Derrick

Jones

With both Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Darius Garland (toe) sidelined, Jones stepped up on offense to lead the Clippers in scoring, matching his season high for points. Jones has been productive for fantasy managers lately, though that has mostly been tied to his knack for getting defensive stats. This was a fun scoring outing, but it is unlikely he scores at this rate when Leonard and Garland are healthy.

Having missed six of the Clippers’ last seven games with a neck injury, Collins’ playing time was limited on Saturday. For that reason, he was used in a reserve role, with Derrick Jones Jr. (2/3/1/1/1) starting and playing 32 minutes. The Clippers play four games in Week 21, including a back-to-back, and it’s unknown if (or when) Collins will return to the starting five. If Kawhi Leonard (ankle) has to miss time, that could open the door for Collins to start as soon as Monday against the Spurs.

Jones left Monday’s game briefly during the third quarter, having taken a shot to the head from Josh Hart while attempting to convert a reverse layup. “Airplane Mode” was able to return, and his three-pointer with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter extended the Clippers’ lead to nine, effectively serving as the dagger. While he isn’t a must-roster player in most leagues, Jones has been productive enough to provide consistent late-round value in 12-team leagues.

Collins, who has missed six of the Clippers’ last seven games with a strained neck, had already been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Knicks. And he’s expected the team’s other three games of the week. As a result, Derrick Jones Jr. is worth a look in deep leagues, especially with Bennedict Mathurin already rostered in most leagues.

Collins did not travel with the Clippers for their recent two-game road trip, which ended with a win over the Grizzlies on Saturday. With Darius Garland moving into the starting lineup, Collins may be relegated to a reserve role when he’s cleared to play. Derrick Jones Jr. continues to serve as the starting power forward.

Since returning to the Clippers’ starting lineup, Jones has reached double figures in five of his last eight games. Thursday’s performance was among the best, with “Airplane Mode” leading the way on a night when the Clippers didn’t have Kawhi Leonard or John Collins. Jones offers limited fantasy value when the Clippers are whole, but he’s capable of providing greater offensive value, as he did on Thursday. LA plays its last game of Week 18 on Sunday against the Pelicans.

Jones Jr. had maybe his best performance of the season on Thursday. The versatile wing used a combination of free throws and inside-out scoring to reach the 20-point mark for the first time all season, which included some timely makes at the charity stripe down the stretch. He’s remained healthy since the start of February after returning from his second MCL sprain of the season. As he gets further removed from the injury, his opportunities should only increase.

Jones has suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee on two occasions this season, with both occurring in games against the Celtics. His most recent injury occurred during Saturday’s loss at home, as Celtics guard Payton Pritchard landed on Jones’ leg while diving for a loose ball. Jones has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain and will miss at least six weeks before being re-evaluated. John Collins will continue to start at power forward, and there may be additional minutes available to Kobe Sanders and Kobe Brown.

Jones injured his right knee during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Celtics when Payton Pritchard landed on his leg while attempting to reel in a loose ball. Jones eventually limped back to the locker room after being helped off the floor, but he was still seen struggling to put weight on his right leg after the game. This is the same knee that he injured during a November 16 game in Boston, with the sprained right MCL sidelining him for nearly six weeks.

Collins returned to the Clippers’ lineup on Tuesday after missing Sunday’s win over the Pistons with an illness. And he continues to perform well, providing third-round value in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. Tuesday’s game was the second for Derrick Jones Jr. (8/1/3/2/1 with one three-pointer) since returning from a knee injury, and he played 20 minutes off the bench to Collins’ 22. Tuesday’s blowout affected the minutes split, but fantasy managers should watch for it when the Clippers face more formidable opponents.