NBA Player News

Blatche, Darius Songaila and rookie Oleksiy Pecherov are listed as forwards, but all of them will see action at center. “We’re moving more towards calling them big men and not necessarily calling them centers or power forwards,” coach Eddie Jordan said. “We’re utilizing an offense where we may have three smalls [guards] and two bigs [forwards and centers], so they’re pretty much interchangeable. They can all do different things to help us.” Songaila could have value, while Pecherov isn’t likely to be worth owning this year. But Blatche should probably be bumped up cheat sheets, at least high enough that you think about grabbing him with your last-round pick.

No surprises here as Davis logged just seven minutes before sustaining the injury and didn’t return in the first half. Los Angeles carried an eight-point lead into the third quarter when Davis’ status was announced, so the Lakers will likely take a cautious approach to his health. Gabe Vincent started the second half for LA as the team played small ball, and he, Dalton Knecht and Christian Koloko will absorb Davis’ minutes in some capacity for as long as the big man is sidelined.

Murray will return following a one-game absence, and he should handle his normal workload against Phoenix.

Sabonis averaged 18 points, 20 boards and 4.5 assists across his last two games - production that will not be easily replicated. Trey Lyles started both of Sabonis’ prior absences this season, and he posted 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 dimes and a whopping 4.0 triples across 36.5 minutes in that pair of spot starts.

The non-contact injury is a brutal loss for LA. Davis went back to the locker room in the first quarter, and his status for the rest of the game is unclear. If he doesn’t return, he’ll finish with two rebounds and a steal across seven minutes. Christian Koloko will fill in at center for as long as Davis is sidelined.

Collins and George both sat out Monday against Cleveland, and Micah Potter and Svi Mykhailiuk filled in for them respectively. Expect the same lineup adjustments if both are sidelined Thursday.

The news is a major blow to Dallas, but if there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Mavs are 6-2 with Doncic on the sidelines this season. His monster usage and production will be tough to replicate, but the team will likely employ a committee approach featuring the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy.

With Jrue Holiday (shoulder) sidelined, Horford made his second consecutive start on Wednesday. The 38-year-old Celtic had a solid Christmas Day, knocking down five of his 10 3-point attempts and blocking two shots. And Horford may remain in the starting lineup longer, as Kristaps Porzingis sprained his ankle during the first half. Boston plays two home games against the Pacers (Friday and Sunday) to end Week 9, but they must navigate a back-to-back during Week 10.

Turnovers and the foul line remain areas of concern for Brown, who was responsible for five turnovers and missed all three free throws on Wednesday. Remove the turnovers, and he’s a top 70 player in 8-cat formats. However, for managers who can punt turnovers and free throw percentage, he’s a top-50 option. Brown’s holding onto a spot in the top 100 in 9-cat formats, but that may change if he continues to struggle with turnovers and poor foul shooting.

While the percentage hasn’t always been great, White has made at least three 3-pointers in five of his last six games. He’s making a career-best 3.6 per game for the season, nearly one more than his average from the 2023-24 campaign (2.7). White is providing close to top-25 value in 9-cat formats, which aligns with what he did during the Celtics’ run to the title last season.

Tatum has scored 28 points or more in four straight and five of his last six games, and he’s recorded a double-double (or better) in seven straight. The Celtics star has been an elite fantasy option this season, ranking seventh in 8- and 9-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. Tatum and the Celtics close out Week 9 with home games on Friday and Sunday against the Pacers.