NBA Player News

Availability has been a major concern for Leonard over the last seven seasons, and while he appeared in 68 games in 2023-24, he missed four of Los Angeles’ six playoff games. His withdrawal from Team USA is likely do to health concerns, and White - fresh off a championship with Boston - will replace him on the roster. White joins teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

Few, if any, expected Batum to be as impactful offensively as he was on Friday. The Clippers forward shot 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, and the 17 points are the most he’s scored in a game this season. Add the complete stat line, and the one percent of Yahoo! managers with Batum rostered were handsomely rewarded on Friday. However, as good as this performance was, it has not been the norm for the veteran forward. Batum has scored in double figures four times this season, and his previous high was 12 points. Unless there’s a dire need to roll the dice on Sunday night, there’s little need to add Batum ahead of the Clippers’ game against the Kings.

The Knicks could not come up with an answer for Zubac early in Friday’s game, as he ran the floor and punished mismatches before a lumbering Karl-Anthony Towns got into position defensively. The Clippers center scored 10 of his 16 points before halftime, and he would eventually record his seventh straight double-double. Since the All-Star break, Zubac has provided top-30 value in eight- and nine-cat formats, cracking the top 25 in the latter. He’ll look to end Week 18 on a high note when the Clippers host the Kings on Sunday.

One game removed from scoring a season-high 50 points, Harden was held in check by the Knicks. However, he hit five three-points and led the Clippers with a game-high 27 points. Since the All-Star break, Harden is ranked 13th in eight-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. For the season, he has provided first-round value in eight-cat. While his Yahoo! ADP of 15 suggests that this was believed to be a realistic possibility, Harden deserves credit for exceeding expectations thus far.

Leonard struggled to find his shot from deep, making one of six three-point attempts, but the ability to get to the foul line paid dividends on Friday. Having scored 20 points or more in four straight and six of his last seven outings, the Clippers forward has been a top-50 player in eight-cat formats since the All-Star break. Among Clippers players, only James Harden and Ivica Zubac have been more productive than Leonard. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Leonard may be limited to three games during Week 19 because of a back-to-back. The good news is that he has another game during Week 18, as the Clippers host the Kings on Sunday.

Hart made some personal history on Friday as he grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds. Add in the points and assists; this was a good night to have the Knicks wing rostered. The shooting remains an issue, but Hart has been more aggressive in hunting his shot in the first two games of this road trip. And teams will continue to dare him to shoot, as Jalen Brunson (ankle) is out for at least two weeks. Hart has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy basketball this season, but he’s ranked outside the top 150 in nine-cat formats since the All-Star break.

Towns’ performance on Friday was uneven, as he got going after a slow start. The Clippers’ strategy early on was clear: have Ivica Zubac sprint down the court at every opportunity and look to punish mismatches. With Towns caught pursuing offensive rebounds, the Clippers benefitted early on. KAT would adjust, but he again had difficulty attacking smaller players on the offensive end of the floor. With Jalen Brunson (ankle) out for at least two weeks, the Knicks will count on Towns for even more production. If he can come through, fantasy managers who have KAT rostered will benefit significantly during the playoff weeks.

After enduring a stretch in which he scored 15 points or fewer in four straight games, Bridges was more productive on Friday. However, an aggressive start to the second quarter was countered by periods in which he had little impact offensively. And with Jalen Brunson (ankle) out at least two weeks, the Knicks need a more consistent Bridges on the court. From a fantasy standpoint, he has been underwhelming this season. But the Brunson injury gives Bridges an opportunity to be more aggressive offensively and turn things around. The Knicks are off until Monday when they begin a three-game Week 19 in Sacramento.

Friday’s game was the first the Knicks played since Jalen Brunson sprained his right ankle during Thursday’s overtime loss to the Lakers. While McBride’s assist production was solid against the Clippers, he had a rough night shooting the basketball. Missing all four of his two-point attempts, the Knicks guard was 2-of-9 from three. Even with the Knicks only playing three games during Week 19, the circumstances make McBride a player worth streaming in deep leagues. Unfortunately, he can be erratic as a shooter.

After three consecutive games in which he scored 17 points, Booker exploded in Denver. He’s scored 30 points or more on three occasions since the All-Star break, but the assist production stands out. As one of the top 20 players in eight-cat formats, Booker has averaged 8.0 assists per game since the break. The decision to replace Tyus Jones with Bradley Beal has raised Booker’s fantasy ceiling, as he’s spending more time on the ball as a playmaker. And that has to please those who have him rostered heading into the fantasy playoffs.

Durant has scored 26 points or more in three straight and five of his last six outings. Included in Friday’s performance was a corner three at the buzzer to force overtime. Since the All-Star break, the 15-time All-Star has been a top 20 player in eight- and nine-cat formats. Durant has been a top-10 player in both formats this season, exceeding his Yahoo! ADP of 19. Clearly, the 36-year-old sniper still has plenty left in the tank.