DFS Alerts
JaVale McGee (ankle) listed questionable Saturday; Abdel Nader (knee) ruled out
JaVale McGee (ankle) has been listed questionable Saturday; Abdel Nader (knee) has been ruled out for the Suns game against the Brooklyn Nets. If McGee were to miss Deandre Ayton could be forced to play a few more minutes while Jalen Smith would be available off the bench to give him a little rest. There is also the potential for the Suns to run with a small ball lineup as they have done in the past. We will have to wait until it is a little closer to tipoff before we know McGee’s status.
As reported by: Official NBA Injury Report Other tagged players: Abdel Nader
Kemba Walker (rest), Derrick Rose (ankle), and Taj Gibson (groin) ruled out Saturday
Kemba Walker, Derrick Rose, and Taj Gibson have all been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. With no Walker or Rose Immanuel Quickley, Alec Burks, R.J. Barrett, and Evan Fournier should handle most of the guard minutes with Quentin Grimes also mixing in all becoming much better plays based on increased minutes. With Gibson ruled out, Nerlens Noel and Mitchell Robinson should dominate the center minutes increasing both of their values. Julius Randle should see as much usage as he wants and could easily play close to 40 minutes, likely becoming one of the top plays on the slate.
As reported by: Official NBA Injury Report Other tagged players: Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson Anfernee Simons (illness) and Cody Zeller (knee) available to play Friday
Simons has officially been upgraded from questionable and will be available to play in Friday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings after missing one game due to an illness, while Zeller, as expected, will play through a right knee contusion once again. With Simons sidelined last time out, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups slotted Dennis Smith Jr. directly into Simons’ vacated role in the rotation, so with no reported minute restriction for Simons yet, Smith should become a DNP-CD candidate as usual this evening.
As reported by: Jamie Hudson via Twitter Other tagged players: Cody Zeller
Austin Reaves (hamstring) available to play Friday
Reaves has officially been upgraded from questionable and will be available to play in Friday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings after missing nine games due to a strained left hamstring. However, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both active and Talen Horton-Tucker now a staple of head coach Frank Vogel’s rotation, it would be extremely difficult to foresee Reaves being a legitimate member of the rotation when the Lakers are at full strength, and he has better odds to be a DNP-CD than play meaningful minutes this evening.
As reported by: Kyle Goon via Twitter De'Anthony Melton (groin) available to play Friday
After briefly being upgraded to probable on the Grizzlies’ injury report, Melton has now been cleared to play and will be available off the bench in Friday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks after missing the previous three games due to a sore right groin. However, with Dillon Brooks slated to play in his sixth game of the season tonight, Melton figures to be limited to a significantly reduced role as evidenced by him logging fewer than 19 minutes in three of the last four games he was active. For now, it’s best to avoid the potential rotational logjam in Memphis in daily fantasy formats, especially when there are 21 other teams on the main slate docket this evening.
As reported by: Rob Fischer via Twitter Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) will start Friday
After being upgraded to questionable on the Thunder’s injury report earlier in the day, Gilgeous-Alexander has officially been cleared to play in Friday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards after missing two games due to a sprained right ankle. There’s been no report of a minute restriction for Gilgeous-Alexander, so he should step back into his usual starting point guard role right away, which will send Aaron Wiggins back to the bench to assume a reserve role following two dismal fantasy performances as the starting small forward in the Thunder’s previous two games. Additionally, Theo Maledon should find himself out of the rotation with Gilgeous-Alexander available as he and several other Oklahoma City players have spent a majority of the season in the G-League.
As reported by: Joe Mussatto via Twitter Harrison Barnes (foot) and Richaun Holmes (illness) listed out Friday
Barnes has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Friday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a sprained right foot he sustained in the third quarter of Wednesday’s win, while Holmes will miss a second straight game with an illness. Marvin Bagley had been in former Kings head coach Luke Walton’s doghouse for most of the season, but in the two games since Alvin Gentry took over, he’s had a more consistent role off the bench and even played the entire fourth quarter after Barnes exited the previous game with his injury. Because of this, Bagley should be the leading candidate to slot in at the starting power forward position whereas Alex Len could start at center once again, but even if he does, he’ll have volatile minute floor with both Tristan Thompson and Damian Jones seeing extended run off the bench last time out.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Other tagged players: Richaun Holmes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) listed questionable Friday
Despite originally being listed out on the Thunder’s report, Gilgeous-Alexander is now listed as questionable for Friday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards after missing two games due to a sprained right ankle. There’s been no report of a minute restriction if Gilgeous-Alexander is cleared to play in tonight’s contest, so he should step back into his usual starting point guard role right away, which will send Aaron Wiggins back to the bench to assume a reserve role following two dismal fantasy performances as the starting small forward in the Thunder’s previous two games. Additionally, Theo Maledon will likely find himself out of the rotation if Gilgeous-Alexander is available as he and several other Oklahoma City players have spent a majority of the season in the G-League.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Jaylen Brown (injury management) available to play Friday; Josh Richardson (illness) ruled out
As expected, Brown will be available to play in Friday’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs despite originally being listed as questionable on the Celtics’ injury report for reconditioning following his extended absence, while Richardson will miss a second straight game with an illness. Head coach Ime Udoka already confirmed to reporters that Brown will see increased minutes in tonight’s contest, and while that’s still a vague statement, one would be led to believe that he’ll at least approach the 30-minute mark after logging just under 24 minutes in each of the previous two games.
