NBA Player News

Grant and Krejčí will remain out for another game, with the former’s absence likely resulting in another spot start for Sidy Cissoko. However, Cissoko played 19 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Nuggets, with Matisse Thybulle playing 25 off the bench.

He played in spot minutes, but the Pacers went back to starting Aaron Nesmith in the second half. Kelly Oubre and Obi Toppin played more minutes than him and Jalen Slawson and Quenton Jackson were equal in minutes. You can feel free to drop him if you picked him up today in redraft leagues.

Compared to his 28-point debut for the Celtics on Tuesday, George wasn’t as explosive in Friday’s home opener. He needed 15 attempts to score 15 points, shooting 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. George’s rebounds and steals were solid Friday, and the Celtics’ two-game Week 1 schedule was more concerning for fantasy managers. With Boston opening Week 2 with a back-to-back, George and Jayson Tatum could play three games instead of four.

We know who Andrew Nembhard is at this point. He’s a solid streamer at worst and a borderline top 100 player in category leagues. Given that the Pacers traded Mathurin and didn’t fully replace the scoring, there could be a good change Nembhard ends up doing enough to be rostered in most redraft leagues.

After recording an inefficient double-double in Tuesday’s loss to the Pistons, Tatum was outstanding in Friday’s home opener. He hit multiple shots down the stretch to hold off the Knicks, and the Celtics star committed just two turnovers. Tatum also got to the foul line Friday, something he didn’t do against the Pistons. As the unquestioned top scoring option, Tatum will need to make use of the foul line consistently, as it would benefit him and the Celtics as a whole. Boston plays four games in Week 2, starting with a Monday/Tuesday back-to-back against the Bulls and Nets.

Pascal got his points, but it was a bad night from the Pacers all around. He also got 5 turnovers in this game which will leave a mark in that category. Overall, he’s consistent with his production but considering the scoring was efficient, it’s hard to complain.

You’d want Haliburton to be more aggressive, especially in games where they can’t score, but this is part of the deal with Haliburton. He’s not the type of person that will take a bunch of shots and will have games where he doesn’t score much. The reason why Haliburton is a good fantasy player is not the scoring. He got the peripheral stats in this game which is good to see.

PJ obviously had a very good game today, but let’s not over index on who he is. He’s historically been a hot and cold player. He will not get 13 rebounds very often, if it even happens again this season. That being said, Flagg hurt his shoulder, so if you wanted to grab PJ and see if he misses any time, there’s worse ways to use your adds.

He started the first half with 11 points and ended the game with 11 points. Risacher took advantage of all the easy opportunities in front of him. He got out in transition and took efficient shots. It seems like the Mavs are really prioritizing him and will get ample opportunities this season, even if it’s not a starter. Dusty May likes to play players with length, skill, and athleticism and Risacher can fit that.

Dosunmu provided solid production off the bench in the Timberwolves’ comfortable road wins over the Heat and Magic. In a complete stat line, he finished Friday’s win one assist shy of a double-double and committed no turnovers. Dosunmu would have a higher fantasy ceiling as a starter, but he’s still a solid option for managers needing a guard.

Kyrie looks exactly like what you would be hoping for coming off the Achilles injury. He’s still very shifty and dynamic. He took over the Mavericks offense once Cooper Flagg left the game and helped the Mavericks get a win. You’d want some more assists, but it’s hard to complain too much given the fact that he just got back from an Achilles injury.