NBA Player News

All that was missing from Murray-Boyles’ stat line on Thursday was a three-pointer, and that isn’t a category where he usually provides value. The rookie forward/center did appear to tweak his left thumb during the victory, but he remained in the game. Afterward, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said that the protective wrap will stay on Murray-Boyles’ left thumb for another five weeks. The only concern for fantasy managers is what happens when Jakob Poeltl (back) returns, as he could be back before the All-Star break. CMB and Sandro Mamukelasvhili (17/5/1/3/1 with four three-pointers) will continue to have added fantasy value until that time comes.

Dončić left Thursday’s game during the second quarter, appearing to grab his left hamstring before exiting. The Lakers have officially listed the injury as left leg soreness, but more will be learned about its severity on Friday. Rui Hachimura started the third quarter, and whether he remains there if Dončić misses time will likely depend on how much longer Austin Reaves will be under a minutes restriction.

Livers injured his left shoulder during the first half of Thursday’s game and has been ruled out for the rest of the night. While the Suns lose some depth off the bench, Livers’ absence won’t affect fantasy basketball if he misses time.

Smith continues to provide consistent production, sitting within the top-50 in nine-cat formats over the past three weeks, according to Basketball Monster. As a result, his season-long value has improved, with Smith being a 10th-round player. He’s rostered in 49 percent of Yahoo! leagues, so it might be time for some managers in 10-team formats to consider adding Smith if he’s sitting on the waiver wire. The Rockets end Week 16 with a game against the Thunder on Saturday.

Limited to 15 points in Wednesday’s blowout loss to the Celtics, Durant more than doubled that number against the Hornets. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the Rockets from failing to reach 100 points for the second consecutive game. Of course, when Alperen Şengün (seven points, eight rebounds, five assists and one block) shoots 3-of-10 from the field, Durant’s output can only make so much of a difference.