Naji

Marshall

For the second straight game, Nembhard was limited to 17 minutes. However, unlike Thursday, the Mavericks did not have Brandon Williams. Naji Marshall (11/2/1/1 with one three-pointer in 26 minutes) replaced the rookie in the lineup to begin the third quarter, and there lies the risk in rostering Nembhard. Even with the move into the starting lineup, he has not consistently played starters’ minutes.

The good news is that Marshall reached double figures for the tenth consecutive game. The bad is that the stat line was meager outside of points and rebounds. And the limited production is why Marshall is ranked just outside the top-100 over the last two weeks. If Anthony Davis (groin) misses time, the Mavericks are going to need even more from Marshall. For that reason, he’s worth holding onto if you’ve been rostering him.

Thompson is good to go after initially being probable for Thursday’s game. While Naji Marshall’s usage may decrease after receiving a bump on Tuesday, he’ll remain in the starting lineup. His fantasy value should not take a significant hit with Thompson available.

Washington is dealing with right midfoot soreness, and he’ll get a questionable tag for the second leg of Dallas’ back-to-back set. If Washington is unable to go, Naji Marshall could see additional minutes, making him a favorable streaming candidate on Tuesday.

As long as Marshall is in the starting lineup, he’s worth rostering in 14-team leagues and some 12-team leagues as well. He didn’t record any defensive stats in Monday’s defeat, but the Mavericks wing has been a top-100 player over the last two weeks. Marshall will look to build on that production when Dallas hosts Denver on Tuesday.

Marshall was added to the injury report as questionable with an illness Thursday afternoon, but is ultimately available for the matchup with the Pistons. The 27-year-old small forward should be in the starting lineup and play without limitations.

Marshall’s late addition to the injury report puts him in danger of sitting out Thursday against Detroit. If Marshall ends up sidelined, Max Christie could get a significant boost. Christie has been playing well as of late and has standalone value when Marshall is available, but he’ll be even better if the latter is out.

After scoring just six points in his first game back on the bench on December 6, Christie got back on track Friday night. He’s reached double figures in three of his last four outings, with the 15 points being the most in a game for Christie since November 24. While Naji Marshall (17/1/4/1 with one three-pointer) appears to be locked into the starting lineup, Christie is still capable of providing value. Managers in deep leagues who held onto him were rewarded for their faith (or forgetting to drop Max) on Friday.

Back in the lineup after a four-game absence, Washington recorded one of his best all-around lines of the season. While the scoring was modest, he did a good job on the glass and matched his career-high with five steals. However, this was Washington’s second game this season with more than two steals, so fantasy managers should not expect Saturday’s performance to become the norm. And Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s decision to stick with Naji Marshall (15/2/2/1 with one three-pointer) was good news for those who turned to him while Washington was out.

Washington is available after a four-game absence with a sprained right ankle. If he starts, Naji Marshall will be pushed to the bench, where his fantasy value takes a slight hit. That said, Marshall should still play plenty due to injuries to other Mavericks players.