NBA Player News

We didn’t think it was possible for Evans to play 38 minutes and score less than 10 points, but he did it tonight. He’s deferring to Marcus Thornton (20 points, two 3-pointers) and Isaiah Thomas (21 points, 8 assists, one 3-pointer) more than he probably should be, and has become an inconsistent fantasy player because of it.

Pritchard got his first start of the season on Sunday, but he returned to playing his typical role as Boston’s sixth man. That is where he has been most comfortable this year, and he was once again able to have a strong performance off the bench. This was his sixth-straight game with at least three three-pointers, which lines up with Boston’s current winning streak. Jayson Tatum (ankle) exited early with an ankle injury, and while that doesn’t mean that Pritchard will start, he should see a few extra minutes and shots.

Edwards has had a lot of success as an undrafted rookie out of Kentucky, and Monday’s game was just the latest chapter. He wasn’t able to score 20 points for a third-straight game, but he was able to set a new career-high for three-pointers. He has now scored at least 18 points and hit five triples in five consecutive games. Edwards should continue to get the opportunity to build on performances like this one for the remainder of the season.

After coming off the bench on Sunday, Butler returned to the starting unit on the second night of a back-to-back. His last few games had been subpar, but he had one of his best scoring nights of the season on Monday. Unfortunately, it was paired with an uncharacteristically low assist night for him, though he made up for it with a new season-high for steals. Butler should continue to play a large role for the tanking 76ers for the rest of the season.

With Malik Monk (illness) sidelined for a second-straight game, Ellis was able to remain in the starting unit. He was once again able to provide a strong, well-rounded stat line while playing significant minutes. Ellis is more than capable of being a fantasy stud, but when everyone in Sacramento is healthy, he gets stuck in a reserve role. That may work for Sacramento, but it limits his upside for fantasy managers. This was the first night of a back-to-back, so if Monk remain out against the Thunder on Tuesday, Ellis may hold streaming value for another game.

Brown missed Boston’s last three games but was able to suit up against Sacramento. He only logged 26 minutes, but that was enough time for the Celtics to get a big win. Even when he was on the floor, it was a quiet performance for Brown. That isn’t something that managers should get used to, even if his last few appearances have been subpar. Jayson Tatum exited early with an ankle injury and could remain out in Phoenix on Wednesday, which would lead to extra shots for Brown.

Sabonis was initially expected to miss at least three more games with this ankle injury, but he was able to suit up after missing just three games. Of course, he got right back to work and recorded his 52nd double-double of the season. He achieved that mark before halftime, though it wasn’t enough for Sacramento to get the win. Sabonis has had one of the best seasons of his career, though his numbers have taken a hit in the second half of the season. Hopefully he can close out the season by continuing to dominate the glass like he did on Monday.

Richards was back in the Suns’ lineup after sitting out Friday’s win over the Cavaliers with a calf injury. While he wasn’t spectacular against the Bucks, Nick did record his ninth double-double since joining the Suns via trade. His return pushes Oso Ighodaro to the bench, with the rookie tallying four points, two rebounds and one steal in 19 minutes. Mason Plumlee, who also was available after missing Friday’s game, picked up a DNP-CD. While Richards hasn’t been a great fantasy option, he’s done enough to merit being rostered in deep leagues.

Booker did not have a great night shooting, as he missed all five of his three-point attempts. However, he made the game’s biggest shot, nailing a step-back jumper with just under two seconds remaining to give Phoenix the victory. If there has been an issue for Booker recently, it has been the inconsistent nature of his scoring. He’s failed to crack 20 points in three of his last six outings, averaging 23.4 per game. That’s more than two points lower than Booker’s season average. While the hit hasn’t significantly damaged the Suns’ guard’s fantasy value, managers hope to see Booker get untracked during his final three games of Week 21.

Durant has been on a tear recently, scoring 26 points or more in three straight games while shooting over 50 percent from the field in each. Seven three-pointers were included in his gaudy stat line on Monday, tying his season-high. Over the past week, Durant has provided top-5 value in eight- and nine-cat formats. And with the Suns playing three more games during Week 21 with no back-to-backs, this is an excellent time to have Durant rostered.

Despite being used in a reserve role, Trent’s fantasy value has increased with Damian Lillard out of the Bucks’ lineup. Over the past week, he has provided fourth-round value in nine-cat formats. Points, three-pointers and steals have been the areas in which Trent has been most valuable recently, and he had good nights in those categories in Phoenix. Rostered in just 10 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Trent is worth rostering while Lillard sits.