DFS Alerts
Alec Burks (ankle) and Immanuel Quickley (hip) ruled out Thursday
Burks has been downgraded from questionable and won’t play in Thursday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors due to a sprained left ankle that’s now forced him to miss two consecutive games. This will leave the Knicks pretty thin in the backcourt with Quickley, Dennis Smith Jr., and Frank Ntilikina all sidelined with their respective ailments. Frank Ntilikina saw just over 16 minutes off the bench in Tuesday’s win, so it seems pretty likely Austin Rivers will step directly into that vacated time and potentially more if head coach Tom Thibodeau opts to go that direction with his backcourt rotation. However, Elfrid Payton should also continue to have a more solidified minute floor in the starting lineup with the lack of depth at point guard, making him an intriguing option for tournament formats across the daily fantasy industry this evening.
As reported by: NY_KnicksPR via Twitter Other tagged players: Immanuel Quickley
Lauri Markkanen, Tomas Satoransky, and Ryan Arcidiacono all ruled out for COVID- 19 protocols Thursday
Markkanen was already listed questionable on the Bulls’ injury report with a lower left leg contusion, but he, Satoransky, and Arcidiacono have entered into the NBA’s health and safety protocol procedures and will be unable to play in Thursday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards this afternoon. They’ll join Chandler Hutchison, who was ruled out for the same reason earlier in the day, on the inactive list, which will leave Chicago relatively shorthanded, especially in the backcourt. That may allow one or both of Denzel Valentine and Adam Mokoka to join the rotation, but Garrett Temple figures to benefit the most from additional playing time on the win with Coby White and Zach LaVine handling most of the playmaking responsibilities on the offensive end of the floor. Additionally, with Markkanen unavailable, Otto Porter appears to be the likeliest candidate to join the starting lineup in his place.
As reported by: Cody Westerlund via Twitter Other tagged players: Tomas Satoransky, Ryan Arcidiacono Chandler Hutchison (COVID protocols) ruled out Thursday
Hutchison is a late addition to the Bulls’ injury report and won’t be available to play in Thursday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards as must adhere to the NBA’s implemented health and safety protocols for a presently unknown reason. He’ll join Lauri Markkanen, Tomas Satoransky, and Ryan Arcidiacono, who were all ruled out for the same reason, on the inactive list, which will leave Chicago relatively shorthanded, especially in the backcourt. That may allow one or both of Denzel Valentine and Adam Mokoka to join the rotation, but Garrett Temple figures to benefit the most from additional playing time on the wing with Coby White and Zach LaVine handling most of the playmaking responsibilities on the offensive end of the floor. Additionally, with Markkanen unavailable, Otto Porter appears to be the likeliest candidate to join the starting lineup in his place.
As reported by: Rob Schaefer via Twitter Terrence Ross (hamstring) ruled out Thursday
Ross is a new addition to the Magic’s injury report and won’t be available to play in Thursday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a hamstring injury. Ross had briefly exited the previous game with a hamstring issue, but he was able to return, so it was originally believed he would be good to go for tonight’s contest. Per usual, Ross has been an integral part of the Magic’s second unit and rotation as a whole, so his absence may allow Gary Clark to see nominal minutes at the power forward position given Philadelphia’s size, but more than likely, head coach Steve Clifford will consolidate a majority of the vacated playing time to the other guards and forwards in the rotation and likely enable Dwayne Bacon to see closer to typical starting minutes.
As reported by: Roy Parry via Twitter Gary Trent Jr. (calf) ruled out Wednesday
Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts confirmed Trent Jr. won’t be available to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers after previously being listed as questionable on the injury report with a strained left calf. The Blazers will be getting back Carmelo Anthony following his clearance of the necessary health and safety protocols related to COVID-19, so he’ll more than likely step into a majority of Trent’s vacated minutes with the second unit, while Anfernee Simons may see a bit more playing time as a secondary guard when one of Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum off the court this evening.
As reported by: Brooke Olzendam via Twitter Kawhi Leonard (laceration) will play Wednesday
Leonard has officially been upgraded from questionable and will play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing the previous two games due to a mouth laceration he sustained last week. As of now, there haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for Leonard, so he should be expected to be a full-go and be able to handle his usual allotment of minutes in tonight’s contest. However, the Clippers will still be without Marcus Morris, who is battling a sore knee, so Nicolas Batum will continue to start at power forward until he’s cleared to return from his extended injury absence.
As reported by: Andrew Greif via Twitter LeBron James (ankle) will start Wednesday
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel confirmed that James will play in Wednesday’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs after previously being listed as questionable on the injury report with a sprained right ankle. However, Caruso will still be unavailable as he must adhere to the health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 for a presently unspecified reason. There haven’t been any reports of a potential minute restriction for James or Anthony Davis, who was listed as probable with a left calf contusion that forced him to be sidelined earlier in the wee, so they will presumably be fine to handle their usual minute allotment this evening. The absence of Caruso may lead to some additional run for Dennis Schroder at point guard, but other than that, his absence won’t have too much of an impact on Vogel’s general rotations.
