NBA Player News

Horford will be back after missing their last game, which means that the Celtics will be at full strength for the first time in three and a half weeks. Horford will fill out his typical large role off the bench.

After putting up 25 points in Friday’s loss to the Nuggets, Filipowski was one point better on Saturday. The second-year center shot just over 71 percent from the field, and the overall stat line was excellent. Filipowski playing both games of the back-to-back at this point in the season is encouraging for fantasy managers, especially since Utah’s Week 23 is a four-game week and doesn’t include a back-to-back.

Ighodaro didn’t miss a shot from the field on Saturday; such is life when you’re able to play off of guards who can set you up around the basketball consistently. While his fantasy value has remained relatively low, the second-year center has done enough to merit rostering in deep leagues while the Suns await Mark Williams’ return from a foot injury. Ighodaro’s role for Week 23 should remain the same, which is good for those who have been rostering him.

On a night when starter Collin Gillespie (0/3/7/1/1) missed all eight of his three-point attempts, Allen’s shooting off the bench was critical. He made four of his 11 three-point attempts while also recording a complete stat line in one of his better all-around performances since the All-Star break. Allen has played 23 and 21 minutes in two games since returning from a knee injury, and his minutes are likely to increase moving forward. In that scenario, Gillespie’s opportunities may take a hit.

Green was outstanding on Saturday, shooting over 50 percent from the field and committing no turnovers. Just as good for the Suns was that he only needed to play 22 minutes, as the Suns outscored Utah by 18 points in the first quarter and remained in control throughout. While his category league value has remained low since the All-Star break, Green has been a solid option in points leagues. That should not change in Week 23, with the Suns playing four games.

Booker and the Suns made short work of the Jazz, outscoring the visitors by a 39-21 margin in the first quarter and never looking back. He’s scored at least 22 points in three straight and 12 of his last 13 games, picking up the production at the right time. Since the All-Star break, Booker has been a top-50 player in eight-cat formats. The Suns hit the road for all four of their Week 23 games, starting with a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday against the Grizzlies and the Magic.

Sexton, who has scored at least 22 points in three of his last four appearances, nearly won Saturday’s game. However, his basket came after the time expired, so the Bulls lost by a point. Given how much he has been used recently, Sexton is worth rostering in deep leagues, especially with the Bulls playing four games in Week 23. Since the All-Star break, he has provided ninth-round value in eight-cat formats.

Giddey, who has recorded at least 10 assists in five straight games, finished Saturday’s defeat with his 13th triple-double of the season. Add in the “stocks,” and this was an excellent end to Week 22 for managers rostering Giddey. Chicago plays four games in Week 23, and it’s fair to wonder how much he’ll play moving forward. Head coach Billy Donovan has said that it would take a directive from the front office to change his approach, so Giddey managers should be fine for the time being.

Jones nearly helped the Bulls snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, leading a breakaway in the final seconds while the team trailed by a point. Unfortunately, his pass to Collin Sexton and subsequent basket came after time expired, so the Bulls lost. That may not have been the best result for the players, but Bulls fans eager to strengthen the team’s lottery odds won’t feel the same. As for Jones, he’ll remain an incredibly valuable option for fantasy managers in Week 23.