NBA Player News

Towns (illness) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the 76ers.

Towns wasn't feeling well enough to play in Friday night's loss to the Hawks, and he's at risk of missing Saturday's contest as well. If Towns sits Saturday, look for Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti to handle most of the center minutes.

Carlson ended with 15 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals in 22 minutes off the bench during Friday's 131-94 victory over the Warriors.

The Thunder gave their starters the fourth quarter off in the rout, allowing Carlson and other members of the second unit to get extra run. The 26-year-old center cashed in the opportunity and produced his first double-double of the season. Carlson has seen at least 20 minutes of court time in five of OKC's last 13 games, all in contests the defending champs won by 16 or more points, and in those appearances he's averaging 12.0 points, 6.6 boards, 2.0 threes and 1.6 assists.

Clingan registered 11 points (5-10 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 15 rebounds, one assist and one block across 30 minutes during Friday's 122-109 victory over the Pelicans.

Clingan grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds during Friday's win and scored in double digits for the seventh time over his last nine outings. The second-year center has recorded three double-doubles over his last four games and is up to 11 on the season, which is tied with Deni Avdija for most on the Trail Blazers. Over his last 10 appearances, Clingan has averaged 12.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 threes and 1.3 blocks over 29.0 minutes per game.

Hukporti chipped in eight points (2-4 FG, 4-4 FT), 16 rebounds, four assists, four blocks and one steal over 28 minutes during Friday's 111-99 loss to the Hawks.

With Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) sidelined for the front end of New York's back-to-back set, Hukporti got the starting nod for the fourth time this season. The second-year center made the most of the opportunity, grabbing a game- and career-high 16 rebounds. He also set a new season-best mark in blocks, matching his career high. Hukporti doesn't offer much fantasy value but could be a viable streaming option whenever Towns and Mitchell are both unavailable.

Porzingis racked up four points (1-8 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and two steals across 17 minutes during Friday's 111-99 win over New York.

Porzingis is still seemingly on a minutes restriction following a 10-game absence due to an illness, and he struggled to find his groove in his second game back from the extended absence Friday. The big man delivered his least efficient performance of the season and put up single-digit shot attempts for just the second time across 15 regular-season appearances. With Onyeka Okongwu's high level of play this season, it wouldn't be surprising to see Porzingis remain in a bench role going forward, especially if his health continues to be a concern.

Okongwu recorded 23 points (9-16 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-4 FT), nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks in 30 minutes during Friday's 111-99 victory over New York.

Okongwu turned in an efficient performance Friday, matching the team-high mark in points. The big man was productive across the board, particularly on the defensive end, where he tallied multiple steals and multiple blocks for the seventh time this season. Okongwu is in the midst of a career year and has scored 23-plus points in three of his last four outings, during which he has averaged 24.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals across 32.0 minutes per contest.

Sharpe logged 14 points (6-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-3 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in 30 minutes during Friday's 119-99 loss to the Wizards.

Sharpe moved into the starting lineup for the first time this season, replacing Nic Claxton, who was ruled out due to personal reasons. As hoped, Sharpe rewarded anyone who had him in their active lineup, falling one rebound short of what would have been just his second double-double of the season. He added four combined steals and blocks for good measure, a reminder of what he is capable of when afforded starter-level minutes. Claxton could return as soon as Sunday, meaning Sharpe's standard league run could very well end at one game. With that said, he is worth keeping a close eye on, just in case his role elevates at any point.

Hall finished with four points (1-4 FG, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 19 minutes during Friday's 122-121 loss to the Bucks.

Hall got the nod for the first start of his NBA career Friday due to the absences of Moussa Diabate (wrist), Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) and Mason Plumlee (groin). Hall ended up leading the Hornets in both blocks and rebounds, but his minus-22 point differential was tied with Miles Bridges for worst on the team. Even so, Hall would be in line for a second straight start Saturday against the Bulls if Diabate and Kalkbrenner are unable to play.

Raynaud exited Friday's 129-102 loss to the Suns in the fourth quarter and didn't return due to an apparent left knee injury.

Raynaud required assistance getting back to the locker room and was unable to return to the hardwood in the final minutes of the fourth. The rookie big man finished with six points (3-7 FG, 0-4 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one steal across 25 minutes. The Kings are expected to provide an update on Raynaud's status for Sunday's game against the Bucks by Saturday night. If the 22-year-old joins Domantas Sabonis (knee) on the sidelines, Precious Achiuwa and Drew Eubanks are candidates for increased playing time, while Dylan Cardwell could rejoin the Sacramento rotation.

Carter logged 13 points (4-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds and one assist over 32 minutes during Friday's 121-114 loss to the Bulls.

Carter struggled to find his rhythm on the offensive end but still managed to score in double digits. He tallied his first double-double since Dec. 9 and recorded double-digit rebounds for a second straight matchup. The Duke product is averaging 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his last five games.