Fantasy Basketball

Embiid had 33 points (10-18 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 11-13 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals across 28 minutes during Friday's 137-125 victory over the Spurs.

Embiid played through a questionable tag because of some left foot soreness, but he's been very durable lately with one missed game in January. He has also been red hot in fantasy basketball, posting 33.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 three-pointers in his previous 10 games.

Boucher chipped in 11 points (5-11 FG, 1-4 3Pt), eight rebounds, three blocks and one steal across 23 minutes during Friday's 117-111 victory over Houston.

Boucher blocked multiple shots for just the third time in his past 15 games, contributing on both ends of the floor. He has now played at least 20 minutes in three straight games, once again putting himself back in the 12-team discussion in fantasy. He certainly isn't a must-roster player by any means, although he is worth a look if you think he can stick in a similar role moving forward.

Koloko ended Friday's 117-111 victory over the Rockets with seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals across 17 minutes.

Koloko came up empty in the points department yet again Friday, the third time he has done so in the past five games. With the Raptors opting to play their primary guys big minutes on a nightly basis, Koloko's role is far from set in stone. He is someone to watch should they elect to tear things down at the trade deadline, but unless that happens, Koloko has little to no value in fantasy.

Kornet did not return to Friday's game against the Suns due to his left ankle sprain.

The Celtics have not provided an update yet, but the good news is that the next game isn't until Monday. If Kornet misses that one, we could see the Celtics use smaller lineups with Grant Williams benefitting.

Eubanks ended with five points (1-4 FG, 3-4 FT), four rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 18 minutes during Friday's 124-116 win over the Wizards.

On the heels of just his second double-double of the season, Eubanks came into Friday's matchup in position to solidify a short-term starting role while Jusuf Nurkic (calf) heals up from injury. Eubanks made his seventh start of the season but was outshined by second-year pro Trendon Watford. Eubanks hasn't had much fantasy value to this point this season, and even in Nurkic's absence, he isn't worth rostering in standard fantasy leagues.

Bamba was ejected Friday versus the Timberwolves on Friday after an altercation with Austin Rivers.

Bamba and Rivers were exchanging words, and punches were later thrown as Rivers approached the Magic bench. In addition to those two players, Jalen Suggs, Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince were also ejected.

Stewart finished with eight points (3-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 16 rebounds, six assists and one steal across 28 minutes during Friday's 118-112 victory over the Hornets.

While this wasn't Stewart's best game offensively, he dominated the glass and reached double-digit boards for the 15th time this season. His fantasy managers will also be glad to see Detroit going back to Stewart in the starting lineup next to Jalen Duren. Depending on what the Pistons do at the trade deadline with Bojan Bogdanovic, more minutes could be coming Stewart's way as a stretch four.

McDaniels ended with 14 points (5-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds and four steals in 23 minutes during Friday's 118-112 loss to the Pistons.

McDaniels was coming off a scoreless dud against the Bulls, but more often than not he's going to produce across the stat sheet when the minutes are there. With his name all over the rumor mill, his fantasy value could move in a big direction either way as he's been linked to both contending teams and rebuilding ones as well.

Prince was among five players ejected Friday against Orlando.

Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers could be looking at suspensions, while Prince, Jaden McDaniels and Jalen Suggs were minorly involved and were tossed as a result. Prince and McDaniels will likely be safe in terms of their availability going forward, which is a relief for Minnesota after Kyle Anderson tweaked his back injury.

Watford chipped in 21 points (9-12 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT), three rebounds, five assists and one steal over 30 minutes during Friday's 124-116 win over the Wizards.

The second-year pro out of LSU played over 20 minutes in his third consecutive contest Friday. Watford stepped up without starting center Jusuf Nurkic (calf), putting in his first 20-point game of the 2022-2023 season. Friday was an efficient and well-rounded performance, and Watford is worth a speculative add in fantasy leagues while the situation in Portland shakes out.

Murray registered three points (1-6 FG, 1-4 3Pt), seven rebounds, one assist and one block across 25 minutes during Friday's 107-104 loss to the Pacers.

