NBA Player News

The Nuggets did not have Aaron Gordon (hamstring) for Thursday’s game, resulting in Jones making his first start since February 4. Unsurprisingly, as he made 34 prior starts due to the Nuggets’ injury issues earlier this season, Jones was ready for the moment. Shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, the second-year forward’s 19 points were the most in a game for him since dropping 28 on the Mavericks on December 1. Gordon sat out for injury management reasons, so he should be back on Saturday against the Lakers. If not, Jones would make for a worthwhile pickup in deep leagues.

Wiggins will miss a sixth consecutive game, with Kel’el Ware having started the last two. Starting alongside Bam Adebayo raises the second-year center’s ceiling, and he’s already rostered in most 12-team leagues. Managers in 10-team leagues should consider adding Ware if he’s on the waiver wire.

Jović is on track to play on Tuesday, which would be his first game action since February 20. Even with Andrew Wiggins (toe) sidelined, the minutes that Jović needs to achieve fantasy relevance are unlikely to be there. Leave him on the waiver wire.

Larsson is dealing with a left elbow contusion, but the probable tag suggests that he will be available for Tuesday’s game. With Andrew Wiggins (toe) still out, the second-year wing should remain in the starting lineup.

Howard is back after sitting out Saturday’s win over the Heat. Most, if not all, of his playing time is likely coming at Jamal Cain’s expense. Cain played 19 minutes off the bench on Saturday.

Post played Sunday against the Knicks and delivered a strong 22/3/3 line with three swats and four triples. He could get the night off on the second leg of Golden State’s back-to-back set for right foot injury management. With Green expected to play and Kristaps Porziņǵis off the injury report, the Warriors could lean on the pair heavily if Post is ultimately ruled out.

Carlson will miss another game as he continues to recover from a back injury. His continued absence does not affect fantasy basketball.

While Williams has reached the point where he’s day-to-day, he is not ready to appear in games. Ajay Mitchell was the fifth starter for Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves; he or Cason Wallace stands to fill that role until Williams is healthy enough to play.

Ivey and Anfernee Simons (wrist) will continue to miss time, allowing Rob Dillingham and Tre Jones to soak up extra playing time.

Injured during Saturday’s loss to the Kings, Leonard is officially out for Monday’s matchup with the Spurs. Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins are the players with the most to gain regarding usage, with one likely moving into the starting lineup.

Watson has been out since straining his hamstring during a February 4 loss to the Knicks. After Monday’s 3-on-3 session, there is hope that he’ll be available to play sometime this week. While games on Tuesday and Wednesday may not be in the cards for Watson, he may be available toward the end of Week 21. His return will affect the playing time of Spencer Jones and Julian Strawther, neither of whom has done enough to remain on the radar in most fantasy leagues.