Latest news with #Clingan
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Basketball Roundtable: Potential 'silly season' standouts
With NBA play resuming on Wednesday, now is a good time to hold a roundtable discussing a few questions that will impact fantasy basketball for the rest of the season. The last question focuses on the "silly season." Every year, there tend to be a few players who emerge during fantasy playoff time, providing surprisingly positive value. Rotoworld fantasy basketball writers Nick Schlain, Noah Rubin, Raphielle Johnson, and Zak Hanshew offer their picks for the "silly season." Schlain: Caris LeVert (27 percent) and Donovan Clingan (38 percent) LeVert was traded to Atlanta in a deal with the Cavaliers before the deadline. He's only played three games with the Hawks but is averaging 15.7 points, seven rebounds, and three assists per game. He's played over 30 minutes off the bench in two of three games and, in his last game, was just three assists shy of a 20-point triple-double. The Hawks are going nowhere without Jaylen Johnson this year. Trae Young has dealt with an Achilles injury all season and could be shut down before we get to the fantasy playoffs. LeVert is already playing a lot off the bench and could stand to benefit even more from the Hawks succumbing to the "silly season." Clingan really should be rostered in more than 40 percent of fantasy leagues. Deandre Ayton is out with a calf injury and will return in mid-March at the earliest. Clingan played 31 minutes against the Nuggets just before the All-Star break and had 17 points and 20 rebounds. With Ayton out for at least the next month, the rookie will have the chance to continue to play a lot and put up some serious numbers. Who knows if the Trail Blazers will even return to Ayton as the starting center when he returns. By then, Clingan will have plenty of opportunity to establish himself as the starter. Rubin: Bub Carrington (21 percent) and Clingan Clingan was my first pick in our "silly season" draft on the Rotoworld Basketball Show. You don't want to let this guy sit on your waiver wire. Deandre Ayton (calf) will be out until mid-March at the earliest, and it could certainly be much longer to help Portland's lottery odds. Clingan played 21 minutes in the game when Ayton injured his calf, and he contributed 21 points, seven rebounds, one block, and one three-pointer without missing a shot. Clingan started at center for the Trail Blazers in their next game, their final outing before the All-Star break. He played 31 minutes and finished with 17 points, 20 rebounds, two assists and three blocks. He'll split the center minutes with Robert Williams, but Clingan doesn't need many minutes to dominate fantasy basketball. Expect him to provide dominant numbers in rebounds, blocks and field-goal percentage, and he is talented enough to provide a few assists and the occasional three-pointer. Carrington is another rookie who entered the All-Star break on a high note. He returned to the starting lineup for Washington's last five games and averaged 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, six assists, and 3.6 three-pointers while shooting 56.9 percent from the field and 100 percent from the free throw line. It would be surprising if the Wizards took him back out of the starting unit over the final two months of the regular season. Washington currently holds the worst record in the league, so their priority will continue to be the development of their young core. Carrington could be the team's point guard of the future, and his recent production has been encouraging. I'm expecting him to keep that going in March and April. Johnson: Keon Johnson (19 percent) and Toumani Camara (35 percent) In the East, I'll take Brooklyn's Keon Johnson (19 percent rostered, Yahoo). Over the past three weeks, he's averaged 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.7 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers, which has been suitable for ninth-round value in nine-cat formats. And that's with him shooting 37.4 percent from the field. Shooting efficiency has not been a strength for the former first-round pick. Still, he can provide reliable value with the Nets focused on player development and the draft lottery. As for the West, Toumani Camara (35 percent) feels like an obvious answer. The former second-round pick who was included in the three-team trade headlined by Damian Lillard has provided top-75 value in eight- and nine-cat formats over the past three weeks. While Camara's defensive ability has been well-known, he's improved offensively, shooting 51 percent from the field and averaging 11.7 points per game during this stretch. Also, he isn't (in my opinion) among the Trail Blazers who may be at risk of a late-season shutdown. Hanshew: Clingan and Guerschon Yabusele (31 percent) Deandre Ayton will be sidelined for an extended period, and Robert Williams III can never stay on the court. Cue Clingan, the talented rookie who's excelled when given additional playing time. Clingan posted 17 points, 20 boards, two dimes, and three swats in his last game, following up a 21-point, seven-rebound effort against the Nuggets two nights prior. He's got a clear path to silly season greatness, taking over as Portland's top option at center. Despite playing four of the Sixers' final six games before the break, Joel Embiid can't be relied on to stay healthy. The biggest beneficiary of additional Embiid absences would be Yabusele, but the latter has earned a starting spot even when Embiid is available. Yabusele has been a top-85 player over the last month and a top-60 player over the previous two weeks.
