Jerami

Grant

Grant was one of the few bright spots for the Trail Blazers in this one as he still managed to eclipse the 20-point threshold despite shooting just 31 percent from the floor, including 2-of-8 from three-point range. He did most of his damage at the charity stripe, knocking down 9-of-10 from the line. The 31-year-old forward has been hot of late, averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 blocks over his last four games. Portland has a light two-game week on tap with matchups against the Pelicans and Warriors.

Since scoring five points and missing all eight of his field-goal attempts in a November 21 win over the Warriors, Grant has reached double figures in five straight games. His season-long fantasy value has continued to exceed expectations, with the forward ranked within the top-100 in eight-cat formats. While rebounding remains an issue for Grant, the percentages have been solid, as has the defensive production.

On the heels of a 35-point outing against the Bucks, Grant failed to recapture his shooting touch on Wednesday. Against the Spurs, he didn’t make a three-pointer and shot below 30 percent from the field on nearly 20 shot attempts. Still, he managed to finish as the team’s second-leading scorer on a night in which only one Trail Blazer scored more than 13 points. Portland will need Grant to be productive going forward, given the team’s injuries. He’ll have a chance to bounce back against the Thunder on Sunday.

Grant recorded his second 30-point game of the season, dropping a season-high 35 on the Bucks. He did much of his work at the foul line, with 16 points from the charity stripe, the most for him since February 8, 2024, against the Pistons (18). Grant doesn’t offer much as a rebounder, but the increased scoring is why he’s a top-100 player in nine-cat formats. His average of 19.5 points per game is just over five points higher than his 2024-24 number (14.4).

There weren’t a ton of bright spots for Portland in this one but Grant did his best to keep them within shouting distance by knocking down five of six shots, including three from downtown, to score 16 points in the opening half. The Trail Blazers close out a back-to-back on Monday night with a road tilt against the Bucks before facing the Spurs and Thunder again to finish off a three-game week.

Grant was initially probable for Friday’s game, and his availability takes on added importance with Jrue Holiday (calf) set to miss at least another one to two weeks. Grant returned to the starting lineup due to Holiday’s injury and should remain there for the foreseeable future. While the rebounding production can be lacking, he’s worth rostering while the Trail Blazers are shorthanded.

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.

Grant returned to the Portland lineup on Wednesday after a one-game absence, starting due to Jrue Holiday (calf) being unavailable. If Holiday and Shaedon Sharpe are available on Friday, Grant will resume his usual sixth-man duties.

Back in the starting lineup after sitting out Tuesday’s loss to the Suns, Grant enjoyed his best offensive outing of the season. However, the season-high 33 points were the only highlight. Grant also provided solid value in the rebound and assist categories, a good sign for a player whose production in those categories has been deficient in prior seasons. He’s still providing top-100 value in eight- and nine-cat formats and can benefit from Shaedon Sharpe’s absence if the guard remains sidelined.

Grant, who did not play in Tuesday’s loss to the Suns, is back and will start due to Shaedon Sharpe (calf) being out. The other change is Cissoko, who replaces Kris Murray. While Murray will still play rotation minutes, his already-low fantasy value takes a hit with the lineup change. Cissoko may be able to provide some defensive stats, but he also has a low fantasy ceiling.