NBA Player News

Carlson supplied 23 points (8-18 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 12 rebounds, five assists and one block in 37 minutes during Friday's 127-107 loss to Denver.

Carlson moved into the starting lineup for the third time this season, recording his third career double-double. If we rewind almost 12 months to the day, Carlson amassed his first double-double, finding himself in basically an identical situation. With Oklahoma City once again guaranteed the top seed in the Western Conference, it wouldn't be surprising to see Carlson playing big minutes again during Sunday's season finale.

Sims contributed 11 points (4-4 FG, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 30 minutes during Friday's 125-108 win over the Nets.

On the heels of logging his first career triple-double his last time out, Sims moved back to the bench to accommodate for the return of Myles Turner on Friday but still managed to collect his sixth double-double of the year. The fifth-year big man has been playing a significant role for the Bucks down the stretch, averaging 9.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 28.6 minutes per contest in his last 10 games while shooting an efficient 66.7 percent from the field.

Towns logged 22 points (8-12 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 10 rebounds and five assists over 30 minutes in Friday's 112-95 win over Toronto on Friday.

Towns scored 14 of his 22 points in the first half to help the Knicks build a 15-point lead heading into the break. He finished as the team's leader in rebounds and assists and second in points behind Jalen Brunson (29 points). Towns has recorded a double-double in three consecutive games and is up to 56 on the season, which leads the Association. New York is locked in as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Towns rest for Sunday's regular-season finale against Charlotte.

Cisse accumulated seven points (3-5 FG, 1-5 FT), eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals across 19 minutes during Friday's 139-120 loss to San Antonio.

Cisse recorded at least five combined steals and blocks for the second time in his past three games, once again flashing some nice defensive upside. Although his role has been sporadic, Cisse has demonstrated enough to at least keep himself relevant when available. With one game remaining in the season, Cisse makes for a viable streaming option for anyone needing rebounds and blocks.

Castleton had three points (1-2 FG, 1-1 FT), two rebounds and one steal over six minutes during Friday's 127-103 win over Chicago.

Castleton remained in the rotation, albeit as nothing more than a garbage-time participant. In fact, all four of his appearances this season have come in lopsided games. Although he does have a somewhat fantasy-friendly skill set, his role is far too insignificant to warrant any attention.

Bitadze finished Friday's 127-103 win over Chicago with 15 points (6-7 FG, 3-3 FT), 11 rebounds, two blocks and one steal across 17 minutes.

Bitadze recorded his second straight double-double, taking advantage of a shorthanded opponent. Although it has been a nice stretch for Bitadze, there is no reason to suspect his role is likely to change moving forward. He should continue to serve as the primary backup behind Wendell Carter, typically playing no more than about 15 minutes per game.

Queen supplied 25 points (9-14 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 7-9 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal in 39 minutes during Friday's 144-118 loss to the Celtics.

It was the 11th double-double of the season for Queen. After promoting him to a starting role earlier this year, the Pelicans somewhat curiously got away from the rookie first-rounder a bit following the All-Star break as it pertains to his playing time. Queen has made just four starts over his last 25 contests, averaging 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 22.0 minutes per game.

Wembanyama closed Friday's 139-120 win over the Mavericks with 40 points (14-23 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 10-11 FT), 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal across 26 minutes.

Wembanyama returned from a one-game absence due to a left rib contusion and impressed in his limited run, recording game-high marks in points and rebounds en route to his seventh double-double over his last eight appearances. The 22-year-old has scored 40-plus points in three of those eight outings and in five games this season. With the Spurs gearing up for the postseason, it wouldn't be surprising to see Wembanyama sit out Sunday's regular-season finale against the Nuggets.

Maluach is not in the Suns' starting lineup against the Lakers on Friday.

The rookie first-rounder made his first NBA start against the Mavericks on Wednesday, when he played 30 minutes and finished with four points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in a 112-107 win. Maluach will revert to a bench role Friday due to the return of Mark Williams, and the former will be competing with Oso Ighodaro for playing time.

Bagley (shoulder) won't return to Friday's game against the Spurs, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports. He'll finish with two points (1-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt), one rebound and one assist in eight minutes.

Bagley logged eight minutes in the first quarter but won't return for the remainder of the game due to a left shoulder impingement, which previously cost him three straight games. He should be considered questionable for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Bulls until Dallas offers an update on his status.