The NBA won't return until next Thursday, as the 2023 All-Star break has begun. While there were only three games in this past Thursday's three-game slate, there's plenty to take away from the action. Giannis Antetokounmpo exited the Milwaukee Bucks' matchup with a wrist injury early, and that paved a way for several role players to step up. We'll go over who's hot and who's not to take you into the weekend here.
Who's hot
Edwards didn't quite crack the top spot on Thursday's fantasy leaderboard, but he does have the most momentum ahead of All-Star weekend among the best performers. The Minnesota Timberwolves star scored 34 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals against the Washington Wizards. He's scored more than 30 points in three of his previous four games and will look to carry that confidence into his first-ever All-Star appearance.
Gobert has been up and down in February but finished Week 18 on a high note. He eclipsed 20 points for the first time since January 6 on Monday with a 21-point double-double and followed that with 17 points, 19 rebounds, and three blocks against the Wizards. Karl-Anthony Towns' (calf) timetable for return is murky ahead of the All-Star break, so expect a heavy helping of Gobert for the foreseeable future. Or at least until mid-March.
Okogie won't be in the spotlight for much longer but has been killing it as a Phoenix Suns starter as of late. Phoenix sent away valuable forwards in Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in exchange for Kevin Durant, and Okogie's averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals through the four contests he's appeared in since then. He's paced the Suns with a team-high 37.0 minutes per night during that span. It'll be interesting to see how involved he is after the All-Star break, but he's certainly proven that he's viable as a starter for short-term relief.
Who's not
Conley was never putting up eye-popping numbers to begin with this season, but he appears to be off to a slow start in Minnesota. While he flirted with a double-double in his second game with the Timberwolves, he was held scoreless in 33 minutes against the Wizards on Thursday. He's averaging just 7.0 points and 6.0 assists on 33.3 percent shooting with his new squad. Team chemistry should improve over time, though.
Still deciding who to lock in for your DFS roster? We've identified a player worth locking in and one to avoid ahead of tip-off below, but you can get my full selection of stud and value plays at each position by heading over to SportsLine.
