NBA Player News

Los Angeles’ frontcourt lineup is quite thin, which means Mo Bamba and Nic Batum could see increased run if Zubac is forced to sit against Memphis.

This was Chicago’s 11th game in the month of January, and LaVine has now scored at least 30 in seven of them. He has been on a year, and in this game, it was enough to help them snap a five-game losing streak. LaVine has been enjoying a bounce back season, especially in the month of January. With Chicago barely hanging on to the final Play-In spot, LaVine’s name will certainly be tossed around at the trade deadline, especially if he continues to play this well. They have two more games this week, with Golden State up next on the schedule on Thursday.

With Ivica Zubac (eye) missing his first game of the season, Bamba was able to slide into the starting lineup for the first time this year. Unfortunately, Tyronn Lue abandoned the traditional lineup quickly and opted to roll with a small ball lineup for most of the game. Bamba turned in a solid line for only playing 15 minutes, but it’s clear that he shouldn’t be streamed if Zubac misses time moving forward.

Entering this game, Giddey had been going through a rough patch. He went scoreless in Portland on Sunday, and he had gone four straight games with less than 10 points. However, with both Ayo Dosunmu (calf) and Coby White (ankle) sidelined, Giddey was able to get back on track. He had his highest-scoring game since December and fell one assist shy of a triple-double. This was one of his best games of the season and was encouraging after his last few games. He’ll look to keep it going in Golden State on Thursday.

After sitting out the first leg of their back-to-back, Ball was able to slide into the starting lineup for this game with both Ayo Dosunmu (calf) and Coby White (ankle) sidelined. White doesn’t have a timeline for his return to the lineup, so Ball may end up seeing more starts in the future, especially if he will continue to have staggering availability during back-to-backs with Dosunmu. He shot poorly in this game, but he has been a top-100 player over the past two weeks. They don’t have another back-to-back until February 4th, so Ball should be available for their next handful of games.

Harden logged 40 minutes in a win over the Lakers on the first night of this back-to-back, and fatigue clearly set in for both him and the team in this game. They held a lead at halftime, but the tide turned in the third quarter, where the Bulls outscored them 36-16. Harden already has efficiency issues, but playing almost 80 minutes in 24 hours takes a toll on 35-year-olds, especially with both Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac out. Norman Powell (27 points) led the team in scoring and helped Harden record another double-double.

With Kawhi Leonard sitting out the second leg of their back-to-back, Mann was able to return to the rotation and post solid value. Mann was bumped out of the rotation in early December, but recently, he has played a significant role during blowouts and when Leonard is sitting out. He logged 22 minutes in this game after not playing at all on Sunday, which was enough time for him to score in double figures. Mann is still a capable rotation player, but he isn’t a player that is worth rostering in standard leagues at this point of the season.

After initially being announced as a starter for Monday’s game, Filipowski did not receive the nod, with fellow rookie Cody Williams doing the honors instead. However, this didn’t prevent the second-round pick out of Duke from having his best rebounding effort as a pro, grabbing 17 rebounds on the night. With Williams injuring his ankle during the second half of Monday’s game, more minutes may be available for Filipowski moving forward. With the Jazz being more than willing to sit Lauri Markkanen and John Collins, Filipowski will have added value during the “silly season.”

Kessler was back in the Jazz starting lineup after sitting out Friday’s loss to New Orleans, pushing Drew Eubanks to the bench. The third-year center recorded his fifth double-double in seven appearances and 17th of the season, ten more than his 2023-24 tally. Even with Utah being one of the NBA’s worst teams, Kessler’s bounce-back season has been one of the bright spots for a franchise looking to the draft lottery. Utah plays two more games without a back-to-back during Week 13. Hopefully, Kessler managers won’t have to worry about him getting another “rest” day.

George has scored 23 points or more in three straight games, and he may be one of the few Jazz regulars safe from being shut down later in the season. Utah is still looking to see if their 2023 first-round pick can be the point guard of the future, and rookie Isaiah Collier has also received opportunities to show what he can do. George’s fantasy value has been low, but the opportunity makes him worth rostering despite the efficiency issues.

Collier has started seven of Utah’s last eight games, reaching double digits in assists in three straight. Utah appeared to be on its way to a big win, leading by as much as 25, but the Pelicans managed to rally and win in overtime. With an eye toward the draft lottery and evaluating their current young talent, the Jazz will play Collier and company plenty between now and the end of the season. Collier is worth adding, especially in deep leagues.