NBA Player News

Johnson (ankle) amassed 10 points (4-13 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 1-1 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two steals across 18 minutes during Wednesday's 138-113 loss to the Cavaliers.

Back in action following a six-game absence due to a left ankle sprain, Johnson stepped back into the starting five, sharing the backcourt with Bub Carrington. Before he had sustained the injury, Johnson had been starting ahead of Carrington at point guard, but the Wizards may be able to make room for both players on the top unit until Trae Young (knee) is ready to make his team debut. Regardless of how he's deployed coming out of the All-Star break, Johnson will likely see his minutes climb back into the 20s during the Wizards' next game Feb. 19 versus the Pacers.

Hardy posted 11 points (3-7 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes during Wednesday's 138-113 loss to the Cavaliers.

Hardy, who made his Washington debut after being acquired from Dallas at the trade deadline, put together a strong showing in limited playing time off the bench. Player development is going to be a big focus for the Wizards after the All-Star break, so additional opportunities may arise for the 23-year-old guard.

Cissoko (two-way) was a healthy inactive Wednesday in the Trail Blazers' 133-109 loss to the Timberwolves.

Cissoko has been a mainstay in the Portland rotation throughout the season, but because he's been active for 49 games this season, he's eligible to suit up just one more time this season while he remains signed to a two-way contract. Sean Highkin of Rip City Radio 620 Portland posits that Portland likely opted to keep Cissoko inactive Wednesday in order to use his final game of eligibility in its matchup with the Jazz on Thursday, when players such as Deni Avdija, Robert Williams and Scoot Henderson could be candidates to rest in the second leg of a back-to-back set. After Thursday's game, the Trail Blazers would then likely upgrade Cissoko to a standard contract to ensure he's available to play following the All-Star break.

Walsh recorded 16 points (7-12 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-1 FT), six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals over 29 minutes during Wednesday's 124-105 victory over the Bulls.

Walsh had been quiet lately, but he turned in his first double-digit scoring night since Jan. 3. His versatility was on full display, and the large margin of victory helped him see additional run. Walsh can deliver when called upon, but his role hasn't been as consistent as it was at the start of the campaign.

Jackson was diagnosed with a localized PVNS growth in his left knee and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, Chris Haynes of NBA TV reports.

This is tough news for Utah's newest addition. Jackson is likely to undergo further evaluation, but fantasy managers should be prepared for the worst. Jackson had a great start to his Jazz career, posting averages of 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 three-pointers through two games. With Jackson sidelined, the Jazz are likely to lean more on Kyle Filipowski, Cody Williams, Kevin Love, John Konchar and Brice Sensabaugh.

Vucevic racked up 19 points (7-12 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal over 26 minutes during Wednesday's 124-105 victory over the Bulls.

It was a superb night for Vucevic, who recorded his second double-double in three games with Boston. More impressively, he sank four threes on 80 percent shooting from deep in the 19-point Celtics win. Vucevic has made a seamless transition to his new team so far, but he's playing fewer minutes.

Brown registered 24 points (9-20 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds and four assists across 29 minutes during Wednesday's 124-105 victory over the Bulls.

Wednesday marked the 16th game in a row with 20 or more points for Brown. He enters the All-Star break averaging 29.3 points per game, which ties the third-highest mark in the league. It's been a monster campaign so far from Brown, who's averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists.

Poeltl (back) finished with nine points (4-7 FG, 1-2 FT) and six rebounds in 20 minutes during Wednesday's 113-95 loss to the Pistons.

Seeing his first game action since Dec. 21, Poeltl was on a tight minutes restriction but didn't seem hampered by the back issues that had kept him sidelined for 24 consecutive games. The veteran center will get the All-Star break to rest up further, but he may need more time after that to ramp up before he'll be allowed to handle a full workload.

Barnes accumulated 17 points (5-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 7-7 FT), seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals across 30 minutes during Wednesday's 113-95 loss to the Pistons.

The fifth-year star has produced multiple steals and blocks in two straight games and three of the last five as he continues to make a big defensive impact. Over the last 10 games, Barnes is averaging 17.5 points, 9.2 boards, 6.0 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.3 steals while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor.

Sexton chipped in 15 points (6-13 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, one assist and two steals across 32 minutes during Wednesday's 124-105 loss to Boston.

Sexton appears to be finding his stride with the Bulls after being acquired at the deadline. He's scored in double digits in all three games for Chicago, averaging 17.7 points per game during that span. Expect Sexton to continue being a steady source of scoring, especially while Josh Giddey recovers from a hamstring injury.