnson’s layup attempt with seven seconds left in regulation of a tie game was erases by Toumani Camara and the Trail Blazers would go on to win on free throws. The 29-year-old small forward has struggled mightily in his first few games with the Nuggets. Johnson has failed to score even 10 points in four of five games this year. He’s dealing with a shoulder injury that could be the root cause of his struggles and fantasy managers have to take that into account.

Smith was playing well at the time of his injury, as a third-quarter collision with Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball forced him to the sidelines. Following the defeat, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said that Smith has entered the league’s concussion protocol. Chicago returns to action on Monday against the Celtics, the first of four games they’re scheduled to play in Week 12. With Zach Collins (toe) already out, Julian Phillips and Patrick Williams will have opportunities to contribute. That said, neither is worth picking up in fantasy leagues.

Surprisingly, Thompson has only recorded six double-doubles this season, with Saturday’s being his first since December 15. If Alperen Şengün has to miss time after exiting Saturday’s game with a sprained right ankle, Thompson could receive a boost in the assist category. Over the past two weeks, he has offered top-20 per-game value in eight-cat formats. The Rockets play four games in Week 12.

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.