NBA Player News

Watford (coach's decision) went unused off the bench in Saturday's 126-111 loss to the Pelicans.

Watford exited the rotation for the first time since Jan. 29, ending a stretch of eight consecutive appearances during which he averaged 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest and shot 48 percent from the field. Rather than turning to Watford to fill minutes on the second unit, head coach Nick Nurse gave more extended playing time to backup forwards Jabari Walker (16 minutes) and Justin Edwards (six minutes).

Jerome finished Saturday's 136-120 loss to the Heat with 17 points (6-16 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals across 22 minutes.

Memphis has played it safe with Jerome since his January season debut last month. He missed first half of the season due to a calf strain and has been playing under a minutes restriction. Through seven games, he's averaging 19.3 points, 5.7 assists, 2.4 made threes, and 1.3 steals in only 20.6 minutes per game. If the minutes restriction eases, Jerome could have a big finish to the regular season.

Jackson had 28 points (11-17 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 5-8 FT), nine rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 26 minutes during Saturday's 136-120 loss to the Heat.

Coming off the bench did not hinder Jackson's performance against the Heat. He scored a team-high 28 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. It's Jackson's third game in a row surpassing 20 points. He's also had at least one block or steal in nine consecutive games.

Wells finished Saturday's 136-120 loss to the Heat with 25 points (10-13 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, two assists and two steals across 27 minutes.

Wells tied his season high in scoring while finishing with the Grizzlies' second-highest point tally and reaching double digits for the ninth straight game. As long as he's in the starting lineup, Wells could be a steady fantasy contributor.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown said that Robinson (ankle) will likely be sidelined for Sunday's game against the Bulls due to left ankle injury management, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News reports.

Robinson handled his usual role as the Knicks' backup center in Saturday's 108-106 win over the Rockets, finishing with six points (3-5 FG) and four rebounds over 17 minutes. The 27-year-old has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back set this season, and the Knicks appear to be leaning toward resting him Sunday. Assuming Robinson ends up sitting out, Ariel Hukporti will likely step in as the top backup to Karl-Anthony Towns.

Toronto recalled Battle from the G League's Raptors 905 on Saturday.

Battle will be back with the NBA squad following a brief stint in the G League. With Scottie Barnes (personal) sitting out Sunday's game in Milwaukee, Battle could end up entering the rotation, though he's unlikely to see major minutes.

Thompson closed Saturday's 108-106 loss to the Knicks with 12 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 10 rebounds, seven assists, one block and three steals in 41 minutes.

All but one of Thompson's double-doubles are a result of a high rebounding total, and he recorded 10-plus rebounds for the 11th time this season during the narrow defeat. Thompson was unable to find many scoring opportunities against the Knicks, but there shouldn't be much concern about the regressive scoring total. He's averaging 17.4 points per game this season and has the potential to often blow past this average.

Sengun logged 16 points (6-12 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, six assists and three blocks over 31 minutes during Saturday's 108-106 loss to New York.

Sengun's usual prolific rebound total was absent during Saturday's loss, but he still managed to find the bottom of the basket frequently as he squared off against Karl-Anthony Towns. Sengun continues to be one of Houston's best options for fantasy production, averaging 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.4 steals over 48 games.

Durant finished with 30 points (10-26 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 6-7 FT), six rebounds and three assists across 38 minutes during Saturday's 108-106 loss to the Knicks.

Durant's shooting night wasn't his best, but he still recorded enough shot volume to post an excellent total. Despite his efforts, the Rockets were unable to close the deal in the fourth quarter as the Knicks sank shot after shot and erased Houston's lead. Durant missed opportunities to answer in the final stanza, but the Rockets would have been in worse shape without his contributions. He's now scored 30-plus points in both of Houston's games following the All-Star break.

Alvarado finished with eight points (3-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt), one rebound, four assists and five steals over 20 minutes during Saturday's 108-106 victory over the Rockets.

Alvarado's scoring total was low, but he was a key element on defense in the narrow win. He made the most of his 20 minutes with a season-high five steals. Although it would take a string of injuries for the former Pelican to see a larger role in New York, his acquisition provides much-needed support for the team's elite backcourt.