Category: Basketball

Just a few hours before the New York Knicks tipped off on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, reports surfaced that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had asked the team to facilitate a trade to send him somewhere else. Given his stated desire over the summer to be dealt to the Knicks, multiple sources began finding ways in which the Knicks could finally swing a deal to add the All-Star and make a push for an elusive NBA title.

Almost all of those trade scenarios included sending Karl Anthony Towns out of town. This also comes after the Knicks didn’t agree to a contract extension with Towns before the October deadline. Yet, despite all of that noise, it was Towns who carried the team to a 119-104 victory on Wednesday night with a 35-point, 18-rebound, five-assist showing.

Coming off a tough loss on the road against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, the Knicks looked noticeably fatigued in the second game of their back-to-back. Their jumpshots consistently fell short. Their passes were not nearly as crisp or well-timed, and the defense was frequently sloppy. Fortunately for them, the now 6-16 Charlotte Hornets were similarly sloppy, and a determined Towns was more than enough to help them pull out the win.

Not that the Knicks didn’t try to let Charlotte pry the game away. After leading by 15 at the end of the first quarter, the Knicks built a 20-point lead with 7:18 left in the first half. The Hornets couldn’t seem to buy a bucket, and the Knicks were getting easy looks in transition. It seemed like they would cruise to a victory. However, the Hornets went on a 26-9 run to pull the game to within three before a Jalen Brunson buzzer-beater half-court three gave the Knicks a six-point cushion going into the half.

Brunson finished with 26 points and five assists of his own, while shooting just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc for his second straight mediocre shooting night. Still, the Knicks built up another huge lead in the third quarter before LaMelo Ball pulled the Hornets back to within eight again in the fourth. Ball paced the visitors with 34 points on 12-of-27 from the field (5-of-13 from beyond the arc), with nine assists, and eight rebounds, while rookie Kon Knueppel chipped in 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

But at the end of the day, Towns and the Knicks were simply too much.

Karl Anthony Towns dominates with physical performance

With Brunson mired in another poor shooting night to start the game, it was Karl Anthony Towns who paced the Knicks from the start, scoring eight points and securing four rebounds before the game’s first timeout was called. The big man showed off tremendous playmaking ability all night, dishing out five assists and throwing a few other impressive passes that didn’t wind up in made baskets.

In addition, unlike many of his other outstanding performances this season, Towns showed off his versatility on Wednesday night by doing much of his damage in the paint.

The big man, who came into the game attempting 5.3 three-point attempts per game, only attempted one three-point shot in the first quarter and a half of action. Instead, he bullied the Hornets in the paint, scoring eight of his first 10 points in the restricted area, including a sequence with five minutes remaining in the first quarter where he was blocked twice by Hornets back-up center Ryan Kalkbrenner, but grabbed two offensive rebounds and then finished with a layup in traffic.

On the night, 20 of his 35 points came in the paint. He came into the game averaging 10.6 points in the paint per game, which was tied for 27th in the NBA, behind smaller players like De’Aaron Fox, Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Tyrese Maxey, among others. He also attempts only 7.1 shots per game in the restricted area per game.

However, Towns and the Knicks saw a matchup advantage against a Hornets team that allows the 7th-most made field goals per game inside of five feet. The Hornets also came into the day 22nd in FG% allowed in the paint, but they had allowed the 12th-fewest attempts in the paint per game in the league.

They were not so fortunate on Wednesday.

Hornets have an interesting decision at the center position

When most people think of the Hornets, they think of LaMelo Ball hoisting up threes from any spot on the court or the impressive rookie season of Kon Knueppel. However, the Hornets also have an intriguing center duo of Moussa Diabete and Ryan Kalkbrenner.

While neither player is a household name, they are important parts of the Hornets' rotation, and figuring out how to stagger their minutes has been a unique challenge for head coach Charles Lee.

Diabate, who started the game on Wednesday, is a 23-year-old former second-round pick who is averaging 9.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 23 minutes per game. Kalkbrenner, who, at 7’1”, is three inches taller than Diabate, is also a 23-year-old second-round pick who is averaging 9.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 81.1% from the field.

