NBA Player News

Smart recorded 13 points (2-6 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 8-9 FT), two rebounds, four assists and two steals across 28 minutes during Thursday's 134-126 victory over the Heat.

Smart struggled to find his rhythm from the floor Thursday, but he salvaged his scoring line by aggressive play that led to nine free-throw attempts. The veteran guard has provided steady peripheral stats since returning from a one-game absence due to a hip injury, averaging 2.8 assists and 2.3 steals over his last three outings. While he remains a distant sixth option in the Lakers' scoring hierarchy, Smart's defensive contributions and ability to chip in across multiple categories keep him relevant in deeper fantasy formats.

Larsson notched 11 points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT), two rebounds and five assists over 33 minutes during Thursday's 134-126 loss to the Lakers.

Larsson reached double-digit points for the eighth consecutive game, continuing to serve as a reliable starter while Miami deals with multiple injuries to its wing rotation. The rookie swingman also provided steady secondary playmaking Thursday, finishing with at least five assists for the third time in his last six outings. Since the All-Star break, Larsson has seen a significant uptick in usage and is averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists across 31.4 minutes per game.

Westbrook registered 11 points (4-10 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-4 FT), three rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and one steal in 27 minutes during Thursday's 139-118 loss to Philadelphia.

Westbrook struggled to get much going on the glass for a second straight game, finishing with just three boards after recording just one rebound in his previous outing. While his scoring and rebounding have dipped recently, the veteran guard remains the primary engine for Sacramento's offense, as he has now reached at least eight assists in six consecutive appearances. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his status for the remainder of the season; as the Kings look to secure a higher lottery pick, Westbrook may continue to miss games here and there as part of the team's tanking strategy.

Carter finished Thursday's 130-111 loss to the Hornets with 11 points (4-11 FG, 3-7 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 19 minutes.

Carter provided a scoring spark for Orlando's second unit Thursday, reaching double-digit points for the third consecutive game. It is a notable turnaround for the veteran guard, who had failed to reach that mark in each of his previous six appearances before this stretch. Carter has maintained a consistent role in the rotation following the return of Jalen Suggs, appearing for at least 16 minutes in 16 straight outings with the Magic. Since joining the Magic in mid-February, Carter is averaging 8.2 points and 2.8 assists across 21.8 minutes per game.

Thomas totaled 14 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-5 FT), two rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal across 23 minutes during Thursday's 128-96 loss to the Jazz.

After being totally phased out the rotation in Milwaukee's prior two contests, Thomas resurfaced Thursday in the absence of Kevin Porter (knee). It's likely too early to tell if Thomas will return to a steady role for the Bucks, so fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach. Thomas has averaged 10.9 points, 1.9 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per tilt through 17 games for the Bucks.

Jones provided 11 points (4-11 FG, 3-7 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists and two steals over 30 minutes during Thursday's 105-99 victory over the Clippers.

The Pelicans appear to have a revolving door at the center position, and Jones' versatility should keep him cemented in the starting lineup going forward. Jones has averaged 10.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.2 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in 31.2 minutes per tilt in his last five games, offering him some low-end fantasy appeal in nine-category setups.

Giddey finished Thursday's 115-110 loss to Cleveland with nine points (4-11 FG, 1-5 3Pt), six rebounds, 19 assists, two blocks and one steal over 37 minutes.

Giddey struggled to find his scoring touch Thursday, failing to reach double digits for the second straight game. However, the versatile guard completely controlled the flow of the offense, racking up a season-high 19 assists. Giddey's playmaking and rebounding have reached an elite level recently; excluding a blowout loss to Toronto where his minutes were limited, he is averaging a staggering 14.0 assists and 10.8 boards over his last six full-run appearances. Despite the scoring dip, Giddey continues to be a nightly triple-double threat, maintaining season averages of 17.6 points, 9.0 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Bogdanovic closed Thursday's 105-99 loss to the Pelicans with 16 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), one rebound and one assist across 27 minutes.

Bogdanovic made just his second appearance since the start of March, likely because the Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard (ankle) on Thursday. Bogdanovic, who figures to fall out of the rotation once Leonard is back, has averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 15.3 minutes per game in four contests since the beginning of the new year.

Green had 17 points (7-20 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, four assists and one steal over 34 minutes during Thursday's 101-100 loss to San Antonio.

While this wasn't the best shooting night for Green, the usage was very encouraging from a fantasy perspective. Over his last eight games, Green is posting averages of 23.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.1 three-pointers.

Banchero registered 20 points (6-16 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 7-8 FT), three rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal across 28 minutes during Thursday's 130-111 loss to the Hornets.

Banchero's 28 minutes of action marked his lowest playing time in a single game since Jan. 6, as he was sidelined for the final frame of the lopsided defeat. The performance highlighted Banchero's recent scoring inconsistencies; while he has surpassed the 30-point mark in three of his last 10 outings, he has also been held to scoring in the teens for three of those same 10 contests. Despite the scoring fluctuations and a poor shooting night from the floor Thursday, Banchero remained an active playmaker, dishing out seven assists for the third time in his last six games.