Point Guards

Kyrie Irving, BOS: Irving is currently dealing with a minor quad injury, but he's been on a tear when on the court recently. The Celtics' linchpin is averaging 31.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds over the last five contests while averaging 59.2 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent from distance on an elevated average of 7.2 three-point attempts per contest. All of those numbers represent significant increases over his season metrics, and as his most recent absence bore out, the well-being of the team's offense is heavily predicated on him logging heavy minutes. Irving will sit out Wednesday night's game against the Knicks with a thigh bruise, but he's not expected to miss extended time.

Kemba Walker, CHA: Walker has scored more than 20 points in eight of the last 10 contests and fell just a point short of that threshold in the other two contests during that span. The seven-year veteran has been particularly sharp over the last five games, a stretch during which he's averaged 25.6 points, 5.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals across a robust workload of 37 minutes. He's averaging 20 field goal attempts per contest over that span, as well, while draining an impressive 43.5 percent of his 9.2 tries from distance.

Ricky Rubio, UTA: Rubio has donned the somewhat atypical role of scorer of late, racking up double-digit scorer efforts in four of the last five games. He's put up double-digit shot attempts in each of those contests, boosting his season figure to a career-high 10.1 in the process. Rubio's flashed a hot hand over the last three in particular, draining 51.4 percent of his 11.7 attempts during that sample, including 50.0 percent from long range. While he's been much less of a facilitator this season overall (career-low 5.0 assists per game), his current offensive profile has him trending upward.

ALSO TRENDING UP:Dejounte Murray, SAN; Tomas Satoransky, WAS; Tim Frazier, WAS

Trending Down

D'Angelo Russell, BKN: Russell's knee is reportedly close to full health, but the emergence of Spencer Dinwiddie in his absence, coupled with Russell's own spotty shooting since returning, are keeping him on the second unit for the moment. The former second overall pick has drained just 29.3 percent of his attempts over his five games since getting back on the court over an average of 16.8 minutes per contest. While he may eventually regain his starting role, Dinwiddie's continued strong play could put a significant damper on Russell's fantasy ceiling for the foreseeable future.

ALSO TRENDING DOWN:Rajon Rondo, NOP

Shooting Guards

Kent Bazemore, ATL: Bazemore has crossed the 20-point threshold three times over the last seven games, a span during which he's averaging 14.9 points (on 44.2 percent shooting), 2.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds while sporting a 27.0 percent usage rate. Just as encouraging are Bazemore's 12.3 shot attempts during that sample, a level of involvement that's helped lead him to career highs in scoring (12.8 points) and three-point percentage (37.9).

Dwyane Wade, CLE: Wade has been shooting especially well in recent games, and in the wake of Kevin Love's projected multi-week absence, he's primed for even heavier involvement for the foreseeable future. The veteran is already sporting a 27.1 percent usage rate with Love off the floor this season, and he's shot 65.6 percent over his last four contests, including 50.0 percent from distance.

Reggie Bullock, DET: Bullock's stock sees a rise following Avery Bradley's move out West, as he's likely to take over the starting two-guard role. The emerging swingman has already proven capable of thriving on the top unit this season, putting together multiple strong performances while filling in at different points for both Stanley Johnson and Bradley. Most recently, he's posted three consecutive double-digit scoring efforts, including 22 points in 30 minutes against the Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Bradley Beal, WAS: Beal is another player poised for a usage boost as a result of injury, as he should enjoy an even more robust role than usual while John Wall (knee) misses the next 6-to-8 weeks. The sharpshooter two-guard is already sporting a 28.3 percent usage rate without Wall on the floor, and with the Wizards' playoff hopes in the balance over the next two months, Beal projects to improve on what are already career-highs in scoring (23.8 points) and shot attempts (18.6).

ALSO TRENDING UP:Jrue Holiday, NOP; Terrance Ferguson, OKC

Trending Down

Jerryd Bayless, PHI: Bayless is still struggling with a nagging wrist issue and now projects to see even more of a downturn in playing time beginning with the return of J.J. Redick (leg) to a starting role Wednesday. Fellow guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has also seen more playing time of late, while Bayless had scored in single digits for six straight games before missing the subsequent six with his injury.

Small Forwards

LeBron James, CLE: James' already-massive stock sees an uptick in the wake of Love's injury, as evidenced by the 32.7 percent usage rate he's already posting with the latter off the floor. For the first time in several seasons, it increasingly appears that a top-four spot isn't etched in stone for the Cavs, meaning that much like Beal, James will likely take the reins of the Cleveland offense even more than usual in an attempt to make up for the absence of the nearly 18.0 points per game Love provided.

