NBA Player News

After a three-game slump in which he scored 29 points on 11-of-30 shooting, Poole got back on track in this one. He was one of the primary catalysts for the Wizards after halftime, shooting 5-of-10 from the field in the second half as Washington cut a 33-point deficit down to four. The Wizards did not have enough to complete the rally, but Poole’s play throughout the season has been encouraging. Washington plays four games during Week 21, starting with the Raptors on Monday.

Reaves’ breakout season continued on Thursday, and he added another milestone to his special year. Though it wasn’t enough for the Lakers to get the win, Reaves set a new career-high for three-pointers made in a game. He only had 12 points in their last game against Houston, but Reaves has now scored at least 30 points in three of the Lakers’ last four games. Over the course of the season, he has provided third-round value in nine-cat leagues and has been a first-rounder of the past two months. He will be an intriguing player heading into fantasy drafts next season.

For just the fourth time this season, Curry shot double-digit free throws, and the Warriors are now 4-0 when he does. In fact, his 14 attempts were a new season-high and the most he has shot in a game since 2021. This performance came on the heels of him scoring 52 points with 12 triples in a win over Memphis, and while Curry didn’t replicate that type of production, his 37 points with only four threes was impressive. This was only the 12th time in Steph’s career that he had at least 35 points while making four or fewer triples.

Following a one-game absence with a pelvic contusion, Kuminga was back to playing his typical reserve as a scoring option off the bench for the Warriors. Since returning from a two-month absence, he has scored in double figures without reaching 20 points in nine of his 10 games, with the game where he exited after playing just seven minutes being the only exception. Having Kuminga contribute off the bench has been helpful for Golden State, and the encouraging aspect for dynasty managers is that he is still only 22 years old.

After missing almost a month of games, it has taken Hachimura some time to get back on track. Thursday’s game was a good step as he had his highest-scoring performance since before the All-Star break. Hachimura has been a solid scoring option as a starter for the Lakers and has been able to maintain the starting job for most of the season. He doesn’t contribute value in many categories, but the points and efficiency have allowed him to be a decent fantasy option for most of the year.

James has had a few quieter scoring performances recently, but Thursday ended up being his highest-scoring game in nearly a month. It didn’t start out well, but he scored 25 of his 33 points after halftime, though it didn’t end up being enough for the Lakers to get the win. The loss dropped them to fourth in the West, and they hold a one-game lead over Golden State heading into a matchup with the Pelicans on Friday. After that, they’ll wrap up the week in Oklahoma City on Sunday in a tough matchup.

Less than a week after setting a new career-high with seven three-pointers, Podziemski eclipsed that mark once again. He got off to a blazing hot start to this game and entered halftime with 22 points and six three-pointers, which included a buzzer beater from halfcourt to enter the break. His second season in the league started off slow, but the 2023 first-round pick ranks inside the top 50 in nine-cat leagues over the past two weeks. He’s heating up at the right time for the Warriors and will be an intriguing option in fantasy drafts next season.

Barrett was back after getting a rest night against Chicago on Tuesday, and based on recent trends, he will likely get another one against the Pistons on Friday. However, while available against Portland, Barrett was able to have a productive night in the loss. He typically hasn’t been productive on the defensive end, but his four total defensive stats in this game were a new season-high for him, and his three steals were the most he has had in a game since before the All-Star break. However, managers shouldn’t expect this to be the new norm for Barrett.

Robinson was back in the starting lineup with Poeltl sidelined once again. The alternating availability has made it easy to know when Robinson will start and be productive, but it has been a headache to deal with. Still, he had a decent game in a loss, which is exactly what the Raptors are trying to make happen. He’ll likely be back to being a reserve against Detroit on Friday, but he should start in Brooklyn on Sunday to close out the week.

Agbaji has been part of the resting rotation in Toronto, and he has been paired up with RJ Barrett. Both he and Barrett were available in this game after resting on Tuesday, and they will both likely sit out against Detroit on Friday. However, Agbaji played well as a reserve on Thursday and had one of his best performances since the All-Star break. Still, the alternating availability makes him a headache to roster.

Banton got a second-straight start, and after struggling on offense in the first one, he had far more success in this one. He matched his season-high for points, which he has now reached four times this season. As long as Anfernee Simons (forearm) and Scoot Henderson (concussion) remain sidelined, Banton will continue to start at point guard. They have two more games this week, including the second night of a back-to-back in Chicago on Friday.