NBC Sports
18-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Basketball Roundtable: Potential 'silly season' standouts
With NBA play resuming on Wednesday, now is a good time to hold a roundtable discussing a few questions that will impact fantasy basketball for the rest of the season. The last question focuses on the 'silly season.' Every year, there tend to be a few players who emerge during fantasy playoff time, providing surprisingly positive value. Rotoworld fantasy basketball writers Nick Schlain, Noah Rubin, Raphielle Johnson, and Zak Hanshew offer their picks for the 'silly season.' Pick one low-rostered (below 40 percent in Yahoo leagues) player from each conference that you believe can be a 'silly season' standout, and provide a couple of sentences explaining your choices. Schlain: Caris LeVert (27 percent) and Donovan Clingan (38 percent) LeVert was traded to Atlanta in a deal with the Cavaliers before the deadline. He's only played three games with the Hawks but is averaging 15.7 points, seven rebounds, and three assists per game. He's played over 30 minutes off the bench in two of three games and, in his last game, was just three assists shy of a 20-point triple-double. The Hawks are going nowhere without Jaylen Johnson this year. Trae Young has dealt with an Achilles injury all season and could be shut down before we get to the fantasy playoffs. LeVert is already playing a lot off the bench and could stand to benefit even more from the Hawks succumbing to the 'silly season.' Clingan really should be rostered in more than 40 percent of fantasy leagues. Deandre Ayton is out with a calf injury and will return in mid-March at the earliest. Clingan played 31 minutes against the Nuggets just before the All-Star break and had 17 points and 20 rebounds. With Ayton out for at least the next month, the rookie will have the chance to continue to play a lot and put up some serious numbers. Who knows if the Trail Blazers will even return to Ayton as the starting center when he returns. By then, Clingan will have plenty of opportunity to establish himself as the starter. Rubin: Bub Carrington (21 percent) and Clingan Clingan was my first pick in our 'silly season' draft on the Rotoworld Basketball Show. You don't want to let this guy sit on your waiver wire. Deandre Ayton (calf) will be out until mid-March at the earliest, and it could certainly be much longer to help Portland's lottery odds. Clingan played 21 minutes in the game when Ayton injured his calf, and he contributed 21 points, seven rebounds, one block, and one three-pointer without missing a shot. Clingan started at center for the Trail Blazers in their next game, their final outing before the All-Star break. He played 31 minutes and finished with 17 points, 20 rebounds, two assists and three blocks. He'll split the center minutes with Robert Williams, but Clingan doesn't need many minutes to dominate fantasy basketball. Expect him to provide dominant numbers in rebounds, blocks and field-goal percentage, and he is talented enough to provide a few assists and the occasional three-pointer. Carrington is another rookie who entered the All-Star break on a high note. He returned to the starting lineup for Washington's last five games and averaged 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, six assists, and 3.6 three-pointers while shooting 56.9 percent from the field and 100 percent from the free throw line. It would be surprising if the Wizards took him back out of the starting unit over the final two months of the regular season. Washington currently holds the worst record in the league, so their priority will continue to be the development of their young core. Carrington could be the team's point guard of the future, and his recent production has been encouraging. I'm expecting him to keep that going in March and April. Johnson: Keon Johnson (19 percent) and Toumani Camara (35 percent) In the East, I'll take Brooklyn's Keon Johnson (19 percent rostered, Yahoo). Over the past three weeks, he's averaged 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.7 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers, which has been suitable for ninth-round value in nine-cat formats. And that's with him shooting 37.4 percent from the field. Shooting efficiency has not been a strength for the former first-round pick. Still, he can provide reliable value with the Nets focused on player development and the draft lottery. As for the West, Toumani Camara (35 percent) feels like an obvious answer. The former second-round pick who was included in the three-team trade headlined by Damian Lillard has provided top-75 value in eight- and nine-cat formats over the past three weeks. While Camara's defensive ability has been well-known, he's improved offensively, shooting 51 percent from the field and averaging 11.7 points per game during this stretch. Also, he isn't (in my opinion) among the Trail Blazers who may be at risk of a late-season shutdown. Hanshew: Clingan and Guerschon Yabusele (31 percent) Deandre Ayton will be sidelined for an extended period, and Robert Williams III can never stay on the court. Cue Clingan, the talented rookie who's excelled when given additional playing time. Clingan posted 17 points, 20 boards, two dimes, and three swats in his last game, following up a 21-point, seven-rebound effort against the Nuggets two nights prior. He's got a clear path to silly season greatness, taking over as Portland's top option at center. Despite playing four of the Sixers' final six games before the break, Joel Embiid can't be relied on to stay healthy. The biggest beneficiary of additional Embiid absences would be Yabusele, but the latter has earned a starting spot even when Embiid is available. Yabusele has been a top-85 player over the last month and a top-60 player over the previous two weeks.
