NBA Player News

Smith ended Friday's 125-111 loss to the Celtics with five points (2-8 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 27 minutes.

Smith was the only player who finished Friday's game with double-digit rebounds, although it was the second time in three games that he failed to score in double digits. The seventh-year center is averaging 12.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 blocks over 24.2 minutes per game to open the regular season. He'll continue to operate in a starting role for as long as Nic Claxton (hamstring) is out of action.

Nembhard finished with 22 points (8-16 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 1-1 FT), two rebounds and nine assists over 30 minutes in Friday's 145-125 loss to Miami.

Nembhard shot a rough 1-for-7 from deep in Wednesday's loss to Philadelphia. However, he put that behind him Friday to tie his career-high in three-pointers. Nembhard has combined for 32 field goal attempts in his last two games, and with Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) sidelined, he is expected to be more involved on both ends of the floor moving forward.

White finished with nine points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3Pt), two rebounds, four assists and two steals over 26 minutes during Friday's 125-111 win over the Bulls.

It was the second time in three games that White failed to score in double digits while attempting less than 10 field goals, but he did contribute defensively with two steals. White's production is streaky, and even with Jaylen Brown (knee) now in Philadelphia, the former is still serving in a complementary role to Jayson Tatum, Paul George and even Payton Pritchard off the bench.

Queta contributed 13 points (3-5 FG, 7-10 FT), six rebounds, one block and one steal across 20 minutes during Friday's 125-111 win over Chicago.

The majority of Queta's points came from the charity stripe, and his seven made free throws were his most in a regular-season game since March 1 against the 76ers. He played one more minute than starting center Mitchell Robinson, although Queta got some extra run in the fourth quarter due to the Celtics' large lead. Queta was Boston's starting center in 2025-26, but the sixth-year pro has acclimated to his rotational role to allow Robinson to work more with the starters.

George produced 18 points (7-15 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, eight assists and three steals across 27 minutes during Friday's 125-111 win over Chicago.

George came out hot with eight points in the first quarter, and he ended the game a distant third on the Celtics in scoring behind Payton Pritchard (30 points) and Jayson Tatum (26 points). George also led the Celtics in assists, and Friday's game was the fourth time that the veteran forward has logged at least two steals. He has fit in seamlessly into head coach Joe Mazzulla's gameplan early on, and George is averaging 21.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.4 steals over 30.4 minutes per game this season.

Pritchard had 30 points (9-17 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 9-9 FT), three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 35 minutes during Friday's 125-111 win over the Bulls.

Pritchard scored 20 of his game-high 30 points in the first half, which was a big reason why the Celtics entered the break with a 29-point lead. He did his scoring from all over the floor, and his nine made free throws were a career high. Pritchard's scoring production has been inconsistent over the first five games of the regular season, but he's the offensive spark plug that the Celtics rely on, especially when one of Jayson Tatum and Paul George is not on the floor.

Wagner ended with 26 points (8-18 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 8-9 FT), five rebounds, 11 assists and one steal across 39 minutes in Friday's 121-114 win over Toronto.

With Paolo Banchero (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (knee) sidelined, Wagner stepped up to lead the Magic to their second win of the year. The 25-year-old finished with a season high in scoring while falling short of a triple-double once again. Through five regular-season games in 2026-27, Wagner is now averaging 20.8 points and 1.0 steals over 34.6 minutes per contest. He's also posting career highs in rebounds (6.8) and assists (7.0), though he's shot a rough 18.5 percent from deep and is averaging 4.6 turnovers per game.

Sarr ended with three points (1-5 FG, 1-3 3Pt) and eight rebounds across 29 minutes during Friday's 95-79 victory over Charlotte.

Sarr saw his playing time elevate to 29 minutes, although that's where the positives end. He turned in his worst performance of the season, despite the increased playing time, a worrying sign for fantasy managers. While he does remain a clear must-hold player, expectations for Sarr should likely be tempered, assuming Washington can maintain a relatively injury-free roster.

Tatum finished with 26 points (9-20 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 6-8 FT), seven rebounds and seven assists across 35 minutes in Friday's 125-111 win over the Bulls.

After draining a shot as time expired to lead Boston to the 125-124 overtime win over Brooklyn on Tuesday, Tatum had another strong performance to help the Celtics secure their fourth consecutive victory of the season. The 28-year-old is now averaging 27.6 points (the second-highest mark of his career), 6.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists in five regular-season games in 2026-27. Tatum hasn't shot well from deep, though he's still performing at an All-Star level. That's not expected to change anytime soon.

Mann registered zero points (0-1 FG) in one minute during Friday's 95-79 victory over the Hornets.

Mann made a rare appearance during garbage time, touching the floor for just the second time this season. At this point, it appears as though he is not going to be an every-night part of the rotation, making him a non-factor in all fantasy formats.