Mon Nov 18 8:40am ET
Field Level Media
Bucks coach Doc Rivers was handed a $25,000 fine on Sunday for criticizing the officiating of Milwaukee's 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets the previous evening.
Rivers was upset with a foul call on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo that sent Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball to the free-throw line with 7.3 seconds left in regulation. Ball went 2-for-2 at the stripe to put the Hornets up by one, and Milwaukee failed to hit a game-winner at the other end.
"LaMelo Ball fell. He just fell down," Rivers said postgame. "Nobody was near him. He slipped on his own. We come up with the ball and the game is over. So back-to-back games now we have had a call made against us that is incorrect. We were lucky in Detroit the kid missed two free throws. Tonight LaMelo Ball made the free throws."
Following the game, crew chief Curtis Blair admitted that referees got the call wrong.
"During live play we called illegal leg-to-leg contact," Blair said. "During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play."
It was yet another frustrating loss for the Bucks, who are off to a 4-9 start this season. They will host the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Houston's C Alperen Sengun recorded a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a 143-107 win over Chicago on Sunday, Nov. 17.
Portland Trail Blazers' G Shaedon Sharpe scored 32 points on 11-of-21 shooting in a 114-110 win over the Hawks on Sunday, Nov. 17. Sharpe is owned in only 14.0% leagues.
Detroit Pistons' G Cade Cunningham recorded a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a 124-104 win over Washington on Sunday, Nov. 17.
Suns' G Devin Booker scored 44 points on 15-of-29 shooting in a 117-120 loss to Minnesota on Sunday, Nov. 17.
Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (back) remains out for Monday's meeting with the Hawks. The 35-year-old is dealing with a back injury, so he'll miss his third-straight contest on Monday night. Under normal circumstances, the Kings would rely mostly on Domantas Sabonis (back) and De'Aaron Fox to pick up the slack. However, with Sabonis doubtful, Fox, who had 49 points in Saturday's win over the Jazz, should do most of the heavy lifting on the offensive end. On the other hand, guys like Kevin Hunter, Trey Lyles, and Keegan Murray may also be in line for added production.
Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (foot) is doubtful for Monday's contest against the Phoenix Suns. The doubtful tag may suggest he's moving in the right direction. However, it appears the 25-year-old will miss his eighth-straight game on Monday night. If that's the case, Goga Bitadze will presumably remain with the first five, with the 2019 No. 18 overall pick averaging 9.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in seven starts during the 2024-25 campaign.
Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (ankle) exited Sunday's win over the Denver Nuggets. With Nikola Jokic (personal) out, it was a perfect opportunity for Memphis to take advance. Unfortunately, the rookie lasted only 14 minutes in this one, exiting because of a sprained left ankle and would finish the contest with seven points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Edey has played well enough in his inaugural year, averaging 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. He's also shot 66.7% from behind the arc. However, Edey's health was a big concern for fantasy managers heading into the 2024-25 campaign, so the team may need to play if safe when the Nuggets and Grizzlies do it again on Tuesday night. If the 22-year-old isn't out there, Jay Huff will likely see more minutes behind Brandon Clarke and be worth starting in any fantasy format.
Sacramento Kings forward/center Domantas Sabonis (back) is expected to miss Monday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. The 28-year-old played all 82 regular-season games in 2023-24. However, he's in line to miss his second-consecutive contest because of back tightness. With DeMar DeRozan (back) already ruled out, the Kings may need to rely on De'Aaron Fox, who had 49 points in Saturday's win over Utah, for most of the team's production. But as far as Sabonis' spot in the rotation is concerned, Trey Lyles would presumably remain in the starting lineup, with the 2015 No. 12 overall pick dropping 17 points on the Jazz.
Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney (illness) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The big man hasn't been a huge part of the rotation as he's only averaging 15 minutes per game. However, Looney is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game, so his rebounding would be hard to replace if he sits out. Trayce Jackson-Davis figures to see more playing time if Looney is unable to go. Jackson-Davis hasn't been a great fantasy option, but would certainly have more streaming appeal if he gets additional playing time.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The superstar guard is reportedly dealing with left knee inflammation, which shouldn't sideline him for long. He missed three games towards the end of October due to an ankle issue. The Warriors are already low on depth at the guard spot, so losing Curry would certainly hurt. Buddy Hield should see additional playing time and is already worth rostering in most formats. Brandin Podziemski would probably see more minutes as well, but he isn't as appealing as Hield. Podziemski did finish with 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists during his last game, but he's more of a boom-or-bust option.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (concussion) is listed as probable ahead of Monday's game against the Houston Rockets. It looks like Lillard is on the verge of returning after missing each of the last three games while in concussion protocol. Delon Wright has been starting with Lillard out, but he hasn't done much with the increased playing time. He's a solid defensive player, but doesn't bring much to the table on offense. That being said, Wright won't be worth streaming once Lillard returns to the court. Fantasy managers should check back before tip-off, but Lillard should be good to go for Monday.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable ahead of Monday's game against the Houston Rockets. The superstar forward continues to appear on the injury report, but he has only missed one game this season. Fantasy managers should expect to have Antetokounmpo unless he suffers a setback during warmups. If he sits, Bobby Portis would see an increased role and would have strong streaming appeal without the two-time MVP on the court.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (illness) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Monday's game against the Miami Heat. The superstar center is back on the injury report after only playing two games this season. Luckily, this sounds like a minor issue, so it should only cost Embiid one game at most. If he sits, Andre Drummond would move into the starting lineup while Guerschon Yabusele would see additional playing time off the bench. Drummond would be an interesting streaming option without Embiid on the court. He's a strong rebounder and has been a decent contributor with the Sixers shorthanded lately.
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (hip) will remain on the shelf for Sunday's clash with the Clippers. He continues to nurse a hip problem. With him out, the stage is set for John Collins to go off for another big game. He's notched 24.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.7 steals since replacing Kessler in the starting unit. Rookie Kyle Filipowski has also stepped up recently and deserves attention from fantasy managers. He has averaged 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in the games Kessler has missed.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) will play against Brooklyn on Sunday. A knee contusion kept him off the floor against the Nets on Friday, but Towns makes a quick return. The Knicks' new star center had 46 points against Chicago in his last outing and has hit the 30-point mark four times in his most recent five appearances. He's in a great position to do a lot of damage again on Sunday, as Brooklyn is missing Nicholas Claxton (back) and hasn't done very well defensively against opposing centers. Jericho Sims lands back on the bench with Towns' return.
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (knee) will miss a second consecutive game on Sunday versus Brooklyn. McBride has been the first guy off the bench behind the Knicks' stacked starting five this season, averaging 10.7 points and 2.5 assists in 26.4 minutes. With him out of the rotation, Cameron Payne and Pacome Dadiet have a chance to see extra action, but neither player is a good fantasy option. The Knicks starters will likely be in for another busy night as well -- three of them logged 39-plus minutes against the Nets on Friday.
Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson (quadriceps) has received the all-clear to play on Sunday versus Chicago. He injured his quadriceps against the Clippers on Friday and was initially regarded as questionable for Sunday's action. Thompson's availability is great news for the Rockets, as the 21-year-old has played great this month, averaging 12.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. Thompson continues to come off the bench for Houston but has plenty to offer for fantasy managers. He also finds himself in a nice fantasy matchup on Sunday, as the Bulls lead the league in pace.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (knee) will miss Sunday's matchup against Oklahoma City. The Mavericks superstar has been dealing with a knee injury all week and will give it some rest on Sunday. Quentin Grimes will come into the starting unit as his replacement. Grimes is a good three-point shooter and amassed 15 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one steal in his first start of the campaign. Jaden Hardy and Spencer Dinwiddie might receive more action as well on Sunday, while Kyrie Irving gets a usage boost with Doncic's absence.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (ankle) won't play in Sunday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers. The 35-year-old was listed as questionable. However, he'll miss his fourth-straight contest on Sunday, so his next chance to return will be on Monday night versus the Philadelphia 76ers. With that in mind, Tyler Herro, averaging 28.7 points in the three games without Butler this season, is a lock for season-long fantasy setups. That also applies to DFS contests. At the same time, Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. could also see an uptick in fantasy production.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (personal) won't play in Sunday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He was listed as questionable heading into this one after missing Friday's game versus the New Orleans Pelicans due to personal reasons. As a result, Dario Saric entered the starting lineup in that one and finished with nine points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal. With Jokic out again, Saric should continue to benefit from a fantasy standpoint, even if it's only for one more game.
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