NBA Player News

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Grant will be listed as doubtful for this game. He will be ruled out shortly before tipoff. Jabari Walker and Kris Murray will continue to start at the forward spots. Like clockwork, this will be what happens for the rest of the season. Managers shouldn’t expect to see Grant again this season.

While Butler’s agent shot down a prior report regarding Butler’s desire to be traded, the Heat forward himself said after Thursday’s loss to the Pacers that he doesn’t see himself regaining his joy on the court in Miami. Heat president Pat Riley said last month that the team would not be trading Butler, but it’s fair to wonder if his recent performances will change that line of thinking. Fantasy managers should root for a trade, as Butler has provided minimal value with the Heat in recent games. Maybe a change of scenery will do the trick, regardless of where he lands.

In his second game with Brooklyn, Russell was able to slide into the starting unit and record a double-double despite a poor shooting performance. Unfortunately, his night was cut short. He subbed out of the game with 1:06 left in the fourth quarter and didn’t return due to cramping in his leg. That isn’t something that will linger into their next game, but it did prevent him from helping them close out the game. He started in place of Ben Simmons, who sat out the second night of a back-to-back. Russell played well as a reserve in his first game with the Nets on Wednesday, and that is likely the role that he will return to on Saturday.

Brooklyn held a three point lead in the closing seconds of this game. Damian Lillard missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer, and with both Johnson and Ziaire Williams going for the rebound, the result was Johnson injuring his ankle and the Bucks getting another 0.6 seconds on the clock to have another chance at a tie. That didn’t end up mattering as Milwaukee wasn’t able to get a good look, but the ankle injury is frustrating for Johnson as he has played incredibly well recently. If Johnson remains sidelined against the 76ers on Saturday, there should be some extra minutes for Williams and Jalen Wilson.

Thomas sat out during Wednesday’s loss to the Raptors after making his return from a month-long absence in their previous game. He suited up for the second leg of a back-to-back in this one, and while he still came off the bench, he was once again able to supply plenty of buckets. He took 22 shots in 22 minutes and had an inefficient 20+ for the second straight game. Thomas got off to a hot start in this game and scored 12 points in the first quarter, but he cooled off after that. It’s unclear when he’ll move back into the starting unit, but it’s clear that the managers that are relying on him for points won’t have to worry about his role.

Free throws have always been a stain on Antetokounmpo’s numbers in fantasy basketball, but they were especially poor in this game. He missed seven of his 10 attempts, which resulted in his worst free throw percentage in a game where he had at least 10 attempts in a game this season. The rest of his production was incredible, per usual, which is something that fantasy managers planned for during the draft. Still, Giannis is averaging a career-high 32.4 points per game and hasn’t scored less than 25 in a game since the middle of November. Don’t expect that to change with Portland coming to town on Saturday.

After scoring just nine points on 3-of-14 shooting in their win over the Pacers on Tuesday, Lillard wasn’t able to bounce back in this one. Sure, he scored closer to his season average, but the shooting woes continued, and he has shot just 32.1% from the floor in the three games since he returned from a four-game absence due to an illness. Overall, it has been a strong second season in Milwaukee, and a few poor performances shouldn’t ruin what he has been able to accomplish so far this season. With his former team coming to town on Saturday to close out the week, Lillard will look to find his shot.

Middleton got off to a strong start on Thursday and entered halftime with 10 points. However, he wasn’t able to replicate his success after the break. He logged a season-high 31 minutes in their last game, but they opted to reduce his minutes a bit in this one as he continues to recover from offseason ankle surgeries. This was a disappointing performance in comparison to what he has put together over the past two weeks, where he has averaged 17.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.3 threes on 51.6% shooting from the floor. Middleton will look to get back on track against the Trail Blazers on Saturday.

Coming off a one-game suspension, Rozier was able to log 30 minutes as a reserve in this game. He was a solid scoring option despite not being able to get any 3-pointers to go down, but he made his biggest impact as a playmaker. He had a total of six assists across his previous five games, but he tied his season-high for dimes in this one. Rozier’s first full season in Miami has been incredibly disappointing, but he has picked up his play recently. We’ll see if he can keep it up, or if a potential Jimmy Butler trade gives him a chance to take on a larger role.

Despite shooting 37.5% from the foul line, Zubac has been a 6th-round player in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks. Regarding season-long value, he has been one of the best centers to have rostered in FT%-punt builds, providing 3rd-round value. The lingering question is how Kawhi Leonard’s return will impact Zubac’s offensive opportunities. The good news for fantasy managers is that Big Zu isn’t a player who commands a high number of post touches throughout a game, so he should be fine.

Coffey started Thursday’s game because a sore groin sidelined James Harden. And in what’s expected to be the Clippers’ final game before Kawhi Leonard makes his season debut, Coffey made the most of his opportunity in Oklahoma City. He tallied season-highs in points and 3-pointers while shooting a highly efficient 10-of-14 from the field. The Clippers head home for their final game of Week 10, Saturday night against the Hawks. With Leonard and Harden possibly being available, there’s no need to add Coffey.