Thornton will return to the rotation Saturday against the Clippers with Ty Lawson suspended, the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen reports.

EDGE Analysis

He could see 15-20 minutes over the next two games with Lawson out, but it will still be difficult for him to do enough to be valuable in daily leagues.

Thornton occupied a bench role in Wednesday's 109-103 win over the Wizards, finishing with nine points (4-10 FG, 1-5 FT), three rebounds, and a block in 20 minutes.

EDGE Analysis

Coming off a game against the Nets one night earlier in which he generated a season-high 32 points in just 26 minutes, Thornton was hopeful to receive more playing time with starting small forward Trevor Ariza (back) ruled out for the second half of the Rockets' back-to-back, but it was Corey Brewer who ended up getting plugged into the starting five. Thornton still saw a fairly large role off the bench and wasn't shy about hoisting his shots, but this type of performance is much more indicative of what to expect from Thornton on a given night. While Thornton has no problem looking for his own offense, he doesn't go about it in a particularly efficient way, as evidenced by his lackluster 42.9 percent career mark from the field.

Thornton posted 32 points (12-18 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 26 minutes in Tuesday's 110-105 loss to the Nets.

EDGE Analysis

Thornton saw more minutes Tuesday with teammate Trevor Ariza leaving the game with a back injury. He's always been able to score in big numbers -- as evidenced in his strong play early in the season when Terrence Jones missed time. However, this time around, both Thornton and Corey Brewer (22 points, 34 minutes Tuesday) would appear to split any extra minutes that Ariza misses, so Thornton may not necessarily score 20-plus points each night while Ariza is out.

Thornton posted 18 points while shooting 4-of-8 from downtown with six rebounds and two steals over 22 minutes in Monday's 116-105 loss to the Pistons.

EDGE Analysis

It was the second straight game Thornton put up 18 points off the bench, so the fact that he's no longer starting games hasn't really diminished his production. The six boards was a bit above average for Thornton, so that number shouldn't remain a constant. Thornton doesn't contribute much outside of scoring and hitting 3-pointers, but is still worth owning in deeper leagues.

Thornton scored 18 points (6-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT) and added an assist and a steal over 21 minutes in Sunday's overtime win over the Knicks.

EDGE Analysis

Thornton was back to providing the instant offense he'd previously delivered in a starting role earlier this season, but the 21 minutes he received represents close to the maximum that he'll get off the bench now that the Rockets are relatively healthy in the backcourt. As a result, double-digit scoring performances might not trickle in with much consistency, making Thornton unworthy of a roster spot in most formats.

Thornton posted 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt) and two rebounds over 19 minutes in Saturday's 107-102 loss to the Knicks.

EDGE Analysis

After posting five consecutive single-digit scoring efforts since the return of Terrence Jones to the lineup, Thornton flashed some of the efficient production he'd displayed as a starter earlier in November. Thornton posted his best shooting percentage from the field (56 percent) since his most recent start, and drained multiple three-pointers for the tenth time this season. While Saturday's performance was encouraging, the problem for fantasy owners is that Thornton figures to only receive 18-20 minutes on most nights as long as Jones remains healthy.

Thornton has been used off the Rockets' bench over their last two games and has seen 18 minutes of court time in both contests.

EDGE Analysis

Thornton enjoyed a multi-game run as a starter earlier in the month while Terrence Jones (eye) remained unavailable, but with Jones now back in action, coach Kevin McHale has since adjusted his lineup. Jones' size and ability to knock down three-point shots makes the Rockets' starting unit more versatile than it otherwise would be with Thornton, an undersized shooting guard who doesn't offer much beyond volume shooting. Thornton likely continue to remain a factor in the rotation as McHale looks to extract scoring from his bench, but he'll struggle to maintain fantasy relevance now that he's seeing less than 20 minutes per game.

Thornton will continue to start Wednesday against the Nets despite Terrence Jones (eye) returning to action, broadcaster Craig Ackerman reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thornton has seen at least 29 minutes per game over five outings this season but his run on the court will likely decrease over time as Jones works his way back to a full workload. In fact, Jones will likely move back into the starting five at some point in the near future, which will almost certainly force Thornton to a role off the bench as the Rockets go with a bigger lineup. When that presumably happens, Thornton's production should suffer accordingly.

Thornton posted 18 points (8-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 29 minutes of action Wednesday against the Magic.

EDGE Analysis

Thornton scored in double-digits for the third consecutive game Wednesday, as he enjoys extended minutes with the absence of Terrence Jones (eye). Congratulations to those who nabbed him from waivers for the short run. Thornton remains a loaner and flier-option with Jones out, but any fantasy value he has will be short-lived. Ride him while you can.

Thornton posted 12 points (5-14 FG, 2-6 3Pt), seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal over 37 minutes in Monday's win over the Thunder.

EDGE Analysis

Though the Rockets returned Dwight Howard (back) to the lineup, it was Thornton that was able to stick in a starting role over Clint Capela, who headed back to the bench. With the Rockets running an undersized, three-guard lineup, Thornton logged 30-plus minutes for the second straight contest, while finishing second to James Harden in shot attempts. Historically, Thornton hasn't provided much production outside of the scoring column, which doesn't give him an abundance of fantasy value. Moreover, once Terrence Jones (eye) is cleared to play again, Thornton should head back to the bench and see his minutes plummet in a significant way.