NBA Player News

With Grayson Allen (hip) sidelined, O’Neale was Frank Vogel’s choice to fill the void in the starting lineup. He got off to a good start, hitting four first-half 3-pointers as Phoenix grabbed control of the game. O’Neale’s final stat line was good, especially for fantasy managers who decided to stream him. Also impacted by Allen’s absence was Bol Bol, as his minutes increased due to Vogel deciding to stick with an eight-man rotation. Playing 22 minutes, Bol finished with 15 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, one block, and three 3-pointers. If Allen remains sidelined for Friday’s game against the Timberwolves, Bol will be worth a look in deep leagues.

Rozier was initially listed as probable for this game, so his absence is a surprising one. Duncan Robinson started in his place in their last game, with Dru Smith playing a large role off the bench. Robinson may be in line for another start, but with Smith sidelined for this one, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Alec Burks and Josh Richardson may have to take on some playmaking responsibility.

Sarr is a late addition to the injury report, and there is a chance that he misses a game for the first time in his career. If that happens, Jonas Valanciunas would likely get the starting nod in his place, with Marvin Bagley seeing extra minutes off the bench.

Poole was initially listed as questionable and has now officially been ruled out for this game. Bub Carrington should make a return to the starting lineup, and Malcolm Brogdon should see some extra minutes and touches, making both players worthy of a roster spot, at least for this game.

Butler missed practice on Saturday, but reports indicate that he’ll play against Dallas, even though he is still questionable on the injury report. He likely won’t officially be cleared until closer to tipoff, but managers should expect him to suit up. That means that players like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Alec Burks won’t be in line for extra minutes.

Murray’s shot hasn’t been as accurate as in years past, with the Nuggets guard continuing to shoot below 40% from the field. Over the last week, the improved defensive production has helped compensate for that, with Murray averaging 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. Given Murray’s career numbers, expecting that production level to hold would be unrealistic. Fantasy managers have to hope he can clean up the field goal percentage or at least get it safely above 40%.

Braun was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field on Saturday, and he’s scored 11 points or more in every game this season. Rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues, he’s provided 7th-round value over the past two weeks. Braun’s season-long value is even better, with the third-year guard ranked just outside the top 50 in 9-cat formats. Even with Denver playing three games in Week 6, his rostered percentage should increase.

Less than a week after he recorded his 200th career triple-double, Westbrook finished three rebounds shy of another in Los Angeles. By now, fantasy managers know what they’ll get from the veteran point guard, who continues to put up quality rebound and assist numbers. The percentages are the issue, but Westbrook shot 60% from the field on Saturday.

Three Nuggets finished Saturday’s win with double-doubles, with Porter recording his second in three games. Ranked just outside the top 50 in 9-cat formats for the season, MPJ’s lone issue has been the foul line. Porter has made 64.5% of his attempts for the season, and he’s shot 53.3% over the last two weeks. Cleaning up that category gives him a realistic chance of finishing the season as a top-50 player.

Jokic’s streak of triple-doubles ended on Saturday, but there should be no doubt who the best player in fantasy basketball (and the NBA) is. He finished the rout two assists shy of a sixth straight triple-double and heads into Week 6 as the top-ranked player in fantasy basketball. The Nuggets have asked Jokic to shoulder an even heavier workload, and he’s answered the call. Denver plays three games in Week 6, beginning with the Knicks on Monday.

James wasn’t as productive as he was in Thursday’s loss to the Magic, a game in which he scored 13 in the fourth quarter alone. Denver had dominated the series with the Lakers in recent years, and Saturday was no different, with the visitors taking over in the third quarter. James and the Lakers will look to bounce back when they visit the Suns on Tuesday, the first of four games in Week 6.