Russell

Westbrook

Schröder has missed the last six games with a strained right hip flexor. It’s unlikely that he returns Thursday against the Nuggets given his doubtful listing. Schröder’s eventual return will cut into Russell Westbrook’s minutes significantly.

Add another triple-double to Westbrook’s tally, and he was excellent despite the Kings coming up short on the scoreboard. The veteran point guard recorded a complete stat line with just three turnovers; the lone negative was the foul shooting. Over the past two weeks, Westbrook has provided third-round per-game value in eight-cat formats. The combination of his play and Dennis Schröder’s hip injury has put Westbrook in a position to be rostered in 12-team leagues.

Schröder has missed Sacramento’s last five games, most recently playing on November 24. With Russell Westbrook seemingly locked into the starting point guard role, as he replaced Schröder before the injury, rookie Nique Clifford stands to be the player most likely to lose out on minutes if the veteran guard plays.

Yes, Westbrook committed six turnovers. However, he also recorded his eighth double-double, continuing to offer greater value than many anticipated when the Kings signed him at the end of the preseason. Westbrook will continue to possess increased fantasy value while Dennis Schröder (hip) is out, and there’s also more room in the rotation for rookie Nique Clifford. He played 18 minutes off the bench, finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, one steal and one three-pointer. The Kings are one of the few teams that play three games in Week 8, boosting the values of Westbrook and Clifford in leagues that don’t combine Weeks 8 and 9.

Schröder has missed Sacramento’s last two games but could return to take on Houston. If he does, Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk will likely lose out on a few minutes, but not enough to decimate the value of either player.

Even when he is written off, Westbrook continues to fill up the box score. In this game, he was able to record the 206th triple-double of his career, which extends his lead over everyone else that’s ever played in the NBA. Russ has his share of efficiency issues, but he is still more than capable of making a big impact in fantasy basketball when he’s given the minutes. It’s clear that Kings coach Doug Christie will continue to ensure that happens.

Wednesday’s game was a strange one for Westbrook, who is usually more reliable in the assist category. He shot 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and did a good job on the glass, but the veteran point guard recorded five turnovers. A high-turnover night is unsurprising, but one would expect more from Westbrook in the assist category to counter that. He’ll look to get back on track when the Kings visit the Jazz on Friday.

Playing in Denver for the first time since leaving the Nuggets in free agency this summer, Westbrook was outstanding on Saturday. The veteran point guard recorded an efficient double-double, and he’s providing top-100 value in eight-cat formats. Westbrook’s play led to him replacing Dennis Schröder as the Kings’ starting point guard earlier this season, and the depth chart won’t change anytime soon, given his solid play. The Kings play four games in Week 6, starting with the Timberwolves on Monday.

Murray - who has yet to make his season debut - is taking the next step in his rehab with this assignment, and a return to action should be on the horizon. Until Murray is given the green light, Russell Westbrook should continue to see elevated usage.

This was a historic night for Russ as he became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 10,000 assists. He also joined LeBron James as the only players to reach 25,000 points and 10,000 assists. He also recorded his second triple-double of the season and set a new season-high for dimes. It wasn’t enough to end the Kings’ losing streak, but it was a strong performance in his first game as their starting point guard. Westbrook should be rostered in standard leagues if you can deal with the inefficiencies.