X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

NBA Injuries and Who Can Benefit Instead (Week 12)

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. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @RotoBaller @RotoBallerNBA and @fungo24!

Black Friday Special! Save 50% on any Big-4 Sports Premium Pass using discount code SMASH. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice for NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL from from proven winners! Dan Palyo leads the team with exclusive picks for DFS picks, Props, betting. Enhance your game with industry-leading tools like our Lineup Optimizers, Team Sync Platform, DFS Cheat Sheets and more. GAIN ACCESS

 

Notable Injury Updates Around The NBA

Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (hamstring) will miss at least the next two weeks on the sidelines due to a sprained hammy. It comes at one of the worst possible times, as the Rockets have only gone 5-5 in their last ten games. Luckily, Chris Paul is healthy and is capable of holding down the fort. There is a chance that Harden misses more time because hamstring has to be healed fully to avoid risking re-aggravating the muscle. Gerald Green, who scored a game-high 27 points in 28 minutes on Wednesday, is a good pick up in most leagues. Just don't expect much outside of points and 3-pointers.

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love (ankle) struggled with his shot Wednesday, missing 10-of-11 shots from the field for only two points. He tried to play through the injury in the second-half, but was ultimately ruled out by the Cavs training staff. He should be considered day-to-day, where Jae Crowder and Jeff Green are lukewarm pickups if he's to miss Saturday's contest.

Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (rib contusion) could not suit up Wednesday and center Boban Marjanovic started in his place and had himself a great game. Boban finished with 15 points and nine boards on 5-of-8 shooting, including 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Drummond's injury isn't considered serious, as coach Stan Van Gundy pointed out it's a matter of tolerating the pain, so he shouldn't be out too long. But anytime Drummond is out, Marjanovic deserves a long look in most leagues, especially daily fantasy leagues.

Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo (knee) hasn't played in over a week and continues to be sidelined with a sore knee. The Pacers are being cautious, and rightfully so because Oladipo has been dynamite this season. Lance Stephenson is a decent option in standard leagues, as he will continue to start and take more of the ball-handling duties, where Cory Joseph can be used in deeper leagues.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball (shoulder) could not suit up Wednesday, as he's still battling a sore shoulder. He doesn't look like he'll be out for much longer, as back up point guard Tyler Ennis has played well as the fill-in starter. Unless Ball suffers a setback, Ennis is only suited for deeper leagues. Jordan Clarkson is probably owned in most leagues, but if he isn't, go pick him up. He may get traded before the February trading deadline anyway. A trade could be good for his value.

Detroit Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson (ankle) will not return until at least after the All-Star break, and Ish Smith is a must-start, must-own player until further notice. Smith has demonstrated in the past that he can really help boost those assists numbers, and he's almost a lock to see 28+ minutes until Jackson returns. Avery Bradley will also benefit from extra touches.

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague (knee) could miss two-to-four weeks due to a MCL sprain in his left knee, and Tyus Jones has been a popular pick up in most leagues. In his last four starts, Jones averages 7.0 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 steals in 31.6 minutes. The points are a bit disappointing, but the steals are not a fluke and they're absolutely elite. Don't be discouraged as Jones is dealing with a dislocated finger. The minutes are there and so will the steals.

San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (groin) couldn't do much in Tuesday's contest against the Knicks and the Spurs are looking to shut him down until he's right. Kyle Anderson will benefit. Anderson was playing very well and flirted with mid-round value before he got injured, so he's worth a look in most leagues with Green expected to miss time.

Los Angles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (Achilles) is listed day-to-day with a sore Achilles, as C.J. Williams is only worth a look in deeper leagues if Rivers miss more time. There's no obvious winner, but Lou Williams has been fantastic and will have the chance to take on more shots.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (Achilles) is very close to a return, and he's being listed as "doubtful" ahead for Friday. Conley put in an "extensive" post-practice workout last weekend and has been ramping up his activity lately, so owners should be excited about a return in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Tyreke Evans will continue to run the point for Memphis.

 New York Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (lower leg stress injury) is still a couple weeks away. He continues to be a cheer leader for the Knicks during games so it's at least a positive sign he's with the team. Frank Ntilikina has played well lately and deserves a look again. I'd pick him up now before he blows up. He's a very intriguing assists and steals guy, with the upside to average a 3-pointer per game. If the Knicks were to unleash him for 30 minutes per night, look out. He could be a sneaky difference maker towards the second-half of the season.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (knee) continues to progress well and owners should see him sometime this month. He's been working out with the G-League affiliate team and it's only a matter of time before he reclaims the scoring duties for the Bulls. His return will likely send either Justin Holiday or Denzel Valentine to the bench. I suspect the Bulls to roll out a lineup of Robin Lopez, Lauri Markkanen, Justin Holiday , Zach LaVine, and Kris Dunn in 2018. Holiday will not be this good with LaVine back in the lineup. If you want to sell high on Justin Holiday, go for it.

Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (knee) continues to be sidelined after an arthroscopic surgery last month to remove loose bodies. There is still currently no timetable for his return, but Spencer Dinwiddie continues to fill the void nicely as he's become a mid-round player on the year. Guys like Allen Crabbe, Rondae Hollis Jefferson will continue to have increased usage.

Sacramento Kings forward Harry Giles (knee) is not expected to play for the Kings until January 2018 at the earliest, but he has tremendous upside in fantasy. The Kings are going to be super careful with him, as he's recovering from surgically repaired knees that caused teams to pass on him during draft night. He's not likely to be much of a factor for standard league owners once he returns, but the Kings are an absolute mess and it wouldn't be surprising if they chose to use the second-half of the season developing their young core. The Kings has not updated his recovery status, but he was last seen warming up and taking shots with the team prior to a game on Dec. 10th. If you're in a deep league and is comfortable stashing a player, it wouldn't be a terrible idea especially if you have an IR spot. He's a low-risk, high reward stash. Just my opinion.

 

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis

 

NBA DFS Premium Subscription

Get a free trial of our powerful NBA Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Cheat Sheets, and NBA Lineup Optimizer & Generator with daily matchup projections.

Win more. Try the most advanced lineup optimizer in daily fantasy basketball.

Sign Up Now!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Drake London

Falcons Hoping That Drake London Will Return in Week 13
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful to Play Against Western Kentucky
Michael Penix Jr.

Needs Reconstructive Surgery on Torn ACL
Jaxson Dart

Expected to Return to Practice on Wednesday
Shedeur Sanders

Will Start Against Raiders
Dalton Kincaid

Ruled Out Against Texans
Connor Bedard

Continues Tear With Hat Trick
Macklin Celebrini

Pots Hat Trick in Tuesday's Win
Jake Guentzel

Records Eighth Career Hat Trick
Sammy Blais

Injured Versus Blues
Alexander Romanov

Injured in Tuesday's Win
Ryan Hartman

Considered Week-to-Week
Michael Thorbjornsen

Hopes to End 2025 Campaign With Another Solid Finish
Saddiq Bey

Uncertain for Meeting With Nuggets
Sam Merrill

Iffy for Wednesday
Andrew Novak

Looks to End 2025 Season on High Note at RSM Classic
Dereck Lively II

Likely to Play Wednesday
Daniel Gafford

on Track to Return Wednesday
Jaden McDaniels

Uncertain for Wednesday
Jalen Smith

Expected to Play Wednesday
Tre Jones

Questionable for Wednesday
Coby White

Back in Bulls Lineup Wednesday
Harry Higgs

Teetering for PGA Tour Card in 2026
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Unavailable Wednesday
Darius Garland

Sits Out Wednesday's Game
PGA

Nico Echavarria has the Potential to Contend at the RSM Classic
Sam Stevens

Finishing Out Year in Georgia
Seamus Power

Playing Better at the Right Time
Beau Hossler

Roller Coaster Comes to Saint Simons Island
Quade Cummins

The Time is Now for Quade Cummins in Georgia
Austin Cook

Needs a Win at the RSM Classic
Cameron Champ

on the PGA Tour Card Bubble
Grayson Rodriguez

Shipped to Angels
Taylor Ward

Orioles Acquire Taylor Ward From Angels
Shota Imanaga

Accepts Cubs Qualifying Offer
Brandon Woodruff

Returning to Milwaukee in 2026
Denny McCarthy

Looking For Another Solid Finish at RSM Classic
Si Woo Kim

Looking To Use Current Momentum to Flip Script at RSM Classic
Zion Williamson

Considered Questionable for Wednesday
Bam Adebayo

Could Return to Action Wednesday
Mackenzie Hughes

a Good Bounce-Back Candidate at RSM Classic
Jalen Brunson

Questionable for Wednesday
Jerami Grant

Picks Up Late Questionable Tag
Kyle Anderson

Cleared for Action Against the Lakers
Harris English

Making 14th Start at This Week's RSM Classic
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out Tuesday
Taylor Hendricks

Returning on Tuesday
Kyle Filipowski

Won't Suit Up Versus the Lakers
LeBron James

Will Play on Tuesday Night
Luke Clanton

Looking For a Solid Finish in Year's Final Event
Daniel Berger

Making Start in Season Finale at This Week's RSM Classic
Konnor Griffin

Could Compete for Starting Shortstop Job in 2026
Keegan Murray

Expected to Make Season Debut Thursday
Gleyber Torres

Accepts Tigers Qualifying Offer
Alexandre Sarr

Uncertain for Wednesday's Game in Minnesota
Odell Beckham Jr.

