NBA Player News
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Kevin Durant PF | HOU
Rockets' Kevin Durant: Excels despite loss
Durant recorded 32 points (12-15 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, two assists, four blocks and one steal across 43 minutes during Thursday's 133-128 overtime loss to the Pelicans.
For the seventh time this season, Durant eclipsed 30 points. He continues to defy Father Time, posting averages of 25.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers in 35.7 minutes per contest.
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Cason Wallace PG | OKC
Thunder's Cason Wallace: Records five steals
Wallace racked up five points (1-8 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, four assists and five steals across 29 minutes during Thursday's 122-101 win over the Clippers.
Wallace was back with the starters Thursday while Isaiah Hartenstein (rest) was sidelined, but that could change again Friday. Wallace's offense comes and goes, but he's been an elite source of steals this season with 2.4 swipes per contest.
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D'Angelo Russell PG | DAL
Mavericks' D'Angelo Russell: Muted role in return
Russell (illness) registered four points (1-2 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound and one steal across 11 minutes in Thursday's 116-114 overtime win over the Pistons.
Russell had missed Dallas' previous two games due to an illness, but he was able to settle back into the rotation Thursday after shaking off the ailment. With the Mavericks having opened up more playing time at point guard lately for Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams, only scraps have been left over for Russell. The 29-year-old has played fewer than 20 minutes in each of his last six appearances.
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Maxi Kleber C | LAL
Lakers' Maxi Kleber: Logs 19 minutes in return
Kleber (back) accumulated five points (1-2 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), two rebounds, one assist and one block in 19 minutes during Thursday's 143-135 victory over the Jazz.
Kleber made his return from a three-game absence with a lumbar muscle strain, and he saw an uptick in playing time due to the absence of Deandre Ayton (elbow). Even so, Kleber remains far off the fantasy radar, Kleber has averaged 2.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 12.7 minutes per contest over 11 games this season.
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Jalen Duren C | DET
Pistons' Jalen Duren: Dominant with double-double
Duren closed with 17 points (8-20 FG, 1-2 FT), 13 rebounds, one assist and two steals over 34 minutes during Thursday's 116-114 overtime loss to Dallas.
Duren recorded his 14th double-double of the campaign as he continues to have a breakout season in Detroit. Through 24 games, he's averaging 18.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks in 29.2 minutes per contest.
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Ryan Rollins SG | MIL
Bucks' Ryan Rollins: Fares well off bench
Rollins racked up 17 points (7-15 FG, 3-7 3Pt), four rebounds, five assists and three steals in 28 minutes during Thursday's 111-105 loss to Toronto.
Although Rollins was moved to the bench with the Bucks shaking things up, the guard still had a sizable role and put together a solid all-around line. Plus, he was utilized alongside Kevin Porter at times. The move to the bench won't be popular among his fantasy managers, but there is still a wide path to fantasy relevance here.
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Jamison Battle SF | TOR
Raptors' Jamison Battle: Limited minutes Thursday
Battle (ankle) recorded zero points (0-2 FG, 0-2 3Pt), two rebounds and one assist across five minutes in Thursday's 111-105 win over the Bucks.
Battle saw his first action since Dec. 5, after a left ankle sprain had kept him out for two games before he was cleared to play Monday. He ultimately went unused in a coach's decision in the Raptors' eventual 106-96 win over the Heat that day, but Battle was able to get some light run in the rotation Thursday while Toronto was without Jakob Poeltl (back) and RJ Barrett (knee). One or both of those players could be ready to play in the Raptors' next game Saturday versus the Celtics, so Battle may soon find himself back outside of the rotation.
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Ochai Agbaji SF | TOR
Raptors' Ochai Agbaji: Notches 10 points
Agbaji finished Thursday's 111-105 win over the Bucks with 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one steal over 20 minutes.
Agbaji has logged at least 20 minutes over his last four appearances, but he reached double-digit points in just two of those. His upside isn't the greatest due to a low usage rate, and his minutes will be in serious danger with RJ Barrett (knee) due back soon.
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Victor Wembanyama C | SA
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama: Omitted from injury report
Wembanyama (calf) isn't listed on the injury report ahead of Friday's game against the Hawks.
Wembanyama's status is worth noting because Friday is the second end of a back-to-back for the Spurs. The superstar big man is likely to have a minutes restriction following his recent lengthy layoff due to a strained calf, and it remains to be seen if the Spurs are ready to reinsert him into the starting lineup. Wembanyama has averaged only 19.0 minutes per game in his last two appearances, but he's still been productive, totaling 37 points (12-22 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 11-14 FT), 17 rebounds, six assists, six blocks and one steal.
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Alex Sarr C | WAS
Wizards' Alex Sarr: Strong numbers in limited minutes
Sarr (adductor) registered 18 points (8-18 FG, 2-4 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and one block across 24 minutes Thursday in the Wizards' 119-94 loss to the Spurs.
Aside from a 6-for-14 showing from two-point range, Sarr generally performed well in his return from a right adductor strain, which had kept him out for the Wizards' last six games. Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly (23 minutes) -- who had missed the previous four contests with an oblique injury -- saw far less playing time than the rest of the Wizards' starters, but both should see their minutes restrictions lifted after getting another game or two under their belt. The Wizards have a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back set coming up against the Grizzlies and Spurs, respectively, so Sarr could be a candidate to sit out one of those games for maintenance purposes.