NBA Player News

Coming off arguably his worst performance of the season, Sharpe bounced back in a big way in this blowout victory. Sharpe’s been a high-level scorer, and he’s averaging a career high in steals, but his value in category leagues has been limited by a lack of production in other categories. However, that wasn’t the case in this game, and he was more efficient than he has typically been this year. This was an excellent outing, but it’s also one that Sharpe likely won’t be able to make happen often.

Cunningham is a late addition to the injury report, so fantasy managers should have a contingency plan prepared. If Detroit’s star point guard is forced to sit this one out, Daniss Jenkins and Jaden Ivey will be in line for additional minutes.

Sharpe sat out Monday’s loss to Phoenix, but he’ll be back after a one-game absence. Sharpe’s availability should mean a decrease in playing time for Nic Claxton, who logged 37 minutes against the Suns.

Zion is a late addition to the injury report, which doesn’t bode well for his chances at taking the court on Wednesday. If Williamson is ultimately sidelined, more minutes could be available for Karlo Matković and Micah Peavy, while Saddiq Bey would likely shoulder a heavier offensive responsibility.

Gordon was back in the Nuggets’ lineup after sitting out Sunday’s loss to the Hornets, pushing DaRon Holmes II (DNP-CD) out of the rotation entirely. While he didn’t record any defensive stats, Gordon’s points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers were solid. The combination of decreased defensive production and poor foul shooting has negatively affected Gordon’s fantasy value recently, pushing him outside the top-100. That said, he’ll be worth holding onto as long as the Nuggets are without Nikola Jokić.

Two nights removed from being limited to 11 points in a blowout loss to the Hornets, Watson was more productive against the Lakers. The fourth-year forward recorded a complete stat line in his 38 minutes, and he has offered consistently reliable value over the past month. Rostered in 43 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Watson has been a sixth-round player in eight-cat formats over the past month. He’s worth rostering until Christian Braun (ankle) and Cameron Johnson (knee) return from their injuries.

Like Jamal Murray, Tuesday’s game was a tale of two halves for Jones. After making all four of his three-point attempts during the first half, he was 0-of-3 from beyond the arc after halftime. Jones shot 2-of-5 from the field in the second half, and the Nuggets blew a 14-point lead. The two-way contract forward has filled in admirably over the last few weeks, but he’s barely been a top-200 player over the past month. There’s no need to add Jones, especially with Aaron Gordon back in the lineup.

DeRozan’s uptick in fantasy value lately continues. The 36-year-old small forward dropped 23 points in the loss to the Heat on Tuesday. DeRozan has been a second-round player in per game value over the last two weeks. We’ll see if he can keep it going against his former team the Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday.

Murray’s shot from just beyond half court capped an 8-0 Nuggets run to end the first half, during which he scored 26 points. Murray appeared to be well on his way to an outstanding night. Give the Lakers credit for adjusting their defensive approach, sending more doubles Murray’s way, and he may have been a bit too deliberate with his decision-making. The Nuggets’ guard scored two points in the second half as Denver watched a 14-point lead slip away. Murray will look to bounce back on Thursday against the Wizards.

James got going in the third quarter of Tuesday’s game, shooting 4-of-6 from the field. However, while the final stat line was solid, there were a few issues. LeBron didn’t shoot well from the foul line, and he was responsible for six of the Lakers’ 12 turnovers. Over the past two weeks, he has provided first-round value in eight-cat formats and second-round value in nine-cat, continuing his ascent up the fantasy rankings.

Dončić and the Lakers pulled off one of their best wins of the season, coming back from 14 down to beat the Nuggets in Denver. He finished with the 52nd 30-point triple-double of his NBA regular season career, moving into second place on the all-time list behind Oscar Robertson. Dončić was efficient, shooting over 50 percent from the field and committing just three turnovers, making this a great night to have him on a fantasy roster.