Officially Reinstated by NFL Commissioner
Matt Murray

to Miss Six Weeks With Lower-Body Injury
Ilya Lyubushkin

Out on Tuesday
Jamie Benn

Makes Season Debut Tuesday
Evgenii Dadonov

on Track to Return Tuesday
Dougie Hamilton

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Anthony Cirelli

Expected to Return Against Devils
Victor Hedman

Questionable for Tuesday
Auston Matthews

to Miss at Least Two More Games
C.J. Stroud

Expected to Return in Week 13 Against Colts
C.J. Stroud

to Miss Another Game
Joe Mixon

Uncertainty Remains Around Joe Mixon's Return Timeline
Jaylen Warren

Mike Tomlin Optimistic About Jaylen Warren's Availability for Week 12
C.J. Stroud

Not Expected to Play on Thursday Night
Aaron Rodgers

Won't Need Surgery on Fractured Wrist, Could Play in Week 12?
Davis Mills

Prepping for Third Straight Start in Week 12?
CFB

Sam Leavitt Set to Enter Transfer Portal?
Mason Rudolph

Could Make His First Start of 2025 in Week 12
Brock Wright

Sets Career-High in Targets; Lined Up for More Work?
Kimani Vidal

Struggles Again and Faces Role Uncertainty After Bye
Dak Prescott

in Full Command Monday Night With Four Touchdown Passes
Quentin Johnston

Posts Zero Catches During Offensive Collapse
George Pickens

Erupts for 144 Yards, Touchdown in Monday Night Win
CeeDee Lamb

George Pickens Benched for First Drive
Jose Altuve

Undergoes Foot Surgery
Alex Singleton

Broncos Optimistic Patrick Surtain, Alex Singleton Will Return After the Bye
Mikael Granlund

Unavailable Monday
Alex Bregman

Red Sox Going for Either Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso?
Conor Garland

Misses Monday's Game
Eetu Luostarinen

Out on Monday
Drew Doughty

Listed as Week-to-Week
John Carlson

a Game-Time Call Monday
Viktor Arvidsson

Out Week-to-Week
Charlie McAvoy

Out Against Hurricanes
CFB

James Franklin to be Virginia Tech's Next Head Coach
CFB

Fernando Mendoza the Clear Heisman Trophy Favorite?
CFB

Beau Pribula Has Chance to Face Oklahoma on Saturday
Jack Della Maddalena

Gets Dominated
Islam Makhachev

Claims UFC Welterweight Belt
Zhang Weili

Gets Outclassed
Valentina Shevchenko

Wins Unanimous Decision At UFC 322
Sean Brady

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Michael Morales

Remains Unbeaten
Leon Edwards

Suffers Second-Round Knockout Loss
Leon Edwards

Carlos Prates Becomes The First Man To Knock Out Leon Edwards
Beneil Dariush

Suffers Brutal First-Round Knockout Loss
Beneil Dariush

Benoit Saint Denis Knocks Out Beneil Dariush In 16 Seconds
Josh Naylor

Mariners Finalizing Five-Year Contract
CFB

Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate Not Dealing With Long-Term Injuries
CFB

Virginia Tech Close To Naming James Franklin As Head Coach
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful vs. Arkansas On Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Blue Jays Interested in Signing Edwin Diaz?
Jacob deGrom

Named AL Comeback Player of the Year
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Wins NL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Aroldis Chapman

Named AL Reliever of the Year
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Named NL Reliever of the Year
Justin Thomas

Will Miss Start Of 2026 After Undergoing Back Surgery
Islam Makhachev

Set For UFC 322 Main Event
Jack Della Maddalena

Set For His First Title Defense
Zhang Weili

Can Become The New Women's Flyweight Champion
Valentina Shevchenko

Set For UFC 322 Co-Main Event
Michael Morales

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Mario Craver a Game-Time Decision for Week 12
Sean Brady

Set For Title Eliminator Bout
Carlos Prates

A Favorite At UFC 322
Leon Edwards

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set To Open Up UFC 322 Main Card
Beneil Dariush

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
CFB

Virginia's Chandler Morris Trending Toward Facing Duke on Saturday
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Says There's a "50-50" Chance he Returns to Mets
Shohei Ohtani

Wins his Fourth MVP Award
Aaron Judge

Wins AL MVP Award Again
Raisel Iglesias

Dodgers Interested in Signing Raisel Iglesias
Pete Alonso

Orioles Could be in the Mix to Sign Pete Alonso