NBA Player News

Zubac recorded eight points (3-8 FG, 2-2 FT), 17 rebounds, four assists, one block and two steals across 36 minutes during Monday's 102-99 win over the Warriors.

Zubac didn't look at his best when shooting the rock, but the big man was impressive as a rebounder and dominated the glass on the defensive end. This was Zubac's third straight game and sixth in his last seventh with at least 10 rebounds. He's averaging 12.4 boards and 15.3 points per game this season.

Poeltl produced 30 points (13-18 FG, 4-6 FT), 15 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals across 38 minutes during Monday's 130-119 victory over Indiana.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say Poeltl has been one of the best big men in The Association over the last two weeks, and his numbers back that up. The veteran has four double-doubles in his past five appearances, reaching the 30-point mark in his past two. During that five-game stretch dating back to Nov. 10, Poeltl is averaging 23.4 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 65.9 percent from the floor.

Adebayo finished Monday's 106-89 victory over the 76ers with five points (2-8 FG, 1-2 3Pt), 13 rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals over 32 minutes.

The veteran center led all rebounders on the night, and the 13 boards were one short of Adebayo's season high. The five points were also a season low, however, as the Heat's other stars deferred to a returning Jimmy Butler. Through 13 contests, Adebayo is averaging 16.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.2 blocks and a surprising 0.8 threes on 31.3 percent shooting from long distance. The extra volume from beyond the arc is cutting into his field-goal percentage, which sits at a career-low 42.6 percent, but most of that decline is due to tough luck on short-range attempts that should improve as the season progresses.

Valanciunas notched 18 points (8-11 FG, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks across 18 minutes during Monday's 134-106 loss to the Knicks.

Alex Sarr continues to struggle on offense, but since the Wizards are going through a rebuilding process, there's not a realistic scenario in which Valanciunas will replace Sarr at center any time soon. The veteran big man is averaging 11.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks per game in his last six outings off the bench.

Embiid contributed 11 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt), eight rebounds, five assists and one block across 31 minutes during Monday's 106-89 loss to the Heat.

The star center appeared unlikely to play due to an illness earlier in the day, and while Embiid eventually suited up, he didn't appear to be 100 percent. It was only his third appearance after knee trouble and a suspension delayed his 2024-25 debut, and Embiid has yet to show anything close to his peak form. With Paul George now healthy and Tyrese Maxey (hamstring) getting close to a return though, the 2-11 Sixers might soon finally have their preferred starting lineup intact for the first time this season.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that he expects Turner (calf) to return to the lineup Wednesday in Houston, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.

While Turner sat out Monday's 130-119 loss to the Raptors due to right calf soreness, the Pacers turned to 6-foot-7 undrafted rookie Enrique Freeman to step in as an undersized starter at center. The Pacers' center depth has been tested with both James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson having suffered season-ending Achilles injuries, and Carlisle indicated that the Pacers are expected to formally sign Moses Brown on Wednesday to aid a depleted frontcourt. While the addition of Brown could prompt the Pacers to ease up on Turner's workload over the balance of the season, the 28-year-old likely won't face any major restrictions with his playing time if he ends up being cleared to play in Houston as anticipated. Turner had averaged 34.0 minutes per game over his last eight appearances before missing Monday's contest.

Plumlee ended Monday's 109-99 loss to the Magic with eight points (3-7 FG, 2-3 FT), 11 rebounds and six assists in 23 minutes.

Plumlee filled in for Jusuf Nurkic (ankle), who had to take a day off after attempting to play through an injury. Although Plumlee didn't produce as a scorer, he held up in the paint with 11 boards and outdid Goga Bitadze in the category. If Nurkic needs more time to heal, Plumlee will be in line for another start against the Knicks on Wednesday evening.

Bitadze racked up 17 points (7-8 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 31 minutes during Monday's 109-99 victory over Phoenix.

With Wendell Carter (foot) still sidelined, Bitadze continues to do a respectable job in the paint. He notched his fourth double-double of the season against a depleted Suns frontcourt. Bitadze warrants serious fantasy consideration with Carter unable to stay healthy and Paolo Banchero (oblique) potentially out for three more weeks.

Sengun provided 18 points (8-21 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and two steals over 39 minutes during Monday's 101-100 loss to Milwaukee.

Sengun tallied fewer than 10 rebounds for the first time since Nov. 8 against the Thunder while struggling from the field. The big man was able to dish out five-plus assists for the fourth consecutive game, and he's been impressive while stuffing the stat sheet throughout his fourth year in the league. Across his last five outings, Sengun has averaged 18.8 points and 11.2 rebounds while shooting 48.7 percent from the field.

Lopez racked up 27 points (11-15 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 0-1 FT), 10 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and one assist over 40 minutes during Monday's 101-100 win over the Rockets.

Lopez recorded his first double-double of the season while racking up a game-high 27 points. The big man was elite on the defensive end and contributed seven steals-plus-blocks, tying Tari Eason for the game-best mark. Lopez also logged five three-pointers for the second time in his last three games, and he put in a stellar performance after posting only five points on 2-for-7 shooting in Saturday's loss to the Hornets.