Give Philadelphia some credit for fighting back into Wednesday’s game, as they were on the wrong end of what could have turned into a blowout. They couldn’t finish the job, falling to 2-11 on the season, and Paul George hyperextended his left knee for the second time this season. The 76ers will learn more about the severity of the injury on Thursday, but it’s worth noting that George missed the first five regular season games after his initial knee injury.
Another extended absence for George may put Kelly Oubre Jr. (26% rostered, Yahoo) back on the radar in some standard leagues. He only attempted five shots on Wednesday, finishing with seven points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one 3-pointer. Oubre’s fantasy value hasn’t been anything to write home about, but George’s injury could push him up in the rotation. And if Jared McCain (50%) remains available in your league, don’t hesitate to pick him up.
Let’s look at a few of Wednesday’s top pickups:
Donovan Clingan (30%), Portland Trail Blazers
Clingan made another start on Wednesday, as Portland remains without Deandre Ayton (finger). Despite playing fewer minutes than backup Robert Williams III, Clingan tallied 10 points, nine rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and one 3-pointer. The lottery pick out of UConn doesn’t need starters’ minutes to provide value, as evidenced by his production in 21 minutes on Wednesday. Even if Ayton returns by the end of this week, Portland has a Friday/Saturday back-to-back. Hold onto Clingan if you have him rostered.
Anthony Black (15%), Orlando Magic
Black has gotten off to a good start on Orlando’s three-game road trip, accounting for 37 points, 17 assists, three steals, and five 3-pointers in matchups with the Suns and Clippers. While he committed six turnovers in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers, Black’s overall line was solid as he continues to separate from Cole Anthony in the competition for minutes off the bench. The second-year guard played 33 and 29 minutes in the first two games of the road trip, and that’s unlikely to change when Orlando visits the Lakers on Thursday.
Ty Jerome (14%), Cleveland Cavaliers
Given how many perimeter players the Cavaliers were down on Wednesday and the opposition, Jerome was an easy streaming choice. But few expected him to do what he did in the first half of Cleveland’s rout of the Pelicans. Jerome hit seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points in the first half, finishing with 29 points, three rebounds, one assist, and seven 3-pointers in 23 minutes. Jerome has played well enough to merit consideration to be rostered even when Darius Garland is available. The lone negative is Cleveland playing just once more in Week 5 (Sunday vs. Toronto), but Jerome was good enough to make some managers consider holding onto him anyway.
Amir Coffey (3%), Los Angeles Clippers
Coffey was the choice to replace the injured Norman Powell in the starting lineup, and he had a good night in the Clippers’ win over Orlando. In 33 minutes, he tallied 18 points, four rebounds, one assist, and four 3-pointers. While it would have been nice to get some defensive production from Coffey, Wednesday’s line was a good starting point. He should get at least one more start, as Powell has already been ruled out for Friday’s game against the Kings. How the rotation will look when the Clippers hit the road, beginning with their game in Philadelphia on Sunday, has not been determined.
AJ Green (2%), Milwaukee Bucks
Doc Rivers’ decision to start Andre Jackson Jr. may have boosted Green’s value, as there’s a more pressing need for his perimeter shooting. Green shot 5-of-7 from deep in Wednesday’s win over the Bulls, finishing with 18 points, two rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one blocked shot. He’s ranked just outside the top 150 over the last two weeks, so Wednesday’s performance isn’t enough to make him a must-add. But this is a situation to track, especially with Jackson only playing 14 minutes despite starting.
Torrey Craig (< 1%), Chicago Bulls
Chicago played Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee without Patrick Williams, who sat due to bilateral foot soreness. This is highly concerning as he underwent season-ending surgery on his left foot in February. He’ll miss at least Chicago’s next three games, with Craig replacing Williams in the starting lineup in Milwaukee. The veteran forward had a good night, finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block, and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes. Ayo Dosunmu (22%) would be a safer streaming option for Chicago’s next two games (Friday/Saturday), but Craig will also have value if he remains in the starting lineup.
Jaylon Tyson (< 1%), Cleveland Cavaliers
While it was initially reported that Georges Niang would move into the starting lineup on Wednesday, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson decided to go with Tyson instead. The first-round pick was excellent, tallying 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 37 minutes. Cleveland has looked to address its wing issues in the past, most notably signing the currently injured Max Strus in the summer of 2023. As good as this team has been, having another wing step forward would be huge. It may be too early to point to Tyson as that guy, but the Cavaliers had to be thrilled with what they saw from him.
Antonio Reeves (< 1%), New Orleans Pelicans
Reeves wasn’t a player many fantasy managers would have rolled the dice on for Wednesday’s slate. But given how shorthanded the Pelicans are, someone may have taken the chance. And they were handsomely rewarded, as the rookie scored 17 points in each half of Wednesday’s loss to the Cavaliers. Reeves finished with 34 points, five rebounds, three assists, and four 3-pointers in 40 minutes, shooting 14-of-25 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line. New Orleans hosts the Warriors on Friday, and they may get some help beyond Brandon Ingram. So, there’s no reason to add Reeves in the aftermath of this performance...unless they go into that matchup just as shorthanded as they were in Cleveland.
