NBA Player News

Both players sat out against the Spurs on Saturday, but they’ll both take the court following a one-game absence. Jaylen Brown (knee) is questionable, so both Horford and Pritchard could see additional minutes if Brown ends up sitting out.

Zubac has recorded a double-double in ten straight games, with Friday’s effort pushing his tally to 54 for the season. The Clippers’ center continues to impress, and he has been a fourth-round player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Even better for the Clippers is Zubac played 27 minutes on Friday, the second time he’s failed to pass that number since the All-Star break. The Clippers are in a hotly contested race in the middle of the Western Conference, so any opportunity to get their starters additional rest will be welcomed.

Powell was solid on Friday, but fantasy managers were doomed when the game got out of hand by halftime. Over the past two weeks, he has only been an 11th-round player in nine-cat formats, five rounds lower than his season-long value. The decreased scoring output has been a factor, with Powell averaging 17.0 points per game over the past two weeks. By comparison, he’s averaging 22.2 points for the season. He’ll look to have a more productive night on Saturday when the Clippers host the Mavericks again.

While Leonard has not reached the point where he’ll be allowed to play both games of back-to-backs, the door has not been completely closed on his playing Saturday against the Mavericks. Following Friday’s victory, the Clippers’ star said, “We’ll see” when asked if he’ll be available. For fantasy managers, it would certainly be helpful if Leonard were to play, especially after logging 24 minutes on Friday.

Hardy was productive in 29 minutes, but his Friday night came to a painful end during the fourth quarter. He stepped on a Clippers’ player’s foot and sprained his right ankle. Requiring assistance to get back to the locker room, Hardy could not put any weight on his right leg. At a minimum, fantasy managers should assume he will not be available for Saturday’s rematch with the Clippers. Between Hardy’s injury and Klay Thompson (illness) exiting during the first half, Max Christie (11/6/1/1 with one three-pointer in 33 minutes) should play plenty on Saturday, possibly as a starter.

Dinwiddie has reached double figures in four straight and 12 of his last 13 games. Since moving into the starting lineup on March 19, the Mavericks’ guard has provided fifth-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. Dinwiddie hasn’t been the most reliable fantasy option for most of his career. Still, the current injury situation in Dallas makes him a must-roster player for Saturday’s game against the Clippers. He’s rostered in 52 percent of Yahoo! leagues, so managers in shallow leagues can find Dinwiddie on the waiver wire.

After scoring 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting in his prior two games, Marshall benefited from the Mavericks playing without Anthony Davis on Friday. He’s scored 20 points or more 16 times this season, 15 more than his prior four seasons combined. While Davis may be available for Saturday’s rematch with the Clippers, Dallas watched Klay Thompson (illness) and Jaden Hardy (ankle) exit Friday’s game due to injury. Marshall will have a higher fantasy ceiling if they’re unavailable, even if Davis plays.

Missi’s 13 points were more than he had in any of his last three games. His 11 rebounds, however, gave him four consecutive games with at least 10 rebounds. The 20-year-old center isn’t a prolific scorer, but can clearly man the boards for fantasy managers looking for rebounds. Missi is also a defensive presence as he contributed one steal and one block against the Lakers. He’ll be back on the court as the Pelicans take on the Bucks Sunday.

Alvarado continues to take advantage of the Pelicans missing multiple starters down the stretch of the season. The 26-year-old point guard has now taken at least 12 shots in five consecutive games, something he seldom did before that stretch. Alvarado was just 2-for-21 from behind the three-point line in his previous four games so he was due to make six three-pointers as he did against the Lakers. Expect Alvarado to keep chucking with inconsistent results as the Pelicans finish out the season.

LeBron had 27 points on 17 shots including two made three-pointers in 33 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back. The 40-year-old small forward continues to defy NBA history as he’s done his entire career. The Lakers have the day off Saturday before a primetime matchup with the Thunder on Sunday and you can expect LeBron to show out as he always does.

Reaves has had back-to-back games with at least 30 points buoyed by magnificent three-point shooting efforts. He’s 15-of-25 from behind the three-point line over the last two nights. The 26-year-old shooting guard now has at least 30 points in four of his last five games. Reaves has provided third-round fantasy value on the season, but he’s been even better lately. He’s peaking at the right time for fantasy managers.