NBA Player News

Reaves, who returned from a strained left calf on Tuesday, was inserted back into the starting lineup on Thursday. The plan was to continue exercising caution, but the guard was not on the court at the start of the third quarter. Marcus Smart started the period and would remain in that role if Reaves has to miss time.

George struggled with his shooting for a third consecutive game and is now shooting 12-of-39 from the field over that span. The inefficiency led to a below-average scoring performance from the decorated veteran forward. Yet, even without the scoring, George hit the glass hard to earn his first double-double of the season, and also tied a season high in assists to finish with a solid outing from a fantasy basketball perspective. Still, fantasy managers are hoping he can regain his shooting touch soon and return to form as a scorer.

Maxey struggled with his shooting efficiency in Friday’s loss. He started and ended the game cold, while 18 of his points came in the middle two quarters of the game. Although he was inaccurate overall, his five triples were helpful in helping him finish the night with a good fantasy basketball performance, as was his facilitating. Maxey has now shot 12-of-38 from the floor in his last two appearances, which were both Sixers losses. He’ll have a chance to bounce back on Sunday against the Thunder.

Embiid’s second 30-point game of the season came in a losing effort. The former league MVP had performed well on the offensive end through three quarters, but with just four fourth-quarter points on 1-of-4 shooting, he was one of several Sixers who failed to deliver down the stretch, as they were outscored by the Bulls 17-28 in the frame before losing by seven points. But from a fantasy basketball standpoint, Embiid has shown signs of being the dominant scorer of recent seasons; he’s averaging 29.8 points per game over his last four appearances, and has logged at least 30 minutes in each.

Ball was just 4-of-12 shooting early on, finishing with 12 points in the first half. He managed to turn things around down the home stretch, reaching the 20-point plateau for the fourth time in five games since returning from a brief three-game absence back on December 18. The 24-year-old all-around threat is averaging 19.7 points, 5.4 assists, 8.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks over 21 games this season, delivering seventh-round value for fantasy purposes. The Hornets, who have won four of their last five games, are back in action on Monday when they face the Bucks to open a busy four-game week.

Black was one of the few bright spots for Orlando in this one as they continued to struggle offensively without Franz Wagner (ankle) in the lineup. He drained 6-of-12 shots, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, scoring a team-high 15 points in the first half. He cooled off a bit in the second half but was the lone Magic starter to cross the 20-point threshold. He’s put together a nice stretch over the past week, averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks over five games during that span. The Magic wrap up a back-to-back on Saturday night against the Nuggets before kicking off a four-game week that includes two games against the Pacers along with the Raptors and Bulls.

On the heels of an 18-rebound explosion earlier this week, Diabaté posted his second consecutive double-double, pulling down a game-high 13 boards. The 23-year-old center isn’t much of a scoring threat since his game is mostly limited to around the rim, but he’s making an impact for fantasy purposes as an elite rebounder, averaging 12 boards over his last four games. He’ll be a relevant fantasy option in deeper fantasy formats until rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) is ready to return.

Yikes. Banchero’s ice-cold stretch continued in this one as he was held to 13 points or fewer for the second straight contest. The 23-year-old franchise cornerstone has been stuck in a rut offensively for the better part of the last two weeks, averaging just 19.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks over that six-game stretch, delivering abysmal 13th-round fantasy value during that span. Orlando’s persistent offensive struggles aren’t going to vanish overnight but they’ll get Franz Wagner (ankle) back at some point soon which should help elevate the rest of their secondary scorers. However, they need Banchero to elevate his game if they’re going to be a true contender in the Eastern Conference.

Sexton saw an immediate uptick in minutes after rookie sensation Kon Knueppel left the contest with a right ankle injury during the second quarter after exploding for 16 early points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. The -year-old guard heated up in the second half, He’s been in double-figures in back-to-back games after an extended absence due to a quad issue.

Brown spent most of the night carving Indiana’s defense apart from the mid-range before finally stepping out late, drilling a pair of threes in the final six minutes to extend his 30-point streak to eight consecutive games since December 2. The 29-year-old offensive catalyst did a little bit of everything in a stat sheet-stuffing performance, chipping in three rebounds, four assists and four thefts as the Celtics defeated the Pacers for the second time in the past week. He’s delivered top-40 overall value for fantasy purposes this season, averaging 29.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks through 28 games. The Celtics have won nine of their last 11 games. They’ll face the Trail Blazers on Sunday before continuing a West Coast road trip next week with showdowns against the Jazz, Kings and Clippers.

The worst three-point shooting team in the league this season, Indiana came out of the gate scorching-hot from distance, knocking down 7-of-12 from downtown as part of a 39-point opening quarter. Nembhard went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc during that span and chipped in five assists. They came crashing back to earth by the second quarter, ended up trailing 75-61 at the break, and never managed to mount a serious comeback down the home stretch. The Pacers have lost six consecutive games and are winless since December 8. They’ll wrap up a back-to-back on Saturday evening against the Heat before a busy four-game week that includes a pair of matchups against the Magic in addition to the Rockets and Spurs.