Even though neither player is a dangerous scorer, they are a big reason why the Hornets rank 13th in the NBA in offensive rebounding and 14th in rebounding overall.

While Coach Lee seems to use a “hot hand” approach to determine which big man gets more minutes, it seems that the team has been more effective overall with Diabate on the court.

The former Michigan Wolverine is smaller than Kalkbrenner but more athletic and a dynamic offensive rebounder. The Hornets have +15 Expected Wins with Diabate on the court. Their offense is 7.3 points per possession better, and their offensive rebounding rate improves by 10.8%. Meanwhile, the Hornets have -24 Expected Wins with Kalkbrenner on the court and are 11.6 points per possession worse.

Despite Kalkbrenner’s shot-blocking ability, the Hornets are also a better defense with Diabate on the court and have a 4.7% better defensive turnover rate in his minutes. With the Hornets struggling to establish consistency during the 2025-26 season, it might not be a bad idea for them to see what happens if they give Diabate a more extended run.

Josh Hart continues to pace Knicks after slow start

When the season began, there were a few questions surrounding Knicks wing Josh Hart. The man who seemingly never left the floor under the previous head coach, Tom Thibodeau, was likely going to be coming off the bench and playing significantly fewer minutes than he had before.

Then, in training camp, Hart aggravated a nerve injury in the ring finger of his shooting hand, which causes his finger to swell and go numb, obviously impacting his shooting and ball-handling. Hart decided to delay surgery until after the season, but the results were not good early in the year.

In the first 10 games of the season, Hart averaged 8.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.8 steals in 23.8 minutes per night. He was shooting 44.4% from the field (33.3% from deep) with a 51% effective field goal rate

On top of his offensive struggles, he was posting an uncharacteristically poor 116.1 defensive rating and a 10.1 Player Impact Estimate. He seemed frustrated by his performance and his role, and there was some worry that he might not fit into Mike Brown’s new system as well as he had under Thibodeau.

Well, beginning with an exciting win on November 14th over the Miami Heat in the NBA Cup, Hart has changed the entire narrative on his season. Over his last nine games, coming into Wednesday, Hart was averaging 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. He's shooting 55.3% from the field (45% from deep) with a 65% effective field goal rate.

His defensive rating had also improved to 113.7, and his Player Impact Estimate was up to 14.6.

His performance has not gone unnoticed as head coach Mike Brown put the blame on himself for Hart’s poor start: “I'll take the hit on that…The tough part was, even backing up further, [Hart] didn't really play in the preseason; he didn't even really practice in the preseason. So, for me, I was behind the eight ball and was really trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what we're trying to do. It just took time, and he was extremely patient with the process…His sacrifice was unbelievable because when I took him out, he just sat. When I called his number, he went out and played. But more importantly, his belief in the process, even if he thought I was wrong, was awesome.”

On Wednesday, Hart only scored 15 points and was seemingly everywhere, also registering eight rebounds and eight assists with one block, one steal, and a +/- of 12. The veteran is back to being an impactful player in addition to just a team leader, and that has helped the Knicks win six of their last eight games.

Devin Booker went back to the locker room with a couple of minutes to go in the first quarter Monday night against the Lakers, and when he came back out to the bench for the second half, he was in street clothes and did not set foot on the court again.

Booker is going to be in street clothes for at least another seven days, with the team announcing he suffered a groin injury and will be re-evaluated in a week. That means he will miss games against Houston and Minnesota, but the game to circle on the calendar is Dec. 10, one week away, when the Suns take on the Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, a knockout round game with a trip to Las Vegas for the semi-finals on the line. Booker might want to return for that game, but Phoenix's medical staff will want to protect him from himself if he is not ready.

Booker has a history of nagging groin injuries that goes back a few seasons. It's not exactly clear when Booker suffered this latest injury, though postgame Suns coach Jordan Ott said he thought it happened when Booker drove into and tried to finish over Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes.

"He fell, and I don't think it was right away," Ott said after the Suns' win. "He mentioned it might have been a couple of plays after. You could obviously see him trying to stretch it. At that point, we kind of know where these things are headed."

Booker is averaging 25 points and 6.7 assists a game this season and has been at the heart of the Suns' surprising 13-9 start. Expect Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie (who torched the Lakers with 28 points), and Jordan Goodwin to get more run with Booker out.

