NBA Player News

Washington is already actively trying to improve their lottery odds, so there is no reason for Middleton to play through injuries. Any knee pain simply isn’t worth the long-term effects. Colby Jones started the second half in place of Middleton, but AJ Johnson should also take on a larger role to finish the game.

With both Anfernee Simons (forearm) and Scoot Henderson (concussion) sidelined against Atlanta, Banton got the starting nod at point guard. He didn’t have an efficient night as a shooter, but he was able to turn in solid numbers in other categories. This was Banton’s first start of the season, but he had some big games as a starter last year. If Simons and Scoot remain out for Portland’s upcoming back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, Banton will be an appealing streaming option.

A starter in the Knicks’ last three games, Wright has reached double figures twice. He matched his season-high with 12 points on Tuesday while providing solid value in the rebound, assist and steals categories. Rostered in two percent of Yahoo! leagues, Wright hasn’t done enough to justify being rostered in most leagues. However, he’s done enough to earn Tom Thibodeau’s trust and hold off rookie Tyler Kolek, who continues to come off the bench. Kolek played 20 minutes against Philadelphia, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer. Wright and Kolek will handle the point guard duties as long as Miles McBride and Cameron Payne remain sidelined.

Robinson celebrated his 27th birthday Tuesday night with his best effort of the season, recording season highs in points and rebounds. Seven of the Knicks’ center’s 14 rebounds were of the offensive variety, and there was even an open-court Eurostep into a dunk during the first half. Add in the steal and blocked shots, and this was an excellent night for the nine percent of Yahoo! managers who have Robinson rostered. Filling in for Karl-Anthon Towns, he only played 21 minutes, which may open the door for Robinson to play in Cleveland on Wednesday. If so, this would be the first time he’s played both games of a back-to-back since returning from ankle surgery.

Shamet has played solid basketball recently, hitting multiple three-pointers in four straight games and reaching double figures in four of his last five. Tuesday’s performance was his best of the season, as the Knicks guard established season highs in points and three-pointers. Shamet did not provide much else that would benefit category league managers. Still, the minutes will be there as the Knicks continue without Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Cameron Payne. Shamet is not a must-add player, but he may be worth a look for New York’s Saturday/Sunday back-to-back among managers needing three-pointers in their matchups.

Anunoby continued his excellent scoring run on Tuesday, extending his streak of games with at least 23 points to seven. The Knicks forward is hitting his stride at the right time as the team pushes ahead toward the postseason. The lone negative for Anunoby on Tuesday was his six turnovers, but high-turnover nights have not been the norm. Over the past two weeks, OG has provided top-5 per-game value in nine-cat formats. The Knicks play three more games during Week 22, which is excellent news for those who have Anunoby rostered.

Tuesday’s game was the first for Lowry since February 9, as he missed nearly two months with a hip injury. The veteran guard did not provide much value beyond the two steals, missing his lone shot attempt on the night. There’s no need to roster Lowry at this point in the season, especially with the 76ers focused on doing all they can to hold onto their top-6 protected first-round pick.

Guerschon Yabusele’s absence on Tuesday led to Bona moving into the starting lineup, and the rookie center filled the stat sheet in 32 minutes played. The combination of rebounding and defensive stats has made Bona a solid fantasy asset as the season winds down. Over the past two weeks, he’s averaging 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 3.0 blocks per game. As a result, Bona has offered third-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. Rostered in 28 percent of Yahoo! leagues, Bona is worth adding, even though the 76ers only play two more games during Week 22.

Playing against the franchise that selected him with the 21st overall pick in the 2021 draft, Grimes continued his excellent late-season run. The 76ers guard has scored 20 points or more in 10 of his last 11 appearances, providing top-15 per-game value in eight-cat formats over the past month. At this point, all that may stop Grimes would be the 76ers deciding to sit him for the rest of the season. However, with Philadelphia 4-26 in its last 30 games, the front office doesn’t need to do much more to improve the team’s draft lottery odds.

As expected, Braun will be good to go once again. He’ll occupy his typical spot in the starting unit and should see a bump in usage with both Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. sidelined.

The Nuggets are without Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal), opening up two spots in the starting lineup. While Watson’s inclusion in the lineup is unsurprising, Pickett’s selection to start instead of Russell Westbrook is. Pickett’s fantasy ceiling is raised, but fantasy managers should expect Jokic to have the ball in his hands a lot.