RADIO
Josh Richardson Ruled Out Friday Night
1/18:Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (illness) will be sidelined Friday night against the Detroit Pistons. Richardson is one of a few Heat players dealing with illnesses Friday night, but the only one ruled out for the contest. In his absence, Tyler Johnson will bump into the starting lineup while Dwyane Wade and Justise Winslow will receive a boost in usage.Source: Ira Winderman
Jusuf Nurkic Becoming A Solid Rim-Protector
1/18:Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic has always been an excellent rebounder, but he has become a better rim protector recently. The 24-year-old is coming off his first triple-double of the season as he compiled 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, but more impressively he also swatted away five shots in Wednesday's victory over the Cavaliers. It tied his second highest total this year and gave him 14 blocks in the last five games and 20 blocks over nine games this month. He currently ranks 46th in the Association in blocked shot percentage at 46.8 percent. However, the fifth-year pro has bumped that up to 50 percent this month. Nurkic has a decent matchup against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans on Friday. The fifth-year pro tallied 20 points along with nine rebounds in the first meeting against New Orleans,Source: NBA.com
Allen Crabbe Remains Sidelined on Friday
1/18:Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Allen Crabbe (knee) will not play in Friday's game against the Orlando Magic. Crabbe is considered day-to-day due to right knee soreness. However, there has been no word about his improvement, so it's unclear when he's going to return to the lineup. Shabazz Napier will continue to see increased playing time in the absence of Crabbe.Source: Greg Logan
Brandon Knight Won't Play on Saturday
1/18:Houston Rockets guard Brandon Knight (knee) won't play in Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. This will be the fourth straight game that Knight has missed due to left knee soreness. Eric Gordon (knee) is back in the lineup, so Knight lost most of his playing time anyway. He belongs on the waiver wire in all formats right now.Source: NBA Injury Report
OG Anunoby Ruled Out on Saturday
1/18:Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby (personal) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. This marks his third straight game that he's missed due to personal reasons. Norman Powell will see increased playing time and C.J. Miles should get more involved as well on Saturday.Source: Ryan Wolstat
Eric Gordon is Probable for Saturday
1/18:Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (knee) is probable for Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Gordon returned from an eight game absence on Wednesday and scored 20 points in 21 minutes. He should see his playing time increase as the Rockets ease him back into action. He's going to be a decent DFS option for Saturday since the Rockets need help on offense.Source: Jonathan Feigen
Wesley Matthews is Questionable for Saturday
1/18:Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Wesley Matthews (wrist) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. The injury bug keeps biting Matthews as he's now dealing with a right wrist sprain. Dorian Finney-Smith and Devin Harris would likely benefit the most if Matthews is unable to play. Fantasy owners should check back on Saturday for an update.Source: NBA.com
Stanley Johnson is Probable for Friday
1/18:Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (hamstring) is probable for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. Johnson is dealing with right hamstring soreness, so the Pistons may elect to be cautious and hold him out. Johnson has been awful lately, so he belongs on the waiver wire in all leagues.Source: NBA Injury Report
Tristan Thompson Ruled Out for Friday
1/18:Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (knee) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Utah Jazz. Thompson is dealing with left foot soreness and missed most of December due to a foot issue. Channing Frye and Ante Zizic would soak up extra playing time without Thompson on the court. Zizic could be worth a look in DFS contests on Friday.Source: NBA Injury Report
Ish Smith is Probable on Friday
1/18:Detroit Pistons guard Ish Smith (groin) is listed as probable for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. Smith returned to the lineup on Monday and scored eight points in 19 minutes. He won't be much of a fantasy option going forward. He can be left on the waiver wire in most formats.Source: Matt Schoch
Jon Leuer Ruled Out on Friday
1/18:Detroit Pistons forward/center Jon Leuer (illness) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. This isn't an injury that should sideline Leuer for longer than one game. Zaza Pachulia (leg) returned to the rotation on Wednesday and played 15 minutes. He should see a majority of Leuer's minutes on Friday.Source: NBA Injury Report
Mohamed Bamba Expected to Play on Friday
1/18:Orlando Magic center Mohamed Bamba (foot) was able to participate in shootaround and is expected to play in Friday's game against the Brooklyn Nets, according to head coach Steve Clifford. He's missed the last four games, but will return as the backup to Nikola Vucevic. That means Khem Birch will become the third string center in Orlando.Source: Josh Robbins
Cowboys Fire Offensive Coordinator
1/18:The Dallas Cowboys fired offensive coordinator Scott Linehan on Friday. The decision was mutual, according to head coach Jason Garrett. Dallas' offense finished 22nd in the league in both total offense and scoring offense, averaging just 21.2 points per game. It wasn't until the team traded for wide receiver Amari Cooper that the offense started to actually move the football with more consistency, but to be fair they didn't have many weapons outside of running back Ezekiel Elliott. The next offensive coordinator will be expected to develop a strong rapport with quarterback Dak Prescott, who is in line to receive a contract extension in the near future.Source: DallasCowboys.com - David Helman
