NBA Player News

Okongwu closed Sunday's 128-104 loss to the Thunder with 14 points (3-9 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 7-9 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 23 minutes.

Okongwu has played off the bench in Atlanta's first three games of the season, but he's outplayed Clint Capela from a scoring perspective each time, hitting double digits in two of those outings. Capela should remain the starting center due to the chemistry he has with Trae Young and also due to his defensive contributions, but Okongwu will remain a solid fantasy alternative as long as he continues to log more than 20 minutes per game off the bench on a steady basis.

Turner totaled 14 points (4-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 4-8 FT), four steals, four rebounds, two assists and one block across 37 minutes during Sunday's 118-114 overtime loss to the 76ers.

The big man stuffed the stat sheet while putting on a great defensive showing against Andre Drummond and the 76ers. Turner struggled from three-point range across 23 minutes in Friday's loss to New York, though he has already shown through three appearances that he is much more comfortable shooting from beyond the arc at a high volume. The 28-year-old had his least efficient game Sunday while struggling on the glass, but his defensive upside and three-point shooting help keep him as a relevant option in all fantasy formats.

Drummond racked up nine points (4-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 17 rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block over 37 minutes during Sunday's 118-114 overtime victory over the Pacers.

The veteran big man stepped into the starting five for a third consecutive game due to Joel Embiid's (knee) ongoing absence. Drummond, a historically great rebounder, secured a game-high 17 boards while shooting an efficient 4-for-6 from the field. Through three regular-season games (all starts), the big man has accumulated 39 rebounds, 30 points, six steals and three blocks across 22-plus minutes in each matchup. Drummond will likely serve as a viable streaming option as the second-string center behind Embiid, who is not expected to play in both games of any back-to-back sets this season.

Claxton supplied 10 points (5-6 FG), 11 rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 22 minutes during Sunday's 115-102 win over the Bucks.

Head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters before Sunday's game that Claxton would see more playing time than he did over the first two games of the regular season. Claxton's 22 minutes were only two more than he logged during Friday's game against the Magic, but the 25-year-old center was productive during his on-court time and he registered his first double-double of the season. Claxton should serve as the Nets' first big man off the bench while Day'Ron Sharpe (hamstring) is sidelined.

Ayton produced 17 points (7-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds and one block in 31 minutes during Sunday's 125-103 victory over the Pelicans.

Ayton has logged a double-double in all three games to start the 2024-25 regular season. He led the Trail Blazers with 12 rebounds Sunday, six of which came on the offensive end of the floor. Through the first three games of the regular season, Ayton is averaging 12.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 31.7 minutes per game.

Robinson (knee) is out for Monday's game against the Trail Blazers.

Robinson remains out of the lineup as he nurses a sprained left MCL. His next chance to suit up will come Tuesday against the Jazz.

Koloko (illness) won't play in Monday's game against the Suns, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.

Koloko is listed as out due to working back to competition conditioning, so it seems that he is inching closer to a return to the floor. Whenever he is ready to suit up, it's likely he spends most of his time with the team's G League affiliate.

Ware (illness) is not listed on the injury report ahead of Monday's game versus the Pistons.

Ware did not travel with the team to Charlotte on Saturday due to a stomach illness. However, he is expected to return after missing only one game. If Kevin Love (personal) is ruled out, Ware and Thomas Bryant will likely pick up the slack.

Claxton (hamstring) will come off the bench during Sunday's game against the Bucks, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.

Claxton will come off the bench for a third straight game, but coach Jordi Fernandez said the big man would see more minutes than he has in the last two games. Claxton has played 15 and 20 minutes, respectively, during the first two games of the season, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him closer to 25 against Milwaukee even though he's not in the starting lineup. Brooklyn will start Ben Simmons, Dennis Schroder, Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith for a third straight game.

Adams (knee) is questionable for Monday's game versus the Spurs.

Adams was a game-time decision before being held out of Saturday's matchup against the Spurs. The big man hasn't played since Jan. 22, and if he misses more time, Jock Landale will likely continue to see an increase in playing time.