NBA Player News

Sabonis (illness) participated in shootaround ahead of Saturday's game versus the Lakers, Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento reports.

Sabonis is officially listed as questionable Saturday after missing Sacramento's previous contest due to an illness. However, the star center's presence at shootaround is a good sign for his availability against Los Angeles.

Bitadze supplied 14 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 31 minutes during Friday's 108-85 loss to the Knicks.

Bitadze held things down in the paint for Orlando in Friday's contest, leading all Magic players in rebounds and blocks while tallying the lone double-double of the game. Bitadze has recorded a double-double in 12 outings this season, including in four of his last five appearances.

Drummond (toe) was downgraded to questionable for Saturday's game against the Jazz.

Drummond was initially labeled probable for the contest due to a sprained toe he sustained Monday. However, he's now questionable to play. It's unclear if Drummond suffered a setback, but it's certainly not a good sign for his availability. If he can't play, Guerschon Yabusele could see more action at the center spot while Adem Bona could crack the rotation.

Poeltl (groin) was a full participant in Saturday's practice and is deemed questionable for Sunday's game versus the Hawks, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports.

Poeltl is in danger of missing his fifth straight contest Sunday due to a bilateral groin strain. If the 29-year-old big man is ruled out yet again, Kelly Olynyk will likely draw another start. However, Poeltl's participation in practice is a good sign of his availability against Atlanta.

Kleber posted 15 points (5-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes off the bench during Friday's 98-89 win over the Suns.

With Dereck Lively (hip) unavailable, Kleber stepped into a bigger role and delivered a season scoring high while tying his season high in rebounds. The veteran center had managed just nine total points in his prior four contests, however, and with Lively not expected to be sidelined for long, Kleber's surge of fantasy relevance is likely to be brief.

Gafford produced 16 points (7-11 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 29 minutes during Friday's 98-89 win over Phoenix.

With Dereck Lively (hip) banged up, Gafford made his first start since Dec. 1 and delivered solid numbers. The 26-year-old center bounced back from a zero-point dud in 13 minutes off the bench Christmas Day, but Gafford's main fantasy value comes at the defensive end of the court -- over the last 10 games, he's averaging 11.0 points, 4.8 boards and 1.2 blocks in only 18.5 minutes a contest while shooting 71.2 percent from the floor.

Sengun totaled 38 points (16-25 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 6-10 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist and one steal over 41 minutes during Friday's 113-112 loss to the Timberwolves.

It was a season-best scoring effort for Sengun, who hadn't even topped 30 points since Nov. 20. The fourth-year center also produced his 21st double-double of the season in 31 appearances, tying him for third in the league in that category behind only Domantas Sabonis (26) and Karl-Anthony Towns (25).

Bamba finished with two rebounds and one block across 12 minutes during Friday's 102-92 win over the Warriors.

Bamba continues to put together the worst season of his career, as he is averaging 3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 12.8 minutes per game. Playing behind one of the most consistent centers in the league (Ivica Zubac), Bamba's opportunities have been few and far between. Should a meaningful role ever present itself, Bamba would then become a factor, at least on the defensive end of the floor.

Jokic accumulated 27 points (12-19 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 14 rebounds, 13 assists and three steals across 36 minutes during Friday's 149-135 loss to the Cavaliers.

Jokic recorded his league-leading 12th triple-double of the season, but as has happened in other games, it wasn't enough to carry the Nuggets to victory -- Denver has gone 7-5 when Jokic records a triple-double this season. Collective struggles aside, Jokic continues to have an elite individual season, and he should continue to benefit fantasy managers who decided to draft him in the early stages of the first rounds. Jokic has also scored at least 25 points in each of his last five contests.

Bryant accumulated 12 points (5-7 FG, 2-4 3Pt), seven rebounds, one block and one steal across 19 minutes during Friday's 142-105 loss to Boston.

Bryant took on the backup center role in the absence of small-ball five Obi Toppin (ankle), providing decent production in the form of a season-high 12 points in just 19 minutes off the bench Friday. Bryant has now made six appearances since latching on with Indiana, averaging a mere 4.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and 0.5 three-pointers in 11.3 minutes for the Pacers in 2024-25. Even with Toppin's status uncertain for Sunday's rematch with the Celtics, Bryant still doesn't appear likely to handle enough minutes to make a significant impact for fantasy managers in the vast majority of leagues.