NBA Player News

Cunningham couldn’t get much going against the Spurs defense, finishing with 16 points on 26 field goal attempts. He was still able to record 10 assists and only had three turnovers. Cunningham has been second overall in per game value over the last two weeks. The Pistons’ next game is Wednesday against the Thunder.

Moody was limited to 25 minutes in Monday’s defeat, exiting after suffering right wrist and shoulder injuries during the second half. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr revealed after the game that the guard jammed his right wrist and injured his shoulder, and the team expects to learn more about the severity on Tuesday. If Moody were to miss time, that could open the door for Gui Santos (5/10/3/3 with one three-pointer) to return to the starting lineup after coming off the bench on Monday.

Monday’s game was the first in which Horford and Draymond Green (4/2/6/1 with one three-pointer in 31 minutes) started alongside each other since a January 30 loss to the Pistons. While Green struggled, especially in the second half, Horford was solid in his 27 minutes. And the 39-year-old has played more recently, due in part to the Warriors’ many injuries. Since the beginning of February, Horford has played between 26 and 28 minutes in seven of his last 10 appearances. And with the Warriors not knowing when Kristaps Porziņģis (illness) will be able to return, they’ll continue to rely on Horford, whether he starts or comes off the bench.

Monday’s game was a tale of two halves for Podziemski and the Warriors. Getting out to a fast start against a Clippers squad that played the night prior, Golden State led by as much as 17, and Podziemski scored 20 first-half points. The Clippers ramped up the defensive pressure after halftime, limiting Podz to two points and seemingly playing the entire half in transition because of their ability to force turnovers. Fantasy managers will certainly take Podziemski’s final stat line, but they were likely hoping for more offense after his stellar first half.

Brook Lopez (six points, four rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes) remains the Clippers’ starting center, but Konan-Niederhäuser has earned more playing time recently. On Monday, the rookie played 21 minutes and finished with an excellent stat line. Konan-Niederhäuser became the ninth Clippers rookie in franchise history to have multiple games of at least four blocked shots. Also, he became the second reserve in the last 30 years to record at least 11 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals in a game, joining Montrezl Harrell. Rostered in one percent of Yahoo! leagues, Konan-Niederhäuser has provided 11th-round value over the past two weeks, according to Basketball Monster.

Garland made his long-awaited Clippers debut on Monday, and he did so coming off the bench. That was done for injury management reasons, with the point guard playing 23 minutes. There’s some work to be done establishing on-court chemistry with his teammates, as evidenced by Garland committing five turnovers. However, the most important takeaway for Monday was that he looked comfortable playing on the right great toe that sidelined him for six weeks. The Clippers’ final three games of Week 19 include a back-to-back, so Garland may only be available for two.

Dunn isn’t required to be a prolific scorer for the Clippers, and he doesn’t need to be to make an impact. He had a good night shooting the ball against the Warriors, however, making 70 percent of his attempts. Add in the rebounds, assists and steals, and this was a good night for those with Dunn rostered. At some point, Dunn will be sharing the starting backcourt with Darius Garland, and his defensive ability will be of greater importance. He remains a player who should only be rostered in deep fantasy leagues.

After starting slowly, the Clippers grabbed control of Monday’s game with a balanced offensive effort. Six players finished the game in double figures, with Leonard leading the way. Having entered the game averaging a career-best 27.9 points per game, he’s scored at least 20 in every game he’s played this season except for three. Leonard was highly efficient against the Warriors, and his final line only lacked a blocked shot. The Clippers play three more games in Week 19, starting with the Pacers on Wednesday.

Filipowski recorded a solid stat line against the Nuggets, but Denver’s lineup change may have protected him defensively. With Jonas Valančiūnas starting for the injured Cameron Johnson, the Jazz were able to place Filipowski on him while EJ Harkless defended Nikola Jokić. While it may not result in increased production in the steal and blocked shot categories, the Jazz will hope to see Filipowski make some strides defensively over the final month of the regular season.

Bailey has reached double figures in 10 of his last 11 games, providing solid offensive value as the Jazz play out the rest of the regular season. For the sake of his future value in category leagues, the hope is that he’ll be able to do a bit more in categories beyond points, rebounds, and three-pointers as he gains more experience. The Jazz hit the road for their final three games of Week 19, starting with the 76ers on Wednesday.

George put on a show during the fourth quarter, scoring ten straight and 15 of Utah’s final 18 points. It wasn’t enough to get the win, but Monday’s performance was more evidence of how much the point guard has improved in his third season. Due to Utah’s poor record, George may not get many votes for Most Improved Player. However, after two subpar seasons, the conversation about him has shifted dramatically.