NBA Player News

Wemby was dominant on both ends of the floor on Monday, shooting 50 percent from the field while also putting up 14 rebounds and five blocks. His defense was one of the reasons why Miami’s Bam Adebayo shot 5-of-17 from the field, and ten of his attempts came from beyond the arc. Since the All-Star break, only Nikola Jokić has been better in terms of category league value than Wembanyama. And with the Spurs ending Week 22 with games against the Grizzlies and Bucks, two more robust stat lines may be in the phenom’s future.

With Aaron Gordon (calf) sidelined, Watson will start Sunday’s game. However, he will be restricted to 20 minutes, meaning there will also be time for Spencer Jones to make an impact off the bench.

Initially questionable for Sunday’s game, Richard has been ruled out. With De’Anthony Melton and Seth Curry available, the Warriors should have enough depth to account for the rookie guard’s absence.

Sunday’s game is the first that Curry has been available for since March 13, while Post is back after a three-game absence. While both will provide added depth off the bench, neither is in a position where they should be rostered in most fantasy leagues.

Camara led the Trail Blazers in scoring with 23 points in the win over the Wizards on Sunday. The 25-year-old small forward only played 28 minutes with the Trail Blazers leading by so much. He was coming off a career-high 35 point game earlier in the week. Camara would be an interesting waiver wire addition, but the Trail Blazers play just twice in Week 23.

Henderson moved into the starting lineup Sunday with Jerami Grant (calf) out and was excellent. The 22-year-old point guard had 21 points and seven assists in just 25 minutes. Henderson was great at the foul line, knocking down 8-of-9 free throws. It was a nice game, but his fantasy ceiling is still fairly low depending on Grant’s health.

Banchero wasn’t the only Magic player to perform poorly in the 139-87 loss, but it’s nearly impossible to win a game when your star struggles. He missed all five of his three-point attempts and shot 33.3 percent from inside the arc. Banchero, who played 30 minutes, finished with more turnovers (five) than made field goals (three) in a brutal finish for Paolo and the fantasy managers rostering him. The Magic play four games in Week 23, starting with the Suns on Tuesday.

After playing 36 minutes on Thursday in his return from an illness that sidelined him for two games, Suggs played 26 minutes on Sunday. The nature of the game was the reason, as Orlando was on the wrong end of a 139-87 defeat. The positive for the Magic was that the blowout got Suggs additional rest, given the time he has missed due to injury. They’ll look to bounce back on Tuesday against the Suns.

In addition to allowing the Raptors to shoot 57.4 percent from the field, Orlando made just 37.8 percent of its attempts in the 139-87 defeat. Bane was the most productive of the Magic’s five starters, but that rings hollow when you lose by 52 points. Bane has provided second-round value in eight-cat formats since the All-Star break, and he’s certainly capable of sustaining that during the championship week of Yahoo! default leagues. Orlando plays four games in Week 23, starting with the Suns on Tuesday.

With Collin Murray-Boyles (back) being ruled out after initially being declared available for Sunday’s game, there was a little more room for Mamukelashvili to provide value off the bench. He was one of many Raptors to have a good night in the 139-87 victory, with eight Raptors scoring in double figures. Category league managers still rostering Mamukelashivili will also be pleased with the three steals, and he’s up to nine in his last four games.

Barnes’ assist production has been elite recently. Counting Sunday, he has recorded 49 assists while committing 11 turnovers. Add everything else that the two-time All-Star brings to the table, and Barnes’ Week 22 was very impressive. Over the past week, he has been a top-10 player in eight-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. Barnes and the Raptors should encounter more resistance on Tuesday when they open a four-game Week 23 in Detroit.