NBA Player News
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Giannis Antetokounmpo PF | MIL
Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Iffy for Sunday
Antetokounmpo (calf) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Pacers.
Antetokounmpo sat out Saturday's loss to Atlanta and is in danger of missing a second consecutive contest. He missed 15 straight games due to a right calf strain from Jan. 27 to March 1, but he suited up for five of Milwaukee's previous six contests before this current weekend back-to-back set, averaging 27.8 minutes a night. It's unclear if the superstar forward aggravated the injury or if the Bucks are being overly cautious after falling out of the Play-In picture.
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Kevin Porter PG | MIL
Bucks' Kevin Porter: Not playing Sunday
Porter has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Pacers due to right knee synovitis.
Porter was cleared to play the front end of the Bucks' back-to-back set Saturday against the Hawks, when he logged 18 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, two steals and one block over 30 minutes in a 122-99 loss. He'll sit for Sunday's contest, and his next chance to play is Tuesday against the Cavaliers. Ryan Rollins should take on a larger role offensively in Porter's absence.
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Ausar Thompson SF | DET
Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Will play Sunday
Thompson (ankle) is available for Sunday's game against the Raptors.
As expected, Thompson has been upgraded from probable to available and will end a five-game absence due to a right ankle sprain. In seven outings before picking up the injury, Thompson averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in 28.1 minutes per contest.
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Darius Garland PG | LAC
Clippers' Darius Garland: Returns with 25-point effort
Garland (toe) amassed 25 points (9-20 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 30 minutes during Saturday's 118-109 loss to the Kings.
Garland returned as expected for the tail end of the back-to-back. The upcoming schedule shows an upcoming back-to-back set against the Pelicans beginning on Wednesday, so there's a possibility that Garland could sit for one of those contests. He should be ready for Monday's game against the Spurs. The team would need Garland's production if Kawhi Leonard's (ankle) injury warrants a multi-game absence, and that could create a scenario where the Clippers start Garland despite the recent trend.
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Bennedict Mathurin SF | LAC
Clippers' Bennedict Mathurin: Superb off bench with 24 points
Mathurin totaled 24 points (7-15 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 10-11 FT), six rebounds, one assist and one block across 35 minutes during Saturday's 118-109 loss to Sacramento.
The severity of Kawhi Leonard's (ankle) injury is unclear, but it's reasonable to assume that Mathurin would get a significant usage boost if the All-Star was unavailable for Monday's game against the Spurs. At present, Mathurin is distinguishing himself as a premier sixth man for the Clippers, averaging 20.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals since joining the team.
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Maxime Raynaud C | SAC
Kings' Maxime Raynaud: Logs 23 points in surprise win
Raynaud logged 23 points (11-12 FG, 1-3 FT), five rebounds and two assists across 30 minutes during Saturday's 118-109 victory over the Clippers.
Raynaud missed only one of his 12 shot attempts during the victory, and he also did an admirable job of keeping the Clippers' interior players in check. Brook Lopez failed to make a basket, and backup Isaiah Jackson managed only six points. Although he has a lower profile than fellow rookies Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, Raynaud has climbed into contention for the ROY crown thanks to a slew of double-doubles and superb totals as the team's uncontested starter.
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Precious Achiuwa PF | SAC
Kings' Precious Achiuwa: Explodes for 25/13 double-double
Achiuwa notched 25 points (10-14 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 13 rebounds, one assist and four blocks across 37 minutes during Saturday's 118-109 victory over the Clippers.
Achiuwa added a season-high four blocks to his double-double total and was a critical piece of the unlikely win. Keegan Murray (ankle) is still weeks away from returning, but it will be hard to take Achiuwa off the floor considering his effectiveness as a starter. The Memphis product has averaged 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocked shots over 14 consecutive starting appearances.
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Russell Westbrook PG | SAC
Kings' Russell Westbrook: Records triple-double in victory
Westbrook provided 12 points (4-15 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 12 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals over 37 minutes during Saturday's 118-109 victory over the Clippers.
Westbrook posted his second triple-double over his last three appearances after a one-game absence. He's hit the milestone seven times this season, which places him fifth in the category. Although the unlikely win doesn't change the Kings' fortunes, Westbrook was aided by a host of productive performers who figure to be a big part of the team's rebuild next season.
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Kawhi Leonard SF | LAC
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard: Exits early Saturday
Leonard will not return to Saturday's game against the Kings due to a left ankle injury, Joey Linn of SI.com reports. He'll finish the contest with 31 points (13-23 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-6 FT), six rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes.
Leonard turned his left ankle early in the fourth and limped to the locker room before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest shortly thereafter. Before exiting, the star forward set the franchise record for the most consecutive 20-plus-point games, extending his streak to 45 outings. His next opportunity to suit up and extend that streak will come Monday against the Spurs.
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LeBron James SF | LAL
Lakers' LeBron James: Fails to reach 20-point plateau
James produced 17 points (7-13 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-3 FT), six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 40 minutes during Saturday's 127-125 overtime victory over the Nuggets.
James had a secondary role on offense in this win over the Nuggets, as both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves reached the 30-point mark while Marcus Smart surpassed the 20-point threshold. James posted a similar line to the one he had in his return to the lineup against the Bulls on Thursday, where he posted 18 points, seven boards and seven assists. Look for James to continue as the Lakers' third option on offense behind Doncic and Reaves, and while he remains capable of filling out the stat sheet, his days of being an elite scorer seem to be in the rearview -- even if he explodes for a big game from time to time. James hasn't reached the 25-point mark in any of his 10 games since the All-Star break.