NBA Player News

Banchero has now recorded four double-doubles since the All-Star break, and he was also responsible for solid numbers in the assist and steal categories on Thursday. Generally speaking, the Magic forward has been a better option in points leagues than category leagues. However, since the break, Banchero has provided top-50 value in nine-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster.

Sexton led three Bulls with at least 20 points, and he’s scored 22 or more in two of his last three appearances. Sexton played 29 minutes against the Thunder, and a similar workload moving forward would give him reputable fantasy value. However, that isn’t guaranteed to be the case, which makes it challenging to trust Sexton in deep leagues. Depending on the availability of Josh Giddey for Saturday’s game against the Grizzlies, Sexton could be worth picking up.

On a night when backcourt partner Josh Giddey (5/7/11) had a rough night shooting the basketball, going 1-of-11 from the field, Jones did his best to pick up the slack. He finished one assist shy of a double-double, and the 21 points were the most in a game for Jones since March 13, when he hit that number in a loss to the Clippers. Given his status as a starter, Jones is worth rostering for the remainder of the fantasy season, even if Giddey will remain the chief playmaker.

After coming off the bench in his first game back from a knee injury that cost him just over two weeks, Okoro was in the Bulls’ starting lineup on Friday. And he had one of his most productive games of the season, recording his third 20-point game while shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The Bulls have better offensive options, but these final weeks of the season represent a good opportunity for Okoro to be more aggressive on that end of the floor. The Bulls visit the Grizzlies on Saturday, but that could be an injury-management day for Okoro.

Williams’ eight assists were two shy of his season-high, which he last recorded in a January 15 win over the Rockets. J-Dub shot 50 percent from the field, finishing a blocked shot and a three-pointer shy of a complete stat line. Unfortunately for Williams and the fantasy managers rostering him, injuries have limited his impact for most of this season. But all will be forgotten if he can get on a roll during these fantasy playoff weeks.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander failed to find his groove from deep, missing all 10 of his three-point attempts, Wallace picked up the slack. He made five of his seven attempts from beyond the arc, with the five triples being two shy of his career-high. Entering Friday, Wallace shot 5-of-27 from distance, so this performance was clearly needed. The Thunder host the Knicks on Sunday to end their Week 22 schedule.

Though Sheppard’s 28 minutes were fewer than the other starters, that was enough time for him to stuff the stat sheet. It took time, but Sheppard appears to be locked in as a starter. In that role over their last five games, he has averaged 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 2.6 steals, 1.0 block and 3.4 triples per game, which has led to top-20 production in nine-category leagues despite him shooting 40.3 percent from the floor during that stretch. Sheppard is a fantasy superstar, and he’s finally getting the chance to showcase what he can do.

Gilgeous-Alexander extended his streak of games with at least 20 points, but Friday night was a struggle. The reigning league MVP missed all ten of his three-point attempts in his worst shooting night of the season. A solid night at the foul line boosted Gilgeous-Alexander’s point total, but he’ll look to be much better when the Thunder host the Knicks on Sunday.

Though the turnovers put a damper on his outing, he was able to set a new season high for rebounds in the win. This was his second straight double-double, with the most recent one before that coming before the All-Star break. Smith has struggled with his shot lately, and this game wasn’t an exception. Still, he was able to make up for it on the glass, though he’s going to have to do a lot more to make an impact for fantasy managers.

Ware was solid in Miami’s two games against the Cavaliers, totaling 27 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, one steal, one blocked shot and five three-pointers. Inconsistency has been an issue for the second-year center, and the recent returns of Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins limit Ware’s upside, even though they don’t share the same position. Ware can still be an asset during the fantasy playoff weeks, as evidenced by his two games in Cleveland, but most managers know to keep their expectations in check.

The good news for fantasy managers is that Adebayo was active on the boards, as he grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. However, with the Cavaliers getting Jarrett Allen back from a knee injury, Bam had a brutal night on offense. He shot 1-of-8 from three and wasn’t much better inside of the arc, shooting 2-of-6 from two. Sunday’s matchup with the Pacers sets up to be more manageable for Adebayo and the Heat, at least on paper.