DFS Alerts
Gordon Hayward (hip) downgraded to doubtful Thursday
Despite originally being listed as probable on the Hornets’ injury report, Hayward is now listed as doubtful for Thursday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors due to a strained left hip. In his absence, Miles Bridges or one of the Martin twins are the likeliest candidates to join the starting lineup at small forward unless head coach James Borrego finally fully embraces his three-guard lineup by inserting LaMelo Ball into the first unit alongside Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham in tonight’s contest. However, either way, Ball should have a higher minute floor than normal and becomes an intriguing option for daily fantasy formats across the industry this evening.
As reported by: Charlotte Hornets PR via Twitter
Alex Len (personal) listed out Thursday
Len is a late addition to the Raptors’ injury report and won’t be available to play in Thursday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets as he is currently away from the team tending to a personal matter. Len has been a starter for head coach Nick Nurse in name only over the last few games, so his absence won’t have too much of an impact on the rotation with Chris Boucher and Pascal Siakam absorbing a large portion of the available center minutes in most contests. However, it’s still certainly possible Nurse opts to just use Aron Baynes, who has recently been a DNP-CD, to fill Len’s minor starting role and keep the rest of the normal rotation intact.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Eric Gordon (leg) listed out Thursday
Gordon has officially been downgraded from questionable and is now listed out on the Rockets’ injury report for Thursday’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs due to lower left leg tightness. This will leave Houston with just nine available players for tonight’s contest following yesterday’s blockbuster trade and the release of Bruno Caboclo earlier this afternoon. Christian Wood will now assume the alpha role on offense sans John Wall and James Harden, while Sterling Brown, David Nwaba, and Ben McLemore are the likeliest candidates to join the starting lineup. However, Jae’Sean Tate and Mason Jones will also see substantial playing time given the overall lack of depth on the current state of the Rockets’ active roster.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Eric Bledsoe (eye) ruled out Wednesday
Bledsoe has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers due to left eye irritation, while Zion Williamson was previously ruled out as he has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and may require a period of isolation away from the team. Additionally, with Lonzo Ball also unavailable, New Orleans will now be severely shorthanded in the backcourt with Bledsoe unable to suit up for tonight’s contest. In their absences, Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be poised to take on an increased role in head coach Stan Van Gundy’s rotation and will likely receive the starting nod at point guard, making him an intriguing value option across the daily fantasy industry this evening.
As reported by: the New Orleans Pelicans via Twitter Karl-Anthony Towns (wrist) and Josh Okogie (hamstring) will start Wednesday
As expected, Towns and Okogie have been upgraded from questionable on the Timberwolves’ injury report and will start in Wednesday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies barring any setbacks during shootaround and pregame warmups. Towns has already admitted to reporters that his dislocated wrist isn’t fully healed, but he showed no ill effects in his return to the court this past weekend by logging 37 minutes of action in Saturday’s loss. Ed Davis was the odd man out of the frontcourt rotation in that contest, while Naz Reid and Jarred Vanderbilt combined for roughly 28 minutes filling in at the backup center spot and even playing alongside Towns at the power forward position for certain stretches of the game, so it’ll be interesting to see if that trend sticks with Okogie likely able to handle more minutes this time around.
As reported by: Alan Horton via Twitter Other tagged players: Josh Okogie Obi Toppin (calf) available to play Wednesday
Despite being listed out on the Knicks’ original injury report, Toppin has now been upgraded from probable and will be available to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets after missing all but one game this season due to a strained right calf. The newly-signed Taj Gibson will be available to make his season debut in tonight’s contest, but his exact role in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotations remains unclear, and Toppin likely finds himself first in line for playing time off the bench at the frontcourt positions given the premium of his draft capital over the fall. Toppin saw 23 minutes as a reserve in his lone game of the year, but it appears as if Thibodeau is in no rush to get him back in the mix right away without practicing, so his presence may not impact the rotation too significantly for now.
As reported by: Marc Berman via Twitter Zion Williamson (COVID protocols) ruled out Wednesday
Williamson has been added to the Pelicans’ injury report and won’t be available to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers as he’s entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and may require a period of isolation away from the team. Meanwhile, Eric Bledsoe remains questionable with right eye irritation, and Lonzo Ball was previously ruled out with a knee, so New Orleans could potentially be severely shorthanded in the backcourt if Bledsoe is unable to suit up for tonight’s contest. Even if this scenario weren’t to come to fruition, Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be poised to take on an increased role in head coach Stan Van Gundy’s rotation and makes for an intriguing value option across the daily fantasy industry this evening.