As reported by: Jay King via Twitter Other tagged players: Josh Richardson Damion Lee (personal) listed out Friday
Lee has been added to the Warriors’ injury report and is listed out of Friday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers due to personal reasons, while Andre Iguodala will miss another game with a sore right knee. With Golden State down two reserve wings and Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody heading to the G-League, theoretically, Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. should be in line for a larger workload off the bench in tonight’s contest, but the last time the Warriors were in this situation, head coach Steve Kerr simply opted to insert Chris Chiozza into the rotation, and the veteran journeyman ended up seeing 20 minutes of action in a mostly competitive win over the Toronto Raptors.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report RIchaun Holmes (eye) officially out Wednesday
As expected, following his late addition to the Kings’ injury report, Holmes has officially been ruled out of Wednesday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a right eye contusion he sustained in Monday’s loss. In his absence, Alex Len will receive the starting nod at the center position, but his minute floor will be far from secure with Tristan Thompson, Marvin Bagley, and Chimezie Metu all capable of absorbing time at the five-spot in different lineup combinations. In fact, given the uncertainty around the Kings rotation, the leverage gained in tournament formats by rostering one of the other big men may make it worthwhile to fade Len entirely at his elevated ownership percentage on the late slates across the daily fantasy industry.
As reported by: Deuce Mason via Twitter Anfernee Simons (illness) ruled out Wednesday
Following his late addition to the Trail Blazers’ injury report, Simons has officially been ruled out and won’t play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings due to an illness. Unfortunately, there’s not one single direct beneficiary of his absence on this Blazers team as head coach Chauncey Billups should fill the void left in the second unit with several players. However, Dennis Smith Jr. appears to be the candidate to join the rotation and see many of those vacated minutes behind Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum at the guard positions, though he’s still nothing more than a dart throw in large-field tournament formats on the two-game late slates across the dailly fantasy industry this evening.
As reported by: Casey Holdahl via Twitter Tobias Harris (hip) ruled out Wednesday; Seth Curry (back) and Danny Green (hamstring) available to play
Harris has been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors due to left hip soreness that has now forced him to miss two consecutive games, while Curry and Green are slated to make their returns to game action following their recent absences. The unavailability of Harris will allow Matisse Thybulle to remain in the starting lineup at one of the forward positions, and while he may not be a realistic daily fantasy option himself, the fact that he’s starting over Green does signal that veteran wing is likely to have some sort of minute restriction in his second attempt to return from hamstring tightness.
As reported by: Keith Pompey via Twitter Other tagged players: Seth Curry, Danny Green Terrence Ross (back) ruled out Wednesday
Despite never being listed on the Magic’s injury report, Ross won’t play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets due to back spasms. Orlando is already without Cole Anthony for a second straight game, so there will certainly be a plethora of minutes available at the guard and wing positions in tonight’s contest, but the absence of Ross is mitigated by the return of Harris, who should slot into the starting lineup for Mychal Mulder following an uninspiring fantasy performance in 27 minutes of blowout run last time out. Additionally, the minutes of R.J. Hampton should be secure for a third straight game, but his totals are a bit misleading as most of his offensive output came when the game was well out of reach of being competitive.
As reported by: Orlando Magic PR via Twitter Anthony Davis (illness) ruled out Wednesday; LeBron James (abdominal) will play
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel disclosed to reporters that Davis’ fever returned after being cleared to play in Tuesday’s loss, so he’ll be held out of tonight’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers due to an illness, while James will make his return from a one-game suspension following his original questionable designation on the injury report. The replacement of LeBron into the starting lineup for Davis is a net neutral in terms of usage and opportunity for the remaining members of the first unit, but where the impact of Davis’ absence is really felt is in the frontcourt rotation, where now DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard should absorb all or nearly all of the available center minutes this evening.
As reported by: Kyle Goon via Twitter Other tagged players: LeBron James