Around the Association: Grizzlies and Nuggets Roll, Beal Returns, LaMelo Injured + More Fantasy Notes From Wednesday Night

This article is part of our NBA Daily Recap series.

Welcome back to another edition of Around the Association. Wednesday Night brought us an electrifying nine-game slate full of close finishes, highlight reel plays and dominating performances. Without further ado, let's dive in:

Nightly Notables

Grizz Hang on for 11th Straight 

• One of the best outings of the night came in Memphis with a Donovan Mitchell-less Cavaliers team coming into town to face the red-hot Grizzlies. Despite being without their leading scorer, the Cavaliers were still able to give Memphis a run for their money, keeping the game tightly contested throughout. After a clutch Steven Adams putback, the Grizzlies led 115-114 lead in the final seconds.
• Darius Garland had a chance to win the game for Cleveland, only for his three-point attempt to be blocked by Dillon Brooks at the buzzer. This win marked Memphis' 11th straight victory, tying a franchise-best winning streak. The Grizzlies are officially rolling.
• Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies in scoring, finishing with 25 points (8-17 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes. This outing marked Bane's third straight performance with at least 20 points, with the third-year pro averaging 26.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals across 29.3 minutes over that stretch. 
  • Ja Morant kept his hot play rolling with 24 points (9-19 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 6-9 FT), two rebounds, eight assists and one steal in 33 minutes. Morant has appeared in nine games across the Grizzlies' 11-game win streak, averaging 28.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists while shooting 53.0 percent from the field. It is time to seriously start considering Morant as a legit contender in the MVP Race. 
• Caris LeVert once again filled into Cleveland's starting lineup in place of Donovan Mitchell, producing 23 points (9-19 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 1-1 FT), four rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal across 41 minutes. 
  • The Michigan product has appeared in six games without Mitchell this season, averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists across 34.5 minutes per game. LeVert is a very suitable fantasy option whenever Mitchell is forced to the sidelines. 
  • Isaac Okoro caught fire in the defeat, totaling a new season-best 17 points (6-6 FG, 4-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 33 minutes. While one can not expect Okoro to remain perfect from the field moving forward, the Auburn product has now topped 11 points in three out of his last four showings and does appear to have increased fantasy value with Mitchell off the floor.
  • Evan Mobley was yet another Cavalier who saw his usage uptick with Mitchell on the sidelines, finishing with 18 points (9-15 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-2 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal over 39 minutes. This marked Mobley's fourth outing all season with 15 or more field goal attempts. 

Beal Back in Action

• After missing Washington's last five previous games and eight out of the team's last nine showings, Bradley Beal made his return to the Wizards lineup in winning fashion. Washington was able to sneak out of Madison Square Garden with a 116-105 win behind a solid team showing. Beal finished with 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 1-3 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one block over 28 minutes in the victory.
  • While it may take a few games for Beal to get back into his usual groove, the All-Star's season-long averages of  22.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.0 steals on a career-best 52.8 clip from the field has him ranked as the 37th nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis
  • Kyle Kuzma neared a triple-double in the win with 27 points (11-24 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 1-3 FT), 13 rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one block over a team-high 36 minutes of action. The 27-year-old continues to have a career year with the Wizards, now recording 19 or more points in six out of his past seven appearances, averaging 23.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists across 35.4 minutes over that stretch. It is encouraging to see Kuzma still achieve lofty scoring totals even with Beal back in the mix of things.
• Jalen Brunson is making an incredibly strong case to be named to his first All-Star Game. Despite the losing effort, Brunson dropped in a game-high 32 points (11-24 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 8-8 FT), three rebounds, four assists and two steals over 37 minutes. The first-year Knick has now topped 30 points in five of his first nine appearances of the new year, averaging 31.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists over 40.1 minutes since the start of 2023. 
  • Mitchell Robinson exited Wednesday's contest in the first half due to a sprained right thumb. Jericho Sims saw the biggest boost in playing time, but finished with just two points (1-2 FG), four rebounds, two assists and two blocks while fouling out over 20 minutes. If Robinson is forced to miss time, Sims presents himself as a high-risk, high-reward fantasy option in DFS formats. 

