NBA Player News

Gafford ended with 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-3 FT), 11 rebounds, two blocks and one steal across 28 minutes during Monday's 106-102 loss to Miami.

Gafford grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds and scored in double digits for the first time since Nov. 16 en route to his first double-double of the campaign. The veteran big man has started 12 of his 13 appearances this season and should continue to hold that spot until Dereck Lively (foot) and Anthony Davis (calf) are back to 100 percent. Lively and Davis could return to action this week, but they would likely face heavy restrictions for at least a few games.

Huff contributed 11 points (3-8 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal over 18 minutes during Monday's 122-117 loss to the Pistons.

Huff has been steady in his role as Indiana's backup center but has shown that he can step up when necessary, as he has played 18, 26 and 27 minutes respectively in his last three games, averaging 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 2.7 threes and a whopping 3.0 blocks in that span. While Isaiah Jackson is likely to retain the starting role, Huff's strong performances could earn him more minutes moving forward.

Embiid (knee) participated during Tuesday's morning shootaround, Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Embiid is currently listed as questionable to face the Magic on Tuesday. He has missed the past seven games for the 76ers, but he's trending towards a return. If he does get the green light to play against the Magic, he's likely to have strict restrictions.

Jackson closed with nine points (2-4 FG, 5-5 FT) and four rebounds in 24 minutes during Monday's 122-117 loss to the Pistons.

While Jackson did not have much of an impact in his 24 minutes, he was able to knock down all five of his free-throw attempts. Jackson continues to hold down the role as the team's starting center, but he will still split time with Jay Huff and Tony Bradley.

Davis (calf) is scheduled to practice Wednesday, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein.

Davis has been sidelined since Oct. 29, but the big man appears close to a return. "He's working to get back," coach Jason Kidd said Monday. Friday's game against the Lakers is the front end of a back-to-back set, so at best, Davis will likely be allowed to play in just one of these games if he responds well to Wednesday's practice.

Gobert recorded 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 FT), 13 rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 41 minutes during Monday's 117-112 overtime loss to the Kings.

Despite enduring another blown lead following a heartbreaking loss to Phoenix earlier in the week, Gobert once again demonstrated his ability to hit the double-double milestone regularly. A stat that has shown significant improvement over last season is field-goal percentage. Through 17 games, Gobert is converting shots at a 73.3-percent clip.

Valanciunas provided six points (3-6 FG), six rebounds, one assist and one steal over 14 minutes during Monday's 125-115 victory over the Grizzlies.

Valanciunas played fewer than 15 minutes for the fifth time in the past seven games, serving as the backup to Nikola Jokic. While his skill set sets him up to be one of the more reliable backup centers in the league, the opportunity for him to step up is simply not there. Barring an injury to Jokic, expect to see Valanciunas locked into a 15-minute role moving forward.

Sharpe finished Monday's 113-100 loss to New York with five points (2-4 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and one steal across 22 minutes.

Sharpe logged at least 20 minutes for just the second time this season, playing a slightly larger role with Nic Claxton struggling with a quad injury. It's been an uneventful season for Sharpe, playing second fiddle to Claxton, much like last year. He has limited streaming appeal but really needs Claxton to sit out to have any chance of putting up meaningful value.

Hukporti contributed zero points (0-2 FT) and four rebounds across 13 minutes during Monday's 113-100 victory over the Nets.

Despite playing more than 12 minutes for the first time since Opening Night, Hukporti failed to score for the fifth time in his 10 appearances thus far this season. Even with injuries to multiple key pieces, the big man was unable to play a meaningful role, a trend that is likely to continue moving forward.

Duren closed with 17 points (6-10 FG, 5-8 FT), 12 rebounds and two assists over 30 minutes during Monday's 122-117 victory over the Pacers.

While Duren did an outstanding job on the glass, this was his second straight game with fewer than 20 points and no defensive statistics. He's also committed six turnovers over the past two games, and he's gone 10-for-16 at the charity stripe during that span. Duren will look to snap out of this mini slump Wednesday in Boston.