NBA Player News

At risk of losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Nuggets, Durant and the Rockets took care of business on Saturday. KD was efficient offensively, shooting over 50 percent from the field, and his final stat line was only missing a steal. For the season, Durant is providing top-25 per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats, as expected. And the Rockets aren’t done with Week 9, as they visit the Kings on Sunday in the fourth game of a six-game road trip.

Giannis is back in the Bucks’ lineup after missing more than three weeks with a strained calf. His return prompts two changes to the starting lineup. Rollins has returned to the starting five to provide more shooting/playmaking off of Giannis, while Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma head to the bench.

The Knicks won’t have Josh Hart (ankle) for their three-game road trip, and his absence opens up a spot in the starting lineup. Diawara will make his second start of the week, having done so in Tuesday’s loss to the Timberwolves. He isn’t worth streaming in any fantasy league, but the second-round pick is worth watching for those competing in dynasty leagues.

DeRozan didn’t have a good night shooting the basketball, making 30 percent of his attempts from the field. But the ball was still in his hands quite often in crunch time, and the veteran wing provided solid value in the assist and defensive categories. With the Kings visiting the Lakers on Sunday, it would be unsurprising if the Compton native put on a show in his final game of Week 10.

After three games in which he was on the outskirts of the Kings’ rotation, Ellis found himself in the starting lineup on Saturday. And as the saying goes, “stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” The Kings’ guard shot 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and scored a season-high 21 points. Add in the defensive stats, and this was an excellent night for Ellis. While head coach Doug Christie has not hesitated to make changes to his lineups, one would think that Ellis did enough to hold onto his job for Sunday’s game against the Lakers. He’s worth the streaming risk in deep leagues, especially when considering how bad the Lakers have been defensively.

Since the beginning of December, Raynaud has reached double figures in eight of Sacramento’s ten games. The rookie center has filled in admirably for the injured Domantas Sabonis, offering top-100 per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats. For those needing a boost before the end of Week 10, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add Raynaud ahead of Sunday’s game against the Lakers.

Westbrook made some history on Saturday, as he passed Magic Johnson to move into seventh on the NBA’s all-time assists list. Overall, the veteran point guard played very well against the Mavericks, shooting 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc while also recording a game-high nine assists. While Westbrook did commit four turnovers, his production since moving into the starting lineup has put him back on the radar in standard leagues, and some shallow formats as well. That is something that few, if any, fantasy managers expected before the season began. The Kings play their final game of Week 10 on Sunday against the Lakers.

Garland was initially probable for Saturday’s game, so the upgrade in status is unsurprising. With Garland and Evan Mobley available, the Cavaliers have made Nae’Qwan Tomlin inactive.

Dieng last appeared in a game on December 17. His continued absence does not affect fantasy basketball, as he is not guaranteed rotation minutes when healthy.

Williams has not appeared in a game since December 13, as he has been out with left heel bursitis. His absence does not significantly affect fantasy basketball, but it does make Branden Carlson the “break in case of emergency” post player if Isaiah Hartenstein or Chet Holmgren is limited.

Trent is out after initially being questionable, meaning he will miss a second straight game with a left calf contusion. His absence means more playing time for Ryan Rollins, while Gary Harris may take a hit since Giannis Antetokounmpo is available.