NBA Player News

Siakam was held out of Tuesday’s loss to the Kings, with Obi Toppin replacing him in the starting lineup. Toppin remains under a minutes limit, playing 15 against Sacramento. While productive as the spot starter, Obi is a risky play due to his limited playing time.

Collier’s assist tally may not have been as robust as many fantasy managers hoped, with him starting for the injured Keyonte George. Still, he did record his second 20-point game in four appearances. Since the All-Star break, the second-year point guard has provided eighth-round value in eight-cat formats. With George not being re-evaluated until the final week of March, now is a good time to go all-in on Collier.

If there’s one thing about Sensabaugh, it’s that he isn’t going to get cheated on his shot attempts. That approach comes in handy when his playing time is limited, as it was on Sunday. Sensabaugh played 23 minutes against the Kings and put up 17 shots, with only Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier taking more. He may not have offered much production outside of points and three-pointers, but Sensabaugh remains a good option for points leagues in the final weeks of the regular season.

Williams is precisely the kind of player who, after offering little in the first five months of the season, emerges as a “silly season hero.” A double-digit scorer in six straight games, the second-year forward recorded his first 30-point game on Sunday. Not only was it his first 30-point game, but this was the first time Williams scored 20 in an NBA game. The Jazz don’t play their first game of Week 21 until Wednesday, and Williams will be worth a roll of the dice in deep leagues when the time comes.

While he did not offer much scoring and did not record any defensive stats, Raynaud provided good value in the rebounds category. Given how well he shot the ball in Saturday’s win over the Clippers, going 11-of-12 from the field, one could argue that the rookie was bound to cool down. Since the All-Star break, only Precious Achiuwa has been more valuable in fantasy basketball, regardless of league format.

Achiuwa continues to shine in Sacramento, as he recorded his second consecutive 20-point double-double on Sunday. Since the All-Star break, the Kings’ forward has provided top-50 value in eight- and nine-cat formats. As long as Achiuwa is playing starters’ minutes, he needs to be rostered in 12-team leagues for the rest of the season.

Unsurprisingly, the Jazz had no answer defensively for DeRozan, who made consistent trips to the foul line on Sunday. The veteran wing recorded season-highs in free throws made (18) and attempted (21) while also shooting over 50 percent from the field. Add in the assists and steals, and this was an excellent end to Week 20 for managers who have DeRozan on their rosters. The Kings play three games in Week 21, beginning with the Spurs on Tuesday.

Post left Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves with a sprained ankle, but ended up starting with the Warriors extremely short-handed against the Knicks on Sunday. The 25-year-old center was just a desperation play at the end of the week, but came through and had 22 points and four three-pointers. The Warriors have four games upcoming in Week 21, starting with a matchup against the Wizards on Monday.

Santos has now scored at least 20 points twice in his last five games. The 23-year-old small forward isn’t known for his scoring, though, as he has no other 20-point games this year. Santos had an excellent game against the Knicks with seven rebounds and seven assists as well. Whether he continues to start or not, Santos will still have a significant role for the Warriors once Stephen Curry (knee) returns in a week.

Podziemski had 25 points for the second straight game. The 23-year-old guard has the skillset to contribute in other categories as well, which has led to him providing sixth-round per game value since the All-Star break. Podziemski has shown he’s worth rostering in standard leagues while Stephen Curry (knee) is still out.

Towns missed Friday’s win over the Pacers with a knee injury, but returned Sunday and had an excellent game in the win over the Warriors. The 30-year-old center had 17 points and 12 rebounds, recording a double-double. Towns has provided first-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Knicks have three games upcoming in Week 21, starting with a matchup against the Pacers on Tuesday.