Murray made just one field goal in the loss, ending with three points and very little else. While he has shown significant improvement over the past month, he remains on the fringe when it comes to standard fantasy formats. His value is built on efficiently hitting three-pointers as well as tallying solid rebounding numbers. When his shot isn't falling, his value takes a big hit, making him a hard player to trust, especially in highly competitive leagues.

Jones notched 21 points (7-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds, five blocks, two steals and one assist in 25 minutes during Friday's 123-107 win over Grand Rapids.

Jones was perfect from the field en route to posting a team-high-tying point total while leading the team in blocks and finishing one board shy of a double-double. Jones has averaged 16.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 assists over his last nine games.

Bates-Diop notched 13 points (6-8 FG, 1-2 3Pt), five rebounds, one assist and two steals in 26 minutes during Friday's 137-125 loss to the 76ers.

The Spurs have a number of injuries, which has allowed Bates-Diop to have an extended role. He's gaining some steam in deeper fantasy leagues as a result, averaging 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 triples in his last six games.

Bey closed with 22 points (8-16 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 3-4 FT), eight rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes during Friday's 118-112 victory over the Hornets.

Bey moved to the bench for this one as the Pistons opted for a larger frontcourt with Isaiah Stewart starting next to Jalen Duren. Whether or not this is a permanent switch remains to be seen. Bey's production as a reserve is slightly lower than his output as a starter, although his usage rate is a bit higher with the second unit.

Bogdanovic registered 21 points (8-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), one rebound, two assists and one steal over 35 minutes during Friday's 118-112 win over the Hornets.

The Pistons had plenty of rest leading up to this one as their game Wednesday against the Wizards was postponed. Bogdanovic picked up right where he left off, as he was averaging 23.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.9 three-pointers in his previous seven games. His strong play on the rebuilding Pistons will surely result in his name popping up in trade rumors ahead of the deadline.

Hayward had 12 points (5-6 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes during Friday's 118-112 loss to the Pistons.

Unlike in Charlotte's most recent back-to-back, Hayward played in both games of this set, which is an indication that he's getting close to 100 percent. With the Hornets sitting in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, it's possible that Hayward could be involved in trade talks leading up to the deadline. A move away from Charlotte to a contender could see Hayward's usage take a hit.

Gordon posted 28 points (10-15 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 6-7 FT), three rebounds, five assists and one steal in 34 minutes during Friday's 117-111 loss to Toronto.

Gordon scored at least 24 points for the third straight game, continuing easily his best stretch of the season. He remains someone who could very well be on the move come next Thursday, although that is something we have been saying for the past three seasons. He can be streamed in for points for now, but as for what the future holds, it's really anyone's guess.

McDaniels was ejected Friday against the Magic.

Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers got into a heated altercation, and several other players got involved. Bamba and Rivers appeared to be the only players throwing punches, so they could be looking at suspensions. McDaniels finished the night with eight points, three rebounds, one assist, two blocks and a three-pointer in 23 minutes.

Branham ended Friday's 137-125 loss to Philadelphia with 26 points (11-16 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, three assists and one steal across 35 minutes.

The 26 points were a new career high for the rookie. The 20th overall pick made his sixth career start as the Spurs were without Tre Jones (foot) and Jeremy Sochan (back). Branham was coming off a 22-point game Wednesday with five assists and three triples, so he's making a strong case for coach Gregg Popovich to keep looking his way. If the Spurs are sellers at the trade deadline, Branham is one of a number of Spurs who could benefit.

Richardson finished with 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt), one rebound, seven assists and two steals across 26 minutes during Friday's 137-125 loss to the 76ers.

Richardson moved into the starting lineup with the Spurs missing both Tre Jones (foot) and Jeremy Sochan (back). He had only made three starts prior to Friday and fared well in those, averaging 11.3 points, 5.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 three-pointers. The veteran is a name to watch ahead of the trade deadline with the Spurs possibly looking to play their youngsters more often.

Melton closed Friday's 137-125 victory over San Antonio with 13 points (4-7 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and two steals over 22 minutes.

