4 days agoPhoenix Suns point guard
Ricky Rubio was back in the lineup on Thursday after a one-game absence, crushing the Knicks with 25 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. He added four steals and one block, shooting 10-for-18 from the field and 3-for-5 from downtown. The Spaniard has had some bumps on the road, but overall he's enjoying a fine season, averaging 13.6 points, 9.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. He'll try and overcome a difficult matchup against Boston next on Saturday. The Celtics have been a top-five defensive team against opposing point guards this season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoPhoenix Suns shooting guard
Devin Booker continued his hot scoring month with a game-high 29 points in Thursday's blowout win over the Knicks, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and 9-for-11 at the line. Sadly he was just 2-for-8 with the three-ball, so this could've easily been another 30-point game for him. Booker finished things off with four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. The 23-year-old sharpshooter recently struggled against the Hornets during a 12-point performance, but he's averaging 31 points for the month on 51.3 percent shooting. The Celtics will have their hands full with him on Saturday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoPhoenix Suns center
Deandre Ayton had a monster game against the Knicks on Thursday, finishing a 121-98 win with 26 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. He shot 11-for-15 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line, adding two assists and two blocks. Ayton clearly had a point to prove after coming off the bench on Tuesday against Atlanta. He had a nice 20-point, 10-rebound outing there as well, so he'll be carrying some very good momentum into Saturday's clash with the Celtics. It's a tough matchup for Ayton, especially with the Celtics rebounding the ball tremendously well this month, but his confidence should be sky-high after Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBuffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin scored in the second period of Thursday's 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. The 19-year-old endured a six-game pointless drought between Dec. 21 and Jan. 2, but he has responded with six points over his past six games. Dahlin is one of the top young blueliners in the game, and he is a worthy asset in the majority of fantasy formats. He will look to continue his steady production heading into Saturday's game against the Nashville Predators.
--Raymond Harrison - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoUtah Jazz guard
Donovan Mitchell broke out of his mini-slump on Thursday when he tied his career-high when he netted 46 points in the overtime loss to the Pelicans. Mitchell started slow but got things going in the second half and overtime when he scored 36 of his 46 points which included seven makes from downtown. Mitchell added six boards with two assists and two steals in 42 minutes of action. Owners can hope this is a turn in the right direction for Mitchell who has struggled in his previous three games. His club snapped their 10-game winning streak but will look to get back on track on Saturday when the Jazz face the Kings.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoUtah Jazz center
Rudy Gobert continued to steamroll on Thursday when he recorded another double-double, but it was not enough in the 138-132 loss to the Pelicans in overtime. Gobert scored 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the floor and he added 14 boards with four assists and three blocks in 39 minutes of action. Gobert was sent to the line with 0.2 seconds remaining with his club down one point, but he managed to make just one of two and that sent the game to overtime. Don't look now, but Gobert is moving up the rankings and looks to be settled in as a top-20 player the rest of the way.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans shooting guard/small forward
Josh Hart was again relied upon for heavy minutes with
Jrue Holiday (elbow) out and he came through with some solid numbers in the overtime win to the Jazz. Hart scored nine points with seven rebounds and added three steals with a block to go along with two triples in 37 minutes of action. Hart is worth a look in most formats as long as Holiday continues to miss time, so stay tuned for updates for Saturday's tilt with the Clippers.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans guard/forward
Brandon Ingram was unstoppable on Thursday when he went off for a career-high 49 points in the 138-132 overtime victory over the Jazz. Ingram did it all as he nailed 15 of his 25 shots from the floor and made 16 of 20 at the line while adding eight boards, six dimes and a block with three triples for one the best lines of the season. Ingram and Jazz guard
Donovan Mitchell went back and fourth down the stretch of regulation and this carried into overtime, but the Pelicans came through with the big win. Ingram has been incredible this season and the addition of
Zion Williamson (knee) may cut in a bit to his production, but not enough for owners to worry.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans power forward/center
Derrick Favors returned to the lineup and provided a huge line against his former club, the Utah Jazz. Favors scored a season-high 22 points on an efficient 10 of 12 shooting from the floor and added 11 rebounds with three assists, and he did not stop there with defensive numbers of three blocks and two steals. Favors has been tough to own at points in the season with him missing a lot of time for various reasons, yet, it is games like this that show his excellent value.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoCalgary goaltender David Rittich stopped 35 of 36 shots from the Toronto Maples on Thursday night to help the Flames win 2-1. He was also perfect in the shootout. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winning tally while Derek Ryan netted the regulation goal. It was his ninth goal and 25th point of the season. After recording exactly 38 points in each of the past two seasons, he has a shot at breaking the 40-point mark this season. Travis Hamonic and Dillon Dube recorded assists. On the Leafs’ side, Auston Matthews had nine shots but couldn’t find the back of the net. William Nylander had the lone goal. He has four points in the last three games. Goalie Frederik Andersen was good and stopped 31 of 32 shots and then allowed just one goal in the shootout. It was his first game with a save percentage above .900 in five appearances.