The NBA world received some shocking news in the early hours of Wednesday, as the Los Angeles Clippers announced they’re moving on from Chris Paul. One of the veterans added to that roster in hopes of being a contender in the West, CP3's return to the Clippers did not go as planned. He received inconsistent rotation minutes, going from someone who was a legitimate fantasy option in San Antonio last season to a person whose rostership (five percent in Yahoo! leagues) could not be justified.

It goes without saying that his exit will not affect fantasy basketball in the short term, especially since the Clippers are a second-apron team that cannot add another player (or waive Paul) immediately. Let's look at some of the key injuries affecting fantasy basketball during Week 7.

C Kristaps Porziņģis and G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Young last appeared in a game on October 29, and on Saturday, it was announced that he will miss at least two more weeks as he recovers from a sprained right MCL. Nothing changes from a fantasy standpoint, as Nickeil Alexander-Walker (47 percent) will continue to start, and he should be on the radar for more 12-team leagues and some 10-team leagues as well. The question is whether he'll be worth holding onto after Young returns, and Alexander-Walker should be. In Atlanta's first four games, when Young was also available, NAW averaged 29.8 minutes per game. That's more than enough time to continue to provide reliable fantasy value.

As for Porziņģis, he has missed the last three games with an illness, and that unfortunate streak will hit four on Wednesday when the Hawks host the Clippers. The concern is that a late-season illness derailed his 2024-25 season, and Porziņģis never seemed to get back to his usual self. Hopefully, this current situation isn't similar, but fantasy managers can't be blamed for being concerned. Onyeka Okongwu (86 percent) will start until Porziņģis returns, and he'll have reliable value regardless of his place within the rotation. Mouhamed Gueye (two percent) has played rotation minutes, but the production has not been there to justify rostering him in most leagues.

F Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

Miller appeared to tweak his left shoulder, the same one he injured earlier this season, during Saturday's win over the Raptors. While his injury description for Monday's loss to the Nets was a sore left shoulder, the Hornets changed it to a shoulder subluxation for Wednesday's game against the Knicks. That's the injury that sidelined him for 13 games, with rookie Sion James (one percent) filling the void in the starting lineup. Managers in 12-team leagues (and some 10-team leagues) should consider leaping Kon Knueppel (51 percent) if they haven't already, and Collin Sexton (28 percent) is a bit more appealing in deeper leagues, especially with LaMelo Ball's shaky injury history.

G Coby White and G Kevin Huerter, Chicago Bulls

Chicago's injury report for Wednesday's game against the Nets was loaded with names, with White and Huerter being the most noteworthy. While White is recovering from a strained calf, Huerter strained his hamstring during Monday's loss to the Magic. Tre Jones (22 percent), who's questionable for Wednesday with a sprained ankle, and Ayo Dosunmu (23 percent) are the players to target, with the latter possessing a slightly higher ceiling when the Bulls are close to whole.

Also, Zach Collins (one percent) participated in Wednesday's shootaround and could make his season debut against Brooklyn. He isn't worth adding immediately, but he is worth watching as someone who may be able to provide value playing behind (and at times alongside) Nikola Vučević.

Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Collin Gillespie breaking through

Gillespie is stepping up for the Suns in his third NBA season.

• Cole Huff,

C Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers

Allen was held out of Sunday's loss to the Celtics with a strained right ring finger, and the Cavaliers announced that he will miss at least one week. With the Cavaliers' starting center missing five of the team's last six games, we have a decent idea of who to target in Allen's absence. Jaylon Tyson (20 percent) has been close to a top-50 player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks, and the only game he didn't start was the one that Allen was able to play. This also shifts Evan Mobley to the five, and while it hasn't paid immediate fantasy dividends yet, he has (in theory) more room to operate in the frontcourt.

C Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks

Lively has appeared in only seven games this season, with a foot injury the reason for his current absence. Based on the timeline provided by the Mavericks on November 25, that the 7-foot-1 center would miss at least another seven to ten days, an update should be provided by the end of this week. With Daniel Gafford (16 percent) also struggling with injuries, the Mavericks have used Anthony Davis as their starting center when available. And in their most recent game, Dwight Powell (less than one percent) served as the backup.

