January 30, 2026
Denver Nuggets forward/center
Aaron Gordon (hamstring) will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks, the team announced. Gordon recently reinjured his right hamstring and will miss a third consecutive game on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Luckily for Denver,
Nikola Jokic (knee) is set to return against the Clippers, giving the frontcourt a massive boost.
Cameron Johnson (knee) could also be back in the mix soon. In the meantime, Payton Watson,
Bruce Brown, and
Tim Hardaway Jr. will get plenty of burn in the rotation.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 30, 2026
Denver Nuggets center
Nikola Jokic (knee) plans to return to action on Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. The team has officially listed Jokic as questionable on the injury report. This is a surprising development, as Charania reported on Tuesday that Jokic would be re-evaluated in about a week. His early return on Friday means Jokic will still be in contention for the MVP award at the end of the season. Jokic has been out since Dec. 29 with a bone bruise in his left knee. Given his lengthy absence, Jokic will likely have a limited workload on Friday. As a result,
Jonas Valanciunas (calf), who is considered probable, could still see significant minutes, even if he comes off the bench.
--Taavi PailkSource: Shams Charania
January 30, 2026
Cleveland Cavaliers guard
Darius Garland (toe) will miss Friday's game against Phoenix as he continues to recover from a right toe sprain, with his status for the upcoming road trip still uncertain. His absence has elevated
Jaylon Tyson into a steady starting role, and he has responded with 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists across his last five games, making him a strong short-term add.
Sam Merrill is still ramping up but profiles as a viable standard-league option as his minutes stabilize, especially with
Evan Mobley (calf) sidelined for multiple weeks. Garland remains a clear hold.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Atlanta Hawks forward/center
Onyeka Okongwu (mouth) is being evaluated on a day-to-day basis after undergoing a dental procedure and has already been ruled out for Thursday against Houston, with Saturday's game in Indiana also off the table. His next chance to return comes Tuesday in Miami. Atlanta unexpectedly turned to
Christian Koloko as a starter, and he logged 26 minutes with six points, seven rebounds, one steal, and one block, while
Mouhamed Gueye played 21 minutes off the bench with two points, three rebounds, and two assists. Both Koloko and Gueye remain difficult to trust, given the small sample and fluctuating roles, keeping Okongwu as the clear hold.
--Brian DailisanSource: Atlanta Hawks
January 30, 2026
Utah Jazz forward
Lauri Markkanen (rest) will sit out Friday against Brooklyn after appearing in two straight games, giving Utah a scheduled night off for its leading scorer. His absence creates a short-term rotation adjustment, with
Kyle Filipowski expected to step into the starting power forward role. The second-year big has shown efficiency in limited minutes, including 12 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes Wednesday.
Brice Sensabaugh should see a usage bump after scoring 22 points in 26 minutes last game, while
Kyle Anderson and
Taylor Hendricks remain situational pieces.
--Brian DailisanSource: NBA Injury Report
January 30, 2026
Denver Nuggets forward
Cameron Johnson (knee) is hopeful to be cleared before the All-Star break after missing time since late December with a right knee bone bruise. While no firm date is set, the update tightens the window and puts his return on the near-term radar. Johnson is averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game across 28 starts, a modest fantasy profile. His return would squeeze
Jalen Pickett and
Spencer Jones, who have handled spot starts but remain volatile. Johnson profiles as a cautious hold, with limited upside unless his minutes climb quickly.
--Brian DailisanSource: Vinny Benedetto
January 30, 2026
Denver Nuggets guard/forward
Christian Braun (ankle) is aiming to return before the All-Star break after missing time with a left ankle sprain and sitting out Thursday against Brooklyn. The update provides a general target without a defined timetable, leaving his status fluid. The fourth-year guard has yet to find traction this season, averaging 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28.9 minutes across 14 games. Denver has turned to
Jalen Pickett during Braun's absence, though his recent production has dipped.
Spencer Jones,
Bruce Brown, and
Tim Hardaway Jr. have each taken turns filling the rotation, with fluctuating minutes and output.
