Michael

Porter

Porter recorded his tenth double-double of the season on Thursday, with the 14 rebounds being the most in a game for him since grabbing 17 in a November 2 loss to the 76ers. MPJ didn’t record any defensive stats, but fantasy managers should not be surprised by that. With the Nets visiting the Celtics on Friday, there’s a chance that Porter gets the night off, although he played both games of Brooklyn’s most recent back-to-back.

One thing fantasy managers know they’re going to get from Porter, when he’s on the floor, is scoring. While the production has been a bit inconsistent recently, he’s scored at least 22 points in three of his last five games. There were no defensive stats to speak of on Tuesday, so managers hoping to get a more robust line from Porter were disappointed. With the Nets’ final three games of Week 18 including a back-to-back, MPJ likely plays just two of those games.

Porter wasn’t efficient while handling lead scorer duties for the Nets. The 27-year-old small forward’s shot from long distance was off as he went just 1-of-8 from behind the three-point line. Porter is a better shooter than that, but he still was able to salvage his line with seven rebounds and six assists. The Nets have four games upcoming in Week 18, starting with a matchup against the Mavericks on Tuesday.

While it wasn’t his best shooting performance, MPJ volumed his way past the 20-point mark and used the free-throw line for help along the way. His inefficient three-point shooting was what specifically held him back, but Porter still contributed on the glass and led Brooklyn in assists on Friday before subbing out for the final time. He’ll remain the Nets’ go-to guy the remainder of the season, barring anything unforeseen. Fantasy managers should feel good about his production the rest of the way.

Back in the Nets’ lineup after a two-game absence, Porter played 21 minutes in Thursday’s blowout defeat. That’s one of the concerns for fantasy managers as the season approaches its conclusion. In addition to potential injury-management games, there’s also the concern that Porter’s minutes will be limited at times when games get out of hand. That was certainly the case on Thursday.

Porter and Clowney are back after sitting out the Nets’ final game before the All-Star break. The return of those two means that Terance Mann and Ziaire Williams will come off the bench, eliminating most of their streaming value. Danny Wolf’s playing time will also take a hit, but he offers a higher fantasy upside than Mann or Williams.

Both players sat out Brooklyn’s last game before the All-Star break, and both will be back against Cleveland. Expect MPJ and Clowney to handle their usual workloads, which means less playing time for Danny Wolf, Terance Mann and Ziaire Williams.

Porter will miss a second straight game due to right knee tendinitis. His absence means Danny Wolf should remain in the starting lineup after logging 26 minutes in Monday’s win over the Nets. Given where the Nets are in the standings, Wolf is worth holding onto for the rest of the season.

Due to right knee tendinitis, Porter will not play on Monday. Danny Wolf has been his replacement in the starting lineup when MPJ was unavailable in the past, and that’s likely to be the case against the Bulls. If so, the rookie would be worth streaming in deep leagues.

With the Nets’ decision-makers hoping to land the best draft lottery odds possible, days like Saturday may become the norm for Porter. After putting up 20 points in the first half, his playing time decreased after halftime, and the veteran forward scored just three points. As evidenced by what he was able to do in the first two quarters, Porter doesn’t need to log heavy minutes to provide value. However, the Nets’ approach to his playing time could lower his ceiling. The Nets play five games in Week 17, with two before the All-Star break.