As reported by: Ryan Ward via Twitter Danilo Gallinari (foot) available to play Wednesday
As expected, Gallinari has officially been upgraded from probable and will be available to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets after missing the previous two games due to a left foot contusion. Now that Clint Capela has returned from his early injury absence, Gallinari will come off the bench to run the second unit with Bogdan Bogdanovic and to some extent Rajon Rondo, who made his season debut in Monday’s win over the Detroit Pistons and logged 15 minutes of action.
As reported by: Brad Rowland via Twitter Jayson Tatum (thumb) available to play Wednesday
Tatum has officially been upgraded from questionable on the Celtics’ injury report and will be available to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies despite dealing with a sprained left thumb, while Tristan Thompson and Javonte Green were already previously ruled out for various reasons earlier in the afternoon. The absence of Thompson could allow Robert Williams III to join the starting lineup if head coach Brad Stevens opts to continue using a big starting lineup with Daniel Theis at the power forward position. However, the more likely scenario is that either Payton Pritchard or Jeff Teague receives the starting nod alongside Marcus Smart in the backcourt, sliding everyone down one position in the first unit.
As reported by: Chris Forsberg via Twitter LaMarcus Aldridge (knee) ruled out Wednesday
Aldridge was a late addition to the Spurs’ injury report and has officially been ruled out of Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a sore left knee. Aldridge has started at center in all three games thus far this season, so Jakob Poeltl appears to be the overwhelming favorite to join the starting lineup, and he has proven serviceable for fantasy purposes in the past if he’s able to stay out of foul trouble. With Aldridge and Derrick White off the court over the last two seasons, players like Lonnie Walker IV and Dejounte Murray have benefitted the most, as they each see at least a +2.1% increase in usage rate and average a minimum of +0.08 more fantasy points over this sample.
As reported by: Paul Garcia via Twitter Josh Richardson (calf) upgraded to probable Wednesday
Richardson has officially been upgraded from questionable on the Mavericks’ injury report and is now listed as probable for Wednesday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets due to a strained left calf. There has been any reports or speculation that Richardson would be subject to a minute restriction if he’s cleared to play in tonight’s contest, so he should be considered a full-go and likely to see his usual allotment of minutes this evening.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Kawhi Leonard (laceration) listed questionable Wednesday
Leonard fell victim to a scary collision towards the end of last Friday’s win, and he’s been listed as questionable on the Clippers’ injury report once again for Wednesday’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers due to a mouth laceration that’s already forced him to miss two games. In his absence, Luke Kennard has started alongside Paul George on the wing, logging around 29 minutes in each contest, and with Marcus Morris still unavailable, there could be a surplus of playing time available at the forward positions in tonight’s contest. Unsurprisingly, George has led the Clippers with a 34.2% usage rate with Leonard off the court thus far this season, so he’ll immediately become one of the top options on the daily fantasy slates across the industry if Leonard is unable to suit up this evening.
As reported by: Andrew Greif via Twitter Jimmy Butler (ankle) listed out Wednesday
As expected, Butler has been listed out on the Heat’s initial injury report for Wednesday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks due to an ankle injury that already forced him to miss the first leg of this current back-to-back set. Andre Iguodala ended up starting the second half of last Friday’s win in Butler’s place, but given Milwaukee’s size in the frontcourt, Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless will likely receive the starting nods at the power forward and small forward positions once again, but it’s is tough to definitively say since Tuesday’s contest got out of hand so quickly and both forwards only saw one rotation of minutes. Instead, head coach Erik Spoelstra turned to game over to his younger players like KZ Okpala, Kendrick Nunn, and Tyler Herro, though Bam Adebayo did play until midway through the third quarter before sitting for the remainder of the game.
As reported by: NBA Official Injury Report Tristan Thompson (rest) and Javonte Green (COVID protocols) ruled out Wednesday; Jayson Tatum (thumb) questionable
Thompson and Green have been included on the Celtics’ initial injury report and won’t be available to play in Wednesday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, while Tatum is listed as questionable with a sprained left thumb he sustained in Tuesday’s win. The absence of Thompson could allow Robert Williams III to join the starting lineup if head coach Brad Stevens opts to continue using a big starting lineup with Daniel Theis at the power forward position. However, the more likely scenario is that either Payton Pritchard or Jeff Teague receives the starting nod alongside Marcus Smart in the backcourt, sliding everyone down one position in the first unit. If Tatum is unable to suit up, Jaylen Brown would become one of the top options on the slate since he has seen his usage spike to 30.3% and is averaging 1.17 DraftKings and 1.12 FanDuel points per minute with Tatum off the court the last two seasons.
As reported by: Chris Grenham via Twitter Other tagged players: Javonte Green, Jayson Tatum Jamal Murray (elbow) ruled out Tuesday; Monte Morris will start
Murray was a late addition to the Nuggets’ injury report, and he’s officially been ruled out of Tuesday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings after briefly being listed as questionable with a right elbow contusion. In his absence, Monte Morris will receive the start at point guard in tonight’s second leg of a back-to-back set, and he should be in line for a significant minute load as a member of the first unit. The other beneficiaries of Murray being sidelined figure to Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr., both of whom should see an increase in usage, while Jokic will continue to be the primary facilitator of the Denver offense as he’s been thus far in the early portion of the season.
As reported by: Katy Winge via Twitter Other tagged players: Monte Morris