NBA Player News
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Anthony Davis C | LAL
Lakers' Anthony Davis: Struggles with shot Saturday
Davis finished with 14 points (6-19 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and three steals in 35 minutes during Saturday's 127-102 loss to Denver.
Davis had a rough shooting performance Saturday and needed 19 shots to score 14 points. He was active on the glass and as a defender, but there's no question the Lakers need more from him on offense, especially in games against other contending teams in the Western Conference. This 14-point outing marked a season-low output for Davis, but considering this was the first time he didn't reach the 20-point mark, fantasy managers shouldn't be worried about the star big man having an off game from time to time.
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Nikola Jokic C | DEN
Nuggets' Nikola Jokic: Comes close to triple-double
Jokic closed Saturday's 127-102 win over the Lakers with 34 points (12-20 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 7-8 FT), 13 rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals in 37 minutes.
Jokic carried the Nuggets on offense in this huge win over the Lakers, and his playmaking and scoring prowess sparked Denver's impressive second-half comeback. The three-time MVP winner snapped his streak of five consecutive triple-doubles, though he finished just two dimes away from reaching that mark once again. The star big man has been absolutely dominant this season, and the numbers back that up. He's averaging 29.8 points, 14.8 rebounds and 12.3 assists per game since the beginning of November.
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Victor Wembanyama C | SA
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama: Massive line in return to action
Wembanyama (knee) closed Saturday's 104-94 win over the Warriors with 25 points (9-21 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal in 34 minutes.
The Spurs mounted an impressive comeback to get past the Warriors, and the contributions from Wembanyama -- who had missed the previous three games with a right knee contusion -- were essential in securing the win. Though the towering Frenchman was off the mark from distance in the victory, he atoned for the lack of efficiency by posting a season-high assist total to go along with his typical strong numbers in the defensive categories. The Spurs didn't put a cap on Wembanyama's playing time in his return, and he should continue to hover around 30-to-35 minutes per game in competitive contests when he's able to avoid foul trouble.
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Alperen Sengun C | HOU
Rockets' Alperen Sengun: Struggles with shot Saturday
Sengun had 22 points (7-17 FG, 8-11 FT), five rebounds, five assists and two steals over 36 minutes during Saturday's 104-98 loss to the Trail Blazers.
Sengun had another rough performance Saturday, and he had all sorts of problems dealing with Donovan Clingan's rim protection. Even though the star big man often finds a way to make an impact, and he did in the fourth quarter amid one of the Rockets' scoring runs, Sengun wasn't comfortable dealing with Clingan's defensive presence. Sengun will be in line for another complicated matchup when facing Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
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Donovan Clingan C | POR
Trail Blazers' Donovan Clingan: Pulls down 19 rebounds Saturday
Clingan recorded zero points (0-4 FG), 19 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal over 26 minutes during Saturday's 104-98 victory over the Rockets.
The rookie big man set a career-high mark with 19 rebounds, including nine offensive, and represented a massive problem for Alperen Sengun for the second game in a row. Clingan needs to score more regularly to boost his upside, but he's so dominant on the glass that he remains valuable in fantasy solely based on his defensive numbers.
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Nikola Vucevic C | CHI
Bulls' Nikola Vucevic: Comes close to double-double
Vucevic totaled 26 points (9-14 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and one steal over 28 minutes during Saturday's 142-131 loss to the Grizzlies.
Vucevic had another strong showing despite the game's final outcome. The veteran big man finished just two rebounds away from recording what would've been his eighth double-double this month alone. Vucevic has scored at least 20 points in 10 of his 18 appearances this season.
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Walker Kessler C | UTA
Jazz's Walker Kessler: Strong showing in return
Kessler (hip) logged 11 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds, three blocks and two assists across 35 minutes during Saturday's 121-106 win over the Knicks.
Kessler re-entered the starting lineup at center upon his return from right hip bursitis, and he didn't waste any time getting involved on the glass and as a scorer. He posted his fifth double-double in 10 appearances this season and put the cherry on top of his stellar night by recording a team-high block total. It's also worth noting that Kessler logged 35 minutes, so he doesn't appear to be on any type of playing-time restriction following a six-game absence.
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John Collins C | UTA
Jazz's John Collins: Dominates on boards
Collins had 20 points (7-11 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 13 rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals in 33 minutes during Saturday's 121-106 victory over the Knicks.
Collins led the Jazz on the glass and has now snagged 27 rebounds over his last two appearances. He also turned in a solid scoring performance, ending the night third on his squad behind Lauri Markkanen (34 points) and Collin Sexton (25 points). Collins has been able to remain with the first unit following the return of Walker Kessler due to a recent injury to Kyle Filipowski (ankle), though a decision will need to be made by Utah on who gets to stick with the starters once the frontcourt returns to health.
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Donovan Clingan C | POR
Trail Blazers' Donovan Clingan: Available to return Saturday
Clingan (knee) is available to return to Saturday's game against the Rockets.
Clingan briefly exited Saturday's game due to a left knee injury. However, after being checked on by trainers in the locker room, he returned to the bench and will be available for the fourth quarter.
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Donovan Clingan C | POR
Trail Blazers' Donovan Clingan: Heads to locker room Saturday
Clingan (undisclosed) went to the locker room in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Rockets, Danny Marang of 1080 The Fan Portland reports.
Clingan went to the locker room with a trainer to be evaluated for an unspecified injury. While he's sidelined, Duop Reath should see an uptick in minutes off the Blazers' bench.