NBA Player News

Garland accumulated 30 points (11-19 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 5-8 FT), one rebound, four assists and one steal over 32 minutes during Wednesday's 121-96 victory over the Kings.

The 26-year-old thrived as the focal point of the Clippers offense in the absence of Bradley Beal (knee) and Brandon Ingram (Achilles), leading all scorers on the night in an efficient performance. Garland could be headed for career-high shot volume until his big-name teammates get healthy, giving him a chance reach the 20 PPG plateau for the fourth time.

Sabonis had 14 points (5-5 FG, 4-4 FT), 18 rebounds, eight assists and one steal over 34 minutes during Wednesday's 121-96 loss to the Clippers.

The veteran big fell just short of a triple-double in the season opener, but he was one of only four Kings to even score in double digits on the night. Sabonis is likely to have trade rumors circling his head once again as part of a rebuilding roster, but as long as he remains in Sacramento he'll be one of the team's main options and should see more than enough usage to bounce back from a rough 2025-26 that saw him play just 19 regular-season games due to knee trouble.

Allen (knee) said he expects to play Thursday against the 76ers, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Allen is listed as questionable on the latest injury report. He was able to get some shots up Thursday morning, however, and it sounds like he intends to push through the minor injury. The Cavaliers may keep a close eye on his minutes if he's cleared to suit up.

Wade (ankle) participated in Thursday's morning shootaround, Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com reports.

Wade remains day-to-day with his ankle sprain after missing the season opener. The 76ers have listed him as questionable, but his availability Thursday morning bodes well for his chances.

LaVine recorded 28 points (10-19 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 5-8 FT), four rebounds and four assists over 34 minutes during Wednesday's 121-96 loss to the Clippers.

The veteran guard had twice as many points as any other Sacramento starter, and only three of LaVine's teammates even scored in double digits in the rout. LaVine figures to see heavy usage on a roster lacking in established offensive options as long as he can stay healthy -- he played just 39 regular-season games in 2025-26 due to a hand injury that required surgery, but LaVine looks fully recovered to begin the current campaign.

Acuff totaled 12 points (5-24 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 2-5 FT), three rebounds, three assists and three steals across 35 minutes during Wednesday's 121-96 loss to the Clippers.

The seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft displayed some shooting jitters in his debut, but Acuff was still able to contribute on the defensive end of the court. The Kings figure to give Acuff all the minutes he can handle this season, especially with Ben Simmons (Achilles) no longer in the picture, and the Arkansas product could produce strong averages as a result, albeit with shaky percentages.

Henderson provided 15 points (7-14 FG, 1-6 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 19 minutes off the bench during Wednesday's 124-83 victory over the Suns.

While all five Portland starters scored in double digits during the rout, Henderson was the only member of the second unit to deliver 10-plus points. The fourth-year guard is firmly behind Damian Lillard and Ja Morant on the backcourt depth chart to begin the season and is working off the bench with Jrue Holiday, but after a strong training camp and preseason, Henderson could be poised to thrive in that role.

Morant ended with 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-3 3Pt), five rebounds, eight assists and three steals over 23 minutes during Wednesday's 124-83 victory over Phoenix.

While backcourt-mate Damian Lillard led all scorers with 25 points, Morant led Portland in assists and had an efficient shooting night as well. Simply staying on the court will be Morant's top priority after he suited up for only 79 regular-season games over his final three seasons in Memphis, but he's healthy to begin 2026-27 and is getting a clean slate with the Blazers.

Avdija closed Wednesday's 124-83 victory over Phoenix with 18 points (7-16 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in 23 minutes.

Damian Lillard celebrated his return to Portland with a game-high 25 points, but Avdija was plenty productive as well, delivering the game's only double-double. The 25-year-old forward is coming off a career-best 2025-26 campaign that saw him score 24.2 points with 6.9 boards, 6.7 assists, 1.9 threes and 1.4 combined steals and blocks, and while the Blazers offense will now flow through the duo of Lillard and Ja Morant in the backcourt, it's encouraging that in Avdija's first game alongside them, his shot volume didn't take a big dip from the 16.1 FG attempts he averaged last season.

Wells posted 12 points (5-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-3 FT), five rebounds and four steals across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 123-103 win over Utah.

Wells made his presence felt defensively, collecting a game-high four steals while helping Memphis pull away in the second half. The third-year wing also grabbed three offensive rebounds and finished plus-25, the second-best mark among the Grizzlies' starters. Although Ty Jerome dominated the scoring opportunities, Wells' combination of playing time and defensive production gives him some appeal in deeper fantasy formats.