NBA Player News

After providing little value in his official Magic debut, Caldwell-Pope was considerably better on Friday. He knocked two a couple of 3-pointers, but the defensive production has allowed him to be more valuable to fantasy managers than anticipated in recent seasons. Caldwell-Pope recorded four defensive contributions against the Nets, and averaging two per game will make him a solid option in deeper leagues.

DiVincenzo got a second straight start in place of the injured Mike Conley. He was solid in the first one, but he really struggled in this one. It has been a disappointing season for him after he had the best year of his career in New York, and the trade rumors have already started swirling. Both Rob Dillingham (12/5/7) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (13/2/3) were more effective in this game and ended up playing more minutes. If Conley remains out on Wednesday, it wouldn’t be surprising if DiVincenzo doesn’t get a third start.

Despite the loss, Edwards was still able to get his numbers. He didn’t have his best night shooting the ball, but he was effective from the free throw line and set a new season-high for rebounds. Edwards has scored at least 20 points in all 17 of his appearances this season, and his 3-point revolution has resulted in a leap forward in 9-cat leagues. This was their third straight loss, but they’ll host the Kings on Wednesday, and they’ll enter that game on a four-game losing streak. One of those slumps will end, and if it’s going to Minnesota, Edwards is going to have to have a big night.

Sengun did a little bit of everything on his way to his third triple-double of the season. His field goal percentage has been an issue this season, and that held true in this game. He is shooting 47.3% this year, which is a steep drop from 53.7% last season. Still, just like in this game, Sengun has been able to consistently produce in every other category, which has resulted in him providing third-round value so far this season. He has truly taken a step forward this season, especially on the defensive end, which has been a big reason for the team’s early success.

Following back-to-back terrible performances against the Trail Blazers, VanVleet got back on track in a big way in this game. He was two rebounds shy of joining Alperen Sengun in recording a triple-double in this game, but he was still able to set a new season-high for rebounds, assists and 3-pointers. This was his best performance of the season, and he helped Houston win Group A of the NBA Cup and advance to the knockout round. He’ll look to keep this up in Philadelphia on Wednesday on the second night of a back-to-back.

Thompson had an excellent night, but he really came up big late in this game. He had a steal and layup late in the fourth quarter that forced overtime, and he ended up hitting a 3-pointer in overtime that kicked off an 11-0 run. Thompson has been playing at an incredibly high level, and he is making it difficult for Ime Udoka to keep him in a reserve role. Jalen Green played through an illness in this game, but he was ineffective in his 23 minutes. This is absolutely a situation worth monitoring, because Thompson will become a fantasy superstar if he enters the starting unit.

The first three quarters of Rozier’s return were disappointing, but he was instrumental in helping them nearly complete the comeback. He scored 14 of his 17 points in the final frame, and he nearly forced overtime with a last-second triple. He only played 21 minutes in his first game back, which was a new season-low. Rozier should get back to playing 30+ minutes soon, and he should eventually return to the starting unit in place of Duncan Robinson. However, there is a chance that he sits out the second night of the back-to-back on Wednesday, so keep an eye on the injury report.

After scoring at least 30 points in each of his first two games back from a four-game absence with an ankle injury, Butler wasn’t able to keep his streak alive in this one. However, he still had a solid night and led his team in scoring. It wasn’t enough to outduel Damian Lillard (37 points) and the Bucks, but it was still a productive performance for the fantasy managers that have Butler rostered. They’ll head to Charlotte to play the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday after this disappointing loss.

Robinson started their last two games with Terry Rozier sidelined, but he was able to remain in the starting unit despite Rozier’s return for this game. That likely won’t continue, but Robinson was able to have a productive night. His playmaking leap last season has continued this year, especially recently. He was able to set a new season-high for dimes in this one and was still able to provide some buckets and triples. Robinson’s role has been inconsistent, and he hasn’t always been productive when he gets the minutes. That makes him a difficult player to roster, but he was solid in this game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) was ruled out shortly before tipoff, which allowed Green to slide into the starting lineup. He was quiet for most of the night, but he hit back-to-back 3-pointers with about three minutes left in the game, which allowed the Bucks to maintain their late lead. Green isn’t going to contribute much more than triples when he gets the chance to start, but he is certainly capable of getting hot and making a big impact in that regard.

Portis normally is normally able to put up an excellent statline when Giannis Antetokounmpo is out of the lineup, but that wasn’t the case in this game. During Antetokounmpo’s only other absence this season, Portis put up 21/18 with three blocks in 39 minutes as a starter. This time, he came off the bench, played just 18 minutes and wasn’t able to provide much value. Portis has played 23.8 minutes per game this season, so this was actually worse than his typical performance. It was certainly frustrating for fantasy managers and DFS players alike that were counting on a big night from Portis.