NBA Player News
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Rob Dillingham PG | CHI
Bulls' Rob Dillingham: Trending in right direction
Dillingham provided 15 points (7-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt), four assists and one block in 25 minutes during Wednesday's 139-109 loss to the Raptors.
Dillingham is enjoying an uptick in playing time of late and has taken full advantage of the opportunity, as this was his fourth straight game with double-digit points. He's averaging 13.5 points per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor in that span, including 38.9 percent from three. Dillingham has logged at least 20 minutes in seven of his last eight games, and that uptick in minutes should translate to increased production, at least until Jaden Ivey (knee) and Anfernee Simons (wrist) are cleared to suit up again.
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Matas Buzelis SF | CHI
Bulls' Matas Buzelis: Scores 19 in blowout defeat
Buzelis notched 19 points (6-15 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 4-6 FT), seven rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals over 31 minutes during Wednesday's 139-109 loss to the Raptors.
The Bulls looked completely overmatched in a 30-point loss to the Raptors, but Buzelis was one of the few standout performers for Chicago. The second-year forward has recorded at least 18 points and seven rebounds in his last three games, and he's averaging a strong 22.5 points per game since the beginning of March, making him one of the top scoring options for the Bulls alongside Josh Giddey. Buzelis' growth in his second year in the league has been notable, and the young forward seems ready to handle a bigger role on a steady basis in the Bulls' offensive scheme.
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Scottie Barnes PF | TOR
Raptors' Scottie Barnes: Solid all-around performance
Barnes notched 18 points (6-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 5-6 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 25 minutes during Wednesday's 139-109 victory over Chicago.
This was Barnes' best scoring output since his 24-point effort in the loss to the Rockets on March 10, but his scoring numbers have experienced a bit of regression. That's not a knock on his play, but simply the result of the Raptors being able to ride the hot hands of Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett. Barnes is still averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game since the beginning of March. His scoring numbers are a bit down, but he'll remain a strong fantasy alternative as long as he continues to fill the stat sheet on a steady basis.
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RJ Barrett SG | TOR
Raptors' RJ Barrett: Extends impressive streak
Barrett contributed 23 points (9-15 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one block over 27 minutes during Wednesday's 139-109 win over Chicago.
Barrett reached the 20-point mark for a third straight game, and he's hit this threshold in eight of his last nine outings. Barrett doesn't offer a ton of value in other categories outside of scoring and perhaps rebounding, but he'll have solid upside as long as he continues to score the rock. Barrett is averaging 23.3 points per game while shooting 59.3 percent from the floor in his last nine contests.
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Brandon Ingram SF | TOR
Raptors' Brandon Ingram: Extremely efficient in win
Ingram had 18 points (6-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 5-5 FT), five rebounds and four assists over 29 minutes during Wednesday's 139-109 win over the Bulls.
The Raptors cruised to an easy win in this match, so Ingram didn't need to play much, but he was decisive when involved, missing just one shot from the field while coming close to reaching the 20-point mark for a fourth consecutive contest. Ingram has a steady role in Toronto's offensive scheme, so he's a good bet to operate as one of the team's go-to scoring weapons every time he steps on the hardwood. He's averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game over his last 10 appearances.
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Taylor Hendricks PF | MEM
Grizzlies' Taylor Hendricks: Shines defensively in win
Hendricks finished with 13 points (6-18 FG, 1-10 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist, three blocks and six steals in 24 minutes during Wednesday's 125-118 win over the Nuggets.
Hendricks might have ended with 13 points, but the fact that he needed 18 shots to achieve that mark means he was far from efficient on that end of the floor. The same can't be said about what he delivered defensively, as Hendricks' nine steals-plus-blocks were his best mark of the campaign by a wide margin. Plus, those figures were season highs in each category. Hendricks is averaging 12.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks per game since the All-Star break.
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Olivier-Maxence Prosper SF | MEM
Grizzlies' Olivier-Maxence Prosper: Best scoring output as starter
Prosper chipped in 19 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 4-6 FT), one rebound and two steals in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 125-118 victory over Denver.
This wasn't Prosper's best scoring performance of the season, as he delivered a 25-point effort in a loss to the Trail Blazers on Feb. 7, and it wasn't his best mark since the break, as he scored 23 in a win over Utah on Feb. 20. However, it's worth noting that this was his best scoring mark in a starting role. Prosper moved to a starting role Feb. 21 and hasn't looked back, averaging 12.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game in those 14 contests. His role as a starter is enough to consider him a solid fantasy alternative in most formats, especially since he's scored in double digits in all but one of his last eight appearances.
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Cedric Coward SG | MEM
Grizzlies' Cedric Coward: Scores 15 despite shooting woes
Coward recorded 15 points (4-12 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 7-7 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one steal in 25 minutes during Wednesday's 125-118 win over the Nuggets.
Coward needed 12 shots to score 15 points and missed all four of his three-pointers, but he still delivered a decent stat line. This was the fourth time in six appearances in which Coward scored at least 15 points. The rookie out of Washington State has been limited to just six outings since the All-Star break due to a knee injury. While his availability needs to be checked regularly, he's proven to be consistent when available. He's averaging 13.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in those six outings.
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Jamal Murray PG | DEN
Nuggets' Jamal Murray: Sniffs triple-double in loss
Murray chipped in 19 points (6-13 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-5 FT), eight rebounds and 12 assists over 41 minutes during Wednesday's 125-118 loss to the Grizzlies.
Murray ended just two boards shy of recording what would've been his first triple-double of the season. At the very least, this was a step in the right direction for Murray after he struggled against the Lakers and 76ers, shooting a woeful 4-for-21 from the floor combined. Murray is shooting 45.5 percent from the floor despite those two subpar showings, averaging 23.6 points, 6.1 assists and 4.4 boards per game since the beginning of March.
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Nikola Jokic C | DEN
Nuggets' Nikola Jokic: Comes close to triple-double
Jokic registered 29 points (11-19 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 5-8 FT), 14 rebounds, nine assists, three blocks and one steal over 39 minutes during Wednesday's 125-118 loss to the Grizzlies.
Jokic ended just one assist away from a triple-double, but his standard of performance is so high that the big man has found a way to be consistently better than this kind of output. He's averaging a triple-double this month, with 26.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game in 10 March appearances. He also has five triple-doubles this month alone, so even in games where he's not as dominant as usual, he still posts elite numbers across the board.