Melton has seen his minutes decline in recent games with the 76ers back at full strength, but his ability to contribute across the stat sheet will help to keep his fantasy value afloat. Whenever the 76ers lose a key player for rest or an injury, it's usually Melton who gets the biggest bump, which helps his case in fantasy too.

Ivey supplied 24 points (8-11 FG, 4-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, seven assists and one block over 29 minutes during Friday's 118-112 victory over Charlotte.

Ivey's efficiency holds him back in category leagues, but that wasn't the case Friday. Outside of high turnovers and a poor free-throw percentage recently, the rest of his fantasy value is trending up with 14.8 points, 6.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 triples in his previous five games.

Christopher logged 15 points (7-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt), one assist, one block and two steals over 19 minutes during Friday's 117-111 loss to the Raptors.

Christopher went 7-of-8 from the floor in the loss, scoring in double digits for the third straight game. Although his point production has been nice, his playing time remains capped. He has failed to play more than 20 minutes in any game this season, remaining on the fringe of the rotation. We do know that he can contribute when afforded meaningful minutes, something that occurred down the stretch last season. He is not someone to look at right now in fantasy, but if the Rockets enter full tank mode, managers should make a point of checking in on whether his role has evolved.

Trent finished Friday's 117-111 win over the Rockets with 29 points (10-15 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 4-4 FT), one rebound and two assists over 38 minutes.

Trent had the hot hand Friday, pouring in five triples en route to 29 points. However, he added very little outside of those two columns, souring a strong offensive outing. The Raptors are very top-heavy when it comes to their rotation, meaning Trent should be able to maintain top-100 value moving forward, albeit with a few bumps in the road.

Maxey amassed 25 points (8-15 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 6-7 FT), three rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal across 27 minutes during Friday's 137-125 win over San Antonio.

An outburst from Maxey was long overdue. In his previous three contests, Maxey averaged a mere 10.3 points on 32 percent shooting. Unless the 76ers make an unlikely splash at the trade deadline, Friday's production is something you should see quite a bit down the stretch as Maxey continues to benefit from more usage as part of the second unit.

Harden recorded 16 points (4-10 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 6-8 FT), four rebounds and eight assists over 25 minutes during Friday's 137-125 victory over the Spurs.

The 76ers have now won nine of their past 10 games. Harden appeared to tweak his elbow right before halftime but didn't seem bothered at all in the second half, to the relief of his fantasy managers. He'll get a matchup against the Knicks on Sunday in what should be a bounce-back spot for him after taking a backseat to Joel Embiid on Friday.

Ball provided 23 points (7-23 FG, 4-13 3Pt, 5-5 FT), eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals across 40 minutes before fouling out of Friday's 118-112 loss to the Pistons.

Ball continues to light up the stat sheet as per usual, but his shooting woes are still lingering. In his previous 10 games, he was hitting just 38.5 percent from the field. The important thing is that he's healthy after missing three games towards the end of January, and he has favorable matchups coming up against the Magic and Wizards to find his rhythm.

Washington contributed zero points (0-1 FG) across two minutes during Friday's 117-111 loss to the Raptors.

Despite both Jalen Green (calf) and Kevin Porter (foot/toe) being sidelined, Washington remains on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time. While he has arguably the most upside of any of the Rockets' fringe guards, Washington just cannot get a look. Head coach Stephen Silas is not known for making logical decisions, and this falls right into that basket. The hope is that Washington's role will expand down the stretch, although confidence is low given Silas' track record.

Lowry has been listed as out against the Bucks on Saturday due to left knee soreness.

Lowry has been ice cold from the field lately, and this could be related. In his previous five games, the veteran point guard shot just 25 percent from the field. Gabe Vincent (ankle) is currently questionable but will be a popular streamer if he's given the green light.

Lillard recorded 29 points (9-20 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 8-8 FT), three rebounds and six assists in 40 minutes during Friday's 124-116 victory over the Wizards.

Lillard came into Friday's contest on an absolute tear, averaging 38.0 points and 8.4 assists per game over his last 10 contests. He cooled down a bit Friday, as his 29-point outing snapped a five-game streak with over 30 points scored. Lillard is on pace to set a career high in points per game with 30.7. He is a top-10 fantasy guard and a top-20 player overall.