2 days agoOn Friday, the Charlotte Hornets announced that guard
LaMelo Ball (calf) would not suit up against the Philadelphia 76ers due to left calf injury management. Ball sitting out is not due to a new injury. It's likely because the Hornets are in the second half of back-to-back games. In a 123-114 loss to Washington on Thursday, the 24-year-old posted 34 points and 13 assists, four rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes.
Vasilije Micic will likely see more action while Ball is out.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Charlotte Hornets PR
2 days agoOn Friday, the Charlotte Hornets announced that guard/forward
Brandon Miller (ankle) won't suit up against the 76ers. Friday marks the second consecutive contest that Miller has missed due to a right ankle sprain. The 22-year-old has only been out of the rotation for two games since November 1st. During his second season in the National Basketball Association, Miller has seen action in 22 games, averaging 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals across 34.4 minutes per contest.
Seth Curry will likely receive more playing time while Miller is absent.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Charlotte Hornets PR
3 days agoPhoenix Suns guard
Devin Booker (groin) won't return to Thursday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Booker played 25 minutes, finishing with 17 points, six assists, and one steal. Without question, this is another tough blow for Phoenix, considering the team has been without
Bradley Beal and
Kevin Durant at times during the 2024-25 campaign. But now it could be Booker's turn to go on the shelf. With that said, he'll likely undergo further testing. However, if the groin tightness keeps him off the floor for Saturday's matchup with the visiting Pistons,
Grayson Allen and
Royce O'Neale should see more minutes.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Duane Rankin
3 days agoMilwaukee Bucks guard
Damian Lillard (calf) won't play on Friday versus the Cavaliers. He's been dealing with a right calf strain. However, it didn't keep him off the floor for Milwaukee's win over OKC on Tuesday night to capture the NBA Cup. He played well, too, finishing with 23 points and shooting 5-for-10 from behind the arc. With Lillard out on Friday night,
Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) should do most of the heavy lifting on the offensive end. But
Bobby Portis,
Brook Lopez, and
Taurean Prince could see a substantial increase in scoring opportunities.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoOrlando Magic guard
Jalen Suggs (ankle) exited Thursday's game against OKC. He did not return. Suggs had nine points, five boards, two blocks, and one steal. But he only lasted 17 minutes before getting pulled from the game by head coach Jamahl Mosley due to a sprained ankle. He'll likely undergo further testing. However, with
Paolo Banchero (oblique) and
Franz Wagner (oblique) sidelined, the team may need to rely on
Tristan Da Silva,
Goga Bitadze, and
Anthony Black if Suggs isn't on the floor in Saturday's matchup versus the Miami Heat.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Mason Williams
3 days agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James (foot) will play against the Kings. The nagging foot injury continues to bother the multi-time All-Star, although he had some time off over the last few weeks, which has helped. As usual, he's a must-start. However, his presence will likely mean
Dalton Knecht, who has averaged 14.3 points in 12 starts this season, will head back to the bench.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Trevor Lane
3 days agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Khris Middleton (illness) is expected to play in Friday's game against the Cavaliers. The Bucks defeated OKC on Tuesday to win the NBA Cup. However, Middleton wasn't out there for that one because of an illness. As expected,
Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) and
Damian Lillard (calf) handled most of the work on the scoring end. But
Gary Trent Jr. also came up big from off the bench, ending the night with 13 points. With that in mind, Lillard won't play, meaning Trent might remain involved. As far as Middleton is concerned, he's still not an ideal fantasy option, considering he has averaged only 7.0 points in 21.3 minutes (four games) since returning from bilateral ankle surgery.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (face) is questionable for Friday's game against Charlotte. Nick Nurse recently indicated that Embiid's sinus fracture isn't as bad as his previous two. However, he may need another game or two before he's ready to get back on the floor. The 30-year-old was starting to look like himself before going back on the shelf. But until Embiid is back on the floor.
Andre Drummond, most recently amassing nine points, 15 rebounds, two steals, and one block against the Hornets, is expected to remain in the middle.
Guerschon Yabusele should also see more action if Embiid doesn't suit up.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoNew York Knicks forward
Josh Hart (personal) won't play on Thursday night versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. The former Villanova Wildcat has had a stellar year, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. Unfortunately, he'll miss his first game of the 2024-25 campaign due to personal reasons. Without question, the void left by Hart's absence won't be easy to fill, although
Miles McBride and
Precious Achiuwa should see more minutes, making them both viable fantasy assets.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
Derrick Jones Jr. (hamstring) will return from a two-game absence on Thursday versus Dallas. The 27-year-old suffered a right hamstring strain on Dec. 8 but has made a quick recovery. Jones Jr. has been a regular starter for the Clippers all year, averaging 10.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 25.0 minutes. However, the high-flying forward will have a limited role against his former team, so managers won't get full value out of Jones Jr. on Thursday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Tomer Azarly
3 days agoMemphis Grizzlies guard
Marcus Smart (shoulder) will not play against the Warriors on Thursday. After initially listing him as doubtful, the team has ruled Smart out for the content. This should result in
Scotty Pippen Jr. having a more significant role in the rotation. As a reserve, Pippen Jr. has struggled with providing consistent production this month, averaging 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. However, his lone December outing with 20-plus minutes ended with a double-double for Pippen Jr.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Memphis Grizzlies PR
3 days agoAccording to Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento, Sacramento Kings forward
Keegan Murray (ankle) is available to suit up for Thursday's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. Murray missed his first game of the season on Monday and didn't practice Wednesday due to a sore left ankle. In the last 10 games, the 24-year-old has been a key contributor on the floor, averaging 12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 assists across 35.2 minutes.
--Andrew Lennox - RotoBallerSource: Sean Cunningham
3 days agoDallas Mavericks guard
Kyrie Irving (shoulder) has been downgraded from questionable to out on Thursday night and will not suit up against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Mavs will be without both Irving and
Luka Doncic (heel) so
Spencer Dinwiddie and
Quentin Grimes may both move into the starting five.
Klay Thompson will likely need to step up in the scoring department as well. Dinwiddie and Grimes are both more likely to be available as streamers, but they both have more appeal in DFS lineups.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: Tomer Azarly
3 days agoToronto Raptors guard
Davion Mitchell (shoulder) will not be available for Thursday's meeting with Brooklyn. The defensive specialist was a late addition to the injury report with a shoulder problem and has been officially ruled out ahead of tip-off. With Toronto battling injuries throughout the campaign, Mitchell has been a significant part of the rotation, averaging 6.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 26.8 minutes. Mitchell's absence will likely boost
Jamal Shead's playing time on Thursday. He's coming off a good performance, as Shead recorded 10 points, four rebounds, six assists, and one steal in Monday's 122-121 loss to Chicago.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 days agoAtlanta Hawks guard
Trae Young (Achilles) will suit up as expected and play against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. He was already considered probable, but has officially been upgraded to available and will certainly be in everyone's fantasy lineup regardless of format. The superstar point guard has posted a rough shooting percentage (.389) thus far but leads the league in assists at 12.1 per game. He's also contributed 1.3 steals per game making him a big-time contributor in category leagues.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
RADIO
