NBA Player News

Jokic contributed 30 points (12-18 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 13 rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and three steals over 36 minutes during Wednesday's 124-119 loss to the Magic.

It's the sixth triple-double in 15 games this season for Jokic, but the Nuggets' lack of bench scoring ultimately did them in. The perennial MVP candidate has at least a double-double in every full game he's played in 2023-24 -- the only exception came Monday, when he was ejected after 15 minutes -- but Wednesday's performance was the first time he's recorded multiple blocks and steals in the same contest. With Jamal Murray (hamstring) potentially not back until next week, Jokic's usage should remain high in the short term, even by his elite standards.

Vucevic totaled 16 points (6-13 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes during Wednesday's 116-102 loss to Oklahoma City.

Vucevic has been a consistent threat to post double-doubles this season, but Wednesday's double-double was just his second over his last five appearances. However, the 33-year-old has been a consistent force for the Bulls this year and is averaging 16.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 34.4 minutes per game.

Theis totaled eight points (4-11 FG), 11 rebounds and four assists across 20 minutes during Wednesday's 109-102 win over San Antonio.

Theis appears to be a great fit for the Clippers. With Mason Plumlee (knee) sidelined, Theis has slid into the backup center role behind Ivica Zubac and is flourishing in limited work. Over the last two games, Theis has totaled 27 points (12-21 FG), 18 rebounds, six assists and one steal in 41 minutes. Theis isn't expected to push Zubac for the starting role, so the former's fantasy value remains limited, though the recent production is certainly worth keeping an eye on.

Zubac registered 12 points (5-7 FG, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and one assist across 26 minutes during Wednesday's 109-102 victory over the Spurs.

Zubac flirts with a double-double most nights despite handling a secondary offensive role. He's averaging similar numbers in most categories compared to last season, but he has seen an uptick in blocks this year, posting a career-high 1.5 per game.

Valanciunas had 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-4 FT), 11 rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 117-112 victory over Sacramento.

Valanciunas notched his third straight double-double but didn't record a block for the first time since Nov. 8. Over his past seven appearances, the veteran big man has averaged 15.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game.

Sabonis notched 23 points (8-11 FG, 7-10 FT), nine rebounds, six assists and one block across 36 minutes during Wednesday's 117-112 loss to the Pelicans.

Sabonis ended one rebound short of an eighth straight double-double, but it was still another stellar all-around performance for the veteran center. Over his last eight games, Sabonis has averaged 23.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.0 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game. Aside from the rebounds, those would all be Sabonis' career-high marks, so it's clear the lefty big man is playing at an extremely high level to start 2023-24.

Horford ended with 11 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-1 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and one block over 31 minutes during Wednesday's 119-116 win over the Bucks.

Horford missed the Celtics' previous contest for rest purposes, but he returned to action Wednesday and looked spry. The veteran recorded a season-high six dimes and finished with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists for the first time during the campaign. Horford's fantasy value has taken a hit with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, but the former is certainly still capable of putting up solid numbers when called upon.

Porzingis supplied 21 points (9-15 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and one assist across 27 minutes during Wednesday's 119-116 win over the Bucks.

Porzingis finished with at least 20 points and five rebounds for the eighth time this season. He's off to a solid start with his new squad, averaging 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game. Porzingis is shooting a career-high 55.3 percent from the field despite a 32.9 percent mark from deep.

Lopez recorded 28 points (12-18 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), seven rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal across 33 minutes during Wednesday's 119-116 loss to the Celtics.

Lopez dominated the paint against the Celtics, finishing with a game- and season-high 28 points. It was the veteran's first outing of the campaign with at least 20 points, and he's blocked one or more shots in 12 of his last 13 matchups. During that stretch, Lopez has averaged 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 1.1 assists in 29.2 minutes per game.

Jones supplied two points (1-5 FG), three rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal across 12 minutes during Wednesday's 129-96 loss to the Heat.

Jones played more than 10 minutes for just the second time this season, logging additional playing time as the Cavaliers were blown out by the Heat. While he did manage to accumulate a pair of defensive stats, there is obviously no reason to consider Jones a viable asset, even in deeper formats.