NBA Player News

Embiid closed Friday's 98-93 victory over the Knicks with 10 points (3-12 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal in 33 minutes.

Embiid didn't have a great shooting night Friday, but he did fill up the box score and finished second on the 76ers in assists behind LeBron James (eight). Through five regular-season games, Embiid is averaging 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 blocks over what is currently a career-high 35.2 minutes per contest. It wouldn't be surprising to see the veteran center sit for the second leg of the Sixers' back-to-back set Saturday against the Hornets.

Adebayo recorded 27 points (11-14 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and three steals over 33 minutes during Friday's 145-125 win over Indiana.

The 27 points were a season high for Adebayo, and for the second straight game he fell one board shy of his first double-double of 2026-27. The veteran center is beginning to find a groove alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, hitting for at least 20 points in three of the last four games while averaging 19.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks while shooting 50.9 percent from the floor.

Gafford amassed 18 points (6-7 FG, 6-9 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 29 minutes during Friday's 116-111 victory over the Rockets.

The 18 points were a season high for Gafford, who continues to operate without much backup in the paint as Dereck Lively (foot) and Santi Aldama (knee) remain sidelined. Gafford has recorded exactly blocks in six straight games to begin the season, averaging 8.5 points, 7.0 boards, 2.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 0.8 steals in 23.3 minutes while shooting 70.0 percent from the floor.

Capela ended Friday's 116-111 loss to the Mavericks with five points (2-6 FG, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals over 30 minutes.

Pushed into the starting lineup for the first time this season with Alperen Sengun (back) and Steven Adams (calf) both in street clothes, Capela responded with his biggest rebounding total of 20226-27 so far. The veteran center is no longer a nightly double-double threat, but in the two games Sengun has missed, Capela is averaging 7.5 points, 9.5 boards, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 26.0 minutes, giving him some short-term fantasy appeal until Houston's frontcourt gets healthier.

Gobert amassed nine points (4-7 FG, 1-3 FT), 13 rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal in 30 minutes during Friday's 127-101 win over the Clippers.

Gobert continues to struggle on offense, as this was the fifth time in six games that he scored in double digits, but he's grabbed at least 13 rebounds for the fourth time in that span. Gobert has just three blocks this season, averaging 0.5 per game, so he's not the elite rim protector he once was. While he's not expected to lose his starting role, Gobert has showing signs of a decline, and he's no longer the automatic starter he was in past seasons. His offensive woes are too big to overlook, and he doesn't do much in other categories outside of rebounds.

Jackson had 10 points (3-6 FG, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals across 22 minutes during Friday's 127-101 loss to the Timberwolves.

Although the Clippers suffered a 26-point blowout loss, Jackson was all over the court Friday night and posted an impressive performance, with at least three tallies in each of the five major categories. Jackson has played more than 25 minutes just once this season despite being the starting center, but he's making the most of his opportunities early on. He's averaging 8.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor, giving him enough floor, both in production and role, to be a worthy waiver pickup, particularly in category-based formats.

Poeltl provided 12 points (5-10 FG, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists and one steal across 23 minutes during Friday's 121-114 loss to the Magic.

Poeltl has endured a tough start to the season, but the veteran big man delivered his best outing by a wide margin Friday. Poeltl not only recorded his first double-double of the season, but also set new season highs in points, rebounds and assists. The previous benchmarks were really low, however, so the next step for the big man is to be more consistent on a game-to-game basis. His starting role doesn't seem to be in jeopardy, but he hasn't delivered a ton of fantasy value in the early stages of the campaign.

Carter finished with 20 points (6-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 7-8 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and two steals in 39 minutes during Friday's 121-114 win over the Raptors.

Carter has yet to record his first double-double of the season, and he ended just three boards shy of doing so Friday. He took a step forward offensively, though, as he hit the 20-point mark after scoring a combined 12 points (4-10 FG) in his previous two contests. Carter has reached the 20-point mark in three of his five appearances this season, and he should continue to benefit from an expanded offensive role due to the absences of Paolo Banchero (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (knee).

Jokic posted 18 points (8-13 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, 10 assists and three steals in 37 minutes during Friday's 127-120 win over Phoenix.

Jokic didn't need to carry the scoring load Friday, but he still filled the box score effectively. The three-time MVP shot efficiently and picked up three steals while letting the red-hot Jamal Murray and Christian Braun take over. Denver won consecutive games for the first time this season, and Jokic's playmaking remains the engine of the offense.

Kessler finished Friday's 112-95 loss to the Warriors with 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists and five blocks across 31 minutes.

Kessler had one of his best defensive efforts of the season, posting a double-double with 13 rebounds and five blocks. The center was one of the few Lakers to finish with a positive plus-minus, and his rim protection remains a key piece of the starting lineup. He'll look to build on that Sunday against the Raptors.