NBA

Allen has been a solid option for the Suns this season, especially early on with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker both missing time with injuries. With Beal still out, Allen has been in the starting unit, and when he’s hitting shots, he has the ability to provide value. That was the case in this game. Unfortunately, instead of playing on a 2-game day on Thursday, their next game will be on Friday against the Kings, with 12 other games going on. Allen has been just outside the top-100 in 9-cat value this season, so he is still worth a roster spot in standard leagues.

Book didn’t have a dominant night scoring the ball, but he was still able to contribute solid value across the board. He posted gaudy numbers in every category, though that included turnovers. He had seven of Phoenix’s 22 turnovers, 10 of which came in the first quarter. They cleaned up their act after that, but Booker’s high turnover count and poor shooting percentage were less than ideal for fantasy managers that have him rostered. Book is still an elite player and one of the best in fantasy hoops. He has also been a better rebounder over his last two games, finishing with double figure boards for the first two times this season.

Durant had a chance to tie the game after Anthony Davis missed a free throw with about six seconds left, but he ended up airballing a tough shot. However, he still had a really good game. He only missed five total shots, and he shot over 70% from the field for the second straight game after two straight shooting below 40%. Durant has been one of the ten best players in fantasy basketball, and more importantly, he has been healthy so far this season. He hasn’t had a healthy season since he left Golden State, but as long as he’s still on the floor, he’ll be one of the best players in fantasy basketball.

Outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Reaves was the only Laker that was able to contribute much statistically in this game. When it came to the end of the game, and the Lakers held a one-point lead, they gave the ball to Reaves. He hit a dagger 3-pointer to extend their lead to four with 15 seconds remaining. Many managers may have seen the move to the bench as a demotion, but that can’t be further from the truth. It has worked well for the Lakers, even if it hasn’t helped his fantasy production. Reaves won’t reach his Yahoo ADP of 90, but he will still be effective.

AD’s dominant season continued on Tuesday, and there haven’t been many teams that have been able to slow him down this season. Over his last four games, he is averaging 28.3 points, 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. The knock on AD in fantasy has always been his inability to stay healthy, but he has only missed one game this season. He will continue to be listed on every injury report, but unless he suffers a new injury, he should continue to remain in the lineup. Davis has been a top five player in 9-cat leagues this season, and there is no reason to think that he will slow down anytime soon.

Even at the age of 39, LeBron is still capable of taking over a game and carrying his team to victory. He posted a monster line and made big plays to help the Lakers advance in the In-Season Tournament. They’ll play the Pelicans this Thursday in Vegas, with a chance to play the winner of the Bucks and Pacers on the line. LeBron had one of his best games of the season and set a new season-high for steals. The legend of “Playoff LeBron” may extend to the In-Season Tournament, which will certainly benefit the managers that have him playing again on Thursday.

Beasley has fit in flawlessly as the fifth starter alongside Milwaukee’s four star players. He has had some big games shooting the ball, including knocking down eight triples against Toronto in November. However, he has stepped up as of late and has hit at least four triples in five straight games. The boost from deep has allowed him to produce third round value during that stretch. He shouldn’t be valued as a third round play, but he has provided seventh round value over the course of the year. He can be relied on for 3-pointers and can occasionally provide in other categories. He should be in for a big night against Indiana on Thursday, since they allow the most points per game in the NBA.

Dame didn’t need many shots to make his presence felt in this game. He only took 13 shots but still put up a full line and knocked down five triples, which tied his season-high. Lillard’s numbers are lower than last season, which isn’t surprising now that he is playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, over the past two weeks, he has been a first round producer due to improvements in his assists and shooting percentage. His 8.1 assists during this stretch would tie his career-high, while his 50% field goal percentage would be the best of his career. He is still more than capable of taking over games, which he showed by scoring 13 points in the final three minutes of the first half.

Grimes is known for being a really good, young 3-and-D player, but the 3-pointers just haven’t been there for him recently. He missed all of his shots from deep for the third consecutive game and has only hit four over his last seven games. He continues to start, though he has seen his minutes drop recently. Grimes was just outside the top-150 last season, but he has barely been inside the top-300 this year. All of his numbers are down, and his recent play shouldn’t make managers feel like he will turn it around. Tom Thibodeau doesn’t seem interested in changing up his starting lineup, but Grimes’ struggles have opened up a few extra minutes for Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Immanuel Quickley.

Brunson posted a solid line, but his struggles from beyond the arc represented the team’s overall poor shooting from deep. Brunson missed all five of his 3-point attempts, and the team shot just 7-of-23 on triples. In comparison, the Bucks shot 23-of-38. It was just too much for New York to keep up, which is why the score got out of hand in the second half. Brunson has provided fourth round value this season and has been in the top-30 over the past two weeks. He is averaging career-highs of 24.9 points and 3.2 triples per game, so the lack of 3-pointers was certainly not the norm for him.