NBA Player News

Richards is in the Hornets' starting lineup against the 76ers on Friday.

After coming off the bench in the Hornets' last three games, Richards will move into the starting lineup Friday due to Mark Williams being sidelined with a left foot injury. Across eight starts this season, Richards has averaged 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks over 26.9 minutes per game.

Embiid (sinus fracture) is available to play Friday against the Hornets, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Embiid was expected to be sidelined over the weekend due to a sinus fracture he suffered against the Pacers on Dec. 13. He missed this past Monday's game against the Hornets, but he will take the floor for Friday's rematch. Embiid has appeared in just six regular-season games and is averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 blocks over 29.3 minutes per game.

Tillman (illness) is not listed on the injury report for Saturday's game against the Bulls, Taylor Snow of the Celtics' official site reports.

Tillman missed Thursday's 117-108 loss to the Bulls with a non-COVID illness, but the big man should be ready to go for Saturday. He'll add some much-needed depth in the frontcourt, but he shouldn't see a lot of minutes if both Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis are available.

Huff (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Hawks.

Huff will be sidelined for a second straight game due to a left ankle sprain, and his next opportunity to play will be against the Clippers on Monday. Huff's absence should mean more minutes for Brandon Clarke and Santi Aldama off the bench.

Zubac notched 21 points (10-13 FG, 1-2 FT), 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals in 33 minutes during Thursday's 118-95 win over Dallas.

Zubac remains one of the best two-way big men in The Association this season, and he bolstered his resume of a career-best campaign in 2024-25 with another double-double -- his fourth in a row and 18th in total. Zubac is averaging career-best marks in points (15.1), rebounds (12.3) and assists (2.5) per game this season.

Gobert notched three points (1-1 FG, 1-4 FT), four rebounds and two steals over 22 minutes during Thursday's 133-107 loss to the Knicks.

Gobert made his lone field goal in this game, but there's no question he wasn't at his best in this one. The 22 minutes played represented a season-low mark for him, while his overall stat line of three points and four boards was certainly disappointing. The Frenchman will aim to bounce back in what might be a more favorable matchup against the Warriors on Saturday.

Williams (foot) has been ruled out of Friday's game against the 76ers.

Williams will be held out Friday due to left foot injury management. With the big man sidelined, Nick Richards and Moussa Diabate are candidates to receive an uptick in playing time. Williams' next chance to feature will come Monday against the Rockets.

Valanciunas closed with six points (3-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt), eight rebounds and four assists across 15 minutes during Thursday's 123-114 victory over the Hornets.

With Alexandre Sarr returning to the starting lineup, Valanciunas has received a decreased role as Washington's backup center. Valanciunas is averaging 15.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 blocks in 25.0 minutes across his six starts compared to 10.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 17.7 minutes across his 19 appearances coming off the bench.

Wembanyama ended with a game-high 42 points (13-24 FG, 7-15 3Pt, 9-12 FT), six rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals in 37 minutes during Thursday's 133-126 overtime win over Atlanta.

The 42 points were the most for Wembanyama since he buried the Wizards with a 50-point eruption Nov. 13. The second-year phenom has been dealing with a sore back in December that cost him two games earlier in the month, but he's been on fire since returning to the court, averaging 28.8 points, 8.8 boards, 4.5 assists, 4.0 blocks, 3.3 threes and 0.8 steals over his last four appearances.

Sarr produced 19 points (6-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 4-8 FT), nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks across 33 minutes during Thursday's 123-114 win over the Hornets.

Sarr has now scored double-digit points in five straight outings. While the rookie big man is still struggling with his efficiency on the season, he is shooting 40.9 percent on 4.4 three-point attempts per contest over that stretch. Sarr is still raw in his scoring ability, but his average of 1.9 blocks per game this season displays his elite rim-protection upside.