NBA Player News

Jones got extra burn with Paul George mired in foul trouble, and he made the most of his opportunity. The Pacers have hit a bit of a lull lately, but this victory moved them three games ahead of seventh-place Boston.

After shooting 1-of-6 from three in Wednesday’s loss to the Bucks, Oubre knocked down three of six attempts on Friday. He’s been the biggest beneficiary from the absences of Paul George and Joel Embiid, taking on a more prominent role within the 76ers offense. Oubre will have value once those two return, and managers can continue to ride the wave until that time comes.

As was the case in Wednesday’s loss to Milwaukee, Maxey put up a solid point total, but the efficiency wasn’t there. Through two games, he’s shooting 16-of-54 from the field, a far cry from the scoring guard Maxey was last season. Of course, Paul George and Joel Embiid sitting due to knee injuries has much to do with that. Hopefully, those two return sooner rather than later, as fantasy managers who have Maxey rostered are essentially punting field-goal percentage.

After providing little value in his official Magic debut, Caldwell-Pope was considerably better on Friday. He knocked two a couple of 3-pointers, but the defensive production has allowed him to be more valuable to fantasy managers than anticipated in recent seasons. Caldwell-Pope recorded four defensive contributions against the Nets, and averaging two per game will make him a solid option in deeper leagues.

Jonathan Isaac’s absence did not impact Wagner’s playing time, but there was more room for the reserve big to make things happen offensively. Mo did that, shooting a high percentage from the field and leading the way for a bench unit that tallied 44 points on the night. Wagner’s most valuable in fantasy basketball when Wendell Carter Jr. is injured, so there’s no need to add him in the aftermath of Friday’s performance.

Wagner’s gotten off to an excellent start this season, shooting 20-of-35 from the field in wins over the Heat and Nets. While the fantasy value slipped some last season, the Magic wing can provide top 50 per game value. At worst, Wagner is a middle-round player in standard leagues.

While the Nets didn’t have a good night collectively, Schroder played well against German national team teammates Franz and Moritz Wagner. He was one of two 20-point scorers for the Nets (Cam Thomas) while also dishing out six assists. The inconsistent defensive production relegates Schroder to late-round value in standard leagues, but he’s certainly capable of nights like Friday.