As reported by: Pelicans PR via Twitter Al Horford (rest) listed out Wednesday
Horford was included on the Thunders’ initial injury report and has been listed out for Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers due to rest purposes on the second leg of a back-to-back set. The first time Horford was held out in a back-to-back situation, Isaiah Roby ended up receiving the starting nod at the center position and was stellar for fantasy purposes in 28 minutes of action as a member of the first unit. In that contest, Mike Muscala and Aleksej Pokusevski remained in relatively limited reserve roles as they each saw fewer than 20 minutes off the bench despite Horford’s unavailability.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Karl-Anthony Towns (wrist) and Josh Okogie (hamsting) expected to play Wednesday
Despite still being listed as questionable on the Timberwolves’ injury report, head coach Ryan Saunders confirmed that he expects Towns and Okogie to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies barring any setbacks during shootaround and pregame warmups. Towns has admitted that his dislocated wrist isn’t fully healed, but he showed no ill effects in his return to the court by logging 37 minutes of action in Saturday’s loss. Ed Davis was the odd man out of the frontcourt rotation in that contest, while Naz Reid and Jarred Vanderbilt combined for roughly 28 minutes filling in at the backup center spot and even playing alongside Towns at the power forward position for certain stretches of the game.
As reported by: Jon Krawczynski via Twitter Other tagged players: Josh Okogie Obi Toppin (calf) upgraded to probable Wednesday
Despite being listed out on the Knicks’ original injury report, Toppin has been upgraded to probable and appears to be on track to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets after missing all but one game this season due to a strained right calf. The newly-signed Taj Gibson will be available to make his season debut in tonight’s contest, but his exact role in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotations remains unclear, and Toppin likely finds himself first in line for playing time off the bench at the frontcourt positions given the premium of his draft capital over the fall. Toppin saw 23 minutes as a reserve in his lone game of the year, and if he logs anywhere near that in his return, it’s likely Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox, and possibly even Julius Randle, who’s among the league leaders in minutes played, see a reduction in playing time this evening.
As reported by: Ian Begley via Twitter Victor Oladipo (injury management) officially out Tuesday
As expected, Oladipo has been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors due to right knee injury management. Oladipo has yet to play in the second leg of a back-to-back since sustaining a season-ending injury during the 2019 season, so it isn’t all that surprising the Pacers’ medical staff opted to hold him out of tonight’s contest. In his absence, Edmond Sumner will surprisingly receive the start alongside Justin Holiday on the wing, but he still isn’t guaranteed to see a full starters’ minute workload with Aaron Holiday a likely candidate to receive extensive playing time off the bench with T.J. McConnell still away from the team as he tends to a personal matter.
As reported by: Scott Agness via Twitter Other tagged players: Edmond Sumner Joe Ingles (Achilles) ruled out Tuesday
Ingles has officially been downgraded from questionable and won’t be available to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to right Achilles soreness that has now forced him to miss two of the last three games, while Derrick Favors is good to go even though the Jazz unnecessarily keeps listing him as probable with a knee issue leading up to every game. The absence of Ingles will create quite the hole in head coach Quin Snyder’s second unit, so look for Georges Niang to see a bump in playing time at the power forward position with Miye Oni possibly entering the rotation, while Jordan Clarkson should step into larger creation role off the bench, making him an intriguing tournament target in daily fantasy formats this evening.
As reported by: Andy Larsen via Twitter Eric Paschall (COVID protocols) ruled out Tuesday
Paschall is a late addition to the Warriors’ injury report and won’t be available to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers as he’s entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and may be subject to a period of isolation away from the team. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely his absence will benefit one individual player for daily fantasy purposes, so expect James Wiseman, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and possible even Kevon Looney to receive additional minutes in the frontcourt rotation this evening.
As reported by: Anthony Slater via Twitter John Wall (migraine) likely to play Tuesday
Wall is still technically listed as questionable on the Rockets’ injury report, but head coach Stephen Silas confirmed with reporters that he is likely to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers barring some kind of setback during pregame warmups. Silas wasn’t as sure about Eric Gordon, who remains questionable with lower left leg tightness, and a decision will be made on his status once he tests out the injury in a pregame workout. If Gordon is unable to suit up, Ben McLemore, David Nwaba, and Sterling Brown would pick up the slack on the wing, but there’s been speculation of DeMarcus Cousins playing more minutes alongside Christian Wood in the frontcourt, and a matchup with large Lakers squad might be the perfect spot for Silas to test out those new lineup combinations.
As reported by: Cayleigh Griffin via Twitter Ben Simmons (knee) and Joel Embiid (back) listed available Tuesday
Simmons and Embiid have both been upgraded from probable and are now listed as available to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Miami Heat despite dealing with their respective nagging ailments. Even though the Sixers are set to have Simmons back in the lineup following a two-game absence, they are still down to just 10 available players and will continue to be without the services of Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, Shake Milton, and Matisse Thybulle in tonight’s contest. Tyrese Maxey will more than likely start in the backcourt alongside Simmons, but he still appears to be the most impacted by Simmons presence in the starting lineup since he’ll spend much less time on the ball from an offensive creation standpoint, which does limit his floor and ceiling at an elevated price tag across the daily fantasy industry.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Other tagged players: Joel Embiid