NBA News
Curry makes history as Warriors beat Kings
Steph Curry becomes the first Golden State Warriors player in NBA history to reach 700 20-point career games after helping his side to a 132-108 win against the Sacramento Kings.
(Feb 22 -- Yahoo Sports)
Knicks aren't just falling short against NBA's elite teams, they're getting absolutely bludgeoned
New York is 0-6 against Cleveland, Boston and OKC with a 21-point average margin of defeat
(Feb 22 -- CBS Sports)
Domantas Sabonis stuffed the stat sheet on Friday with 14 points (6-of-10 FGs), 14 rebounds, nine assists, one steal and one three-pointer against the Warriors.
Sabonis came close to adding to his triple-double total, but he was still able to provide his usual well-rounded stat line in the loss. Sabonis entered the All-Star break with a monster 28-rebound performance, and while he wasn't able to replicate that success on the glass, he was still able to recorded his eighth straight double-double. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, that was Sacramento's final game of the week, and they only play three games next week. The Kings return to the court on Monday with the Hornets in town.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Lauri Markkanen was held to just five points (2-of-14 FGs), four rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer in a 130-107 loss to the Thunder on Friday.
Simply put, Friday night was not a good one for Markkanen. He went into the All-Star break on a high note by scoring 32 points in a win over the Lakers last week and scoring another 20 points against the Clippers 24 hours after that, but he was abysmal on Friday. This was a new season-low for points for Markkanen, and it was only the fourth time that he scored less than 10 points. On top of that, Markkanen may sit out against the Rockets on Saturday, since it is the second night of a back-to-back.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Walker Kessler dominated the glass Friday and finished with four points (2-of-4 FGs), 19 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block against the Thunder.
Kessler didn't do much scoring in Friday's loss, but he controlled the glass. His 19 rebounds were the second-most that he has had in a game this season. He had 22 in a loss to the Suns just two weeks before this game. Kessler shouldn't be this limited offensively often, but managers aren't relying on him to be a dominant scorer. Kessler hasn't played both legs of a back-to-back since early January, so managers should keep an eye on the injury report ahead of Saturday's game against the Rockets.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Isaiah Joe provided a boost off the bench with 15 points (5-of-9 FGs), five rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block and three three-pointers against the Jazz on Friday.
Most of Joe's production this season has come from beyond the three-point line, but he was able to do a little bit of everything on Friday. He only played 18 minutes, but that was all the time that he needed to provide a well-rounded stat line off the bench. Joe led the way for the reserves by scoring 15 of Oklahoma City's 57 bench points. Joe will continue to be one of multiple excellent perimeter options off the bench for the Thunder, and the competition for minutes has prevented him from being a consistent contributor in fantasy basketball.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Stephen Curry played 31 minutes in Friday's win over the Kings, tallying 20 points (7-of-13 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, six assists, two steals, and four three-pointers.
On what was a historic night for Curry, he had plenty of help, with three other Warriors scoring at least 20 points. The Warriors superstar has scored 20 points or more in 700 career games, becoming the 21st player in league history and the first in franchise history to achieve that feat. Curry's fantasy value has not been a concern, and he's maintained top-20 value since Jimmy Butler joined the Warriors' lineup on February 8. Curry will look to end Week 16 on a high note when the Warriors host the Mavericks on Sunday.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Jimmy Butler finished Friday's win over the Kings with 17 points (5-of-10 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs), three rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in 32 minutes.
Butler has been the "change agent" the Warriors desperately needed, thanks mainly to his ability to score in the mid-range and set up teammates. Since debuting on February 8, the Warriors forward has provided third-round value in nine-cat formats, sitting a few spots outside the top-25. Butler has fit in well with his new teammates and received the contract extension he was looking for. He remains just outside the top 50 in season-long value, and the time in Miami before the trade did fantasy managers no favors.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
John Collins led the Jazz on Friday with 26 points (11-of-19 FGs, 3-of-7 FTs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer against the Thunder.