--Marc Hulet - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoVeteran forward Zach Parise opened the scoring on Thursday night to set the tone in the Wild’s 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was his third goal in the last two games after a lengthy drought. He’s looking to record back-to-back 20-goal seasons after scoring 28 last season. Ryan Suter found the back of the net for his first goal in six games. He has seven goals and 31 points in 47 games. Luke Kunin recorded an assist for his sixth point in six games. He now has a career-high 22 points in 46 games. For Tampa Bay, Nikita Kucherov scored both goals to give him 20 for the season. He now has 52 points in 46 games. Anthony Cirelli’s assist gave him three points in the last two contests. Through 46 games, he has 30 points and is well within striking distance of his career-high set last season with 39.
--Marc Hulet - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoThe Vegas Golden Knights won the first game under new head coach Peter DeBoer by a score of 4-2 on Thursday night against Ottawa. Mark Stone scored a goal and added an assist. It was his first goal in seven games. Paul Stastny also had a goal and an assist, and continued to be one of Vegas’ better offensive players after a slow start to the year. He has seven points in the last seven games. The Vegas’ defenders were more active in the offensive zone than usual and had 18 collective shots, including five from both Deryk Engelland and Nick Holden. However, only Nate Schmidt recorded a point. It was just his second point in the last seven games. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 of 35 shots. It was the struggling veteran’s first win in four games and the first time he’s posted a save percentage above .900 in six games. Connor Brown and Vladislav Namestnikov scored for Ottawa.
--Marc Hulet - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
4 days agoMilwaukee Bucks guard
Donte Divincenzo came off the bench and set a new career-high on Thursday night. In the Bucks 128-123 win over the Boston Celtics, DiVincenzo scored a career-high 19 points to go along with three rebounds, one assist, and two steals. He is having his best month of the season in January by averaging 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals over seven games while also shooting 49.1 percent from the floor. With Milwaukee already looking toward the playoffs, DiVincenzo could begin to see his playing time increase, and his fantasy contributions should follow. He has a long way to go before he becomes a standard league player, but smart owners should make a note in case more playing time opens up for him.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Khris Middleton chipped in enough to help his team hold off the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. In his team's 128-13 win, Middleton had 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He shot 8-for-13 from the floor and 3-for-5 from three-point land. Middleton has scored at least 20 points in 10 of his previous 13 games and is enjoying life as the secondary weapon in the Bucks offense. He's shooting a career-best 48.8 percent and also above 40 percent from three. Playing next to
Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to give anyone a lot of open looks, and Middleton is knocking them down with ease and efficiency this season. Expect that to continue on Saturday as Middleton and the Bucks travel to Brooklyn to visit the Nets.
--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had a massive night against his Eastern Conference rival, the Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 17 rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks in 35 minutes on the court. He made 11 of his 22 field goal attempts, but went 0-for-5 from behind the arc and had a dismal 10-for-20 performance from the free-throw line. He is a man on a mission this season and has now scored 30 plus points in six of his eight January games. If there is one downside, it's that his FT percentage has dipped dramatically this season. He has a career average of 72.7 percent but is shooting just 62.1 percent from the charity stripe on the year. --Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard Marcus Smart got the start on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks and did his best to rally his team. Despite the Celtics falling short, Smart was effective in the contest. He scored 24 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. The 24 points tied a season-high that Smart set just four games ago. Jaylen Brown is out for the Celtics with a thumb injury and waiting for further evaluation. If it is bad news for Brown, that would equal good news for Smart and his fantasy managers. Watch Brown's injury status before Boston's game against Phoenix. If he sits again, Marcus Smart will be a great option in DFS.--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard Kemba Walker exploded on the offensive end on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Walker had 40 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and one block in the 128-123 loss. It was his second 40-point outing this season and his second double-double in his debut season for the Celtics. Walker had not topped the 20-point mark in his last three games, and four of his previous five before tonight. He shot 14-for-23 from the field and was 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. Jaylen Brown sat out Thursday with a thumb injury, and this gave Walker a more significant role in the offense. If Brown continues to sit with his new injury, owners can expect Walker's offensive output to rise as a result.--Euan Leith - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoOrlando Magic guard/forward
Evan Fournier (quad) will play and start Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Fournier missed Wednesday's game with the quad injury and was a game-time decision for Thursday. However, he went through warmups without any hiccups and is good to go.
