NBA Player News

Sidelined since injuring his ankle during an October 30 game against the Nets, Smart is closing in on a return to game action. He fully participated in Tuesday’s practice, and managers should consider him questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Lakers. Smart’s return will help the Grizzlies, who are without the injured Ja Morant. Scotty Pippen Jr. remains a must-roster player, regardless of Smart’s status.

Henderson was inserted into the starting lineup with Anfernee Simons out with an illness. He had 10 assists, but mostly struggled against the Hawks. He had six points on 10 shots, missed all three of his 3-point attempts, had four turnovers and didn’t attempt a free throw. He was -11 in 29 minutes in the victory. Henderson is only worth using in fantasy as a streamer when Simons is out and even in that scenario on Sunday he wasn’t especially useful.

Banton benefitted from Anfernee Simons missing another game. He came off the bench and had 23 points in 25 minutes. He was efficient as he took 19 shots to get there, but it was a solid performance late in the week as a streamer. Fantasy managers will certainly take it.

With Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton out for Portland again, Sharpe had another game with at least 30 points. His 32 points were a game-high and he could’ve had more, objectively. Sharpe was 11-of-21 from the field and only 7-of-12 from the free throw line. Still, he was +8 in 31 minutes in the four-point win. He’s now hit his ceiling twice while Portland has been down two of its stars, but ultimately he’ll have a lesser role when Simons and Ayton return.

Poole has had some big scoring games lately, but Sunday wasn’t one of them. He had 22 points on 16 shots. Poole knocked down 3-of-5 shots from behind the 3-point line and all three of his free throw attempts. He only turned the ball over twice, but was -33 in 27 minutes in the 20-point loss to the Pistons. Washington has three upcoming games in Week 5.

Garland led four 20-point scorers in Sunday’s win over Charlotte, pushing Cleveland’s record to an unblemished 15-0. They beat the Hornets without Donovan Mitchell, who was given the night off for rest reasons, and the Cavs have another back-to-back to navigate on Tuesday (at BOS) and Wednesday (vs. NOR). The second game may be one to watch for Garland, especially if the Cavaliers fall in Boston.

Allen has ten double-doubles in 15 games this season, and consistency is one reason he’s providing top-40 fantasy value. First-year head coach Kenny Atkinson’s vow to further emphasize Evan Mobley has not hurt Allen’s value, as he continues to do his work in the paint and on the boards. There’s no reason to doubt his ability to keep this going for the long haul.

Mobley was back in the lineup after an illness sidelined him for Friday’s win over the Bulls, and he made up for lost time with another double-double. The Cavaliers big is up to five on the season, and he’s providing top-40 per-game value in 9-cat formats. Cleveland plays three games in Week 5, beginning in Boston on Tuesday, as they look to remain undefeated.