Sacramento

Kings

With no Nique Clifford (hamstring), Plowden was given his third start of the season. He took advantage of the opportunity, recording the first 20-point game of his NBA career. Plowden did not provide much beyond the points and three-pointers, but Clifford’s injury may open the door for him to become fantasy-relevant during the final weeks of the regular season.

Two days removed from dropping a season-high 32 points, Raynaud recorded a second consecutive 30-point game on Thursday. He wasn’t as productive on the glass as he was in Tuesday’s loss to the Spurs, but many fantasy managers will be fine with the efficient 30-point effort from the rookie center. The Kings end Week 21 with a game against the Nets on Sunday, which could be another good game for Raynaud.

Monk appeared to injure his right shoulder on a first-half foul at the hands of Philadelphia’s Andre Drummond. He played 16 minutes before being ruled out for the night, finishing with four points, one rebound and five assists. Daeqwon Plowden, who started Thursday’s game for Nique Clifford, could see his minutes increase due to the Kings’ many injuries.

With Nique Clifford sidelined with a hamstring injury, Plowden will enter the starting unit. This will be his third start of the season, and he has scored in double figures in six straight games. He’ll look to keep that streak alive in an expanded role.

Monk will return after a four-game absence, and he should pick up some of the backcourt slack while Nique Clifford (hamstring) is sidelined. Daeqwon Plowden could see fewer minutes with Monk back in action.

Unfortunately for fantasy managers, the rookie will have to sit out in the midst of a stretch of strong performances. Malik Monk is available and should pick up some of Clifford’s vacated minutes.

While Clifford has not missed any time, hamstring injuries can be tricky. As for Monk, he has missed the last four games, resulting in more playing time for Daeqwon Plowden. While he did exit Tuesday’s loss to the Spurs with a left leg injury, Plowden is not on the injury report for Thursday night.

Carter continues to miss time with a calf injury, leaving Killian Hayes to handle the backup point guard duties in his absence. As long as the Kings are starting Russell Westbrook, there isn’t much to gain from rostering Hayes.

This wasn’t a great performance for Westbrook, but the highlight of his night was that he passed Steve Nash to move into fifth place on the all-time assists list. Over his last five games, Westbrook has averaged 10.2 assists and has dishes out double-digit dimes in all but one of those. His appearances have been spotty with back-to-backs, but he should be available for the remainder of this week, barring a rest night against the tanking Nets on Sunday.

In what was an ugly loss for Sacramento, the rookie was once again able to be a bright spot. He set a new career high for scoring and nearly added another double-double to his resume. He has been a beacon of hope in a rough season for the Kings, and he should continue to be a strong fantasy option down the stretch. They have two more games this week, with the 76ers up next on Thursday.