The most appealing option on the waiver wire would be Naji Marshall (18 percent), especially with P.J. Washington (45 percent) having missed the last two games with a sprained right ankle. Marshall isn't going to provide blocked shots, but he has been a solid late-round option in nine-cat formats.

G Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Murray sprained his right ankle during Monday's loss to the Mavericks and is questionable for Wednesday's matchup with the Pacers. He's only missed one game this season, a November 8 win over Indiana, with Jalen Pickett (less than one percent) replacing him in the starting lineup. However, Pickett was a DNP-CD on Monday, with Murray's fourth-quarter minutes being split among Tim Hardaway Jr. (six percent) and Bruce Brown (two percent). Brown's second stint with the Nuggets has not been as productive as his first, but a spot start could boost his short-term fantasy value.

Murray's potential absence also affects Nikola Jokić, whose playmaking is even more critical to the Nuggets. Also, with Aaron Gordon (49 percent) and Christian Braun (69 percent) out, Peyton Watson (26 percent) has heightened fantasy value, and Spencer Jones (five percent) scored a career-high 28 against the Mavericks.

G Stephen Curry and F Jimmy Butler III, Golden State Warriors

Curry has missed the Warriors' last two games, most recently sitting out Tuesday's loss to the Thunder, with a right quad contusion. Following the game, head coach Steve Kerr revealed that the guard will not travel with the team on its three-game road trip that opens in Philadelphia on Thursday. The earliest that Curry will be able to play is on November 12 against the Timberwolves. Brandin Podziemski (37 percent) is the player to target, as he is Curry's direct replacement in the starting lineup.

Also of note from Tuesday was Butler exiting during the first half with a sore left knee. The Warriors leaned into their "strength in numbers" mantra, with four reserves scoring in double figures, including new addition Seth Curry (one percent) and Pat Spencer (less than one percent). Those two aren't worth grabbing right now, especially if Podziemski or Moses Moody (14 percent) is available in your league. But they're worth keeping an eye on, especially if Curry is not ready to go when the Warriors return home from their road trip.

G Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

Morant has been out since November 15 with a strained right calf. However, due to the Grizzlies' timeline provided two days later, there should be an update sometime this week. Vince Williams Jr. (19 percent) has moved into the starting lineup, and he's a good source of rebounds, assists and steals in this role. However, over the past three weeks, he has been shooting 32.7 percent from the field and 64.7 percent from the foul line. Cam Spencer (seven percent) may still be coming off the bench, but he has been a more productive option for managers seeking a streamer with Morant sidelined.

G Norman Powell, Miami Heat

If you include Wednesday's game against the Mavericks, Powell has missed two of Miami's last five games, with the most recent absence being due to a sprained left ankle. And with the Heat ending Week 7 with an away/home back-to-back against Orlando and Sacramento, Powell may miss at least one more game. Pelle Larsson (two percent) made the start for Miami's November 24 win over the Mavericks, and that may be the case for Wednesday's rematch. However, his fantasy ceiling is limited, especially with Tyler Herro back in the fold. The same can be said for Jaime Jaquez Jr. (39 percent), whose value has taken a significant hit as the Heat have gotten healthier.

G Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks

While the basketball world is processing reports of conversations between Giannis Antetokounmpo, his representation and the Bucks regarding his future in Milwaukee, head coach Doc Rivers has another issue to address. Porter Jr. exited Monday's loss to the Wizards with lower back spasms and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Pistons. The biggest beneficiary if KPJ sits is Ryan Rollins (57 percent), who is ranked just outside the top-100 in nine-cat formats over the past week. No Porter means more time on the ball for Rollins, which is a good thing for those who have him rostered. AJ Green (14 percent) has been a fixture in the starting lineup, and he's been more than a points and three-pointers option recently. He's someone to make a run for in deeper leagues, especially if Porter misses time.

F Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

Sadly, fantasy managers find themselves in a spot where they have to once again account for Williamson's absence due to injury. On Tuesday, the Pelicans announced that a strained right adductor will sideline the former first overall pick for at least three weeks. Given his history of lower-body injuries, that timeline could prove to be conservative. With Yves Missi (nine percent) also out for Tuesday's overtime loss to Minnesota, the Pelicans started Derik Queen (42 percent) at the five, something they've done on multiple occasions this season.

