NBA Player News

Sheppard notched 17 points (5-14 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, six assists, three blocks and one steal over 36 minutes during Friday's 106-99 victory over Portland.

With Jabari Smith (ankle) sidelined for the second leg of a back-to-back, Sheppard moved back into the starting lineup and continued his recent tear. While his efficiency from the floor was modest, he provided elite defensive stats and solid playmaking as a starter. The second-year guard has been playing at an incredibly high level lately, averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 triples over his last six outings. While his role often fluctuates based on Smith's availability, Sheppard has logged 35-plus minutes in each of his last four games and appears to have turned a corner in his development.

Isaac (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Timberwolves.

Isaac will miss the front end of the Magic's back-to-back Saturday while tending to a left knee injury, and he'll look to be available for Sunday's contest against the Bucks. Tristan da Silva, Noah Penda and Goga Bitadze are all in line for a slight bump in minutes in Isaac's absence.

Grant ended Friday's 106-99 loss to the Rockets with 21 points (6-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 7-9 FT), two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 38 minutes.

Grant remained the focal point of the Blazers' offense Friday, reaching the 20-point plateau for the sixth time in his last seven games. He has taken on an increased scoring burden with Deni Avdija (back) sidelined, and his 38 minutes were his highest total since the All-Star break. Grant may see a dip in shot attempts once Avdija is cleared to return. Over his last seven appearances, Grant is averaging 21.0 points and 2.4 three-pointers per contest.

Ball closed with 21 points (7-22 FG, 5-15 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, five assists and one steal over 33 minutes during Friday's 128-120 loss to the Heat.

Ball finished Friday's game as the Hornets' third-leading scorer behind Kon Knueppel (27 points) and Brandon Miller (22 points). Ball struggled with his efficiency from the field, but Friday was the 14th time this season that he has connected on at least five three-pointers in a game. Since the All-Star break, Ball has averaged 19.0 points on 37.8 percent shooting along with 6.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 3.9 threes and 1.3 steals over 27.2 minutes per game.

Ware recorded 10 points (4-8 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, four blocks and one steal in 31 minutes during Friday's 128-120 win over Charlotte.

With Andrew Wiggins (toe) sidelined Friday, Ware stepped into a heavier workload and logged 31 minutes for a second consecutive game. While his three-game double-double streak came to an end, the second-year center remained a massive defensive anchor, leading the Heat with four blocks. Ware has been on a defensive tear recently, racking up 11 blocks and 11 steals over his last three outings. His ability to provide elite rim protection while stretching the floor with at least one triple in 11 straight games keeps his fantasy ceiling high, especially while Miami manages injuries in the frontcourt.

Williams notched 11 points (3-8 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), seven rebounds and four assists in 19 minutes during Friday's 120-100 loss to the Celtics.

Williams returned to action Friday after sitting out the front end of the back-to-back set due to a quadriceps contusion. While he was efficient in his limited run, his playing time saw a noticeable dip with Cooper Flagg (foot) back in the starting lineup. After averaging nearly 25 minutes per game since the All-Star break, Williams was capped at 19 minutes Friday, a trend that may continue as the Mavericks' rotation returns to full strength.

Pritchard had 18 points (8-17 FG, 2-8 3Pt), seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks over 34 minutes during Friday's 120-100 win over the Mavericks.

Pritchard bounced back from a scoreless outing Wednesday, providing a balanced line and leading the Celtics' second unit in scoring. While his three-point shooting was slightly off, he found success inside the arc and contributed significantly on the glass and as a playmaker. Despite the return of Jayson Tatum (Achilles) to the starting lineup, Pritchard still logged 34 minutes, suggesting his role as the primary spark plug off the bench remains secure even with the team's superstar back in the mix.

Queta registered 16 points (6-8 FG, 4-7 FT), 15 rebounds, one block and one steal over 26 minutes during Friday's 120-100 victory over the Mavericks.

Queta dominated the glass Friday, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds to secure his fourth double-double in his last seven outings. His outlook for the remainder of the regular season has shifted significantly following the news that Nikola Vucevic (finger) is expected to miss at least 3-to-4 weeks. While Queta and Vucevic had been splitting time at center, Queta is now locked in as the primary interior option for Boston. With Vucevic sidelined, Queta's 25-plus-minute workload appears secure.

White registered 20 points (8-16 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals across 31 minutes during Friday's 120-100 victory over the Mavericks.

Despite Jayson Tatum (Achilles) returning to the lineup Friday, White remained a focal point of the Celtics' attack and reached the 20-point plateau for the fifth time in his last seven games. While he provided elite defensive value with two blocks and two steals, White's overall usage may see a slight dip as Tatum fully reintegrates into the offense. Regardless of White's scoring ceiling, his ability to generate defensive stats from the guard position keeps his floor high.

Fox ended Friday's 116-112 victory over the Clippers with 19 points (9-18 FG, 1-8 3Pt), two rebounds, nine assists and one steal across 30 minutes.

The 28-year-old guard just missed recording his seventh double-double of the season. Fox has gone 13 straight games without reaching double digits in dimes as his usage has taken a small step back, and he's averaging 16.2 points, 6.0 assists, 2.8 boards, 1.6 threes and 1.2 steals during that time despite shooting 50.0 percent from the floor.