NBA

This was just the fifth time this season that DeRozan was able to score at least 30 points, and it was enough to help them get a tough win over the Rockets. 16 of his 31 points came in the fourth quarter, and he truly closed out this game late. DeRozan’s numbers have been down this season, but he has started to pick things up recently. This was his fifth straight game with at least 20 points, and he’ll look to keep that streak going during their matchup with the Wizards on Sunday.

Sabonis made an impact in this game early on and was able to record a double-double before halftime. He ended up fouling out late in the game, but he still played 38 minutes, so it didn’t really limited his production. Sabonis has been fantastic all season and is currently averaging career-highs in points and rebounds, which has allowed him to rank inside the top-10 in 9-cat leagues. They’ll close out the week with a home game against the Wizards on Sunday.

With Fred VanVleet sidelined, Thompson was able to get the start at point guard. He led the team in assists and recorded a double-double with some defensive stats. He didn’t have as many assists as expected as the starting point guard, but he was still able to turn in a fantasy-friendly line. He has been a top-25 player in 9-cat leagues over the past two weeks, and now that he is locked in as a starter for at least a few more weeks, he’ll continue to be a fantasy superstar.

Banton was able to provide solid value earlier this season, but he hasn’t had much of a role over the past month. However, he took advantage of his opportunity in this game. He tied his season-high of 23 points and led the Blazers in scoring across his 25 minutes. This was a great performance for him, but it isn’t enough to warrant consideration for a roster spot. Banton ranks outside the top-300 in 9-cat leagues over the course of the season.

Coming off scoring a career-high 39 points in their last game, Henderson wasn’t able to match that production, but he was able to have another solid game as a starter with both Jerami Grant (face) and Deni Avdija (ankle) sidelined. He has only started five games this season, and these last two games have been his most productive. These performances have been encouraging for the dynasty managers that drafted him early last summer, so hopefully he’ll keep getting more chances to build on it. They have a back-to-back to close out the week this weekend.

After coming off the bench in their last game, Dunn returned to the starting lineup in place of Kawhi Leonard in this one. Dunn hasn’t always played starter-level minutes even when he has started, and that was the case in this game. However, in his 19 minutes, he was still able to be productive and turn in a solid stat line. Dunn has proven that he can provide value in limited action in recent years. They have two more back-to-back sets coming up, which should mean at least two more starts for Dunn in place of Leonard.

Powell only played 22 minutes in their last game because of how bad they beat the Nets. He scored 18 points in that one, so had he played his normal workload, then this game would’ve been his sixth straight with at least 20 points. Kawhi Leonard was sidelined for this game, which was the second night of a back-to-back. His return to the lineup hasn’t limited Powell, though he has been on a minutes restriction. For now, Powell should be able to keep pouring in the points, especially with two more back-to-back sets coming up next on their schedule.

Monk returned from a one-game absence with a groin injury and was immediately able to make an impact in the box score. This was his ninth straight game with at least six assists, and it was his sixth game with at least 25 points this season. Monk has been a top-50 player over the past two months and just simply isn’t slowing down. It’s fair to assume that he’ll continue to be a dominant player in 9-cat leagues for the rest of the season. They’ll wrap up the week against the Wizards on Sunday.

Though it wasn’t enough to help the Rockets extend their win streak, Green was still able to have a big performance. This was his seventh straight game with at least 25 points and seven 3-pointers, and he has been a top ten player in 9-cat leagues over the past two weeks. He hit some big shots down the stretch and scored eight points over the final two minutes and nearly helped Houston complete the comeback. Green has had some incredible hot streaks throughout his career, and he’ll look to keep this one going in Portland on Saturday.

After missing their last 13 games with a leg injury, Eason was available to play a limited role in this game. He wasn’t able to have a productive night, but it was great to see him back on the floor. He scored all 16 of his points in the second half and almost helped the Rockets complete the comeback after being down 16 points. He was limited to 24 minutes, but with Fred VanVleet (personal) sidelined, Cam Whitmore was also able to play 23 minutes. Houston will wrap up the week in Portland on Saturday, so keep an eye on the minutes allocation for both backup forward if VanVleet is back.