NBA Player News

Williamson was questionable with thigh soreness entering the game, briefly went to the locker room during the game, but returned and finished the game. He led the Pelicans in scoring in a solid effort, but New Orleans is still understaffed and couldn’t overcome it against an undefeated Cavaliers squad. The Pelicans have just one more game this week against the Magic on Friday.

After scoring 27 points in their last game, Murray wasn’t able to provide much of an encore in this one. This was one of his lowest-scoring games of the season, though he was able to knock down a clutch triple with 10 seconds left in the game. He also made up for it by doing more playmaking and had his first double digit assist game of the season. Murray is shooting 39.7% from the floor this season, so the poor shooting isn’t new, but the assist and block bonus helped make up for it in this game. Luckily, there next game is a quick turnaround against the Lakers on Saturday. Murray always seems to be at his best against the Lakers, so this is a great chance for him to bounce back.

Watson hasn’t truly shined as the starter in place of Aaron Gordon, but he has been able to consistently provide numbers. During his seven starts, Watson has averaged 13.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.7 triples per game. That well-rounded production has allowed him to provide top-100 value during that stretch. It’s unclear how much longer Gordon will be sidelined, since the initial diagnosis had him missing “multiple weeks”. Until he’s back, Watson should be streamed with confidence.

Fox has been playing through a left hand injury since the beginning of November, but it hasn’t had a negative impact on his overall production. On Friday, he took a few hits to the hand. While there was no need to exit the game, this is something for fantasy managers to watch. Fox provides top 15 per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats for the season. The Kings end their Week 5 slate with a home game against the Nets on Sunday.

Sabonis returned to the lineup on Friday after missing two games, picking up where he left off regarding double-doubles. He’s recorded 13, only falling to do so in Sacramento’s season opener. Sabonis is providing 1st-round value in 8- and 9-cat formats, and it isn’t difficult to envision him maintaining that production level throughout the season.

After missing their last three games, Jokic was back in full force on Friday. He recorded his fifth straight triple-double, and he scored at least 30 points in the final three. He was out of the lineup due to the birth of his son, but his time away from the team didn’t slow him down at all. Denver may not have been able to get the win, but Jokic continues to be the best player in fantasy basketball night in and night out. He’ll look to extend his triple-double streak on the second night of a back-to-back against the Lakers on Saturday.

DeRozan was back in the lineup after a three-game absence and, to the surprise of few, looked a bit rusty on Friday. He attempted five 3-pointers on the night, a surprisingly high number for a mid-range maestro like DeRozan. This was the second game in which he’s had at least five attempts, so managers should not expect this to become the norm. As DeRozan works off the rust, he’ll return to the skill set that’s made him successful.

Porter has reached double figures in four of the Clippers’ last five games, but Norman Powell’s hamstring injury has not significantly impacted KPJ’s minutes. Amir Coffey (11 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer in 24 minutes) remains a better streaming option despite playing fewer minutes than Porter in Friday’s win.

While Zubac’s scoring has tailed off some since the beginning of November, the rebounding has not. The 7-footer has hit double figures in that category in five straight and 10 of 12 games in November, averaging 12.3 rebounds per game. Zubac remains a top 100 player in 9-cat formats, with turnovers (3.5 per game) being more impactful than the recent downturn in scoring.

The 17 points are the most Jones has scored in a game since November 11, when he tallied a season-high 20 against the Thunder. While he has been a 10th-round player over the last week, Jones hasn’t provided enough value to merit being rostered in most leagues. At best, he’s a player who deep-league managers consider streaming on light schedule nights.

Since scoring 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting in the Clippers’ November 17 win over Utah, Harden has shot 14-of-37 from the field. However, despite shooting 34.4% from the field over the last week, he has been a top 20 player in 9-cat formats. Harden’s production in other categories, especially assists, has been good enough to minimize the impact of his poor shooting from the field. The Clippers now hit the road, beginning with Sunday’s game in Philadelphia to end Week 5.