NBC Sports
13-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Donovan Clingan has a career night
The seventh overall pick in last summer's draft, Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan (26% rostered, Yahoo) has dealt with a crowded rotation for most of this season. And when neither Deandre Ayton nor Robert Williams was moved before the trade deadline, there was even more significant concern among fantasy managers who hoped to see Clingan flourish during the 'silly season.' Well, Ayton suffered a calf strain that will keep him out for at least four weeks, and Williams was not available for Wednesday's game in Denver due to a knee injury. That left Clingan to hold down the fort against three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic. And the rookie held his own in Portland's 132-121 defeat. In 31 minutes, Clingan accounted for 17 points (7-of-12 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), 20 rebounds, two assists, and three blocked shots. The 20 boards are a career-high, and this was also his first game with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. Clingan will be most valuable in the field goal percentage, rebound, and blocked shot categories, but the most important thing for him is to get consistent minutes. Unfortunately, it took injuries to open things up for 'Cling Kong,' but the time is now for the 7-foot-2 rookie. Let's look at a few more top pickups from Wednesday's loaded slate, beginning with one of Clingan's college teammates. PG/SG Stephon Castle (33%), San Antonio Spurs De'Aaron Fox's arrival in San Antonio may have concerned some Castle managers, especially since the rookie was bumped out of the starting lineup. However, in the five games the Spurs have played since acquiring their expected point guard of the future, Castle has provided added value off the bench. The rookie has been a seventh-round player in eight-cat formats, and he finished Wednesday's loss to the Celtics with 20 points (7-of-16 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two three-pointers in 24 minutes. Trailing Golden State by two games in the loss column for the final play-in spot in the West, San Antonio is still in the mix heading into the All-Star break. And, based on his recent play, Castle doesn't need the Spurs to pull the plug to add fantasy value. SG/SF Max Christie (31%), Dallas Mavericks The Mavericks have been hit hard by injuries recently, leading to Christie making his first start since being included in the Anthony Davis trade. Kyrie Irving was the star of Wednesday's win over the Warriors, but Christie also played well. In 39 minutes, he accounted for 17 points (6-of-12 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one three-pointer. With Davis expected to miss multiple weeks with a strained groin, the Mavericks will need offense from players other than Irving and Klay Thompson. Christie is capable, having scored 15 points or more in all five games he's played since being traded. SG/SF Keon Ellis (19%), Sacramento Kings Sacramento's decision to trade Fox and include Jordan McLaughlin in the same deal left the team without a point guard. Malik Monk has filled the void admirably, but the exits also freed up additional opportunities for Ellis. Providing sixth-round value in eight-cat formats since the trade, he finished Wednesday's win over the Pelicans with 27 points (10-of-14 FGs), five rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks, and seven three-pointers. The last time he made that many triples in a game was on November 18, when Ellis hit a career-high nine against the Hawks. The Kings face the Hawks again on Thursday before the All-Star break. We're not expecting Ellis to duplicate Wednesday's performance, but he's worth a roll of the dice on a five-game night. PG/SG Bub Carrington (19%), Washington Wizards Carrington played well in Wednesday's overtime loss to the Pacers, a game the Wizards controlled for most of the first three quarters. He played 45 of a possible 53 minutes, finishing with 18 points (6-of-11 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block, and four three-pointers. Malcolm Brogdon injured his left leg during the fourth quarter and did not return, but there's the question of how much Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart will play after the All-Star break. The Wizards have done a good job of letting their youngsters learn on the job, and that should continue to be the case, even with those veterans in the fold. Carrington is one rookie who will have added value during the 'silly season.' PF/C Precious Achiuwa (16%), New York Knicks The Knicks have been without OG Anunoby (toe) for the last five games, with Achiuwa being Tom Thibodeau's choice to fill the void in the starting lineup. He had a big night in Wednesday's overtime win over the Hawks, producing a line of 26 points (12-of-16 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocked shots in 42 minutes. In his five starts, Achiuwa has provided top-100 value in eight-cat formats. Whether or not Achiuwa will have streaming value after the All-Star break depends on Anunoby's availability; if OG remains out, add Precious. SG/SF Caris LeVert (16%) and SF/PF Georges Niang (7%), Atlanta Hawks On the other side of that overtime thriller were LeVert and Niang, who have both been solid since being traded to the Hawks by Cleveland. A top-75 player since the deal, Niang finished Wednesday's defeat with 21 points (8-of-16 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), four rebounds, three assists, one steal, two blocks, and four three-pointers in 34 points. As for LeVert, who's ranked just outside the top 100 in eight-cat formats, he recorded a line of 20 points (8-of-13 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, and two three-pointers in 35 minutes. With Jalen Johnson done for the season and Larry Nance Jr. out for at least six weeks, there's ample room for Niang and LeVert to contribute consistently. SG/SF Quentin Grimes (15%), Philadelphia 76ers With Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid out due to injury, the 76ers needed others to step up on Wednesday. Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. answered the call, and the latter is already rostered in over 50% of Yahoo leagues. That isn't the case for Grimes, who started and finished the loss to the Nets with 30 points (10-of-18 FGs, 6-of-9 FTs), nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block, and four three-pointers in 36 minutes. He's reached double figures in all four games since being traded from Dallas to Philadelphia. There's room for Grimes' offensive production, especially if Embiid has to miss more time. PG/SG/SF Gary Trent Jr. (14%), Milwaukee Bucks On Wednesday, the Bucks were without Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, meaning more shots were available to those healthy enough to play. Trent took advantage, shooting 8-of-12 from the field. He finished Milwaukee's win over Minnesota with 21 points, one rebound, two assists, one steal, and three three-pointers in 29 minutes. The value outside the points and three-pointers was limited, but this was a prime spot to stream Trent, and those who did were rewarded. PF Obi Toppin (6%), Indiana Pacers The Pacers remained without Myles Turner (neck) for Wednesday's game against Washington. While Thomas Bryant (12%) did tally 11 rebounds and five assists, Toppin came up huge for fantasy managers. In 33 minutes off the bench, he finished the overtime victory with 31 points (11-of-19 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), 10 rebounds, two assists, one block, and six three-pointers. A double-digit scorer in five of his last seven games, Toppin established season-highs in points and rebounds, and the six triples matched his career high. As with Bryant, whether or not he'll have fantasy value immediately out of the All-Star break depends on Turner's availability.
Reuters
12-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Nuggets aim to extend win streak against short-handed Blazers
February 12 - The Denver Nuggets own the league's longest active winning streak of seven games, which also represents their best run of the season. Denver will look to add another victory to the streak on Wednesday night when it hosts the Portland Trail Blazers in the final game before the All-Star break for both squads. The contest is the second of a two-game set between the teams. Host Denver mauled the Trail Blazers 146-117 on Monday in the first one. The Nuggets ran up season highs in both points (146) and field goal percentage (65.9). Nikola Jokic scored 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting and Christian Braun added 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting. Braun excelled at freelancing and cutting to the hoop for easy baskets, while finishing just two points shy of his career high. "I think people are seeing how many easy buckets I get," Braun said. "That's part of our offense. That's what unlocks a lot of our offense. Somebody's getting on the rim. Everybody can do it." Denver coach Michael Malone is impressed with the way the offense has been flowing. Monday's output was the third time during the winning streak in which the Nuggets scored 137 or more points. "I think somebody said we've got to diversify our offense at one point," Malone said. "Why? Stick with what's working. "We've led the league all year long to this point as we approach the All-Star break in fast-break points, in paint points, in assists. And that's how we do it. That's just the way our team is built and we believe it." The Nuggets don't expect to know until Wednesday whether forward Michael Porter Jr. (left hamstring) will be available. He missed the last two games after averaging 35 points over a three-game span. Russell Westbrook will miss his seventh straight game with his own left hamstring injury. Portland has dropped the first two games of a three-game road trip after winning 10 of its previous 11 games. The Trail Blazers lost 114-98 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, then were clobbered by the Nuggets. Portland's top two scorers at Denver were reserves. Dalano Banton scored 22 points and rookie big man Donovan Clingan scored a career-best 21 points on 8-of-8 shooting in just 21 minutes. It marked Clingan's first double-digit output since scoring 11 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 9. "I feel like I played all right," said Clingan, the seventh overall pick from UConn. "I feel like I ran the floor pretty well, rebounded pretty well. I just wish I set better screens to get my guards open. I like to win. It hurts to lose." In the eyes of Portland coach Chauncey Billups, Clingan did more than all right. "I loved it," Billups said. "It was, obviously, a career high for him, but he was aggressive. I thought even defensively, he did a pretty good job in a nightmare matchup (against Jokic), obviously. But, man, he finished the ball very well. I thought he passed it pretty well. It was just a really good game for D.C." Clingan will see plenty of action on Wednesday with starter Deandre Ayton out after sustaining a left calf strain in Monday's game. Another big man, Robert Williams III (knee), is ruled out, as well. Scoot Henderson sprained his right ankle on Monday and will sit out. Jerami Grant (right knee) sat out on Monday and is questionable for Wednesday. The Nuggets have won eight of the past nine meetings with the Trail Blazers; Portland's lone win came on Dec. 19 when Anfernee Simons scored 28 points, including the game-winning layup as time expired in a 126-124 home victory.
