NBA Player News
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Drake Powell SG | BKN
Nets' Drake Powell: Struggles with shot despite win
Powell finished with 11 points (4-16 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals over 40 minutes during Tuesday's 96-90 victory over the Bucks.
Powell had a woeful shooting performance, making just 25 percent of his attempts, and while his fantasy line was far from eye-popping, he managed to contribute in each of the five major categories. Powell has started every game he's been available for the Nets since March 9. However, his averages of 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game aren't particularly impressive, especially since he's also shooting 38.4 percent from the floor in that span.
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Kennedy Chandler PG | UTA
Jazz's Kennedy Chandler: Scores career-high 31 points
Chandler produced 31 points (11-18 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 7-8 FT), seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals over 43 minutes during Tuesday's 156-137 loss to the Pelicans.
Although he didn't start this game, Chandler logged 43 minutes and set multiple career-high marks. The Jazz are giving him an extended look to close out the season, and he's averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 three-pointers in 30.0 minutes over his last four games.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander SG | OKC
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Drops game-high 25 in rout
Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 25 points (10-15 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), one rebound, eight assists and two steals over 28 minutes during Tuesday's 123-87 win over the Lakers.
Only two Thunder starters scored in double digits, and nine played 30 minutes in a rout, but Gilgeous-Alexander still produced a solid line by his lofty standards. The reigning MVP has drained multiple three-pointers in eight of the last 14 games, averaging 30.0 points, 6.9 assists, 4.1 boards, 1.6 steals and 1.6 threes over that span while shooting 57.3 percent from the floor and 41.1 percent from beyond the arc.
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E.J. Liddell SF | BKN
Nets' E.J. Liddell: Scores season-high 21 points
Liddell closed Tuesday's 96-90 victory over the Bucks with 21 points (7-9 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 5-5 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 21 minutes.
Liddell made the most of his playing time in Tuesday's win over Milwaukee, missing just two of his nine shots from the floor en route to posting his best scoring output of the campaign. Liddell could be a name to watch in the final days of the regular season. He has started in the Nets' last two games, playing at least 20 minutes and scoring at least 15 points each time.
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Bez Mbeng SG | UTA
Jazz's Bez Mbeng: Explodes for 26 points in loss
Mbeng recorded 26 points (12-18 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists and five steals in 48 minutes during Tuesday's 156-137 loss to New Orleans.
After not playing at all Sunday against the Thunder, Mbeng joined the starting lineup and ended up playing all 48 minutes in what was a career night. Utah's rotations are a mess right now due to injuries, maintenance and lottery implications, but there's a good chance Mbeng remains heavily involved in the final two regular-season games.
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Ben Saraf PG | BKN
Nets' Ben Saraf: Loaded stat line in win
Saraf closed Tuesday's 96-90 win over Milwaukee with 19 points (5-13 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 9-10 FT), five rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals in 36 minutes.
Saraf didn't have a good shooting performance Tuesday night but going 9-for-10 from the charity stripe salvaged his scoring output, and he complemented it with decent numbers in peripheral categories. Saraf has started just three times since the beginning of March, but he's been showing what he can do of late with an uptick in his playing time. He has scored in double digits in five of his last eight appearances, a stretch in which he's averaging 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game despite shooting just 40.2 percent from the floor and 18.8 percent from deep.
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Charles Bassey C | GS
Warriors' Charles Bassey: First double-double of season
Bassey chipped in 14 points (7-12 FG), 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals over 27 minutes off the bench during Tuesday's 110-105 win over Sacramento.
The double-double was the first of the season for Bassey, and just the fourth of his career, as he set new season highs in points and boards. The fifth-year center could see a hefty workload over the final three games of the regular season as the Warriors focus on getting Kristaps Porzingis (knee), Al Horford (calf) and Quinten Post (foot) ready for the Play-In Tournament.
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Stephen Curry PG | GS
Warriors' Stephen Curry: Sinks four threes off bench
Curry finished Tuesday's 110-105 victory over the Kings with 17 points (5-12 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal in 25 minutes off the bench.
Making his second straight appearance with the second unit since returning from a knee injury, Curry produced big numbers once again from beyond the arc. The future Hall of Famer is 9-for-21 on three-point attempts since getting back onto the court. Curry will likely sit out one half of the Warriors' back-to-back set Thursday and Friday, but he appears to be on track to be 100 percent for the Play-In Tournament.
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Jericho Sims C | MIL
Bucks' Jericho Sims: Comes close to double-double
Sims accumulated 12 points (6-9 FG), eight rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal across 37 minutes during Tuesday's 96-90 loss to the Nets.
Sims has started in six of the Bucks' last nine games. Even though the results have been underwhelming at times, Sims is a decent low-end fantasy option who can stuff the stat sheet and contribute in points, rebounds and assists. Even if he has failed to score in double digits in five of those nine games, he's still averaging a decent, yet unspectacular, line of 8.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 67.4 percent from the floor.
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Brandin Podziemski SG | GS
Warriors' Brandin Podziemski: Strikes for 20 against Kings
Podziemski finished Tuesday's 110-105 win over Sacramento with 20 points (5-11 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 6-6 FT), one rebound, three assists and one steal in 30 minutes.
The third-year guard continues to roll. Podziemski has scored at least 14 points and drained multiple three-pointers in eight straight games, averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 boards, 4.4 assists, 2.8 threes and 1.1 steals over that stretch while shooting 54.1 percent from the floor and 45.8 percent from long distance.