RADIO
RotoBaller has assembled NBA injury updates and advice on various injury situations throughout the NBA to prepare for your daily lineups on February 8, 2016. Understanding the injury landscape, and who plans to benefit instead, is critical for setting your fantasy basketball lineups daily.
Here we will focus on the important questions: Who is injured? When are they coming back? Should you stash an injured player on your roster? Who is getting an opportunity in the mean time?
This injury analysis should assist in setting your daily lineups for both DFS formats and seasonal leagues. Consider this your one-stop overview of fantasy-relevant injuries in the NBA.
NBA Injury News for Fantasy Lineups (2/8)
Returning from Injury
Kevin Love (PF/C, CLE): Love missed Saturday's game against New Orleans with a thigh contusion he suffered on Friday. He is considered probable for tonight's game against Sacramento. Tristan Thompson, Timofey Mozgov, and Anderson Varejao filled in for Love on Saturday when it came to rebounding (31 boards), but not scoring (8 points combined in 82 minutes). LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and J.R. Smith accounted for 2/3 of the shots the Cavs took -- including 3/4 of the shots they made -- against the Pelicans while Love sat.
Ish Smith (PG, PHI): Smith is expected to return for the 76ers for tonight's game against the Clippers after sitting out Saturday's win over the Nets with an ankle injury. If he does have to sit another game, T.J. McConnell would start again with a chance for another nice game to follow up Saturday's 17 point, 6 assist, 2 steal effort.
Questionable to Play
Carmelo Anthony (SF/PF, NY): Melo has been dealing with knee soreness, which he expects to continue for the foreseeable future. He missed Friday's game, but was able to play on Sunday. He is officially questionable for tonight. He'll be likely miss games periodically for the rest of the season to keep the problem in check. With Lance Thomas also injured, the Knicks slid Arron Afflalo to SF on Friday night, with Langston Galloway starting at SG.
Kobe Bryant (SG, LAL): Kobe is expected to play tonight's game against the Pacers after being listed as questionable with shoulder soreness. This is his last game in Indiana, so he probably didn't want to disappoint the fans -- something he's been trying to do for most of his final stops. If he is limited, D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young would see a boost in playing time, with Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson taking more shots.
Allen Crabbe (PG/SG, POR): Crabbe is suffering from a stomach bug that cost him Saturday's game. He is questionable to play on Monday night in Memphis. Maurice Harkless and Gerald Henderson would benefit from his continued absence.
Marc Gasol (C, MEM): Gasol is considered questionable for tonight's game against Portland with a foot injury. If he were to sit, JaMychal Green and Zach Randolph would have to pick up the slack as big men, though the Grizzlies would likely run out a lot smaller lineups, which would give a boost to Jeff Green, Courtney Lee, Matt Barnes, and Tony Allen.
Pau Gasol (PF/C, CHI): Gasol is dealing with a left hand sprain, but has been playing through it and is probable to play on Monday. If he has any setbacks with it, Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson would see extra action.
Rudy Gay (SF/PF, SAC): Gay missed Sunday's game against Boston with an ankle injury and is doubtful for tonight's game against Cleveland. Omri Casspi, Marco Belinelli, and Darren Collison all saw a boost in playing time with Gay out against the Celtics, while DeMarcus Cousins shouldered the Kings' offense and had a massive game
Tobias Harris (SF/PF, ORL): Harris sat out Sunday's game against the Hawks with an ankle sprain, and is questionable for the second half of the Magic's back-to-back with Atlanta tonight. Evan Fournier started in his place, with all five members of Orlando's starting lineup (Fournier, Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Nikola Vucevic, and Aaron Gordon) seeing more minutes than usual for the short-handed Magic on Sunday.
Roy Hibbert (C, LAL): Hibbert sprained his ankle on Saturday against San Antonio, and is questionable for tonight's game against the Pacers. If he is ruled out, Brandon Bass and Tarik Black would see the biggest boosts in minutes, with Julius Randle getting free reign on the boards after his 17 rebound performance against the Spurs.
Dennis Schroder (PG, ATL): Schroder had to get stitches for a laceration on his chin that caused him to miss much of the 4th quarter of the first half of Atlanta's home-and-home with Orlando on Sunday. It is unclear whether it could cost him Monday's game against the Magic. If Schroder is out, it would boost Jeff Teague's daily value, with Shelvin Mack seeing more minutes off the bench.
Out Short Term
Jimmy Butler (SG/SF, CHI): Butler missed has missed the past few games with a knee injury. He is reportedly feeling a lot better, but he has been ruled out for Monday's game against Charlotte and is highly questionable for the Bulls' final game before the All-Star Break on Wednesday. E'Twaun Moore has been starting at the 2 for Chicago and is being given a ton of usage in big minutes. Derrick Rose has also seen a bump in usage, while the likes of Doug McDermott, Mike Dunleavy, and Tony Snell will see some added minutes on the wing.
