NBA Player News

CP3 has dished out at least 10 assists in two straight and three of his last five games. While he hasn’t been vintage Chris Paul regarding fantasy value, the 39-year-old is ranked just outside the top 50 in 9-cat formats. While many expected CP3 to have a higher ceiling with a return to starting point guard responsibilities, few expected him to be as productive as he’s been. He also notched a critical career milestone on Sunday, passing Jason Kidd into second on the all-time assists list.

Wade did not play in Monday’s win over the Jazz, and the Cavaliers were also without Isaac Okoro. Sam Merrill started and hit six 3-pointers, and if Wade cannot play, he is worth streaming.

Walter averages 20 minutes per game this season as a 20-year-old rookie. While he could see his role grow as the season goes along, he’s still a member of the Raptors bench rotation. Jamison battle could see more minutes with Walter out Thursday, though he’s not worth streaming.

Gordon injured his calf during Wednesday’s loss to the Suns, and it’s the same one he injured in early November. That particular strain cost Gordon three-plus weeks of game time, as he did not return until December 1. Peyton Watson is the likely replacement in the starting lineup, and he should be streamed wherever available.

Murray returned from a one-game absence Wednesday and didn’t play particularly well against the Suns. He was 4-of-10 from the field with 13 points and six assists. Murray will look to bounce back against the Cavaliers Friday.

Lillard will miss a fourth consecutive game, with the last two due to an illness. Ryan Rollins has been the starter and is worth streaming in deep leagues. Also worth a look in deeper formats is AJ Green, whose minutes have increased with Lillard sidelined.

Eason is missing his fourth straight game Thursday. His leg injury is particularly concerning since he missed most of last season with a stress reaction in the same leg. Cam Whitmore will likely remain in the Rockets rotation with Eason out Thursday.

Bogdanovic is out for a second consecutive game, which means more playing time for Garrison Mathews. While he may not go off for seven 3-pointers, as he did in Monday’s win over Minnesota, Mathews will have every opportunity to make something happen.

Simmons has been the primary playmaker for Brooklyn since trading Dennis Schroder to the Warriors. Despite his lack of scoring, he’s still going to handle the ball and see plenty of usage with Cam Thomas still out. Given his lower back issue, Simmons will likely sit out Friday’s game against the Spurs to avoid playing back-to-back games.

Young was listed as questionable after playing 31 minutes against the Timberwolves Monday. Expect him to have a similar workload in a good matchup against the Bulls Thursday now that he’s been cleared to play.

Middleton was initially probable for Thursday’s game, so the status upgrade was expected. While he’ll be in the starting lineup, Middleton’s minutes are unlikely to increase much. With Damian Lillard unlikely to play, Middleton will have more opportunities to serve as the primary playmaker.