--Brian DailisanSource: Vinny Benedetto
January 30, 2026
Chicago Bulls forward/center
Jalen Smith (calf) was ruled out for the remainder of Thursday's game against Miami due to right calf tightness after exiting at halftime. Smith finished with 11 points and five rebounds in 15 minutes, leaving Chicago thin up front behind
Nikola Vucevic.
Patrick Williams is the next man up, but remains difficult to trust after posting zero points in 12 minutes and averaging minimal production across his last five games. If the Bulls lean small,
Ayo Dosunmu stands to benefit after delivering 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while Smith is a short-term hold pending updates.
--Brian DailisanSource: Chicago Bulls
January 30, 2026
Washington Wizards guard/forward
Tre Johnson (ankle) was ruled out for the rest of Thursday's game against Milwaukee after turning his left ankle on a jump shot late in the second quarter. The rookie logged just 11 minutes and finished with eight points and two assists before heading to the locker room, putting his short-term availability in question.
Bub Carrington saw a noticeable minutes bump after halftime and posted 13 points, six assists, and four rebounds in 29 minutes, putting him on the streaming radar.
Bilal Coulibaly and
Justin Champagnie should see steadier roles if Johnson misses time, while Johnson himself shapes up as a cautious hold until more clarity arrives.
--Brian DailisanSource: Chase Hughes
January 29, 2026
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard
Mike Conley (back) will sit out the second leg of a back-to-back on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The veteran logged 23 minutes of action off the bench in Wednesday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, but will rest his back on Thursday night. With
Anthony Edwards returning to action,
Bones Hyland was limited to 12 minutes against Dallas. On Thursday, Hyland is likely to have a larger workload, but this is an uncomfortable matchup against a Thunder team that boasts a league-best 105.3 defensive rating.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 29, 2026
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward
Cason Wallace (hip) will return from a one-game absence on Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He recently hurt his left hip and didn't play in Tuesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans. With
Alex Caruso (adductor) and
Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) out of the lineup, Wallace is a welcome addition to the rotation. His return will likely bump
Aaron Wiggins to the second unit, but both players should have a similar workload. Across January, Wallace has averaged 23.0 minutes per game, contributing 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 steals.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 29, 2026
Minnesota Timberwolves center
Rudy Gobert (ankle) will be in the lineup on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The French giant played 21 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Dallas Mavericks and was initially listed as questionable for the second leg of a back-to-back. Gobert was quiet on Wednesday with six points and six rebounds, but he's had a strong month overall. Still, it won't be easy for Gobert to meet fantasy expectations on Thursday, as the Thunder give up the second-fewest fantasy points in the league to centers,
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 29, 2026
Phoenix Suns guard
Collin Gillespie (hand) will return to action on Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons. He has shaken off a right-hand sprain, which kept Gillespie out on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets. Gillespie's return will be huge for a Suns backcourt that's without
Devin Booker (ankle) and
Jalen Green (hamstring). On Thursday, Gillespie faces a difficult matchup against the NBA's second-best defense, but he has been among Phoenix's best performers all season. In January, the Villanova product has posted 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 29, 2026
Denver Nuggets center
Jonas Valanciunas (calf) has officially been cleared for Thursday's matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. He was initially listed as probable as Denver kicks off a back-to-back. Valanciunas has racked up 16.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game since returning from a calf injury. He's in line for another solid outing on Thursday, as centers have been productive against Brooklyn all season. It's unlikely Valanciunas plays in both games of the back-to-back set, making
Zeke Nnaji an appealing fantasy option for Friday.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
January 29, 2026
Denver Nuggets point guard
Jamal Murray (hamstring, hip) will suit up on Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets. The team has upgraded Murray from probable to available, and the Canadian star will continue to lead Denver's offense, with
Nikola Jokic (knee) still out. Murray has averaged 28.5 points and 8.8 assists in January, shooting 50.5 percent from the floor. That said, Murray faces a potential banana skin on Thursday, as Brooklyn has allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to point guards in 2025-26.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
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