Stanley Johnson, DET: It remains to be seen if Johnson's sudden surge has staying power, but given the Pistons' recent personnel moves, there's a solid chance he'll at least get the opportunity to maintain it. Bradley's departure to the Clippers is likely to shift Reggie Bullock to the two-guard spot and in turn allow Johnson some significant run at small forward. The former-first-round pick has averaged 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks, along with 18.0 shot attempts, in his last two games.

Danilo Gallinari, LAC: Gallinari made a successful return Tuesday after an extended absence due to a glute injury, scoring 15 points, five rebounds and one assist over 25 minutes versus the Trail Blazers. Tobias Harris will certainly take on a sizeable portion of Blake Griffin's offensive responsibility, but the Clippers will undoubtedly rely heavily on Gallinari for scoring contributions, as well. The veteran has been largely effective when he's managed to remain healthy this season, and his role should only expand going forward.

ALSO TRENDING UP:Josh Richardson, MIA; Andrew Wiggins, MIN; T.J. Warren, PHO; Otto Porter, Jr., WAS

Trending Down

OG Anunoby, TOR: Anunoby has flashed upside on the offensive end at times this season, but those occasions have mostly been few and far between. The 20-year-old has tallied scoreless tallies or single-digit point totals in eight of the last 10 games, and he's been unable to make up for the shortfall with production elsewhere. With four other capable scorers on the Raptors' first unit, his overall production figures to remain capped for the balance of the season.

Power Forwards

Julius Randle, LAL: Randle has the starting power forward job firmly in hand for the moment, as well as six consecutive double-digit scoring efforts. The Kentucky product has put up an average of 12.0 shot attempts during that span, along with a 58.3 percent success rate from the field. The presence of Larry Nance and Kyle Kuzma does cap Randle's minutes to an extent, but his proficiency on both the offensive end and the glass keeps his value high across all formats.

Anthony Davis, NOP: As with James, Davis' value goes up yet another notch with DeMarcus Cousins out for the season with an Achilles injury. The Brow hasn't actually seen a boost in shot attempts over the first two full games without Cousins, although he's still averaged 24.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in those contests. However, given his talent level and the fact he's put the ball up over 30 times on more than one occasion with Cousins alongside him this season, there's no doubt that Davis will ultimately see an across-the-board boost during the Pelicans' push for a playoff spot.

Markieff Morris, WAS: Morris is another potential source of offense for the Wizards in Wall's absence, and he's already been flashing some of that upside in the last three games. The veteran big man has averaged 20.3 points on 60.5 percent shooting, including 58.3 percent from distance, during that span. He's bumped his shot attempts up to 12.7 per game -- up from a season-long figure of 8.8 per game -- during that stretch, and if that level of involvement persists, his increased scoring will be the ideal complement to his already-strong work on the boards.

ALSO TRENDING UP:Anthony Tolliver, DET

Trending Down

Marquese Chriss, PHO: Chriss has certainly shown encouraging flashes this season, but hip and ankle problems have recently conspired with an nightmarish shooting slump to make him a complete fantasy non-factor since Jan. 12. The second-year big man has only played in two games over that stretch, shooting just 1-for-15 from the field while averaging 2.5 points across 18.0 minutes per game.

Centers

Jonas Valanciunas, TOR: Valanciunas is often the fourth option in the Raptors' offense, but he's been a double-double machine of late. The 25-year-old has accomplished the feat in four straight games and six of his last seven overall, leading to impressive averages of 15.3 points and 11.1 rebounds during that span.

Enes Kanter, NYK: Kanter has now equaled a career high with 48 starts and is thriving with the opportunity, especially since the calendar flipped to 2018. He's racked up six double-doubles in the last 12 contests overall and has three straight 20-point efforts coming into Wednesday's battle against the Celtics. He's made more than 75 percent of his field goals over the last three games, and while that number is unsustainable, it's worth noting that Kanter is still shooting 64.2 percent from the floor when the sample is extended to the last 10 games.

John Henson, MIL: Save for his sophomore campaign in 2013-14, Henson has typically had a minimal offensive role, due in part to mostly modest minutes totals. However, the playing time is up to a career-high 25.1 minutes per contest this season, and his numbers have seen a nice boost across the board. That's particularly true over the last six contests, a span during which Henson has averaged 11.3 points on 61.9 percent shooting. He's posted double-digit point totals in all of those games, including a pair of double-doubles.

ALSO TRENDING UP:Myles Turner, IND; Tristan Thompson; CLE; Greg Monroe; PHO; Jahlil Okafor, BKN

Trending Down

Tyler Zeller, BRO: Zeller increasingly appears to be the odd man out of the center rotation, as Jahlil Okafor and Jarrett Allen both appear set for the majority of minutes at the position for the time being. The 28-year-old didn't even see the floor against the Knicks on Tuesday, and he'd logged only nine minutes in the game prior. Zeller has seen no more than 16 minutes in any contest since Dec. 29.