18 hours agoHouston Rockets forward Tari Eason (leg) will not be available for a third straight contest on Monday against Charlotte. He's out for lower leg injury management purposes. Eason has offered valuable bench production for the Rockets throughout the season, averaging 11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 22.8 minutes. Jae'Sean Tate and Cam Whitmore have entered the rotation during Eason's absence, though they provide very little from a fantasy perspective.Source: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) will not be available for Monday's contest against Utah. He's troubled by a sore right knee and has been downgraded from questionable to out. Wade's absence will open a spot in the starting unit for Sam Merrill (quadriceps), who has been upgraded from questionable to available. However, Merrill has posted unspectacular numbers throughout the campaign, even during his previous lone start, so he's not somebody fantasy managers should rush to grab.Source: Chris Fedor
19 hours agoChicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Ball is feeling under the weather so he'll sit this one out, but hopefully this will only be a one-game absence. The Bulls are going to be shorthanded at the guard spot with Josh Giddey (ankle) also sidelined for this game. That means, Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, and Talen Horton-Tucker will all see additional run on Monday. The next chance for Ball to play will be Thursday versus the Atlanta Hawks. Fantasy managers should consider Dosunmu and White as strong fantasy options for Monday's slate.Source: KC Johnson
19 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Max Strus (ankle) will play against Utah on Monday. He's off the injury report after sitting out Saturday's meeting with Philadelphia. Following an ankle injury, Strus made his season debut Friday night, so seeing him sit out Saturday's contest wasn't surprising. Strus posted nine points with two assists in 19 minutes against Milwaukee in Friday's matchup. His production will likely stay limited for a while, and Strus will continue to come off the bench on Monday.Source: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoDenver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (ankle) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Phoenix Suns. Murray is dealing with a right ankle sprain but hasn't missed a game in two weeks. Given the Nuggets are on the second leg of a back-to-back tonight, with a Christmas Day rematch against these same Suns on deck, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Nuggets rest their start point guard. Murray has been turning it up his last four games, averaging 24.8 PPG while shooting 39.3% from three. If he's unable to go tonight, expect Russell Westbrook to slide into the starting lineup. Westbrook has been volatile as a starter, putting up 18 more points in three starts while failing to score 10 or more points in the other three. The veteran has put up 10 assists in three of those starts, though, and will be a viable fantasy options because of that if Murray is unable to go.Source: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoAccording to Philip Rossman-Reich of OrlandoMagicDaily.com, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (ankle) is available to suit up against the Celtics. Suggs is having a solid season, averaging career-highs in points (16.0), rebounds (4.2), assists (3.9), and steals (1.5). The 23-year-old suffered an ankle injury in Thursday's loss to the Thunder and didn't play on Saturday against the Heat. With Franz Wagner (oblique), Paolo Banchero (oblique), and Moritz Wagner (knee) sidelined, the Magic are desperate to get Suggs back in the lineup. He will have plenty of scoring opportunities against the Celtics with so many of his teammates out of action.Source: Philip Rossman-Reich
19 hours agoCleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (quadriceps) will play on Monday against Utah. A quadriceps injury limited Merrill to only eight minutes of action last time out against Philadelphia, but he's been cleared for action after carrying a questionable tag entering Monday. Merrill will make his second start of the campaign, filling in for Dean Wade (knee). He's been logging 20 minutes regularly thus far but might have to settle for a lesser role once Max Strus finds his feet.Source: Chris Fedor
19 hours agoPhiladelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (illness) is officially active for Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Maxey is dealing with an illness but will be able to fight through it. The 24-year-old has been fantastic for the Sixers this season, averaging 25.1 PPG and 5.0 APG while helping to keep Philadelphia somewhat afloat during Joel Embiid's absences with his knee issues. He should have a decent matchup against San Antonio, who's averaging the third most three-pointers to point guards this season. Maxey has made at least four three pointers in each of his last three games with at least 10 attempts per game. Maxey is a must start in all fantasy formats.Source: Philadelphia 76ers
19 hours agoAccording to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (illness) will miss Monday's game against the Brooklyn Nets due to a stomach illness. This illness also took him out of the Heat's last game on Saturday. With the 35-year-old sidelined, the starting five should stay the same as Saturday. Dru Smith and Duncan Robinson could be decent options in deeper fantasy leagues. Smith scored 14 points and four rebounds, while Robinson added 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists against the Magic.Source: Ira Winderman
19 hours agoDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (heel) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Doncic is dealing with a left-heel contusion that's caused him to miss each of Dallas' last two games. The 25-year-old has played at an MVP level when healthy this season, but multiple health issues have caused him to miss eight games. The Mavericks have still performed valiantly without him, going 6-2. With Portland in town on Monday and with a Christmas Day matchup against Minnesota on deck, it wouldn't be surprising to see Dallas rest Doncic one more time. If he's out, expect Spencer Dinwiddie to get another start. Dinwiddie has averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 assists in each of the last two games. He'd make a viable fantasy option against the Blazers.Source: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoUtah Jazz guard Keyonte George (ankle) has officially been ruled out for Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This will be his second straight game missed after spraining his ankle against the Detroit Pistons last week. George has been a solid offensive option for Utah this season, averaging 16.2 PPG and 5.7 APG. In his absence, expect Jordan Clarkson to slide into the starting lineup and get more minutes against his former team. Clarkson is a viable option in all fantasy formats, including DFS.Source: Utah Jazz
19 hours agoUtah Jazz forward John Collins (hip) has officially been ruled out of Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Collins has a left hip contusion that's forcing him out of action. Collins has been a very effective offensive option for the Jazz this season, averaging 17.7 PPG and 8.2 RPG. In his absence, expect more minutes from Brice Sensabaugh and Svi Mykhailiuk. Of the two, Mykhailiuk is likely the better fantasy option. Though he's had very spotty availability this season, he's scored 13 and 18 points in his last two starts. In a game where Utah will likely be playing catch-up all game, the opportunity for points could be there.Source: Utah Jazz
19 hours agoAccording to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (back) will play against the Orlando Magic on Monday. Hauser has been unavailable for the last two games due to lower back spasms. The 27-year-old has posted averages of 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists across 21 games this season. He's shooting a career-worst 37.3 percent from three-point range and will likely not impact fantasy much on Monday.Source: Gary Washburn
19 hours agoWashington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (groin) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coulibaly is dealing with left groin soreness. The 20-year-old hasn't missed a game in a month so both Wizards fans and fantasy managers should be hopeful he's able to gut it out. He's running hot over his last five games, averaging 19.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 5.0 APG in that time. If he's unable to go, expect Corey Kispert to slide into the starting rotation. Kispert has scored 13 and 16 points in his last two games while going three-for-five from three in each game. He'd make an intriguing fantasy option if Coulibaly is unable to go.Source: NBA Injury Report
19 hours agoWashington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (back) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sarr is dealing with lower back soreness, an issue that's forced him out of only two games this season. The second overall pick of this year's draft has been putting up iffy offensive numbers for Washington with just 11.2 PPG but has been stronger on the boards, averaging 6.4 RPG this season. If he's forced to miss Monday night's game, expect Jonas Valanciunas to get the start. The big man averaged 20 PPG and 13 RPG when he started in Sarr's place for the two games the rookie missed. The matchup against Oklahoma City isn't a favorable one for either Sarr or Valanciunas. DFS players may have more luck targeting either one of them as a low cost option but both will have a bit of volatility associated with them in this matchup.Source: NBA Injury Report