NBA Player News

Murphy recorded 19 points (8-21 FG, 3-11 3Pt), nine rebounds, two assists and one block in 38 minutes during Saturday's 124-114 loss to Philadelphia.

The fifth-year guard came one board shy of his fifth double-double of the season. It was a strong bounce-back effort from Murphy after he'd scored just eight points in Friday's win over the Grizzlies -- his first time scoring in single digits since Oct. 29 -- and through 14 games in January, he averaged 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.6 threes and 1.4 steals.

Buzelis recorded 21 points (7-15 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 4-4 FT), eight rebounds, four assists, one block and eight turnovers in 33 minutes during Saturday's 125-118 victory over the Heat.

Buzelis finished Saturday's game as the Bulls' second-leading scorer behind Ayo Dosunmu (29 points). However, the former also committed a season-high eight turnovers, due in part to his expanded role on offense in the absences of Josh Giddey (hamstring), Coby White (calf), Jalen Smith (calf) and Nikola Vucevic (rest). Buzelis' role in Sunday's rematch against Miami could shrink if any of his teammates that sat out of Saturday's contest are cleared to return.

Dosunmu provided 29 points (11-16 FG, 5-6 3Pt, 2-3 FT), eight rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 36 minutes during Saturday's 125-118 victory over the Heat.

Dosunmu had an opportunity for an expanded role Saturday due to the absences of Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Coby White (calf). Dosunmu responded by putting together his best performance of the season, registering season highs in points, assists and rebounds to help guide the short-handed Bulls to a road victory. He could revert to a bench role in Sunday's rematch against Miami if one or both of Giddey and White were cleared to play.

Capela ended Saturday's 111-107 victory over the Mavericks with six points (3-6 FG), four rebounds, one assist and one steal over 13 minutes.

Capela remained in the rotation, serving as a backup center option behind Alperen Sengun. With Steven Adams out for the remainder of the season due to an ankle injury, Capela is likely to feature on most nights, albeit in a sporadic role. Despite the opportunity, he should be viewed as nothing more than a potential streaming option for anyone needing rebounds and blocks.

Smith closed with 19 points (7-13 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and three blocks across 33 minutes during Saturday's 111-107 victory over the Mavericks.

Smith produced on both ends of the floor, once again flashing his two-way upside. In fact, in eight appearances over the past two weeks, Smith has been able to flirt with top-30 value in standard leagues, averaging 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 three-pointers and 2.5 combined steals and blocks. He will look to continue his recent momentum in what could be a favorable matchup against the Pacers on Monday.

Sheppard notched six points (3-8 FG, 0-4 3Pt), one rebound, one assist, one block and two steals in 17 minutes during Saturday's 111-107 victory over the Mavericks.

Sheppard logged just 17 minutes, continuing what has been a frustrating past month. In 17 appearances during that time, he has averaged just 22.7 minutes per game, providing 11.3 points, 1.0 steals and 2.0 three-pointers. While the talent is undeniable, the fact head coach Ime Udoka refuses to afford him starter-level minutes can't be ignored. As of right now, managers should view him as nothing more than a streaming option in standard leagues.

Christie supplied 11 points (4-11 FG, 3-4 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one block over 32 minutes during Saturday's 111-107 loss to the Rockets.

Christie continues to put up backend standard league value, draining at least three triples for the fifth time in the past seven games. It appears as though he is locked in as a member of the starting lineup, providing him with a relatively safe floor as a source of points and three-pointers.

Gafford amassed 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds and one assist across 28 minutes during Saturday's 111-107 loss to the Rockets.

Gafford recorded his first double-double in his past seven appearances while also logging at least 25 minutes for the second straight game. While it has been a season full of disappointment, Gafford is beginning to show signs of life. With very little in terms of viable competition for minutes, Gafford is trending toward being a must-roster player, especially if he can remain healthy for the foreseeable future.

Nembhard ended Saturday's 111-107 loss to the Rockets with zero points (0-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound, three assists and one block across 11 minutes.

Nembhard failed to score for the second straight game, continuing to play a modest role as the third-string point guard. In six appearances over the past two weeks, the rookie has averaged just 2.8 points and 3.2 assists in 11.3 minutes per game, leaving him well outside the top 300 in standard formats. With that said, Brandon Williams suffered a knee injury during the loss, forcing him to leave the game prematurely. If he misses any time moving forward, Nembhard could be back on the streaming radar for anyone needing assists.

Sheppard recorded eight points (3-6 FG, 2-4 3Pt), seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 18 minutes during Saturday's 129-124 victory over Atlanta.

Sheppard continues to do very little with his time on the floor, scoring in single digits for the 15th straight game. Despite featuring in the rotation on a regular basis, Sheppard has been unable to make any sort of noise when it comes to fantasy value. During that span, he has averaged just 5.5 points and 1.3 three-pointers in 17.1 minutes per game.