Caleb

Love

Murray did not play in Wednesday’s win over the Cavaliers, resulting in more playing time for Caleb Love. The rookie guard played 27 minutes on Wednesday and scored 20 points. If Murray remains out, Love would be worth a roll of the dice in extremely deep leagues.

Love gave the Trail Blazers good minutes off the bench, recording his second 20-point game of the season. He took advantage of Kris Murray’s absence, and Wednesday’s performance could be another step towards showing franchise decision-makers that he’s worthy of a standard contract. While Love shouldn’t be rostered in redraft leagues, managers competing in dynasty formats should consider him as the Trail Blazers await the return of Jrue Holiday.

Murray’s production does not affect fantasy basketball when he’s available. His absence will free up some minutes for Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert, with the former offering a higher offensive ceiling. However, neither player is worth streaming as Portland will have its expected starting five available.

Love is still on a two-way contract for Portland, but he has been a source of offense off the bench in recent weeks. He has scored in double figures in four of his last seven appearances, though it hasn’t come efficiently in recent games. Love has done enough to be worth keeping an eye on in dynasty leagues, but he has a ways to go before he can be considered a standard league option.

Sharpe will miss a second straight game with a strained right calf. While the Trail Blazers have not provided an exact return timeline for the guard, fantasy managers should plan for the possibility that Sharpe will remain out for a bit. Sidy Cissoko started Friday’s win over the Warriors, with him and Caleb Love providing excellent contributions. Look for them to take on similar roles on Sunday.

Those big moments that Love came up big in as a collegian at North Carolina and Arizona may have helped him on Friday. The rookie guard had the best night of his NBA career, which included him hitting multiple three-pointers in crunch time. Love’s stat line only lacked a blocked shot, and he may become a factor in deep leagues due to the absences of Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson. They’ll be out multiple weeks, with Holiday closer to a return based on the timelines provided by the Trail Blazers on Friday.

Henderson has yet to appear in a game this season, as he suffered a torn left hamstring during an individual workout before the start of training camp. As recently as Tuesday, he told The Athletic that he still wasn’t doing much movement. Henderson has been limited to stationary shooting and some ball-handling drills, so it’s crucial to keep in mind that the two-to-four-week timeframe is for a re-evaluation of the injury. With Jrue Holiday (calf) out at least one to two weeks, expect to see plenty of Deni Avdija on the ball. Caleb Love should continue to play rotation minutes off the bench, and he’s worth tracking in deep leagues.

Holiday and Sharpe will remain out, which will open up opportunities across the roster. Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love should see extra playing time at guard, while Jerami Grant and Kris Murray should see more run at forward. Deni Avdija should operate as the Blazers’ de facto point guard, and he finished with a 32/11/11 triple-double on Wednesday. Grant should get a boost in offensive usage as one of the team’s go-to scoring options.

Sharpe was initially doubtful for Sunday’s game, so the downgrade in status is unsurprising. Jerami Grant (illness) is going through his pregame routine, but the hope is that he’ll play after sitting out Tuesday’s loss to the Suns. Caleb Love, who played 32 minutes on Tuesday, will once again figure prominently in the rotation, even if he comes off the bench.

Having dealt with a sore left calf earlier this season, Sharpe is back on the injury report, but this time due to soreness in his right calf. The doubtful tag suggests he will not play, and with Jrue Holiday already out, Portland will be even more shorthanded on the perimeter. Caleb Love, who logged 32 minutes off the bench on Tuesday, and Sidy Cissoko will have added importance within the rotation, with the former potentially starting.