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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We're heading into the home stretch of the fantasy season! I'm here to help you stay up to date on injury news, and how it impacts your teams.
I'm writing this the day before you'll see it; information is accurate as of the evening of Monday, March 11. I'll just cover what has changed since last week.
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Short-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball
Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Golden State Warriors - Ankle
Curry tweaked his ankle last Thursday (3/7) in a loss to the Bulls, and has missed both of Golden State's games since. He's expected to miss tomorrow's game in Dallas already, so I'd expect the rest of the week to be in jeopardy as well. If Brandin Podziemski is available, I'd consider him a top-tier streaming option while Curry is out.
Evan Mobley, C, Cleveland Cavaliers - Ankle
Mobley got injured last Tuesday (3/5) and was initially expected to miss multiple weeks. As of March 11, he's already out of his walking boot, which is great news for his fantasy managers and Cavs fans alike.
Marvin Bagley, C, Washington Wizards - Back
Bagley has been a locked-in starter for the Wizards since being acquired around the trade deadline and is looking likely to miss a second week of games in a row. In addition, Rachaun Holmes is banged up as well, which has caused the Wizards to shift to a small-ball lineup. As a result, Corey Kispert has seen extra opportunities and been effective.
Tyler Herro, PG/SG, Miami Heat - Knee
Herro has now missed the last eight games for Miami after it was initially thought this injury would see him miss minimal time. Caleb Martin is a solid streamer option, but with the rest of Miami's core healthy, I wouldn't expect him to light it up.
Onyeka Okongwu, C, Atlanta Hawks - Toe
Okongwu has actually been injured since before the All-Star break, but the injury was initially expected to be resolved by the time the team returned to action. However, the Hawks provided an update on February 24 that Okongwu was now in a walking boot and will be reevaluated in two weeks. While he's out, Bruno Fernando has taken over the backup center role and is worth a look for streaming purposes.
Update 3/7: Okongwu is out of his walking boot and will be reevaluated in 7-10 days.
Malcolm Brogdon, PG, Portland Trail Blazers - Knee
Brogdon continues to miss time due to his knee injury, and the team announced on February 11 that he won't be reevaluated for two more weeks. Matisse Thybulle will likely continue to start in his place, although he's only useful for defensive stats.
Long-Term Injuries for Fantasy Basketball
Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, Minnesota Timberwolves - Knee
KAT suffered a torn meniscus and will miss at least a month for recovery, ending his fantasy season. Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson have both seen increased minutes in his absence.
Ben Simmons, PG/SF, Brooklyn Nets - Back
We bid farewell to the weekly injuries update MVP. The Nets announced Simmons will miss the rest of the year as he explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back.
Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks - Knee
Bey suffered a torn ACL during Sunday's (3/10) loss against the Pelicans and is out for the remainder of the year.
Russell Westbrook, PG, L.A. Clippers - Hand
Westbrook fractured his hand and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season. Terance Mann should get more playing time as a result.
Scottie Barnes, SF/PF, Toronto Raptors - Finger
Barnes underwent finger surgery, and while there was no official announcement of a timetable for his return, I would assume hand surgery takes at least two or three weeks to recover from. Gary Trent Jr should make for a solid streaming option in Barnes' absence.
Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks - Finger
After injuring his finger on February 24 against the Raptors, Young underwent surgery last Tuesday. He won't be reevaluated for four weeks, so his fantasy season is likely finished.
Julius Randle, PF, New York Knicks - Shoulder
Randle suffered a dislocated shoulder against the Heat on Sunday, and while the Knicks are hopeful the severity of the injury is "measured in weeks, not months," that's nothing more than wishful thinking until his MRI later this week. If Josh Hart is still available in your league, he's pegged as the most likely candidate to join the starting lineup according to New York media, but Precious Achiuwa will probably see a little bump in minutes as well.
Update 3/7: The Knicks announced that Randle has progressed to light contact drills, but his return is still a few weeks away.
Desmond Bane, SG/SF - Ankle and Marcus Smart, PG/SG - Finger, Memphis Grizzlies
If the season-ending injury to Ja Morant didn't end the Grizzlies' season, surely this pair of injuries will. Bane and Smart suffered their injuries in back-to-back games, and both are expected to be reevaluated in six weeks, which puts their timeline at the end of February. I'd be shocked if the Grizzlies weren't thinking more about their lottery odds at that point, and you should consider both of these injuries as essentially season-ending ones.
The Tank Corner
OPEN FOR BUSINESS!
Update 3/12: It's gotten so bad for the Grizzlies that they've had to start signing players to hardship deals. That's when you know it's bad. I can't see a world where any of the Grizzlies' established players return this year.
The Grizzlies may not have the worst record in the league (would you believe they only have one fewer loss than the Warriors?), but it seems inevitable that the plug will be pulled soon. During their game on January 29 in Sacramento, they had 11 players ruled out. This does include guys who have been lost for the season and injured for a long time, but that doesn't change the fact that they're working with scraps.
If Jaren Jackson Jr. picks up any sort of significant injury (real or fake), the floodgates will undoubtedly open for the Grizzlies to have the least recognizable roster in the NBA. For the time being, consider them a one-stop shop for all fantasy and DFS dart throws.
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