NBA Player News
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Charles Bassey C | SA
Spurs' Charles Bassey: Swats six shots Thursday
Bassey racked up 11 points (5-9 FG, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, one assist, six blocks and one steal in 27 minutes during Thursday's 126-118 victory over the Jazz.
Bassey was efficient as a scorer and aggressive on the glass, but there's no doubt that he made his biggest impact as a rim protector. The six blocks were a career-high mark for the big man, who might continue to enjoy extra minutes off the bench as long as Victor Wembanyama (knee) remains sidelined.
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Chris Paul PG | SA
Spurs' Chris Paul: Hands out 10 assists
Paul closed with 13 points (4-9 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in 30 minutes during Thursday's 126-118 win over the Jazz.
Paul endured a relatively slow start to the season, but he's been excellent in recent weeks, thriving as a playmaker but also delivering decent scoring numbers when called upon. The veteran floor general has dished out 10 or more assists in five of his last six appearances while notching four double-doubles in that span. Despite being one of the oldest players in the NBA, Paul continues to thrive as a playmaking presence. He's recorded eight games with at least 10 assists in 16 contests this season.
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Harrison Barnes PF | SA
Spurs' Harrison Barnes: First double-double of season
Barnes notched 25 points (8-13 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds and one assist in 36 minutes during Thursday's 126-118 win over the Jazz.
Barnes has been heavily criticized this season since he's not producing at a high level despite being one of the most experienced players on the Spurs roster, but he certainly made an impact in this game. The veteran forward recorded season-high marks in both points and rebounds en route to his first double-double in 2024-25. He might be trending in the right direction after recording back-to-back games with at least 20 points while hitting the 10-point plateau in six of his last eight appearances.
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John Collins C | UTA
Jazz's John Collins: Records double-double
Collins finished Thursday's 126-118 loss to the Spurs with 18 points (8-14 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 14 rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal across 33 minutes.
Lauri Markkanen led the way for the Jazz in scoring Thursday, but Collins was one of four Utah players who also finished with at least 18 points, alongside Collin Sexton, Brice Sensabaugh and Keyonte George. Collins has been very productive since being promoted to a starting role in the absence of Walker Kessler (hip), and he's recorded four double-doubles in 10 outings this month. He's averaging 20.3 points and 9.5 boards per contest in six starts.
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Lauri Markkanen PF | UTA
Jazz's Lauri Markkanen: Leads Utah in scoring in loss
Markkanen closed Thursday's 126-118 loss to the Spurs with 27 points (8-17 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 8-8 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two blocks over 33 minutes.
Markkanen was the lone Utah player who surpassed the 20-point mark in this loss, and the star forward has been one of the few consistent, game-to-game performers for the Jazz of late. This was the third time Markkanen reached the 25-point plateau in his last four outings, and he's been remarkably consistent in the efficiency department. He's shooting 48.4 percent from the floor since the beginning of November.
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Brice Sensabaugh SG | UTA
Jazz's Brice Sensabaugh: Impresses in loss to Spurs
Sensabaugh produced 18 points (7-13 FG, 4-7 3Pt), six rebounds, one assist and one block across 22 minutes during Thursday's 126-118 loss to San Antonio.
Sensabaugh hadn't played a game for the Jazz since Nov. 12, when he went scoreless across 10 minutes in a loss against the Suns. However, he came out of nowhere to deliver a season-high mark in scoring. Considering this was the first time he logged more than 20 minutes in a game, and just the third time he scored in double digits, don't expect Sensabaugh to suddenly become a part of the rotation after just one standout performance.
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Cody Martin SF | CHA
Hornets' Cody Martin: Scores 15 points Thursday
Martin logged 15 points (6-8 FG, 3-4 3Pt), three rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal across 36 minutes during Thursday's 123-121 overtime win over the Pistons.
Martin was extremely efficient as a scoring weapon despite coming off the bench, and he finished as the Hornets' third-best offensive threat behind the star duo of Brandon Miller (38 points) and LaMelo Ball (35 points). Martin should continue playing off the bench for the foreseeable future, but the lack of consistency on a game-to-game basis certainly hurts his upside. This was Martin's first game with double-digit points since Nov. 8, when he also scored 15 points in a win over the Pacers.
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Brandon Miller SG | CHA
Hornets' Brandon Miller: Scores career-high 38 points
Miller ended Thursday's 123-121 overtime victory over the Pistons with 38 points (15-26 FG, 8-12 3Pt), seven rebounds, four assists, one block and four steals over 42 minutes.
Miller came through several times when the Hornets needed him the most, and he was virtually unstoppable in overtime, hitting one tough shot after another en route to posting the best scoring output of his career. Miller has scored at least 20 points four times in 2024-25, and all four outings have come in the current month.
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LaMelo Ball PG | CHA
Hornets' LaMelo Ball: Goes for 35 points in win
Ball contributed 35 points (12-27 FG, 4-14 3Pt, 7-8 FT), six rebounds, nine assists and one steal over 33 minutes before fouling out of Thursday's 123-121 overtime win over the Pistons.
Ball could've won it in regulation for the Hornets with a floater that bounced off the rim, but the star floor general was nonetheless very impactful. Ball has been playing at a high level of late, and he seems to be taking his scoring prowess to a whole new level. He's scored at least 30 points in five of his last seven appearances.
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Malik Beasley SG | DET
Pistons' Malik Beasley: Struggles with shot in OT loss
Beasley recorded 16 points (5-15 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and one assist over 34 minutes during Thursday's 123-121 overtime loss to the Hornets.
Beasley had a chance to win the game in regulation for the Pistons not once, but twice, in the final seconds, but he couldn't sink two attempts from close range. Despite the efficiency issues, Beasley had another strong showing, and he remains a solid fantasy performer regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench. Beasley's streak of games with at least 20 points ended in this loss, but he's riding another streak since he's scored at least 15 points in eight consecutive appearances.