NBA Player News

Porter is on track to miss a second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. Danny Wolf has been his replacement in the starting lineup and should retain that role until MPJ returns. Wolf is worth picking up in deep leagues.

Thompson’s 45 minutes of action featured noteworthy activity on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he picked his spots as a scorer and, on limited field-goal attempts, narrowly made it to double figures in points. Yet, the third-year guard set the table well for the others en route to his second double-digit assist performance of the season. He got after it on the defensive boards and also collected a couple of stocks before narrowly missing a triple-double. Thompson remains one of the Rockets’ more reliable players on a nightly basis and should continue to be productive throughout the rest of the season.

20 of Şengün’s points came after halftime. He shot efficiently and made several timely blocks on the defensive end down the stretch, ultimately leading to a team-high in blocked shots. The 30-point outing marked the second consecutive for the fifth-year center, who continues to provide during the fantasy playoffs. A third straight 30-point outing could be on the horizon when the Rockets face the Grizzlies on Friday.

Durant struggled for most of Wednesday’s contest. He had shot only 3-of-14 from the field through the first three quarters, but came alive in the fourth period and in overtime in what was a game of huge momentum swings. Durant ultimately reached the 30-point mark for the second straight time, each time coming in losses. However, his production continues to be significant in fantasy leagues throughout the playoffs.

Gobert was impressive on Wednesday in his 28 minutes. He was incredibly impactful on the defensive end, posting a handful of blocked shots, and finished well on the offensive end when given opportunities. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year’s night was cut short after fouling out of the contest late in the fourth quarter. Still, he concluded with his third double-double over his past three appearances and is trending in the right direction during the fantasy basketball playoffs.

Washington has now scored at least 18 points in five of his last six games. The 27-year-old power forward had a double-double with 15 rebounds. Washington has provided third-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Mavericks only have one more game this week, against the Trail Blazers on Friday.

McDaniels showcased his versatility on both ends of the floor against the Rockets. He guarded well and collected stocks while taking advantage of his scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, McDaniels appeared to get injured late in the fourth quarter while defending Kevin Durant. He eventually made his way to the bench before the end of regulation and, despite not being ruled out, never returned. His status ahead of Saturday’s matchup with the Pistons will be worth monitoring.

Flagg filled up the stat sheet, though ultimately he was bested by two historic games from the Nuggets duo of Jamal Murray (53 points) and Nikola Jokic (23/21/19 triple-double). Perhaps most impressive was that the 19-year-old didn’t have any turnovers in 35 minutes. Flagg has provided sixth-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Mavericks only have one more game this week coming Friday against the Trail Blazers.

Jokić recorded his 194th triple-double of his career against the Mavericks on Wednesday. The 31-year-old center was coming off a massive triple-double against the Suns on Tuesday, giving him 46 points, 38 rebounds and 36 assists combined over the last two days. Jokić is still the top player in fantasy when healthy. His managers will also benefit from the Nuggets having two more games this week.

Randle struggled with his shot on Wednesday, but came up big for the Timberwolves down the stretch of overtime. He either scored or assisted on the Wolves’ final seven points, which included a tough go-ahead mid-range jumper to give Minnesota a two-point lead with under 10.0 seconds remaining. The win was a big one for the Timberwolves from a seeding standpoint; with the victory, they move to fifth place in the Western Conference standings and are now one game up in the loss column over the sixth-seeded Rockets. Randle will have a chance to help the Wolves to a third straight win on Saturday when they face the Pistons.

With Myles Turner (calf) unavailable, Sims slid into the starting center role on Wednesday. While he could not do much with Portland’s Donovan Clingan, the Bucks’ 6-foot-10 pivot did not miss a shot from the field. Sims’ production rewarded the few who have him on their fantasy rosters, but not to the level where more fantasy managers should follow suit. The Bucks don’t play again until Saturday, and that may be enough time to get Turner back into the lineup.