NBA Player News

Smart finished Monday's 119-110 loss to the Thunder with 19 points (7-16 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists and two steals over 29 minutes.

Smart put in solid work as Luka Doncic's direct fill-in during the loss. The former's 19-point effort marked the veteran's third-highest scoring total of the season. Since his recent spike corresponds to Doncic's absence, we should expect continued output from Smart while the team's offensive catalyst is sidelined.

James supplied 22 points (9-17 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 4-6 FT), six rebounds, 10 assists and one steal across 36 minutes during Monday's 119-110 loss to the Thunder.

With Luka Doncic (hamstring) sidelined for a second consecutive game, James boosted his production and produced another double-double after hitting the milestone during Doncic's first absence, raising his double-double total to nine for the season. James is fully healthy, and the return of Austin Reaves and the eventual return of Doncic will have the team ready for a playoff run following the All-Star break.

Joe produced 19 points (6-13 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two steals over 27 minutes during Monday's 119-110 victory over the Lakers.

Although Cason Wallace continued to start for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen), Joe also helped to fill the gap with another strong performance. Joe struggled during a spot start last week against the Spurs, and his swift demotion served as proper motivation for the sixth-year pro. With Jared McCain shooting up the depth chart, Joe will need to keep his production up to preserve his spot in the rotation.

Hartenstein racked up 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 FT), nine rebounds, six assists and three steals in 22 minutes during Monday's 119-110 win over the Lakers.

Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren did an excellent job propping up the frontcourt against the Lakers. The veteran's numbers have been pedestrian since his return to action, averaging only 8.2 points and 7.4 rebounds over five games. Interestingly, the big man saw a sharp increase in assists after the return. His five-game average of 6.0 assists is well above his usual results in the category.

Williams registered 23 points (6-17 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 11-13 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one steal over 24 minutes during Monday's 119-110 win over the Lakers.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) sidelined for a couple of weeks, the Thunder were fortunate to see the return of Williams on Monday. Although the standout forward was on a mild minute restriction, he made his presence known in his return to the starting lineup after a 10-game absence. Williams will be able to rest his hamstring over the All-Star break, and the Thunder should be back to full strength with their potent original starting lineup when games continue next week.

Braun amassed 20 points (7-13 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes during Monday's 119-117 loss to Cleveland.

Braun got his stat line to acceptable levels after struggling through his first three appearances following a 12-game absence. He's showing no ill effects from the ankle injury that sidelined him, and Monday's effort was a positive indicator that he'll return to his usual level of production heading into the All-Star break.

Strawther closed Monday's 119-117 loss to the Cavaliers with 20 points (8-16 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-3 FT) and six rebounds over 29 minutes.

Strawther put together another solid number in his second start of the season. He's coming in handy as a placeholder amid absences from Peyton Watson (hamstring) and Spencer Jones (concussion). Jones may return before the All-Star break, which may send Strawther back to the bench.

Jokic had 22 points (6-11 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 10-12 FT), 14 rebounds, 11 assists, one block and two steals over 33 minutes during Monday's 119-117 loss to Cleveland.

Jokic is still playing through a recent ankle injury, but he's still averaging 24.2 points, 12.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists since returning from a 17-game absence due to a knee issue. The All-Star lacks the support of Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Peyton Watson (hamstring) for at least a few more weeks, requiring Jokic to carry a heavy load in the frontcourt.

Allen ended with 22 points (10-16 FG, 2-4 FT), 13 rebounds and one assist over 35 minutes during Monday's 119-117 victory over the Nuggets.

Allen faced down Nikola Jokic and put together a solid number, although the former MVP was able to hang a triple-double in a losing effort. Evan Mobley (calf) could return before the All-Star break, but his minutes would likely be restricted. In either case, Allen will be set up for success during the upcoming matchup against the Wizards on Wednesday.

Mitchell racked up 32 points (11-23 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 7-8 FT), one rebound, 10 assists, two blocks and two steals across 34 minutes during Monday's 119-117 victory over the Nuggets.

The new duo of Mitchell and James Harden powered the Cavaliers to another dramatic win, rallying back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The only knock on Mitchell's game currently is a poor streak of performances beyond the arc, but his work inside the perimeter has more than made up for that inconsistency. The veteran has averaged 32.0 points per game over the last three contests.