NBA Player News

Added to the Magic injury report on Thursday afternoon, Isaac is now out. There may be additional rotation minutes available to Jett Howard, as the Magic will also be without Tristan da Silva. There’s no need to consider streaming Howard.

Hyland was a late addition to the Timberwolves’ injury report, but he’s officially available to play. While he has earned rotation minutes recently, leapfrogging Rob Dillingham, Hyland boasts a limited fantasy ceiling, especially with Jaden McDaniels active.

After a one-game absence, McDaniels has been cleared to return to action. His availability affects Mike Conley the most, as the veteran point guard is likely headed back to the bench.

Williams did not play in Tuesday’s loss to the Magic, which was Portland’s second game in as many nights. Yang Hansen and Duop Reath both saw action off the bench, playing eight and five minutes, respectively. That isn’t enough time to make either player relevant in fantasy basketball.

Murray has filled in for the injured Jerami Grant (Achilles) for the last three games and will do so again if he’s cleared to play on Friday. However, if Murray can’t play, Sidy Cissoko may be the one who receives the call from interim head coach Tiago Splitter. Due to Portland’s lack of healthy options, Cissoko would be worth considering in deep leagues, but he is not a must-add.

Grant will miss a fourth straight game as he continues to deal with left Achilles tendon soreness. Kris Murray has been the replacement in the starting lineup, but he is considered questionable for Friday. If Murray also can’t play, Sidy Cissoko may be the next man up.

After totaling 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting in Dallas’ Monday/Tuesday back-to-back, Williams rebounded with his best performances of the season. The 26 points were a season-high for the guard, who played 30 minutes off the bench. Starter Ryan Nembhard (four points, one rebound and two assists in 17 minutes) struggled, resulting in more playing time for Williams. Thursday was another example of why it’s challenging to rely on either of the Mavericks point guards in fantasy, although Nembhard’s status as the starter gives him the slight edge.

Washington was back in the Mavericks’ lineup after sitting out Tuesday’s win over the Nuggets, and he made up for lost time with his fourth double-double of the season. All that his stat line was missing on Thursday was a three-pointer, a somewhat surprising development since he averages 1.5 per game on the season. Depending on what happens with Anthony Davis, who left the game with a groin injury, Washington could figure even more prominently in the Mavericks’ offense in the short term.

The good news is that Marshall reached double figures for the tenth consecutive game. The bad is that the stat line was meager outside of points and rebounds. And the limited production is why Marshall is ranked just outside the top-100 over the last two weeks. If Anthony Davis (groin) misses time, the Mavericks are going to need even more from Marshall. For that reason, he’s worth holding onto if you’ve been rostering him.

Four days after turning 19 years old, Flagg made his Christmas Day debut. While it ended in defeat and Anthony Davis (groin) limped off with another injury, the rookie certainly made a positive impression. Flagg shot over 50 percent from the field and provided solid value in the rebound and assist categories against the Warriors. Depending on how long Davis is out, the Mavericks will have to rely even more on their prized rookie. Dallas ends its Week 10 schedule in Sacramento on Saturday.

Thursday’s performance was a reminder that Melton does not need to be a starter to provide tangible fantasy value. He played 24 minutes off the bench against the Mavericks, recording a complete stat line. Melton’s field-goal percentage wasn’t the best, but his getting up a season-high 14 shots was encouraging. Hopefully, he can build on this effort, as the Warriors guard averaged 3.4 points on 14.3 percent shooting in the five games prior.