NBC Sports
11-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Donovan Clingan set to shine in increased role
The 76ers are at an inflection point. Will they gom all out and try to win, or will they tank for lottery balls? Unfortunately, Monday's 10-game slate wasn't kinda to NBA players. Multiple players exited early due to various injuries. Deandre Ayton exited due to a left calf injury, which came when he landed after going up for a layup. He had to be helped to the locker room, which isn't a great sign. The severity of the injury isn't clear, but if he is forced to miss time, Donovan Clingan (11% rostered in Yahoo leagues) should enter the starting unit. The rookie played 21 minutes on Monday and finished with 21 points (8-of-8 FGs), seven rebounds, one block and one 3-pointer. In 10 starts this season, Clingan has averaged 6.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game. Clingan should be considered a must-add player at this point. If Ayton ends up missing an extended period of time, there won't be many players that will be able to match Clingan's rebound and block numbers if he is starting. Robert Williams III (4% rostered) is an option to consider in deeper formats. He missed this game due to right knee soreness, but he will likely split the center minutes with Clingan if he returns to play on Wednesday. Here are a few other players to consider rostering: SG/SF Max Christie (27%), Dallas Mavericks Since being traded to Dallas, Christie has averaged 17.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, three assists and 2.8 triples per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor. That has him ranked in the top 75 in nine-cat leagues since joining his new team. Especially with how many injuries the team is dealing with, Christie should be rostered in standard leagues. PF Olivier-Maxence Prosper (less than 1%), Dallas Mavericks The Mavs' frontcourt players are dropping like flies. Daniel Gafford (knee) exited early from Monday's game, which allowed O-Max to start the second half in his place. He had 16 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 34 minutes against the Kings. PJ Washington could be back for their back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday, but there is a real chance that Dallas has to play with Anthony Davis, Gafford and Washington, which would likely allow O-Max to start. SG/SF Aaron Wiggins (21%), Oklahoma City Thunder Wiggins has been on a tear lately and deserves to be rostered. Over OKC's last six games, Wiggins has averaged 23.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 threes per game, which has contributed to him being ranked 15th in nine-cat leagues, per Basketball Monster. He scored 24 points off the bench on Monday. PG KJ Simpson (2%), Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball (ankle) exited early from Monday's game, which allowed Simpson to play 30 minutes off the bench. He had nine points, nine rebounds and four assists. He started two of their three previous games and scored at least 10 points in three straight games prior to Monday. LaMelo's history with ankle injuries makes this concerning, but there is a chance that he doesn't miss much time. Nick Smith Jr. (15%) is another option to consider since he will continue to start regardless of Ball's health. C Richaun Holmes (8%), Washington Wizards Holmes has been Washington's starting center recently with Alexandre Sarr sidelined. As a starter, Holmes has averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and one block per game while shooting 74.1 percent from the floor. Assuming Sarr remains out against the Pacers on Wednesday, Holmes should be in line for another start. SG/SF Caris LeVert (13%), Atlanta Hawks LeVert's debut for Atlanta on Saturday didn't go well, but his second game went much better. He had 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three 3-pointers in 32 minutes. LeVert will continue to play a large role off the bench, but Vit Krejci (back) exited early on Monday, which opened up a few extra minutes for LeVert. It's unclear if Krejci will be back to play in New York on Wednesday. PG Isaiah Collier (35%) Utah Jazz The rookie had another double-double on Monday with 13 points and 10 assists. Collier has cemented his role as Utah's starting point guard and remains widely available despite being one of the best assist options in the league.
