NBA Player News

Back in the starting lineup due to injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, Hachimura finished Sunday’s defeat with his first 20-point game since February 12. He did not offer much value beyond points, rebounds and three-pointers, but Hachimura has long been a better option for points leagues than category leagues. For those competing in leagues that will be active in Week 24, Hachimura is rostered in just 10 percent of Yahoo! leagues. He is worth adding, especially with the Lakers playing four games.

Spencer didn’t shoot the ball efficiently on Thursday, but was able to be effective as a passer. His six assists were a tie for the most on the team, but he did commit three turnovers in the process. The third-year guard has scored in double figures in four of his last five appearances. He’ll have a chance to do so again on Friday against the Kings.

Podziemski continues to score the basketball efficiently despite the Warriors’ struggles to win games. The third-year guard made almost all of his shots inside the three-point line on Thursday to tie a team-high in scoring. He didn’t compile many other stats, however, as the Warriors dropped their fourth game in the last five. They’ll face the Kings on Friday.

In his return from injury, Williams picked up exactly where he left off. He tallied another double-digit scoring performance, which marked his second straight and third in the last four games. Three-point shooting was a big part of the fourth-year guard’s success on Thursday. He tied a team-high in points and should continue to have opportunities to produce over the final two games of the regular season.

Kennard followed up his nine-assist performance with another great display of passing on Thursday. The veteran guard also tallied a season high in steals, accounting for over a quarter of the Lakers’ total. He has fit in nicely as a Laker since being traded from the Hawks ahead of the February trade deadline. He’ll likely return to a reserve role once the team’s key perimeter players return from injury. However, Kennard remains productive as a starter.

Ayton bounced back from a lackluster three-point performance on Tuesday to reach the 20-point mark on Thursday for the first time since March 12 against the Bulls. He hardly missed shots and did the majority of his damage in the paint. The former first-overall pick didn’t contribute in many other statistical categories, but his scoring production against the Warriors was important, as the Lakers gear up for the playoffs.

The two California teams squared off on Thursday, and it was James who carried the Lakers to a comfortable win. The four-time Finals MVP picked his spots and converted efficiently as a scorer to lead the Lakers in total points. And when he wasn’t scoring, the veteran forward displayed the type of vision that’s made him such a unique player throughout his career. James worked the defensive glass fairly well, nearly well enough to tally another triple-double. He has taken control of the Lakers’ offense lately with the injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and that should remain the case as long as they’re out of the lineup.

Edgecombe did many things well against Houston. He was productive from the three-point line as a scorer, but also was the lead table setter for the Sixers’ offense. And on the defensive end, the rookie guard had active hands in coming up with a pair of steals, helping round out a balanced overall performance. Edgecombe has had a very good rookie season and should only become more productive as his career lengthens.

Maxey played 33 minutes against the Rockets and finished as Philadelphia’s leading scorer. The versatile combo guard used the three-point shot to find most of his production on Thursday, while also making some contributions as a passer. While the sixth-year guards’ numbers were solid, they weren’t exceptional — the Sixers will almost certainly need Maxey to perform at a higher level down the stretch of the season, so long as Joel Embiid is out of the lineup recovering from injury.

George had one of his least impactful games of the season against the Rockets. He failed to convert any of his five three-point attempts and finished with more turnovers than made field goals on the evening. As a result, the veteran forward tied a season-low in points and scored in single digits for just the fifth time all season. The Sixers will need him to bounce back on Friday against the Pacers.

Thompson logged 42 minutes on Thursday and impacted the game in several areas. He left some meat on the bone as a scorer due to his poor free-throw shooting and inefficiency from beyond the arc, but still finished just under 20 for the game. Thompson didn’t dominate the glass or dial up a ton of assists, but he made contributions in each area, while his three steals helped the Rockets to an eight-game win streak. They’ll face the Timberwolves on Friday.