LaMelo Exits Again 

• LaMelo Ball (and his fantasy managers) just can't catch a break this season. The star point guard exited Wednesday's matchup against the Rockets in the third quarter after his teammate, P.J. Washington, inadvertently stepped on his ankle. If Ball is forced to miss extended time, this will mark the 21-year-old's third stint missed this season due to an ankle injury. This was the same left ankle that cost Ball the first month of the regular season, as well as another 11-game stretch in November and December.
  • Terry Rozier took advantage of the void of usage left by Ball, recording 26 points (11-24 FG, 3-12 3Pt, 1-1 FT), two rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block over 38 minutes of play. The Louisville product's 24-shot attempts marked Rozier's third-highest total of the season. Start Rozier with confidence in all formats if Ball is ultimately ruled out moving forward. 
    • Dennis Smith also comes back into fantasy relevance if Ball is unable to suit up in the next few games. The 25-year-old point guard ended Wednesday's game with nine points (2-8 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT), two rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 28 minutes, his most amount of playing time since Nov. 10. 
  • Jalen McDaniels shined on the defensive end finishing with 12 points (6-11 FG, 0-5 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists, a season-high five steals and one block over 34 minutes of action. The 24-year-old currently ranks as the 107th overall nine-category fantasy option and is a name to monitor for fantasy purposes as the trade deadline approaches.
• Jalen Green erupted for 41 points (16-24 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 5-6 3 FT) five rebounds and seven assists over 39 minutes during the defeat. While Green has proved to be a capable scorer in the past, this outing stands out due to the second-year pro's efficient 66.7 percent shooting from the field. This showing marked Green's 12th game of the season shooting above 50.0 percent, with the 20-year-old averaging 28.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game over those contests. 
  • Alperen Sengun is finally being let loose and the results are beautiful. The 20-year-old center produced a loaded 24 points (10-16 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block over 39 minutes of action. Sengun has now seen over 30 minutes in three straight games, averaging 24.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 blocks over that span.

Nuggets Rally Late 

• Winning in Denver is proving to be no easy task this season. The Timberwolves held a double-digit lead in the second half against the Nuggets, but Denver was able to storm back in the fourth quarter to make the contest a close one. After some clutch plays down the stretch from the star pairing of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Denver was able to pull through to a 122-118 win to mark the team's eighth straight win and 15th consecutive home victory.
• Nikola Jokic continued his quest for his third straight MVP award with yet another triple-double outing, finishing with 31 points (12-20 FG, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 13 assists and one steal over 31 minutes. The Joker has now recorded a triple-double in five out of his last six showings, averaging 24.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, 12.0 assists and 1.3 steals over that stretch. Jokic is now awfully close to averaging a triple-double on the season, boasting averages of 25.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game thus far.
  • Jamal Murray got back on track with 28 points (10-18 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 6-6 FT), two rebounds, four assists and two steals in 33 minutes. While Murray is starting to look like the player we saw before the injury, his overall inconsistency still makes the guard a riskier option to trust in fantasy lineups. Over his past six showings, Murray has three games with over 24 points and three games with 18 or fewer points. 
• Rudy Gobert was sidelined for the contest due to a groin injury sustained in the team's previous outing. While Naz Reid got the start and finished with a respectable 17 points (4-9 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 9-10 FT), three rebounds, two assists and three blocks over 25 minutes, Kyle Anderson is the player I am more interested in with Gobert out. 
  • Anderson ended with a strong 13 points (6-10 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 02 FT), 11 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and one block over 34 minutes. Coming off his first triple-double of the season, Anderson's usage appears to have taken a major jump with Gobert out of the lineup. The veteran forward is rostered in just 12.0 percent of ESPN leagues. 

No Sabonis, No Problem

• Entering Wednesday on a four-game winning streak, the Kings were at a legit risk of snapping their streak due to Domantas Sabonis being ruled out due to a non-COVID illness. However, Sacramento was able to pull away in the second half against the Lakers to win 116-111.
• De'Aaron Fox went off as the team's primary star, recording 31 points (13-23 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 3-7 FT), three rebounds, six assists and one steal over 39 minutes. Since a six-game stretch in late November/early December where Fox failed to top 19 points in six straight showings, the electrifying point guard has now recorded at least 22 or more points in 15 out of his last 17 appearances. Fox currently sits as the 62nd overall nine-category fantasy asset this season.
  • Richaun Holmes took advantage of Sabonis being inactive, producing 16 points (7-7 FG, 2-2 FT), 11 rebounds and one assist across 31 minutes. This marked Holmes' first start of the year as he saw season-highs in points, rebounds and minutes. Holmes has been the subject of some trade chatter over the past few weeks and outings like these will certainly have opposing teams valuing him a bit higher. The 29-year-old center is certainly someone to keep tabs on as the trade deadline draws closer. 
  • Keegan Murray finished with 10 points (3-6 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes to mark his first career double-double. The Iowa product continues to find more consistency as his first season develops, now topping double-digit scoring totals in five out of his last six appearances. 
• Los Angeles' loss was definitely not LeBron James' fault, with the future Hall of Famer dropping in 32 points (11-25 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 8-9 FT), eight rebounds, nine assists, one block and one steal over 36 minutes. We are witnessing some truly unprecedented scoring out of the 38-year-old as he now sits just 284 total points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most in NBA history.
  • Since December 11, James has topped the 30-point mark in all but four of his 17 appearances, averaging 34.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists over that stretch. Truly absurd stuff from The King. 
  • Max Christie saw good run in this one, finishing with 12 points (3-8 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, one assist and two steals over 27 minutes of action. In fact, this marked Christie's third time seeing at least 27 minutes in his past five appearances. While it is encouraging to see the rookie take the court more, Christie is averaging just 7.0 points and 2.6 rebounds over that stretch making him a tough fantasy option to consider even with his increased playing time. 