Matthew Dellavedova (PG, CLE): Delly has a strained left hamstring and has been ruled out for Monday's game against Sacramento, and should be considered questionable through the All-Star Break. Mo Williams will be seeing more minutes in his absence.
Kevin Garnett (PF/C, MIN): Garnett has been dealing with a sore knee, and is doubtful for tonight's game against New Orleans. Young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng have been seeing massive minutes in his absence.
Terrence Jones (SF/PF, HOU): Jones was diagnosed with a concussion after being involved in a car crash. He is considered doubtful for the Rockets remaining games before the All-Star Break. Corey Brewer has been playing a big role in his absence, while Josh Smith and Marcus Thornton could see more time off the bench.
No Timetable to Return
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG, DET): The Pistons guard has a core muscle strain. He'll be re-evaluated after the All-Star Break, though players with similar injuries have been out six to eight weeks. Rookie Stanley Johnson will start in his place, with the Pistons possible trade deadline buyers for a wing.
Tim Duncan (PF/C, SA): The veteran for the Spurs has been out for over a week with a sore knee. There's no timetable for his return. David West, Boris Diaw, and Boban Marjanovic will see more minutes in the interim.
Tyreke Evans (PG/SG, NO): Evans is dealing with pain in his surgically repaired right knee, and is out through the at least All-Star Break. The surging Norris Cole will continue to start in his place, with Jrue Holiday and Bryce Dejean-Jones also seeing a bump in playing time.
John Henson (PF/C, MIL): Henson has been out since the 26th with a bad back. Miles Plumlee and Greg Monroe have picked up the slack in his absence.
Brandon Knight (PG/SG, PHO): Knight has been out since January 19th with a groin injury and still has no timetable to return. The hopeless Suns may shut him down and tank for a higher draft pick. Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker will shoulder the load until Knight is ready to go.
Rodney Stuckey (PG/SG, IND): Stuckey is recovering from an ankle sprain and won't return until at least the All-Star break. Monta Ellis and George Hill will handle most of the backcourt duties in the meantime.
On the Mend
Alec Burks (PG/SG, UTA): Burks has shed his walking boot, and could return shortly after the All-Star Break. His return could cut into the minutes of Trey Burke, Rodney Hood, and Raul Neto.
Al Jefferson (PF/C, CHA): Jefferson underwent knee surgery for a torn meniscus at the end of December and was given a timetable to return of six weeks. He was cleared for non-contact and conditioning drills last week, and the team is targeting a return after the All-Star Break. Cody Zeller, Frank Kaminsky, and Spencer Hawes will continue to pick up the slack for the big man.
Nikola Mirotic (SF/PF, CHI): Mirotic is recovering from an appendectomy and a hematoma removal. He is once again targeting a return shortly after the All-Star break, though that may be optimistic. Bobby Portis will continue to pick up more minutes off the bench behind starters Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson.
Out Long Term
DeMarre Carroll (PF, TOR): Carroll had knee surgery in December, and is reportedly ahead of schedule with his recovery. There's a long-shot chance he comes back for the end of the year, so if you have an unused IR spot, stashing him there is better than nothing. In the mean time, Terrence Ross and Patrick Patterson will continue to see a boost production from Carroll's absence. The Raptors are likely looking for trade help on the wing, especially now that James Johnson is also out with a bad ankle sprain.
Manu Ginobili (SG/SF, SA): Cringe warning: the Argentine had to have testicular surgery after taking a knee to the crotch from Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson. He'll be out until at least early March. Danny Green might find his way back to last season's fantasy value if he ends up taking on a bunch of Ginobili's minutes. Jonathan Simmons and Patty Mills could also see more run off the bench.
Eric Gordon (SG, NO): The shooting guard for the Pelicans underwent successful surgery on his finger and will be out until late February or early March. In the meantime, Bryce Dejean-Jones will remain starter at SG, with PGs Norris Cole and Jrue Holiday continuing to seeing increased minutes and usage.
Blake Griffin (PF/C, LAC): Griffin, who had been hoping to return soon from a quadriceps injury, has broken his hand in a fight with a team employee in a Toronto restaurant. Wonderful. It will reportedly keep him out for "a matter of weeks, not days." The Clippers have been managing without Griffin and Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, and DeAndre Jordan have stepped up in his absence, and they should continue to have increased value without him.
Jameer Nelson (PG, DEN): Nelson returned from a wrist sprain only to suffer a setback, and he looks to be out for a some time. Emmanuel Mudiay will continue to see significant minutes, with Randy Foye seeing added action from the bench.
T.J. Warren (SF, PHO): Warren suffered a fractured foot, and will miss the remainder of the season. P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris will continue to see massive minutes at forward until one or both of them gets traded, with Mirza Teletovic and Sonny Weems lurking on the bench.