Tyler Johnson is Available on Friday
1/18:Miami Heat guard Tyler Johnson (illness) is available for Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons. He was listed as questionable on Thursday after missing practice. However, it appears that the illness is not significant enough to hold him out of Friday's contest. Fantasy owners can expect him back in the lineup for Friday.Source: David Furones
Josh Richardson is Questionable on Friday
1/18:Miami Heat guard/forward Josh Richardson (illness) is questionable for Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Richardson has only missed one game this season, so it takes a lot to keep him sidelined. The Heat would likely use a committee approach to fill the void if Richardson is unable to play. Dwyane Wade and Justise Winslow would be the best options for DFS without Richardson.Source: David Furones
Anders Lee Scores Two Goals On Thursday
1/18:New York Islanders forward Anders Lee netted two goals in Thursday's 4-1 win over New Jersey to take his tally for the season to 18 goals and 37 points. Robin Lehner had to make just 17 saves to improve to 10-1-0 in his last 11 appearances. Nick Leddy had two assists, while Michael Dal Colle scored his first career goal and Jordan Eberle notched two points with a power-play goal and an assist. Lee is having a very successful January, so far failing to register any points just once in eight outings. He has four goals and 10 points this month.Source: ESPN
Chris Kreider Produces Second Consecutive Multi-Point Game
1/18:New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider recorded his second consecutive multi-point game on Thursday, finishing a 4-3 win over Chicago with a goal and an assist. New York's top line, which also includes Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello, had a field day, scoring three of the goals. Filip Chytil was also on target. Kreider's line has picked up points in a hurry lately, and the team as a whole has scored a lot of goals, so everybody should be on your radar ahead of Saturday's meeting with the Bruins. Boston are the only team in the league against whom Kreider hasn't scored a single career goal so far.Source: ESPN
Brendan Lemieux Scores Twice In Jets Win
1/18:Winnipeg Jets left wing Brendan Lemieux scored two goals in Thursday's 5-1 win at Nashville. The Jets received a nice boost from their depth forwards, as Mason Appleton registered the game-winning goal. Defensemen Joe Morrow and Saku Niku both had two assists. Lemieux played a season-high 10:10 and registered four shots in total with a plus-three rating. It was a great performance from him, but Lemieux is stuck on the fourth line, which makes him irrelevant in fantasy hockey. He has five goals and six points for the season in 31 games.Source: ESPN
John Gibson Shuts Out Minnesota
1/18:Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson recorded his second shutout of the season on Thursday with a 37-save performance against Minnesota. Adam Henrique, Rickard Rakell and Brian Gibbons scored the goals in a 3-0 win, which ended a 12-game slide for the Ducks. Brandon Montour had two assists. Gibson has been very solid throughout the season, but even he struggled during the team's losing streak, which dropped his record to 16-15-8. Gibson is giving up 2.69 goals per game with a .921 save percentage. He'll look to record back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-December on Saturday against New Jersey.Source: ESPN
Thaddeus Young Explodes Against Sixers
1/18:Indiana Pacers power forward Thaddeus Young is averaging 12.8 points per game this season, but on Thursday night he scored a season-high 27 points in Indiana's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Young, a former Sixer, was 11-for-17 from the floor and grabbed six rebounds. Young has been fairly inconsistent all year, so it's not clear if this is indicative of anything about his chances of success in Saturday's meeting with the Mavericks, though Dallas does give up the 12th-fewest points per game in the NBA, so it might not be a great idea to trust Young in DFS lineups.Source: Basketball Reference
J.J. Redick Continues Strong Scoring Run
1/18:Philadelphia 76ers guard J.J. Redick scored 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting in Thursday's win over the Indiana Pacers. It was Redick's fifth 20-point game in his last six appearances spanning back to January 1st. Redick struggled a lot early in the year shooting the ball, with his percentages taking a noticeable dive from past seasons, but his recent performance suggests that he's emerged from that slump. Redick's long-range shooting ability makes him a strong threat on a nightly basis at this point for a 76ers team that could really use his three-ball, and even against a tough Thunder defense on Saturday he'll be a solid fantasy option.Source: Basketball Reference
Jimmy Butler Leads Sixers In Scoring Against Indiana
1/18:Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting in Thursday's win over the Indiana Pacers. He also added in eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Butler's fantasy stock is on the rise as he's been active in all aspects of the game since returning from a two-game absence earlier in January. While Saturday's meeting with the Thunder and their 10th-ranked scoring defense won't be an easy one, Butler has earned enough trust to be a solid fantasy option, though DFS players may want to steer away from him when building their rosters in the interest of spending that money elsewhere.Source: Basketball Reference
Joel Embiid Plays Through Injury, Scores 22
1/18:Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid gutted his way through a back injury in Thursday's win over the Indiana Pacers, finishing with 22 points on 9-for-19 shooting and also grabbing 13 rebounds. While it wasn't Embiid's best game of the year, his ability to succeed despite being visibly in pain was a reminder of how good a player the Cameroonian big man is. The Sixers face the Thunder on Saturday in a game that features Oklahoma City's strong center, Steven Adams, who could put some pressure on Embiid if he's still playing at less than 100 percent. Monitor reports about Embiid's health and availability before putting him in any fantasy lineups.Source: Basketball Reference