Quick Hitters

• Due to their infamous draft day trade, Trae Young and Luka Doncic will forever be linked. After splitting their first six contests evenly, Young and the Hawks were able to pull through to a 130-122 win over Dallas to give the Oklahoma product a slight edge on their early career battles. Young chipped in 18 points (5-11 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 8-8 FT), four rebounds, 12 assists and three steals across 34 minutes.
  • Dejounte Murray turned in one of his better games of the season, recording 30 points (12-18 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, four assists and one steal across 37 minutes of play. Murray has been one of the key reasons behind Atlanta's recent four-game winning streak, averaging 25.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals across 37.0 minutes over that span.
  • Onyeka Okongwu continues to start in place of Clint Capela, ending with 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one block across 24 minutes of play. This marked Okongwu's 12th consecutive start.
  • Capela finished with 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, one steal and one block over 22 minutes off the bench. 
    • Both of the centers are names to monitor as Atlanta experiments with its front-court rotation. In a sneaky way, Capela feels like a solid buy-low candidate due to the chance of a team making a move for him come to the trade deadline. 
• After recording a season-low 15 points in his previous outing, Luka Doncic responded with 30 points (9-19 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 10-12 FT), four rebounds, eight assists and seven turnovers across 39 minutes. The uber-talented guard has now scored at least 30 points in all but two of his first seven showings of the new year, averaging 31.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists across 40.3 minutes per game since January 1. 
  • Christian Wood put in another solid outing with 22 points (9-17 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks over 35 minutes. Wood has now recorded at least 22 points in five out of his last six appearances, averaging 22.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks while ranking as the 14th overall nine-category fantasy option over that span.
• Almost too quietly, the Oklahoma City Thunder are on a serious roll. The Thunder took down the Pacers 126-106 to mark their sixth win in the last seven games. All six of those wins have come by double digits. We are about a month away from the All-Star break and the Thunder are only a game below .500.
• Kenrich Williams drew a spot start and produced 12 points (5-8 FG, 2-4 3Pt), five rebounds, a career-high 10 assists, one steal and two blocks over 22 minutes of action. Prior to Wednesday, Williams' season-high in assists was only five dimes. 
  • Isaiah Joe is easily my pick for the most underrated shooter of the season. The 23-year-old guard finished Wednesday's victory tying for a team-high 23 points (7-12 FG, 7-12 3Pt, 2-2 FT) to go with four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block over 22 minutes of play. This was Joe's second time this season with at least seven or more triples.
• Andrew Nembhard played solid in the loss to OKC, producing a team-high 18 points (7-16 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, seven assists and two steals over 27 minutes. With Tyrese Haliburton (knee) sidelined for the team's past four outings, Nembhard has averaged 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.3 steals over 29.5 minutes per showing.
• Bam Adebayo carried Miami to a 124-98 victory over a short-handed Pelican team, finishing with 26 points (11-15 FG, 4-6 FT), eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block over 30 minutes of action. Adebayo has now scored at least 20 points in four straight appearances, averaging 22.5 points. 11.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks while ranking as the No. 23 overall nine-category option over that stretch. 
  • Max Strus had a career night from a facilitating perspective, recording 16 points (6-13 FG, 4-8 3Pt), two rebounds and a personal-best 19 assists over 26 minutes in the win. This performance marked Strus' second double-double of the season. 
• Lauri Markkanen erupted once again during Utah's 126-103 win over the Clippers, totaling 34 points (11-20 FG, 6-8 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal across 33 minutes. Markkanen is truly playing at an elite level of play as of recently, topping 25 points in 10 out of his past 11 appearances while averaging 30.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game over that stretch. Markkanen is more than deserving of his first All-Star selection come February. 
  • Walker Kessler continues to feast down low, producing 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks over 28 minutes of action in the win. The rookie center has started Utah's past five outings, averaging 13.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.8 blocks while ranking as the 24th overall nine-category fantasy asset over that span.
• With Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Paul George (hamstring) both on the sideline for the defeat to Utah, Norman Powell took advantage of the increased opportunities, finishing with 30 points (9-15 FG, 7-9 3Pt, 5-8 FT), four rebounds and three assists over 30 minutes. While this does mark Powell's third outing with at least 30 points this season, his overall inconsistency makes him a hard fantasy option to trust moving forward, especially with Leonard and George back in the mix of things. 

Best and Worst of the Night

• Best of the Night: Nikola Jokic - 31 points (12-20 FG, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 13 assists and one steal over 31 minutes.
• Worst of the Night: Buddy Hield - three points (1-4 FG, 1-4 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists and three turnovers over 19 minutes.
• Rookie of the Night: Walker Kessler - 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks over 28 minutes.

A Look Ahead to Thursday 

• We have day basketball when the Bulls and Paris square off in Paris (2:00 PM Central Time).
• The Warriors look to reestablish themselves when they travel to Boston to face the Celtics.
• A red-hot Damian Lillard welcomes a healthy 76ers roster to Portland in what should be a fun game.
• Chris Paul (hip) is questionable to return to the Suns for their contest against the Nets in Phoenix.