NBA Player News

Jeffries isn’t in the rotation when healthy, so his status will not impact fantasy basketball.

Antetokounmpo is a little banged up after nearly posting a 34-point triple-double against the Cavs. He’s carried a heavy load as a scorer and rebounder this season and Bobby Portis is most likely to raise his fantasy stock should Antetokounmpo be ruled out.

Wiggins returned from a two-game hiatus on Saturday. He tallied 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal on a season-high 31 minutes. His outlook for Monday looks strong given that he’s had a day to rest.

Curry’s ankle injury has caused him to miss three games so far but he’ll get a chance to suit up to kick off next week. His scoring has been down this season but Golden State has done a fine job winning without him so far.

Quickley still hasn’t played since suffering a pelvis injury from a hard fall in his first game of the season. The Raptors guard hasn’t been listed as anything better than doubtful and Davion Mitchell should continue getting run as the team’s starting point guard.

Simmons posted his best stat line of the season his last time out with eight points, eight assists, 11 rebounds, and a pair of blocks against the Bulls. Brooklyn is being cautious to keep him healthy, but fantasy managers should be encouraged by what he’s been able to do so far.

Okongwu has cooled down significantly since notching 28 points and eight rebounds in the season opener. The Hawks big man is now in danger of missing a second game in 2024-25. Larry Nance could take on a larger role if Okongwu is ruled out.

Murray did not play against the Jazz because he was injured during the third quarter of Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves. Russell Westbrook received the starting nod and struggled with his shot, finishing with five points (2-of-11 FGs), three rebounds, seven assists, five steals, and one 3-pointer in 33 minutes. The good news for Denver is that Nikola Jokic is a more than capable playmaker, which will help compensate for Westbrook’s efficiency issues.

Zubac continues to reach double figures in rebounds, but he’s failed to score at least 10 points in two of his last three. While the Clippers center has never been a prolific scorer, his production is more critical with Kawhi Leonard sidelined. Zubac had a dreadful night at the charity stripe, as he was 1-of-5. Ranked just outside the top 100 in 9-cat per-game value, Zubac is a 3rd-round player when punting free-throw percentage (54.8%). The Clippers play four games in Week 3, beginning with the Spurs on Monday.

The good news for Harden managers on Saturday is that he kept the turnovers under control, only committing two. Unfortunately, the improved efficiency in that aspect of his game did not carry over into the shot profile. Harden shot 2-of-9 from three and 4-of-13 overall, dropping his percentage to 36.1% for the season. For all the consternation over Harden’s turnovers, poor shooting has been more detrimental to his fantasy value, and he’s still a top-15 player.

The Clippers shot 40.6% from the field on Saturday, with four of five starters making 40% of their shots or worse. Powell was the exception, turning in an efficient scoring night that included a personal 8-0 run late in the second quarter. The Clippers could not build on their finish to the first half, with Oklahoma City limiting the home team to 35 second-half points. Powell’s providing top 50 fantasy value, and nights like Saturday will help keep it that way.