Brooklyn

Nets

Porter came out of the gate on fire, dropping 22 points in the first half on 9-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, to power the Nets to a commanding 62-44 advantage. The 27-year-old scoring machine has delievered first-round value for fantasy purposes as one of the most impactful all-around performers over the past week, averaging 34.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.7 blocks over three games during that span. The Nets are off until Friday when they face the Mavericks before closing out the week with a home tilt against the Bucks.

Claxton was a dominant presence in the paint in this one as he shot 55 percent from the floor while pulling down 11 rebounds and also dishing out double-digit assists. He also chipped in three blocks just for good measure. The 26-year-old big man has been exceptional of late, delivering third-round fantasy value over the past week, averaging 13.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 0.8 steals and two blocks over his last four games.

Sharpe provided a spark off the bench as Brooklyn raced out to a big lead early and was able to cruise to a relatively easy win. He knocked down all four of his shots from the floor to finish the first half with nine points off the bench. He finished with a solid all-around line as he also added a couple rebounds and assists in addition to a steal and a block. There are plenty of mouths to feed in Brooklyn, which limits his fantasy ceiling, but he’s averaged just over 16 minutes per-game this season. He would have some appeal in deeper fantasy leagues if he were able to get into the starting lineup.

Clowney is officially good to go after initially being listed as probable. He’s scored at least 20 points in two straight games, and the matchup lends itself toward Clowney extending that streak to three. Those who have him rostered must ensure he’s in their lineups.

Thomas’ MRI showed progress in the healing of his hamstring and he’s begun on-court work. Still, the 24-year-old shooting guard is set to miss at least the next two weeks before we get another update on his status.

MPJ will be back after a one-game absence, which came on the second night of a back-to-back. He’ll be back to occupy his typical starting spot, and with Terance Mann available, that will push Tyrese Martin to the bench.

Clowney is expected to suit up, though he is dealing with back soreness. He has scored at least 20 points in two straight games and will look to stay hot against a porous Pelicans defense.

Over his last five games, Wolf has averaged 12.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 three-pointers per game. It goes without saying that these are solid numbers for a rookie coming off the bench behind two young bigs in Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney. However, the lackluster defensive production makes Wolf difficult to trust this early in the season. While the recent run has been encouraging, he has not reached the point where he should be considered in most redraft leagues. That’s likely to change later this season, especially with the Nets dropping to 1-10 at home on Thursday.

With Terance Mann limited to 18 minutes after a two-game absence and the hard fall he took during the second half of Thursday’s game, there was more room for Williams to contribute despite coming off the bench. The former lottery pick finished with his second 20-point game of the season and first since October 24. However, while Thursday was good, Williams’ season-long fantasy value remains subpar. The only reason to consider adding him ahead of Sunday’s game against the Pelicans would be if Mann and Michael Porter Jr. can’t play.

While his season-long fantasy value remains relatively low, now would be a good time to hop onto the Clowney bandwagon if he’s sitting on your league’s waiver wire. Over the past two weeks, the Nets forward/center has provided fourth-round value in eight-cat formats, and he’s scored at least 16 points in seven of his last eight games. Clowney is rostered in 30 percent of Yahoo! leagues, so he’s certainly available in some 12-team formats. Now would be a good time to change that.