NBA News
Stephen A Smith v LeBron James turns NBA s narrator into a main character
ESPN s biggest name has never been shy about giving his opinion. But now he is part of the drama he so often comments on
(Apr 3 -- Yahoo Sports)
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Bub Carrington, Tristan Vukcevic shine for Wizards
Three low-rostered Wizards stepped up on Wednesday as Washington handed the Kings a disappointing defeat.
(Apr 3 -- Yahoo Sports)
Jalen Pickett: Turns in first career triple-double
Pickett supplied 17 points (6-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 35 minutes during Wednesday's 113-106 loss to San Antonio.
(Apr 3 -- Rotowire)
Russell Westbrook: Vintage performance in start
Westbrook logged 30 points (11-25 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals over 40 minutes during Wednesday's 113-106 loss to the Spurs.
(Apr 3 -- Rotowire)
Watch Anthony Davis hit game-winner for Mavericks on night he drops 34 and 15 on Hawks
Anthony Davis had a great all-around game for Dallas.
(Apr 3 -- Yahoo Sports)
Ja Morant's confusing decline: young superstar ALREADY past his prime? The Big Number
On this episode of The Big Number, Tom Haberstroh and Dan Devine break down Ja Morant's unique, disturbing decline in PPG the last 3 years. Could Ja actually be past his prime already? The chaos of this season for the Memphis Grizzlies, which has seen the firing of HC Taylor Jenkins, may have culminated on Tuesday when Ja Morant seemed to do yet another "gun" gesture that the NBA is now investigating, too. Speaking of Western Conference contenders, the Thursday night tilt between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors is also previewed in full on this must-watch edition of The Big Number.
(Apr 3 -- Yahoo Sports)
Yves Missi accounted for six points (3-of-8 FGs), 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 27 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Clippers.
Missi did not provide much value as a scorer on Wednesday, shooting 3-of-8 from the field. However, the areas where fantasy managers have come to expect solid value are where he was most productive. He's reached double digits in rebounds in three straight and four of his last five appearances, and the three rejections were the most in a game for the rookie since March 19. Missi's fantasy value has been low recently, as he's ranked outside the top 200 over the past two weeks. However, he's worth targeting for category league managers seeking rebounds and blocked shots, as the Pelicans have two more games on their Week 22 schedule.
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)
James Harden accounted for 21 points (7-of-14 FGs, 6-of-8 FTs), 10 assists, one steal, three blocks and one three-pointer in 34 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Pelicans.
Surprisingly, Harden's double-double on Wednesday was his first since March 16. However, despite the decrease in assist production, The Beard has been a first-round player in eight- and nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Harden has shot 45.7 percent from the field during this stretch, more than five percentage points higher than his mark for the season (40.1 percent). If he can maintain the improved efficiency through the Clippers' final two games of Week 22, Harden may be able to carry some fantasy managers to a championship.
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)
Jose Alvarado played 27 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Clippers, finishing with 17 points (7-of-16 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), two rebounds, 10 assists and one steal.
Alvarado finished Wednesday's game with his second double-double of the season and first since March 9. Rostered in 18 percent of Yahoo! leagues, his fantasy ceiling raised significantly when the Pelicans ruled out CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson for the rest of the season. The good news for fantasy managers is that New Orleans plays two more games during Week 22, so there's a decent chance they'll receive solid value by rostering Alvarado.
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)
Bruce Brown logged 23 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Clippers, scoring 16 points (7-of-12 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one three-pointer.
Brown is another Pelicans player who stands to benefit from CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson being ruled out for the rest of the season. He continues to start for the latter and has been an eighth-round player in eight- and nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Brown is only rostered in 13 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and he's worth a roll of the dice, despite the Pelicans' final two games of Week 22 being played on the busiest days of the week (Friday and Sunday).
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)
Kawhi Leonard leads Clippers to a dominant win over the Pelicans amid playoff push
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and all five Clippers starters scored in double figures as the team rolled to a home win over the Pelicans on Wednesday.
(Apr 3 -- Yahoo Sports)
Ivica Zubac accumulated 17 points (6-of-8 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), 10 rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Pelicans.
This has been a career year for Zubac, who deserves to be included in Most Improved Player conversations. The Clippers center recorded his 53rd double-double of the season on Wednesday, and the six assists were the most in a game for him since March 16. Over the past two weeks, Zubac has provided fourth-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. The Clippers play two games against the Mavericks to end Week 22, and those matchups may be more challenging since Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II have rejoined the Dallas rotation.
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)
AD clears 'mental hurdle,' keys Mavs' win late
Anthony Davis scored the go-ahead basket with 3.4 seconds left, then smothered Trae Young on a switch, forcing a tightly contested stepback 3 that failed to draw iron at the buzzer as Dallas closed out Atlanta, 120-118.
(Apr 3 -- ESPN)
Dennis Schroder had 15 points (6-of-18 FGs), four rebounds, seven assists and one three-pointer against the Thunder on Wednesday.
Schroder started his third game in a row in the absence of Cade Cunningham (calf) Wednesday. The 31-year-old point guard didn't have as good of a game this time around as he had just 15 points on 18 shots and seven assists after going for double-doubles in his previous two games. It's unclear when Cunningham might return, which likely means more starts for Schroder, who is a must-roster player as long as he's in the starting lineup.
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 23 points (8-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, three assists and five three-pointers against the Thunder on Wednesday.
Hardaway Jr. went off for 23 points and five three-pointers as the Pistons lost by 16 to the Thunder. We've seen this movie before as the 33-year-old shooting guard is certainly capable of big games, but tends not to sustain this level of production. He might have the opportunity if Tobias Harris, who left Wednesday's game against the Thunder with an Achilles injury, misses more time. In that case, though, it's likely Malik Beasley would move into the starting lineup and he's arguably better than Hardaway in a similar role.
(Apr 3 -- NBC Sports)