NBA Player News

Markkanen finished with 29 points (10-23 FG, 1-10 3Pt, 8-8 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two steals over 32 minutes during Monday's 125-105 loss to the Rockets.

After missing the prior two games due to an illness, Markkanen was back on the court and led the Jazz in scoring on the night. The 29 points represented his best offensive performance since Jan. 8, when he dropped 33 points on the Mavericks. Markkanen's minutes could be erratic the rest of the season as a tanking Utah team pushes the envelope on what the league considers acceptable load management, and Monday's showing from three-point range suggests the 28-year-old forward may not be quite 100 percent yet.

Huerter (coach's decision) went unused off the bench in Monday's 114-103 loss to the Spurs.

After being acquired from the Bulls earlier this month, Huerter appeared in each of the Pistons' ensuing four contests. However, Huerter averaged just 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per contest during that stretch, and he's since fallen out of the rotation while Detroit has prioritized Caris LeVert and Javonte Green ahead of him as its backup wings. Huerter has now failed to get off the bench in three consecutive contests.

Williams is feared to have suffered a significant injury to his left knee and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News reports.

Williams suffered the injury during Monday's clash against Houston and was unable to return to the game. Todd also notes that the 25-year-old was spotted leaving the arena on crutches. The Jazz will presumably hold off on providing any additional updates on the severity of Williams' injury until the testing is completed.

Smith produced 31 points (12-17 FG, 6-11 3Pt, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 33 minutes during Monday's 125-105 victory over the Jazz.

Monday marked just the second time in 55 games this season that Smith has reached the 30-point mark, and he also showed up on the defensive end by recording at last one steal and one block for a third straight appearance. It's evident that Smith has been feeling locked in from beyond the arc lately, as he's knocked down 10 of 19 attempts over his last two appearances. The Auburn product has also been highly productive on the boards and is averaging 8.7 rebounds over his last six outings.

Cunningham closed with 16 points (5-26 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 10 assists, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals over 35 minutes during Monday's 114-103 loss to the Spurs.

Cunningham struggled from the field, converting on under 20 percent of his shot attempts in a double-digit loss. Despite the inefficient scoring night, the star guard still dished out double-digit assists to record his 30th double-double of the season, one shy of the career-high 31 he posted last year.

Holland produced 15 points (5-13 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 11 rebounds, one block and one steal over 26 minutes during Monday's 114-103 loss to the Spurs.

Holland packed a punch off the bench, pulling down a season-high rebound total that trailed only Jalen Duren and Victor Wembanyama on the night. The wing has now recorded two double-doubles this season, both coming in February. While he hasn't taken a significant leap in his second NBA campaign, Holland's athleticism and upside continue to flash as a key contributor off Detroit's bench.

Champagnie finished with 17 points (6-12 FG, 5-8 3Pt), six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal over 36 minutes in Monday's 114-103 victory over the Pistons.

Champagnie delivered a strong outing from beyond the arc, knocking down five threes in the Spurs' win. It was a much-needed performance for the wing, who had been mired in a cold stretch during which he averaged 5.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from deep over his previous five games. With Monday's showing, Champagnie has now connected on five-plus triples in eight contests this season.

Wells posted 12 points (5-11 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal across 26 minutes during Monday's 123-114 loss to Sacramento.

Wells scored an empty 12 points amid what has been a nice stretch of offensive production. In four games over the past two weeks, he has put up 16.8 points, 1.3 steals and 2.0 three-pointers across 26.0 minutes per game. Although his overall ceiling is relatively limited, he definitely deserves some attention for anyone seeking points and threes.

Castle chipped in 16 points (7-16 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-3 FT), 11 assists, four rebounds, one block and one steal in 30 minutes during Monday's 114-103 victory over the Pistons.

Castle ran the offense effectively in an impressive win, leading all players in assists. Monday marked the guard's eighth game with double-digit dimes and ninth double-double of the campaign, with his previous one coming in a 40-point triple-double Feb. 7 against the Mavericks. After a solid rookie showing in 2024-25, Castle has taken a noticeable step forward in his second NBA season.

Prosper ended with 17 points (7-9 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-3 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one block in 25 minutes during Monday's 123-114 loss to the Kings.

Prosper continues to play well, having now put up top-45 value in four appearances over the past two weeks. During that span, he has averaged 15.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 0.8 three-pointers, shooting 72.2 percent from the field and 88.9 percent from the line. It seems as though Memphis is going to be comfortable throwing any number of players out there on a nightly basis, with around 26 minutes being the average limit for them. Keeping this in mind, Prosper is someone to at least consider picking up, just to see if he can maintain his current momentum.