NBA Player News

After 298 days of rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles tendon, Tatum returned to action on Friday. Unsurprisingly, there was a combination of rust and nerves for the four-time All-NBA forward to work through, and he missed his first six shot attempts. Tatum’s first basket was on a tip dunk with just over one minute remaining in the second quarter, and he would go on to make five straight shots. Tatum was not under any restrictions, playing 27 minutes and checking out for good with 5:01 remaining, the Celtics leading by 25. Boston ends its Week 19 with a game in Cleveland on Sunday.

Hart was upgraded to probable Sunday afternoon, so his availability isn’t a surprise. The 31-year-old shooting guard has missed the last two games with left knee soreness. Landry Shamet will likely move back to the bench with Hart returning to the starting lineup.

Cunningham had failed to reach 20 points in two games in a row, but bounced back with a 33-point effort in the loss to the Raptors on Sunday. The 24-year-old point guard had nine assists after recording 28 combined in the last two games. Cunningham has provided third-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Pistons have three games upcoming in Week 21, starting with a matchup against the Wizards on Tuesday.

Poeltl was excellent on Sunday with 21 points on 12 field goal attempts, 18 rebounds and five assists. The 30-year-old center also had a block on the defensive end and no turnovers. Poeltl has provided fifth-round per game value over the last two weeks. He’ll have his work cut out for him as a difficult matchup with the Cavaliers awaits in the Raptors next game on Wednesday.

Barrett has been excellent so far in the month of March with at least 20 points in six out of seven games. The 25-year-old small forward also grabbed six rebounds and a steal, which is particularly helpful in category leagues. Barrett has provided fifth-round per game value over the last two weeks, which is a significant uptick in his production compared to the rest of the season.

Ingram has now had at least 34 points in back-to-back games. The 28-year-old small forward’s game-high 34 points led the Raptors to a victory over the Pistons on Sunday. Ingram has provided seventh-round per game value this season in his first year with Toronto. The Raptors have three games upcoming in Week 21, starting with a matchup against the Bulls on Wednesday.

Sunday was Strus’s first appearance of the season, and the Cavaliers’ guard looked incredibly sharp. He hit three three-pointers in his first stint on the floor and finished with 24 points. Strus played 22 minutes, and it isn’t difficult to envision his playing time increasing at some point during the fantasy playoff weeks. Cleveland has been without Sam Merrill recently, so getting Strus back is a big deal, even with Sunday’s defeat.

Mobley finished Sunday’s defeat with his second double-double in three games and 21st of the season, and he’s blocked multiple shots in four of his last five games. Interestingly, Jarrett Allen’s absence has not given Mobley’s fantasy value the boost many hoped for. Mobley has provided eighth-round value over his last five games; shooting 43.5 percent from the foul line doesn’t help.

Mitchell made some history on Sunday, surpassing the 15,000-point mark for his NBA career. He’s the fifth player to accomplish that feat since entering the league in 2017. Fantasy managers will also be pleased with the 11 assists, the most in a game for Mitchell since January 16, with this being his third game of the season with at least ten helpers. The Cavaliers play three games in Week 21, starting with the Bucks on Tuesday.

After sitting out Friday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Washington was one of the difference-makers in Sunday’s rematch. Not only did he record his first 20-point game since February 22, but he also finished with his first 20-point double-double since mid-December. Add in the defensive stats, headlined by five steals, and this was an excellent end to Week 20 for Washington. However, with the Mavericks playing on Monday, a three-game Week 21 could be two for P.J.

Flagg’s double-double on Sunday was his tenth of the season, and second in his last four games. Add in the rebounds and assists, and this was a very good performance for the rookie. However, the upcoming schedule is a concern. Dallas plays three games in Week 21, starting with the Pelicans on Monday. Flagg played both games of the Mavericks’ most recent back-to-back, but that isn’t guaranteed to be the case this time around.