NBA Player News

Hunter extended his streak of 20-point games to three on Wednesday, needing just 28 minutes to accomplish such. The three-point shot, once again, failed him, but his near-perfection from inside the arc helped him finish as one of two Cavaliers to cross the 20-point mark. Hunter has enjoyed a strong season thus far as a scorer — if he can find his rhythm from three-point land, he’ll be an even more impactful player in fantasy leagues.

Allen made his return to Cleveland’s lineup following a six-game absence dating back to November 28 due to a finger injury. The 27-year-old big man was limited to just 22 minutes and hoisted just eight field goals. It’s been a bit of a lost season for him so far but the positive news is that he’s healthy and back in the mix as the Cavaliers attempts to get back on track without Evan Mobley (calf) for a couple weeks.

Garland led the Cavaliers in scoring during regulation before coming up empty on all three of his shot attempts as they somehow went scoreless in overtime. He also committed a costly turnover with 23 seconds left in the marathon affair that enabled Charlotte to hang on for an improbable win. Cleveland will attempt to get back on track next week with a pair of matchups against the Bulls, who rank 23rd in defensive rating since the start of December.

Miller, who left the game briefly with what appeared to be a left shoulder issue, had a chance to put Charlotte ahead in the final seconds but wound up missing a seven-footer. He atoned for it moments later by knocking down a game-tying step back three-pointer with five ticks left in regulation. He finished with 23 points in regulation before hitting a pair of free throws in overtime to give the Hornets a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Williamson is back after a six-game absence. His return affects multiple players, starting with Saddiq Bey. Bey has excelled as a starter but is likely headed to the bench. Also affected by Williamson’s presence in the lineup is Derik Queen, who may not be asked to facilitate as much as he was during the Pelicans’ last six games. If so, the rookie center would have a lower fantasy ceiling, which would be unfortunate.

It was an off-night for Cleveland’s primary catalyst as Mitchell went just 1-of-10 from three-point range during regulation and missed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer. He also came up empty on all three of his shot attempts during overtime as Charlotte pulled out a stunning win. The clunker comes on the heels of a surreal 48-point eruption during Friday’s win over the lowly Wizards. He’ll attempt to rebound next week when the Cavaliers face off against the reeling Bulls in a pair of contests.

Initially listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game, Schröder was upgraded to questionable early Sunday afternoon. He’s now officially good to go, rejoining the Kings after a seven-game absence. His return means that fellow reserve Malik Monk will spend less time on the ball, and Keon Ellis may lose a few minutes.

While Terry should play rotation minutes with Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) unavailable, his opportunities remain limited due to Kevin Huerter’s return. There’s no need to consider streaming Terry.

Bagley had little trouble handling Indiana’s overmatched frontcourt as he recorded his second consecutive double-double, attempting double-digit free throws for the third time in his last six contests since the start of December. The 26-year-old former lottery pick is averaging 14 points and 8.7 rebounds during that span, offering some appeal in deeper fantasy formats. The Wizards return to action on Thursday with a road tilt against the Spurs before weekend contests against the Grizzlies and Spurs.

Mathurin was one of the few bright spots in a low-scoring showdown against the cellar-dwelling Wizards as the Pacers mustered just 89 points in a losing effort. He hit just three of nine from the floor but managed to salvage the effort by getting to the charity stripe for eight free throws. The 23-year-old scoring machine has delivered eight-round value over the past two weeks, averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.3 blocks over 30 minutes during that six-game sample. The Pacers are off until Thursday when they square off against the Knicks before closing out the week with a road tilt against the Pelicans.

Carrington was ice-cold from the floor — draining just 4-of-11 shots, including 2-of-7 from three-point range — on the heels of a stellar all-around performance during Friday’s loss to the Cavaliers where he delivered 27 points, six rebounds and eight assists. The 20-year-old upstart has emerged as a viable option in deeper fantasy leagues over the past week, averaging 19 points, 6.5 rebounds and one steal over his past two games. He’s taken advantage of an uptick in scoring opportunities with several of Washington’s key contributors sidelined due to injury. He’ll attempt to keep the momentum going when the Wizards face the Spurs on Thursday in a road matchup.