2 weeks agoAtlanta Hawks guard
Dejounte Murray (quad) is questionable for Wednesday's tilt against the Charlotte Hornets. Dealing with a right quadriceps contusion after logging 48 minutes in Tuesday's defeat to the visiting Miami Heat, Murray might have to miss his first game since Feb. 9 on the second part of Atlanta's back-to-back. The sharpshooting
Garrison Mathews would be primed for an uptick in minutes in the Hawks' backcourt if Murray sits out, and
Trae Young (finger) could be needed to handle the bulk of the ball-handling duties if he's available on Wednesday. Young has averaged 29.0 points, 11.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.6 three-pointers covering three outings sans Murray this year and would warrant plenty of DFS attention in a tasty matchup with the 19-60 Hornets, despite coming off an extended absence.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Kevin Chouinard - Hawks official site
2 weeks agoAtlanta Hawks guard
Trae Young (finger) is officially listed as questionable for Wednesday's meeting with the Charlotte Hornets. It's an upgrade for Young, who is nearing a return and has been out since undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his finger on Feb. 25. The Hawks hold the final East Play-In spot, so Young's return would give him a chance to ramp up his playing time ahead of the postseason. The 25-year-old three-time All-Star is averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 3.3 three-pointers in 36.5 minutes over 51 games for Atlanta in 2023-24. Young would likely face some form of minutes restriction following a lengthy absence, but there's plenty of DFS appeal in a matchup between two of the league's five worst defenses in terms of efficiency rating.
Dejounte Murray's (quad) fantasy value would take a hit if Young indeed suits up on Wednesday.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Kevin Chouinard - Hawks official site
2 weeks agoAtlanta Hawks forward
Jalen Johnson (ankle) has been ruled out for Wednesday's tilt versus the Charlotte Hornets. After spraining his right ankle in Tuesday's loss to the visiting Miami Heat, Johnson was facing a short turnaround to recover in time for the second leg of Atlanta's back-to-back. A 2023-24 Most Improved Player of the Year candidate, Johnson hopes to return for a difficult matchup on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Vit Krejci is a candidate to join the Hawks' starting lineup in Johnson's stead, but he's averaged only 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.7 three-pointers through nine games without Johnson this season. The Hornets rank 28th in the NBA in opponent field-goal percentage (49.4%), so the favorable draw gives him some DFS life.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Kevin Chouinard - Hawks official site
2 weeks agoMiami Heat guard
Tyler Herro (foot) is not on injury report for Wednesday's game versus the Dallas Mavericks. There was some concern about Herro's status on Wednesday after he logged 48 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, but he's cleared to play on the second half of Miami's back-to-back. With
Terry Rozier (neck) questionable, it should be noted Herro has put up a healthy 22.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game across 28 appearances without Rozier this season as the Heat's primary ball handler. Dallas is yielding the fifth-most DraftKings points to opposing shooting guards to boot.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Anthony Chiang - Miami Herald
2 weeks agoToronto Raptors center
Kelly Olynyk (rest) has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. Olynyk logged 34 minutes in Tuesday's defeat to the visiting Indiana Pacers, and he will catch a breather on the second night of Toronto's back-to-back. Look for the veteran playmaking big man to be available for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. In his absence, undrafted rookies
Mouhamadou Gueye and
Malik Williams should split minutes at center for the Raptors on Wednesday. Neither of the two bigs are recommended fantasy streamers against elite rim protector
Nicolas Claxton (ankle), who is likely to be available for the Nets.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Josh Lewenberg - TSN.ca
2 weeks agoToronto Raptors forward
RJ Barrett (knee) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. After playing 33 minutes in Tuesday's loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers, Barrett will get the night off on the second half of Toronto's back-to-back. The 23-year-old Canadian swingman should be able to return for Friday's contest against the Miami Heat. The short-handed 25-54 Raptors could turn to
Jordan Nwora and
Jalen McDaniels for additional minutes in their starting lineup on Wednesday, but it's difficult to pinpoint a clear beneficiary of Barrett's absence for DFS purposes. The sharpshooting
Gary Trent Jr. (back) should lead the offense if available, averaging 21.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals, and 3.1 three-pointers over his last 14 games.