Wesley Iwundu will move back to the bench after scoring a career-high 19 points Wednesday. His value is solely tied to the health of the starting backcourt.
--Dale Johnson - RotoBallerSource: John Denton
4 days agoDenver Nuggets guard
Jamal Murray (ankle) is expected to miss "multiple games" with an ankle injury. Murray turned his ankle on Wednesday and was in visible pain. X-Rays and an MRI both came back clean, but the Denver guard is still expected to be out for the foreseeable future.
Monte Morris is the clear-cut winner here while
P.J. Dozier will get the backup minutes at point.
--Dale Johnson - RotoBallerSource: Nick Kosmider
4 days agoNew York Knicks forward
Marcus Morris (neck) will return from a five-game absence, but guard
Reggie Bullock (neck) will not be able to go against the Phoenix Suns Thursday. Bullock was holding onto the starting spot with Morris out, so Morris will return to his normal starting role here. With Bullock out,
Kadeem Allen and
Kevin Knox will get some added minutes, but neither are recommended plays outside of very deep leagues.
--Dale Johnson - RotoBallerSource: NY Knicks PR
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard/forward
Jaylen Brown (thumb) will not play Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Brown is battling a thumb sprain and was originally listed as questionable to play. Brown's absence will leave more minutes for
Marcus Smart who could have a tall task in helping on
Giannis Antetokounmpo on defense. Brown's injury is not deemed serious and he will likely be considered questionable for their next game on Saturday.
--Dale Johnson - RotoBallerSource: A. Sherrod Blakely
4 days agoOrlando Magic guard
D.J. Augustin (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Augustin had an MRI taken of his knee on Wednesday, but the results haven't been revealed yet.
Markelle Fultz will continue to see increased value and minutes with the Magic banged up. He's looking like a solid DFS choice for Thursday's slate.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves center
Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is listed as questionable for Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. It's unclear when Towns is going to get back on the court. He's been sidelined since December and hasn't shown any signs of returning.
Gorgui Dieng will continue to hold reliable fantasy value until Towns is back.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoMinnesota Timberwolves guards
Jeff Teague and
Treveon Graham have been traded to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for
Allen Crabbe. The change of scenery might be nice for Teague, but won't do much to help his fantasy value. He'll likely be backing up
Trae Young off the bench.
Deandre Bembry and
Kevin Huerter could lose some minutes and value with the arrival of Teague and Graham. Crabbe won't have much value in Minnesota, but
Jarrett Culver and
Shabazz Napier will gain value. Both Graham and Crabbe can be left on the waiver wire. Teague might get a slight increase in value, but this trade doesn't change too much in terms of fantasy production.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski
4 days agoPhoenix Suns guard
Ricky Rubio (personal) will play in Thursday's game against the New York Knicks. He missed their last game due to the birth of his child. Rubio is back with the team and isn't expected to be limited at all.
Elie Okobo will head back to the second unit and won't have as much value on the bench.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Duane Rankin
4 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward
Brandon Ingram (knee) said he felt good through shootaround, but remains listed as a game-time decision for Thursday's game against the Utah Jazz. He's been dealing with right knee soreness, but appears to be getting closer to a return. Fantasy owners will have to check back closer to game time for more information. It's unclear at the moment whether or not Ingram will be limited if he does return on Thursday.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Scott Kushner
4 days agoNew Orleans Pelicans forward
Derrick Favors (hamstring) said he will play in Thursday's game against the Utah Jazz. He's dealing with a right hamstring strain, but it will cost him two games.
Jahlil Okafor and
Jaxson Hayes will lose most of their streaming appeal with Favors back in the mix. Favors shouldn't be limited and can be plugged back into fantasy lineups for Thursday's slate.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Scott Kushner
4 days agoNew York Knicks guard
Reggie Bullock (neck) has been downgraded to questionable for Thursday's game against the Phoenix Suns. He was listed as probable, but might have tweaked his neck at shootaround.
Marcus Morris (neck) isn't expected to play, so
Kevin Knox could be asked to start on Thursday. Knox could be worth a look as a streaming option if he's forced into heavy minutes.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
4 days agoBoston Celtics guard
Jaylen Brown (thumb) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He suffered a sprained right thumb during Wednesday's contest.
Marcus Smart will likely be asked to jump into the starting five if Brown is unable to play.
Kemba Walker,
Jayson Tatum, and
Gordon Hayward would be asked to do more on offense.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jared Weiss
4 days agoBoston Celtics forward
Jayson Tatum (knee) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Thursday's game versus the Milwaukee Bucks. He missed Wednesday's game due to a minor knee issue. Tatum was not expected to miss both games, so fantasy owners should see him on the floor for this one. He could see a higher usage than normal with
Jaylen Brown (thumb) listed as questionable.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jared Weiss
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