The main issue for Collins this season has been availability, especially over the past two months. However, he was able to have his highest-scoring game since mid-November on Friday. Unfortunately, he had an uncharacteristically poor night from the free throw line, and he wasn't able to supply his usual dose of rebounds. This was the first time since early December that Collins failed to secure at least five rebounds. Utah wraps up the week against the Rockets on Saturday, and there is certainly a chance that Collins is given the night off to help the Jazz improve their lottery odds.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Moses Moody accounted for 22 points (8-of-11 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), two rebounds, four assists, one block, and five three-pointers in 29 minutes in Friday's win over the Kings.
A double-digit scorer in six of his last seven appearances before the All-Star break, Moody had his most productive night of the season on Friday. Matching his season-high with five three-pointers, the Warriors forward surpassed the 20-point mark for the first time. Rostered in six percent of Yahoo leagues, Moody has been an 11th-round player in nine-cat formats since Jimmy Butler made his Warriors debut on February 8. While he still hasn't reached the point where he's a safe waiver wire pickup, Moody is worth tracking, especially if he remains in the starting lineup.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
De'Aaron Fox lit up the Pistons with 27 points (11-of-18 FGs), five rebounds, five assists, four steals and three three-pointers on Friday.
Fox has played well since being traded to San Antonio, and that hasn't changed with Victor Wembanyama out of the lineup. Unfortunately, he didn't get much help on Friday, as he was the only starter to score in double figures. Fox will continue to be the star for the Spurs for the rest of the season, and that should lead to more excellent nights like this one. San Antonio will wrap up this week in New Orleans on Sunday, and they have a four-game week coming up after that.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 28 points (11-of-13 FGs, 5-of-9 FTs), four rebounds, five assists and one three-pointer in a 125-110 loss to the Pistons on Friday.
This was an ugly game for the Spurs on the second night of a back-to-back, but Johnson was one of the few bright spots. He led all scorers in this game and tied his season-high for scoring. Johnson will continue to see extra minutes and shots with Victor Wembanyama done for the season. However, managers shouldn't expect scoring nights like this consistently. Johnson should be a fine option in points leagues, but he doesn't contribute much outside of scoring, which makes him a difficult player to roster in category formats.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Jalen Duren stuffed the stat sheet on Friday 21 points (10-of-14 FGs), 15 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block against the Spurs.
Duren did most of his worst in this game after the break. He had 17 points and eight rebounds in the second half, and he was instrumental in Detroit's big third quarter that helped them secure the win. Duren has progressively improved throughout the season, and Friday's game was one of his best of the year. He tied his season-high for points in this game, and he has at least five assists in five straight games. If he can continue to provide some playmaking value, he'll be an elite fantasy option down the stretch.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Amen Thompson finished Friday's win over the Timberwolves with 17 points (7-of-9 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), 10 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and three blocked shots in 30 minutes.
Thompson continues to shine as a starter, providing excellent fantasy value regardless of league format. Since replacing the then-injured Jabari Smith Jr. in the starting lineup on January 5, Thompson has recorded eight double-doubles and three triple-doubles. Averaging 16.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game, Amen has been a top 20 player in eight- and nine-cat formats. Smith returned to action on Friday, but Thompson continues to start with Fred VanVleet (ankle) sidelined. Rockets coach Ime Udoka may have a difficult decision once VanVleet returns, especially if Thompson continues to be this productive.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)
Alperen Sengun tallied 24 points (8-of-21 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs), 13 rebounds, and two assists in 36 minutes in Friday's win over the Timberwolves.
Sengun finished Friday's victory with his 33rd double-double of the season, but how he got there wasn't pretty. Worse than the field goal percentage was the turnover count, as the Rockets center was responsible for a season-high eight on the night. The good news for fantasy managers is that Sengun is averaging 2.5 turnovers per game this season, and he's only had four games with five or more. However, his fantasy value has slipped recently, with Sengun being ranked outside the top 200 in eight-cat formats over the past month.
(Feb 22 -- NBC Sports)