Of course, Trey Murphy's return from an elbow injury helped account for Williamson's absence. Saddiq Bey (36 percent) needs to be on the radar of more 12-team league managers, while Bryce McGowens (one percent) isn't worth the risk despite remaining in the starting lineup on Tuesday. Another question for the Pelicans is when Herb Jones (20 percent) and Jordan Poole (85 percent) will return from their injuries, and that could happen soon based on the team's timelines.

G Luguentz Dort and G Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder

The reigning champs continue to motor along, moving to 21-1 with their win over the Warriors on Tuesday. And they've been without Dort and Caruso, with the former being sidelined by a strained adductor and the latter dealing with a sore quad. The absences have allowed Ajay Mitchell (35 percent) and Cason Wallace (26 percent) to remain on the radar in 12-team leagues, even with Jalen Williams making his season debut late last week. Oklahoma City has also been without Isaiah Hartenstein, whose calf strain may keep him out through Week 8. That's coincided with J-Dub's return, so there hasn't been another post player on the roster worth streaming.

G Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Booker exited Monday's blowout of the Lakers with a groin injury, not seeing any time after the first quarter. He will reportedly be re-evaluated in one week, meaning that Booker will miss at least three games. As has been the case throughout the season for the Suns, others stepped up to pick up the slack. "Villain" Dillon Brooks (43 percent) and "Villain Jr." Collin Gillespie (32 percent) continue to play well enough to merit rostering in 12-team leagues. Royce O'Neale (20 percent) also has value due to the continued absence of Jalen Green, and Grayson Allen recently missed time due to a quad contusion and an illness that sidelined him on Monday. Beyond those three, Jordan Goodwin (six percent) may be worth a look in extremely deep leagues, especially if Allen can't play on Friday against the Rockets.

G Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers

Holiday has been out since November 14 with a strained calf, leaving the Trail Blazers without a healthy point guard. Deni Avdija (99 percent) has taken on more playmaking responsibilities, and while the turnovers have been high, his production in other categories has compensated for that. Jerami Grant (41 percent) and Toumani Camara (43 percent) are worthy of a look in more 12-team formats, even with Grant not bringing much to the table defensively and Camara having a limited offensive ceiling.

C Victor Wembanyama and G Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama and Castle did not travel with the team ahead of Wednesday's game against Orlando, the first of four games the Spurs will play on this road trip. However, head coach Mitch Johnson said both are progressing from their calf and hip injuries, respectively, and he did not rule out either rejoining the team during the road trip.

For now, the approach remains the same for fantasy managers. Luke Kornet (11 percent) and Julian Champagnie (17 percent) have added value as the replacements in the starting lineup. In comparison, Keldon Johnson (23 percent) and Dylan Harper (22 percent) have higher ceilings than usual despite coming off the bench.

G/F RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

Barrett has missed Toronto's last five games with a sprained right knee, most recently sitting out Tuesday's win over the Trail Blazers. An MRI revealed no structural damage, and he's expected to be re-evaluated toward the end of this week. Second-year guard Ja'Kobe Walter (one percent) has been Barrett's replacement in the starting lineup, providing 12th-round value in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Whether it's him or Gradey Dick (three percent), the production has not been good enough to make either a must-stream player with Barrett sidelined.

C Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards

Sarr has missed Washington's last two games with a sore right adductor, and at the time of publishing, his status for Thursday's game against the Celtics had not been determined. Marvin Bagley III (13 percent) has been the replacement in the starting lineup, and he has provided top-25 value over the past two weeks. Is that sustainable? Probably not, considering Bagley's track record. However, he's worth the risk if Sarr continues to miss time.

Also of note for Washington have been the absences of Tre Johnson (four percent) and Corey Kispert (one percent), which have led to more playing time for Justin Champagnie (one percent). With Khris Middleton getting the night off, Champagnie started Tuesday's loss to the 76ers. The Wizards won't have their next back-to-back until December 20-21, so there isn't much to gain from adding Champagnie right now.