Phil Mickelson Starts 2019 With A Bang
1/18:Phil Mickelson made a little history in his first start of 2019 at the Desert Classic. Mickelson fired an opening round 12-under par 60 Thursday at La Quinta Country Club. It was the lowest opening round of his illustrious career and also his lowest score ever in relation to par. The 48-year-old was expected to merely knock the rust off at the Desert Classic following a lengthy winter layoff, but instead was on 59 watch down the stretch Thursday after a six-under par 30 on the front nine. Mickelson birdied four of the first five holes on the back before missing a birdie putt at the 17th that would have kept a score of 59 within reach. He will start his second round Friday on the Nicklaus Tournament Course with a three shot lead over Adam Long. Source: PGA Tour
Damian Lillard Looks To Hit 30-Point Mark For Third Straight Game
1/18:Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard will look to top the 30-point mark for the third straight game on Friday against the Trail Blazers, which is something he has yet to do this season. Lillard has scored 68 points over the last two games as he tallied 33 against the Cavs on 11-for-19 shooting from the field, including 4-for 6 from beyond the arc, and 7-for-7 from the free throw line. He is averaging 26 points, 6.6 assists, and 2.8 triples as well as 2.4 turnovers while shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc over his last five contests. The 7th-year pro has been shooting the ball well from the charity stripe lately, making each of his previous 37 attempts. Lillard scored 26 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists against the Pelicans, who they face on Friday, the last time the teams met.Source: NBA.com
Jack Campbell Shines Against Former Team on Thursday
1/18:Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell secured his sixth win of the season on Thursday as the Kings traveled to Dallas. Campbell stopped 29 of the 30 shots that he faced, with only a goal from Esa Lindell in the final two minutes of the game preventing him from logging his second shutout of the season. While only getting an occasional start playing behind Jonathan Quick, Campbell has been fantastic as a back-up this season recording a .932 save percentage on the year and posting a save percentage greater than .950 percent in five of his last seven starts. That kind of success makes Campbell seem like it a strong streaming option when he does get the nod however, the Kings have the league’s lowest scoring rate at 2.25 goals per game, which severely limits his value in leagues that put a premium on wins. Source: NHL.com
Rodney Hood Looks To Continue Good Stretch
1/18:Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard/small forward Rodney Hood has played pretty well in January, albeit he has appeared in just five games. The 26-year-old pumped in 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, including 0-for-2 from the three-point line, and 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in 26 minutes in the loss to the Trail Blazers. He also had four rebounds and two assists in the game. The fifth-year pro is averaging 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 three-pointers as he is shooting 46.9 percent from the floor and 40 percent from long distance. However, he has missed eight of his last nine attempts from beyond the arc. Hood and the Cavs have a tough matchup against the Jazz on Friday. The Duke product tallied 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in the first meeting this year versus Utah.Source: NBA.com
Willy Hernangomez Shines Thursday Night
1/18:Charlotte Hornets center Willy Hernangomez had a stellar contest against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. Hernangomez scored 11 points going four for nine from the field and also hit both of his free-throws. In addition to his scoring output Hernangomez also had 16 boards with a block and a steal. Hornets normal starting center Cody Zeller has been out since January second but that hasn't correlated in much of an uptick in production for Hernangomez. Since Zeller's injury Hernangomez has averaged just 8.6 points and 7.9 rebounds which is slightly higher than his season averages of 7.7 points and 5.6 boards. For fantasy players don't look at Thursday's performance and expect that to continue because you may be disappointed.Source: Matt Sparkington
Kemba Walker Continues Career Year
1/18:Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker had another superb outing Thursday against the Sacramento Kings. Walker scored 23 points on 9-of-21 shooting with three of the buckets coming from deep. Also in the contest, Walker had five assists and four boards to go along with his scoring output. Since the start of the new year, Walker hasn't been shooting as well going just 39.4 percent from the field. The next opponent for Walker and the Hornets are the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. The Suns have the third worst defensive rating in the NBA so Walker should be a solid DFS play on Saturday.Source: Matt Sparkington
De'Aaron Fox Struggles With His Jumper
1/18:Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox didn't have the best performance Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets. Fox scored 10 points going four for ten from the floor. In addition to Fox's scoring production, he also had eight assists and five boards. For Fox, this shooting slump has been three games and counting. During this current three-game span Fox has shot a paltry 36.1 percent from the field. The next opponent for the Kings and Fox are the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. The Pistons have the tenth slowest pace of play in the league so Fox may not get opportunities to shoot himself out of this slump.Source: Matt Sparkington
