Victor Wembanyama Returns to Starting Lineup Saturday
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama will return to the starting lineup on Saturday against the Utah Jazz, ESPN's Michael C. Wright reports. Since missing 12 games due to a calf injury, the Spurs have used the French superstar off the bench to better manage his minutes. He has averaged only 21.7 minutes per game since making his comeback. His return to the first unit suggests that Wembanyama is now ready to start logging 30-plus minutes regularly again. Luke Kornet will drop to the bench and won't have much fantasy value if Wembanyama starts logging his usual minutes. Julian Champagnie will also rejoin the starters on Saturday, filling in for De'Aaron Fox (adductor).
Source: Michael C. Wright
Source: Michael C. Wright
Aaron Nesmith Back on Saturday Night
Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (knee) will play on Saturday against Miami. The 2020 No. 14 overall pick averaged a career-high 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds before a sprained left MCL put him on the Injury Report for over a month. He'll presumably be eased back into action, so his fantasy ceiling could be capped for at least a few contests, making him a risky option until he starts seeing around the 30 minutes he logged per contest prior to the injury.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Josh Giddey Cleared to Play Saturday
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (ankle) will suit up for Saturday's tilt against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls conclude a back-to-back, and Giddey was initially listed as questionable for the game after logging 33 minutes in Friday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers. While Giddey had a poor shooting night on Friday, he still logged a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists. He has a favorable matchup on Saturday, as the Bucks rank a lowly 20th in defensive efficiency.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Alperen Sengun Unavailable Saturday
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (calf) will miss his third game of the season on Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Turkish star played through a calf injury on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Lakers but will take Saturday off to rest. Steve Adams will start at center for Houston, with Clint Capela moving up in the depth chart. Jabari Smith Jr. could also see some action as a center. With that said, this is a tough matchup for Houston against Cleveland's twin towers of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn Out Saturday
Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (knee) and forward Ryan Dunn (knee) won't be in the lineup on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Allen will miss a fifth consecutive contest, while Dunn will exit the lineup after appearing in each of the last nine games. The young forward hurt his right knee in Friday's win over the Pelicans. Collin Gillespie, Royce O'Neale, and Jordan Goodwin have seen increased roles because of Phoenix's injuries and continue to offer added fantasy value on Saturday, although the latter two were quiet against New Orleans on Friday.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Mark Williams Available Saturday
Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (knee) will be active on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The two teams meet for a second consecutive night in New Orleans, and Williams was initially considered questionable for the game due to right knee injury management. The injury-prone big man will play both games in a back-to-back situation for the first time this season. He had a great night against the Pelicans on Friday, recording 24 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 27 minutes.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Goga Bitadze Misses Third Consecutive Game
Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (knee) will miss a third consecutive game on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. The Georgian giant hasn't been able to play this week after spraining his left knee. Since his departure from the lineup, Jonathan Isaac has taken on a few extra minutes. However, Isaac has not made a fantasy impact. Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. will be in for a challenging night on Saturday against Nikola Jokic. He enjoyed the battle in this season's first head-to-head meeting, scoring 26 points in 29 minutes during a 126-115 loss on Dec. 18.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jalen Suggs Remains Out Saturday
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (hip) will be out for a sixth consecutive game on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. He continues to nurse a left hip contusion, and Suggs' absence allows Tyus Jones to start. Despite the starting role, Jones has not been a productive fantasy contributor. Anthony Black has benefited more from Suggs' absence, taking additional touches on the offensive end. Black has notched 20-plus points in four of five games since Suggs exited the lineup.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
De'Aaron Fox Sits Out Saturday's Game
San Antonio Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox (adductor) won't play in Saturday's matchup against the Utah Jazz. He picked up a questionable tag on the initial injury report and has now been ruled out due to an adductor issue. With Fox sidelined, Julian Champagnie could land back in the first unit on Saturday, though Dylan Harper is also a candidate to start. Meanwhile, players like Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Victor Wembanyama could get more scoring opportunities in an excellent matchup against the Jazz, who have the NBA's second-worst defense.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Anthony Edwards Available Saturday Night
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (shoulder) will play on Saturday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Initially, he was iffy for the contest after the team listed Edwards as questionable due to a shoulder injury. Edwards went for 44 points on Christmas Day against the Denver Nuggets and has thoroughly enjoyed December. He is averaging 30.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game this month.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Return as Bucks Face Bulls
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Bulls as he works through pregame testing following a right calf strain that has sidelined him since Dec. 3. Antetokounmpo has averaged 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 29.1 minutes across 17 games this season, anchoring Milwaukee's offensive structure when active. If he returns, usage and frontcourt minutes would tilt back in his direction, narrowing recent workloads for Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma, who have averaged 28.9 and 29.2 minutes, respectively, during his absence. Peripheral contributors such as Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. would also see reduced involvement.
Source: Eric Nehm
Source: Eric Nehm
Brandon Williams Appears Unlikely to Play vs. Sacramento
Dallas Mavericks guard Brandon Williams (calf) is doubtful for Saturday's game against the Kings, leaving his backcourt availability in question. Williams logged 30 minutes in the previous contest, producing 26 points, three rebounds, and three assists before landing on the injury report. If Williams is sidelined, rookie Ryan Nembhard would be positioned to handle steadier point guard minutes after averaging 6.4 points and 5.8 assists in 24.4 minutes across recent appearances. D'Angelo Russell could also reenter the rotation in a limited capacity, though his role has remained inconsistent when available.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Alperen Sengun Questionable Saturday Against Cavaliers
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (calf) is questionable for Saturday's matchup against the Cavaliers after carrying the same designation on Christmas Day. Sengun ultimately played in that contest, posting 14 points and 12 rebounds across 31 minutes, suggesting his workload can remain intact when available. If Sengun is sidelined, Steven Adams and Clint Capela would factor into a split at center, though recent usage points to defined limitations. Adams has averaged 21.6 minutes with a rebound-focused role over his last five games, while Capela has logged only 6.6 minutes during that span. The Rockets also tend to go small, which further limits reliability for both replacement options.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Mike Conley May Miss Saturday's Game Against Nets
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (rest) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Nets after the team limited his minutes to under 10 last time out. Conley's status comes alongside Anthony Edwards' (shoulder) questionable designation, adding uncertainty to Minnesota's backcourt availability. If Conley sits, Bones Hyland would likely handle more on-ball work after logging 23 minutes last game and averaging 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over his last five. Rob Dillingham could also enter the rotation in a limited capacity, as needed.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
De'Aaron Fox Appears on Injury Report for Saturday
San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (adductor) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Jazz after landing on the injury report following Christmas Day. Fox handled his usual workload in that contest, finishing with 29 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block while shooting 63.2 percent from the field. If Fox is unavailable, ball-handling duties would need redistribution within a crowded guard group, where Dylan Harper has averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 19.9 minutes over his last five games, while Julian Champagnie has logged 20.9 minutes with modest production. Both have seen their roles tighten when the Spurs backcourt is fully healthy.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
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