• Solid total from bench
    Reaves finished with 18 points (6-11 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), four rebounds, one assist and three steals over 22 minutes during Saturday's 107-97 win over the Rockets.

    Advice: Reaves looked more like the 2022-23 version of himself Saturday, making shots all over the floor during the win. He also looked great last Thursday and had put up several double-digit totals with the second unit, but coach Darvin Han doesn't seem ready to put Reaves back in the starting lineup yet. Taurean Prince isn't playing well enough to keep Reaves on the bench, so a change may come sooner rather than later. Rotowire.com 5 minutes ago
     
  • Stops game with 360-degree layup
    James amassed 16 points (7-17 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 2-5 FT), four rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal over 35 minutes during Saturday's 107-97 victory over Houston.

    Advice: James' acrobatic 360-degree reverse layup worked Crypto.com Arena into a frenzy at the end of the second quarter, adding yet another brilliant highlight to his massive collection of eye-opening shots throughout his career. James and Anthony Davis are performing at an extremely high level, making the Lakers a force to be reckoned with in the In-Season Tournament. Rotowire.com 14 minutes ago
     
  • Pours in 26 points from bench
    Monk closed Saturday's 123-117 victory over Denver with 26 points (9-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, four assists and two steals in 28 minutes.

    Advice: Monk continued to distinguish himself as Sacramento's sixth man during the win, logging his fifth consecutive double-digit total from the bench. Monk has been a pure scorer throughout his career, and while his secondary stats are rarely going to jump off the page, he can inflict swift damage when his shot is dialed in. Rotowire.com 37 minutes ago
     
  • Logs 14 points in OT victory
    Horton-Tucker recorded 14 points (5-8 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), two rebounds, four assists and three steals in 21 minutes during Saturday's 118-113 overtime victory over Portland.

    Advice: Subpar play caused Horton-Tucker to lose his starting gig in early November, and his struggles continued from the bench. HIs 14 points in the OT win snapped a single-digit scoring slump where he averaged only 5.5 points over six games. His good fortune is likely brief, as his production will fall upon Jordan Clarkson's (thigh) return. Rotowire.com Today, 4:57 am
  • Drops season-high 15 points
    Craig closed Saturday's 124-118 victory over the Pelicans with 15 points (5-6 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one block over 19 minutes.

    Advice: Craig was one of many Bulls players to step up Saturday, leading them to their second straight victory. While the production was serviceable, the fact he played only 19 minutes needs to be accounted for. In fact, his playing time has exceeded 20 minutes only once in the past eight games. That simply isn't enough for him to be considered outside of deeper formats. Rotowire.com Today, 12:54 am
     
  • Delivers again in loss
    Jones produced 17 points (4-11 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 9-10 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, one block and three steals across 36 minutes during Saturday's 124-118 loss to the Bulls.

    Advice: Jones delivered another strong two-way performance despite the loss, continuing his fast start to the season. He has been a top-40 player in standard leagues, thanks to averages of 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.3 blocks. In a nutshell, he is putting up career-high numbers across the board. Although the return of Trey Murphy is likely to have an impact, Jones should remain a must-roster player moving forward, given his importance on the defensive end. Rotowire.com Today, 12:34 am
     
  • Rui Hachimura held out for precautionary reasons
    After Saturday’s win over the Rockets, Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Rui Hachimura (nasal fracture) was held out for precautionary reasons.

    Advice: Hachimura, who has not appeared in a game since November 22, was cleared by team doctors to make his return on Saturday. However, Ham said the forward felt a little “iffy” after going through his pregame routine, so Hachimura wasn’t inserted into the game. The hope is that he’ll be good to go on Tuesday when the Lakers host the Suns. With Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) returning and playing 14 minutes, the frontcourt rotation behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis will get very crowded. That may be where fantasy managers should leave the bench options on the waiver wire until the competition sorts itself out. Rotoworld Yesterday, 11:17 pm
     
  • Max Christie contributes 12/7/2 line off bench
    Max Christie came off the bench and contributed 12 points (4-of-7 FGs), seven rebounds, two assists and three 3-pointers against Houston on Saturday.

    Advice: After starting the last few games for the Lakers, Christie was pushed to the bench in favor of Cam Reddish. However, he ended up playing more minutes than Reddish and was part of the lineup with the starters that closed out the game for the Lakers. Christie isn’t necessarily a player to consider for a roster spot in standard leagues, but the second year guard has played well so far when he’s gotten the opportunity. The Lakers are close to fully healthy now, yet he is still a large part of their rotation. He is worth keeping around in dynasty formats. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:13 pm
     
  • Exceeds 30 points again
    Butler provided 33 points (12-23 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 9-9 FT), five rebounds and five assists across 37 minutes during Saturday's 144-129 loss to the Pacers.

    Advice: Butler suited up for a second straight contest following a two-game absence due an ankle injury. The star forward was great again despite Miami's loss, leading the team with 33 points and chipping in five boards along with five dimes. Butler has averaged 34.5 points over 37.5 minutes in the pair of games following his return from the ankle issue, so the injury doesn't seem to be lingering. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 10:01 pm