NBA Player News

Queta won't start Sunday's game against the Timberwolves, Justin Turpin of WEEI.com reports.

As expected, Queta will shift back to the bench due to Al Horford returning to the starting lineup after a one-game absence due to an illness. However, with Luke Kornet (hamstring) unavailable, Queta should still see a sizable reserve role behind Horford on Sunday.

Kornet has been ruled out for Sunday's game versus the Timberwolves due to right hamstring tightness.

Kornet is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury and was a late scratch for Sunday's matchup. With the big man out, Neemias Queta will likely see an uptick in playing time off the bench behind Al Horford.

Horford (illness) is available for Sunday's game against the Timberwolves, Jay King of The Athletic reports.

Horford will return to the starting lineup after a one-game absence. The veteran big man has averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from downtown across 30.6 minutes per game in his last five outings. However, Horford has missed two of the Celtics' past four games.

Sarr is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Pacers due to a non-COVID illness.

Sarr was a late addition to the injury report and could potentially miss his first game of the season due to an illness. If the 19-year-old is sidelined, Jonas Valanciunas should receive the starting nod at center.

Lopez had 13 points (4-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal in 38 minutes during Saturday's 125-119 win over Charlotte.

The 36-year-old center continues to contribute at both ends of the court. Lopez has recorded at least one block, one steal and one three-pointer in seven straight games, averaging 17.0 points, 6.6 boards, 2,7 threes, 2.6 blocks, 2.0 steals and 1.9 assists over that stretch while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent (19-for-46) from beyond the arc.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.