Donovan

Clingan

Injuries took Thybulle off the board for most fantasy managers even before this season began. But Thursday showed what he’s capable of when allowed to take on a more prominent role. With the Pelicans going small for significant stretches, Thybulle played 31 minutes while starting center Donovan Clingan (4/9/2/1) played 22 due to foul trouble. A disappointing end to Week 23 for Clingan was a positive one for Thybulle, who finished a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line.

Williams looked uncomfortable after landing on the court after completing an alley-oop dunk late in the second quarter. The Time Lord tweaked something in his back and is now done for the night. The Trail Blazers will likely go small when starting center Donovan Clingan is not on the floor.

Friday’s game is not part of a back-to-back, but Williams is still on the report for injury management reasons. If he’s unable to play against the Mavericks, the Trail Blazers will likely play starting center Donovan Clingan for a few more minutes while going small when he isn’t in the game.

Despite being limited to 25 minutes due to the game getting out of hand, Clingan recorded another excellent stat line on Wednesday. The 7-foot-2 center has been outstanding since the All-Star break, providing second-round value in eight-cat formats. And in nine-cat, Clingan has been a first-round player during this stretch. Portland finishes Week 22 with games against Dallas and Washington, which is excellent for those rostering Clingan.

Williams is set to return after sitting out Monday’s win over the Nets, which was Portland’s second game in as many nights. He’ll resume his usual backup center duties, with starter Donovan Clingan potentially playing a few minutes less than he normally would.

Clingan’s seven blocks were a season-high, and he only needed 24 minutes to hit that number. Portland winning in a rout likely cost the second-year center a new career-high in blocks, but fantasy managers will be satisfied with the production in that category as well as the 15 rebounds. Portland’s final three games of Week 22 are against the Bucks, Mavericks and Wizards; don’t be surprised if Clingan puts up a few more solid stat lines. And he’s unlikely to shoot 30 percent from the field, as he did against the Nets.

Monday’s game is the second in as many days for the Trail Blazers, so Williams’ absence is unsurprising. Starter Donovan Clingan may pick up a few more minutes, with Portland going small when he isn’t in the game. Yang Hansen’s best chance at playing time would be if the Trail Blazers led by a large margin.

While Clingan’s failure to record any defensive stats in Sunday’s defeat was disappointing, his continued progress as a perimeter shooter must be exciting for fantasy managers. Especially those competing in dynasty leagues. The 7-foot-2 center shot 4-of-7 from beyond the arc in Denver, after having shot 4-of-10 in his prior two appearances. Given the current state of the Nets, Monday’s opponent, it would be unsurprising if Clingan started Week 22 with another quality stat line.

The Timberwolves struggled to come up with an answer for Clingan during the first half of Friday’s game, as the second-year center recorded 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Minnesota did a better job with Clingan in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to keep Portland from leaving with the win. Clingan will have another challenging individual matchup on Sunday, as he and the Trail Blazers visit the Nuggets.

The Pacers struggled to come up with an answer for Clingan, who punished them on the glass and from beyond the arc on Wednesday. He dropped a season-high point total while matching his previous high with three three-pointers. Clingan finished with a complete stat line, providing fantasy managers with excellent value, especially when including percentages. Portland plays two more games in Week 21, starting with the Timberwolves on Friday.