NBA Player News
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Joel Embiid C | PHI
76ers' Joel Embiid: Will play vs. Pacers
Embiid (knee) will play in Friday's game against the Pacers.
The 76ers have cleared Embiid for action as they continue to monitor his left knee. The superstar big man will be looking to jump-start his season Friday following an uneven start to the year based on his lofty standards. For the campaign, Embiid has averaged 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game over nine regular-season contests.
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Victor Wembanyama C | SA
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama: Expected to play Saturday
Wembanyama (calf) is expected to play in Saturday's game against the Thunder, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Wembanyama has been sidelined by a calf strain since Nov. 14, but he's been traveling with the Spurs on their current road trip and is closing in on a return. Final clearance on his status was expected to be determined following Friday's practice, though San Antonio has officially listed the superstar big man as probable on its injury report. Wembanyama's presence would dampen the fantasy appeal of Luke Kornet considerably. However, the superstar center is likely to face restrictions when given the green light.
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Brandon Clarke C | MEM
Grizzlies' Brandon Clarke: Assigned to G League
Clarke (knee) will practice with the G League's Memphis Hustle on Friday and will be recalled to the NBA directly following the session.
Clarke, who underwent a procedure to address knee synovitis Sep. 26, is seemingly making good progress based on this update. Based on previous reporting, a late-December return has been on the table for Clarke, making his status worth monitoring closely since the Grizzlies will be without Zach Edey (ankle) for multiple weeks.
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Jonas Valanciunas C | DEN
Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas: Strong line in win
Valanciunas closed with 15 points (7-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 0-2 FT), six rebounds and two assists over 19 minutes during Thursday's 136-105 win over the Kings.
The Nuggets blew the Kings out early, so Nikola Jokic was able to call it a night after 29 minutes. Valanciunas feasted in garbage time as a result, once again showcasing his per-minute upside.
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Duop Reath C | ATL
Trail Blazers' Duop Reath: Sees 12 minutes
Reath racked up two points (1-5 FG, 0-3 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one block across 12 minutes during Thursday's 143-120 loss to the Pelicans.
Although the Trail Blazers were missing Donovan Clingan (leg), Yang Hansen (face) and Robert Williams (illness), Reath wasn't able to see the floor much. Instead, the Trail Blazers opted for a smaller lineup with Kris Murray and Jerami Grant partnered in the frontcourt. Reath remains off the standard league radar.
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Brook Lopez C | LAC
Clippers' Brook Lopez: Scoreless in 13 minutes
Lopez chipped in zero points (0-1 FG), one block and one steal across 13 minutes during Thursday's 115-113 loss to the Rockets.
After going unused in six consecutive games in coach's decisions, Lopez has moved back into the rotation for the Clippers' last two contests, supplanting Kobe Brown as the backup center. Though he's now back in the mix for the Clippers, Lopez remains an afterthought in fantasy formats, as he's simply not getting sufficient playing time behind starter Ivica Zubac. Across 19 appearances this season, Lopez is averaging 5.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per contest and is shooting a career-worst 39 percent from the field.
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Neemias Queta C | BOS
Celtics' Neemias Queta: Nearly double-doubles in loss
Queta amassed nine points (3-6 FG, 3-6 FT) and 10 rebounds over 25 minutes during Thursday's 116-101 loss to the Bucks.
Queta delivered another solid performance Thursday night and nearly recorded a double-double in back-to-back games for the first time this season. The 26-year-old big man has scored in double figures in four of his past six games, averaging 12.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks over 26 minutes during that stretch.
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Myles Turner C | MIL
Bucks' Myles Turner: Subpar performance in win
Turner posted four points (1-6 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-4 FT), three rebounds and two blocks over 28 minutes during Thursday's 116-101 win over the Celtics.
Turner delivered a disappointing performance Thursday night against the Celtics despite the win, tying his second-lowest point total in a game this season. The 29-year-old center remains a strong source of blocks, notching at least one in 10 straight games, but the big man is averaging just 4.1 boards during that time. He's currently averaging his fewest rebounds per game (5.6) since his rookie season.
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Maxime Raynaud C | SAC
Kings' Maxime Raynaud: Continues to produce
Raynaud provided 15 points (7-13 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 0-2 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and one steal across 37 minutes during Thursday's 136-105 loss to the Nuggets.
Raynaud has posted double-digit points and at least eight rebounds in his last three starts while filling in for Domantas Sabonis (knee). The rookie out of Stanford has also had three games with double-digit points off the bench, and he should remain a valuable fantasy commodity as long as he stays in the first unit, which should last for at least one more game. Sabonis isn't expected back until the Dec. 18 matchup against the Trail Blazers at the earliest.