NBA Player News

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.

Love’s role with Portland has bene inconsistent, but the undrafted guard has had some big scoring nights. This was his sixth game scoring in double figures this year, and he also got it done on the defensive end in this one by blocking the first three shots of his career. It’s a fun success story for the two-way guard that had a decorated college career, but he isn’t worth rostering outside of dynasty leagues.

This was a third straight start for Murray, who has replaced Jerami Grant while he is sidelined with Achilles tendonitis. It isn’t expected to be a long-term absence for Grant, but Murray should continue to start until he returns. Murray had been quiet as a starter, but he was able to match his season high for scoring in this one. However, it came as a result of a hot shooting night, not an increase in volume. He still isn’t worth streaming with Grant sidelined.

Avdija’s field goal percentage has suffered recently, but he has still been able to pour in the counting stats. Over his last six games, he has shot 40 percent or worse in five of them. His percentages haven’t been great this year, but this is a step down for him. Still, he has had an excellent season. He is joined by Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic as the only players averaging at least 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game this season.

Black continues to start for Orlando with Franz Wagner (ankle) sidelined, and with Jalen Suggs (hip) also out, he has seen a jump in production. His field goal percentage hasn’t been great, but over the last four games, Black has averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 triples per game. As long as Wagner is out, Black will be worth streaming.

Bane came up big in the second half of this game, with 17 of his 23 points coming after the halftime break. It was a well-rounded outing for him with a season-best six “stocks” to go with a strong offensive performance. Bane’s past the slow start, and he has helped keep Orlando afloat with Franz Wagner (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (hip) sidelined. He’ll look to keep it up against the Hornets on Friday.

Hendricks’ offense has prevented him from making an impact for fantasy managers this season, which makes a performance like this one so encouraging. He set a new season high for scoring, which allowed him play a season-high 27 minutes, which led to a new season high for steals. If he can continue to contribute on offense, he’ll get more minutes, which leads to more defensive stats. He’ll look to stay hot against the Pistons on Friday.

With Lauri Markkanen (groin) and Jusuf Nurkić (rest) sidelined, Filipowski returned to the starting unit for this game. It wasn’t enough for Utah to get a win, but he led the Jazz in scoring and matched his season high for both points and rebounds. Filipowski should shine down the stretch of the season, but his value at this point is tied to the availability of Markkanen and Nurkić. When he is given the chance, he is more than capable of nights like this.

Aldama returned to the starting lineup in this game and led Memphis to win. He set a new career high for threes and matched his career high for points, which he set three days prior to this game. A dud against the Thunder was sandwiched between two 37-point outings. Aldama continues to be a consistent producer for Memphis, which is helpful with how many injuries they have dealt with in the frontcourt. Aldama is available in 55 percent of Yahoo! leagues but should be considered a must-roster player at this point.

Thompson finished Tuesday’s defeat with a solid stat line. He’s scored at least 18 points in four of his last six appearances and has been a third-round player in eight-cat formats over the last two weeks. Thompson and the Rockets play two more games in Week 10, starting with the Lakers on Christmas Night in the final game of Houston’s road trip.

Şengün finished three assists shy of his second triple-double of the season, but he’s up to 15 double-doubles. Like Kevin Durant, his production took a hit because Ime Udoka decided not to put his starters back into the game during the fourth quarter. The Clippers led by a comfortable margin, so the plug was pulled. Şengün and the Rockets will look to redeem themselves when they visit the Lakers on Christmas Night.