NBA Player News

With Patrick Williams sidelined for a second straight game, Dosunmu got the starting nod after Torrey Craig started in their last game. He took full advantage of the opportunity and had one of his best games of the season. Dosunmu’s eight assists were a new season-high, and this was his second 20-point game of the year. He has played 29 minutes per game this season, but he hasn’t been able to provide enough value consistently to be a great fantasy option. However, he loggd 38 minutes in this game, and if he continues to start, he’ll be worth streaming.

Sensabaugh hasn’t been a consistent part of Utah’s rotation this season, but in his last two appearances, he is averaging 17 points and four 3-pointers. His recent play has been enough to earn more playing time, but because of Lauri Markkanen’s knee injury late in this game, Sensabaugh could quickly see a bump in minutes. Assuming Markkanen misses their game on Wednesday, Sensabaugh could be in line for his first start of the season. He may not be the best streaming option on a day with 14 games, but he should be a solid source of 3-pointers for deeper leagues.

Markkanen left this game with just a couple minutes left in the fourth quarter following knee-to-knee contact with Victor Wembanyama. It’s unclear how severe the injury is, but Walker Kessler replaced him to finish out the game, though Brice Sensabaugh was also part of the group that closed out this game. Since Kessler is already a starter, it may be Sensabaugh that replaces Markkanen in the starting lineup on Wednesday against Denver. The second-year wing contributed 16 points and four 3-pointers off the bench in this game.

What a night it was for the rookie. After scoring a career-high 14 points in their last game, Dillingham provided an encore with the best game of his young career. He only got the chance to play extra minutes because of Mike Conley’s absence, but he clearly deserves to have a role when the team is fully healthy. They’ll play the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday, and if Conley remains out, Dillingham may be able to get the first start of his career, though he should continue to play a large role moving forward regardless.

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.