NBA Player News

Towns posted 17 points (5-15 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 11 rebounds and four assists over 27 minutes during Tuesday's 103-87 victory over the Kings.

The double-double was Towns' 30th of the season, tying him with Atlanta's Jalen Johnson for the NBA lead. Eight of them have come in 12 January games, as Towns is averaging 16.7 points, 10.6 boards, 2.9 assists, 1.5 threes and 1.0 steals in 28.4 minutes on the month.

Cardwell supplied four points (2-3 FG), 10 rebounds and two blocks across 22 minutes off the bench during Tuesday's 103-87 loss to New York.

The 24-year-old rookie crashed the glass once again, recording 10-plus rebounds for the fourth time in the last six games. Cardwell has also racked up multiple blocks in five straight games. He hasn't offered much offense for the Kings, but his work on the glass and at the rim should ensure a consistent role in the frontcourt rotation, even with Domantas Sabonis finally looking 100 percent healthy. Over that six-game stretch, Cardwell is averaging 5.7 points, 9.5 boards, 2.2 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.0 minutes.

Sabonis closed with 11 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, seven assists and one block in 33 minutes during Tuesday's 103-87 loss to the Knicks.

The veteran center came a few dimes shy of his first triple-double of the season. Sabonis finally appears to be close to regaining his usual form after missing nearly two months due to a knee injury he sustained in mid-November, and over the last three games (two starts), he's averaging 15.7 points, 11.7 boards, 7.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 29.7 minutes a contest while shooting 64.5 percent from the floor.

Clingan chipped in 14 points (6-17 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 20 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 30 minutes during Tuesday's 115-111 loss to the Wizards.

It was the second time this season Clingan ripped down at least 20 boards -- he recorded 21 against the Bulls on Nov. 19 -- and the double-double was his 17th in 44 games. The second-year center has taken a big step forward from his rookie campaign, and through 14 contests in January, Clingan is averaging 12.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.9 threes.

Williams provided 27 points (13-16 FG, 1-1 FT), six rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal across 30 minutes during Tuesday's 106-102 victory over the Nets.

Williams exploded with his best scoring total of the season, picking up the slack amid Devin Booker's (ankle) absence. Although the Suns struggled to contain Michael Porter, Williams was effective at keeping Nic Claxton in check. Williams' recent scoring totals have taken a tumble over the past week, primarily due to a lack of shot volume. When he takes 10 or more shots, his results have been universally effective.

Turner ended with 31 points (10-16 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 7-8 FT), four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal over 35 minutes during Tuesday's 139-122 loss to the 76ers.

Turner turned in his best offensive performance of the season Tuesday, dropping a team- and season-high 31 points. However, he was less productive on the glass, grabbing fewer than five boards for the fourth time in nine January appearances. On a more positive note, the 29-year-old big man tied the game-high mark in blocks and has recorded eight swats over his last two appearances. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) expected to miss an extended period, the Bucks will need Turner to continue stepping up on the offensive end.

Embiid ended Tuesday's 139-122 victory over Milwaukee with 29 points (11-24 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT), nine rebounds, five assists and one steal across 29 minutes.

Embiid was unable to extend his streak of 30-plus-point performances to five, though he put together a solid stat line. The star big man finished as Philadelphia's second-leading scorer, and he has now reached the 20-point threshold in 17 consecutive contests. He also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and has recorded at least nine boards in four straight games. During that span, he has averaged 32.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists across 36.0 minutes per contest.

Sarr supplied 29 points (11-29 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 12 rebounds, six blocks, three assists and two steals across 36 minutes in Tuesday's 115-111 win over Portland.

Although Sarr was inefficient and needed a career-high 29 shot attempts to reach 29 points, he finished as Washington's leading scorer while reaching the 20-point threshold for the third time in his last four outings. The second-year center found ways to contribute across the board, grabbing a team high in rebounds en route to his 10th double-double on the campaign. He also tied his season- and career-high mark in blocks and has recorded multiple swats in 10 of his last 18 appearances.

Valanciunas (calf) is available for Tuesday's game versus Detroit.

Valanciunas is back after a one-game absence, which will likely shift Zeke Nnaji back to the second unit, and DaRon Holmes could drop from the rotation entirely. Over two starts this season, Valanciunas has averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 swats per game.

Drummond won't start against the Bucks on Tuesday, Ky Carlin of USA Today reports.

With Joel Embiid (knee) back in action, Drummond will slide to the second unit. The veteran big man is a viable streaming option whenever Embiid is unavailable, though the latter has recorded a DNP-CD in four straight games with Embiid in the lineup, meaning Drummond isn't guaranteed to see meaningful playing time Tuesday.