--Joseph Barbati - RotoBallerSource: Josh Lewenberg - TSN.ca
3 weeks agoMinnesota Timberwolves guard/forward
Anthony Edwards went off for a career-high 51 points in Tuesday's 130-121 win over Washington. The T-Wolves got run over in the first quarter, falling 44-25 behind, but led by Edwards, the team was able to turn things around. He had 30 points in the second half, finishing the game with 17-for-29 shooting. Edwards made all of his 11 attempts at the charity stripe and hit six three-point bombs with 13 attempts. His work across 38 minutes included six rebounds and seven assists. The Timberwolves star will be back out on the court Wednesday night in a pivotal battle against Denver to decide the top seed in the Western Conference, and we should see him trying to grab the game by the scruff of the neck again.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Lakers forward
LeBron James recorded his second consecutive double-double in Tuesday's big game against Golden State, leading all scorers with 33 points and handing out a game-high 11 assists in a 134-120 loss. James was back in action after missing one game with an illness. It looks like he wasn't fully recovered on Tuesday either, as James arrived at the Crypto.com Arena just an hour before tipoff. However, he was able to put in a 36-minute shift, completing his line with seven rebounds and two steals. The veteran star will now get some extra rest, with the Lakers off until Friday. There are two more crucial games coming up for the team against Memphis and New Orleans.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid made easy work of the Pistons on Tuesday night, scoring a game-high 37 points on 12-for-22 shooting in a 120-102 win. He was 4-for-9 with the three-ball and finished 9-for-10 at the free-throw line while collecting 11 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and two blocks across 36 minutes. Embiid was seen hobbling a bit in the game, but there hasn't been any official word on a possible injury, so he should be good to go for the final couple of games. We could see a pair of monster performances from Embiid against Brooklyn and Orlando as Philadelphia faces a desperate battle to avoid the play-in tournament.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoOklahoma City Thunder guard
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was back in the lineup on Tuesday versus Sacramento and put in a big performance with 40 points in a 112-105 win. He added seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks to his tally in 38 minutes. Taking care of the basketball was a problem for Gilgeous-Alexander, as he committed five turnovers, but his work in other areas was highly efficient. The Thunder star finished 11-for-21 from the field with a 2-for-3 record from deep and hit 16-for-20 at the foul line. Gilgeous-Alexander's return had a negative impact on
Josh Giddey, who was limited to only four points across 21 minutes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoDenver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic shook off hip inflammation to fill up the stat sheet against the Jazz in Tuesday's 111-95 win. He had a 28-point, 13-rebound double-double with seven assists, three steals, and a block. The former MVP hit both of his attempts from deep and finished with 12-for-20 overall shooting. On the downside, Jokic's stat line included five turnovers in 34 minutes, and he has been careless with the ball all month, averaging 4.5 turnovers for April. The hip issue doesn't appear to be affecting Jokic, as he's picked up 11 consecutive double-doubles. The Serbian superstar needs two more across the final three regular-season games to celebrate a new career high.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoDallas Mavericks point guard
Luka Doncic came very close to a 40-point triple-double on Tuesday against Charlotte, racking up 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 130-104 win. These were game-high marks in all three categories. Doncic hit 8-for-17 from deep and finished with 13-for-25 overall shooting, contributing one block on the defensive end. The MVP candidate is finishing the campaign strongly, averaging 32.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists for April. However, it's possible we won't see him in action in the next game, as Dallas completes a back-to-back on Wednesday against Miami. Doncic missed the second leg of a back-to-back last week with a sore right knee, and the team might want to give him rest again with the playoffs around the corner.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoMilwaukee Bucks forward/center
Giannis Antetokounmpo has avoided a serious Achilles injury, sources have told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Bucks star strained his calf in Tuesday's clash against Boston, specifically his left soleus, which is a muscle in the back part of the calf. Luckily, tests have revealed that the former MVP avoided damage to his Achilles. His return to court will depend on how quickly he recovers from the calf strain. Milwaukee has three more games left to play in the regular season.
Bobby Portis should benefit the most from Antetokounmpo's absence.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoCleveland Cavaliers guard
Donovan Mitchell (knee, nose) is listed as available on the NBA's official injury report ahead of Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies. Mitchell's health has been a topic of discussion lately, with many questioning his durability heading toward the postseason. With that said, the Cavaliers have won just three of their last 10 games, so they need the All-Star on the floor for the rest of the regular season. Fortunately, Cleveland has a favorable matchup on the horizon versus the 27-win Grizzlies. Yet, Mitchell could spend more time on the bench if the Cavs manage to build a decisive lead throughout the contest, which wouldn't be an ideal scenario as it relates to his DFS potential.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NBA Injury Report
3 weeks agoMilwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) suffered a non-contact injury during Tuesday's win over the Celtics. He was down for a bit before limping his way back to the locker room. While details were scarce initially, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski provided an update, reporting Antetokounmpo suffered a left calf strain. He will undergo an MRI, although DFS managers shouldn't expect to see him on the floor on Wednesday versus Orlando. With three regular-season contests left for Milwaukee, the multi-time MVP may not be back until the postseason, at the earliest. However, it's still too early to speculate. With that in mind, as long as Antetokounmpo is on the shelf,
Khris Middleton and
Damian Lillard should be the Bucks' top offensive contributors. At the same time,
Bobby Portis,
Malik Beasley,
Brook Lopez, and
Jae Crowder could see more scoring opportunities.
--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Adrian Wojnarowski
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