RADIO
Kent rounds up injuries across the fantasy basketball landscape for Week 11 of the NBA season. NBA injury news and updates for DFS and seasonal fantasy leagues.
Just how frustrated are we with injuries in the NBA this season? It seems as if Player X returns, Player B gets injured. The injury bug has been real this season, and it's like a plague that continues to spread across the league. Understanding the injury landscape is key in all forms of fantasy basketball.
Unfortunately, injuries will happen more often than not. It is just the nature of the game. However, in order to stay ahead of your opponents, you need to stay a top of these injury-related news. One significant add to the waiver wire could potentially make or break your season.
Consider this your one-stop overview of fantasy-relevant injuries around the NBA. I'm filling in for Dicky, who is on the IR himself this week, but don't forget to follow us on Twitter @RotoBaller @RotoBallerNBA @kentshen_RB and @fungo24!
Notable Injury Updates Around The NBA
Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul (leg) will miss Thursday's game against the Boston Celtics, but there is a possibility he could suit up Friday, coach Mike D'Antoni specifically mentioned that he wouldn't play both games of the back-to-back set. We will continue to monitor the situation, and with CP3 out, James Harden should feast while Eric Gordon will maintain his elevated value for another game
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague (knee) suffered a grade 1 MCL sprain in the Timberwolves overtime win against Denver Wednesday night. He is out indefinitely and is looking at at least a 2-4 week recovery. With Teague out, backup point guard Tyus Jones will draw the start and should be owned in all 12-team leagues for the period in which Teague is out. Jones has proven that he can produce when given minutes, and those minutes will be there in Teague's absence.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (right ankle) is expected to be back Saturday for the Warriors' matchup against his hometown Charlotte Hornets. No word yet on any minutes restriction, but Curry's return should send Patrick McCaw and Shaun Livingston back to their usual bench roles, eliminating any standard team values those two had while Curry missed time.
Detroit Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson (right ankle) suffered a grade 3 sprain in Tuesday's game against the Indiana Pacers. The injury looked bad, and he is looking to be out at least 6-8 weeks. Ish Smith will run the offense in Jackson's absence and is the obvious pickup here. Smith is still a borderline guy in a 12-team league due to his lack of 3s and defensive stats, but he is a solid source of assists if your team needs that.
Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (left ankle) will miss the next 2-3 weeks with the injury. Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington will absorb most of Waiters' minutes in the meantime. Richardson has already been rolling and will continue to be a strong asset, while Johnson and Ellington both move into must own territory for the short term. Johnson has the most intriguing fantasy game, and given 30 minutes, he could be a top-70 player.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (MCL sprain) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday's game against the LA Lakers. Griffin was originally given a 6-8 week time frame when he suffered the injury at the end of November, and he has beaten that timetable considerably. Griffin will be on a minutes restriction early most likely, but his full return will weaken the value of Austin Rivers and completely demolish any hope of Wesley Johnson (left foot soreness) maintaining value upon his own return from injury.
