Marcus Smart Unavailable Against San Antonio
ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports that Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (ankle) won't suit up against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. Smart will get the evening off for right ankle soreness, maintenance. The 31-year-old veteran guard collected 19 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals during Monday's loss to OKC. LeBron James (foot), Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (calf) will sit out tonight as well, so Nick Smith Jr. and Kobe Bufkin could take on heavier workloads than usual.
Source: Dave McMenamin
Source: Dave McMenamin
Dyson Daniels May Miss Another Game Due to Ankle Issue
Atlanta Hawks guard/forward Dyson Daniels (ankle) is questionable for Wednesday's contest against the Charlotte Hornets. The versatile Australian continues to battle inflammation in his right ankle, which kept him out of Monday's matchup against Minnesota. Daniels' absence allowed CJ McCollum to start, and the veteran had an outstanding performance with a game-high 38 points in 33 minutes. At the same time, Corey Kisper got additional burn off the bench and contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and one block in 31 minutes.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Jalen Johnson Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (knee) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's tilt against the Charlotte Hornets. He is facing a second consecutive absence due to left knee inflammation. With Johnson unavailable, Asa Newell got the nod to start on Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had a limited role in the contest, notching two points, four rebounds, and one assist in 25 minutes. Mouhamed Gueye is also in a position to see more action, but he was ejected from Monday's game early in the fourth quarter.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Dominick Barlow in Danger of Missing Second Straight Game
Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow (illness) is considered questionable for Wednesday's matchup with the New York Knicks. Due to illness, Barlow sat out Monday's loss to Portland, and Philadelphia may now be without its starting forward for another game. Trendon Watford filled in for Barlow in the first unit on Monday, finishing with 12 points, two rebounds, and three assists in 25 games. Justin Edwards saw additional action off the bench and tallied 12 points with four rebounds, two assists, and three steals. The two look set for a busier night again if Barlow doesn't return against the Knicks.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
LeBron James Out Against Spurs
On Tuesday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports that Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) will not play against the San Antonio Spurs. James will sit out the second leg of a back-to-back for injury maintenance after finishing with 22 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists in 36 minutes during Monday's loss to OKC. Luka Doncic (hamstring), Austin Reaves (calf), and Marcus Smart (ankle) will also be sidelined. With several key contributors out of action, the Lakers will be forced to rely heavily on their remaining rotation, creating additional usage opportunities for players like Luke Kennard and Dalton Knecht during tonight's matchup.
Source: Dave McMenamin
Source: Dave McMenamin
Quentin Grimes Still Dealing With Illness, Questionable to Play Wednesday
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Quentin Grimes (illness) could miss a second consecutive game on Wednesday versus the New York Knicks, as the team has listed him as questionable on the injury report. Grimes missed Monday's loss to Portland due to illness after being a late addition to the injury report. With Grimes out of the mix, Kyle Lowry made his first appearance in nearly a month. The veteran guard had six points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, and one block in 18 minutes. Unfortunately, the days of Lowry providing fantasy value are long gone.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Joel Embiid Questionable to Face Knicks Wednesday
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's Eastern Conference showdown against the New York Knicks. Embiid has been a regular in the lineup since January but didn't play in Monday's loss to Portland to manage his knee injury. The former MVP hasn't missed back-to-back games since mid-December. Another absence for Embiid on Wednesday would allow Andre Drummond to remain in the starting lineup. He had 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in Monday's tilt. Adam Bona served as the backup center, finishing with seven points and one board.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Austin Reaves Sidelined on Tuesday
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (calf) will not play against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. The 27-year-old will sit out the back end of a back-to-back due to left calf injury management, with his next opportunity to return coming Thursday against the Mavericks. Luka Doncic (hamstring), LeBron James (foot), and Marcus Smart (ankle) are also expected to miss Tuesday's contest. As a result, Dalton Knecht, Kobe Bufkin, Nick Smith, and Luke Kennard should be more involved in the rotation this evening.
Source: Broderick Turner
Source: Broderick Turner
Norman Powell Will Not Play Wednesday
Miami Heat guard/forward Norman Powell (back) was listed as out for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans. Powell will be missing his second straight game with this back issue after missing three games a couple of weeks ago due to a hand injury. Powell has been excellent when available for the Heat this season, averaging 23.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 30.6 minutes per game. Pelle Larsson (elbow), who would normally help fill in for Powell, is also out, meaning more work in this favorable matchup for Simone Fotechhio, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Andrew Wiggins (toe) if he can play through his questionable tag.
Source: Ira Winderman
Source: Ira Winderman
Jalen Smith Unlikely to Play Wednesday Against the Celtics
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (calf) was listed as doubtful for his team's matchup in Boston on Wednesday, meaning he's likely to miss his third straight game and his fifth game in Chicago's last seven. Smith has been puttin gup bit numbers, averaging 13.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 25.9 minutes per game over his last 11 contests (eight starts). After the Bulls traded Nikola Vucevic to the Celtics at the trade deadline, Smith could be in for an expanded role when available the rest of the season. The 25-year-old has been a great per-minute producer this year and will be worth a roster spot in most standard leagues when he's able to resume a full workload. With the week off for the All-Star break after Wednesday's game, though, it makes sense for the Bulls to be cautious for this contest. Without Smith, Guershon Yabusele, Matas Buzelis, Nick Richards, and Patrick Williams will continue to hold down the frontcourt.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Luka Doncic Out Tuesday Against the Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) will miss a third straight game on Tuesday night, when his team hosts the Spurs. Doncic is dealing with a mild hamstring strain, according to what coach JJ Redick said last Saturday. The star guard is averaging 32.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.6 assists in 35 minutes per game in his 41 games this season. Without him, Austin Reaves and LeBron James will have to pick up more of the workload again on Tuesday night, while newcomer Luke Kennard and veteran Marcus Smart will likely get more work as well. Reaves just returned from an extended absence with a calf injury, so his availability will be key to watch for this Tuesday as well.
Source: Dave McMenamin
Source: Dave McMenamin
Ivica Zubac Out for "A While"
Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (ankle) will not make his Pacers' debut in either game of the team's back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to coach Rick Carlisle. Carlisle said that Zubac will be out through the break and added, "I don't think he's going to play for a while. He's got a lingering ankle situation." Zubac was acquired from the Clippers before the trade deadline as a key piece for the Pacers' future roster after Tyrese Haliburton returns from his injury. Until then, the team doesn't have much motivation to push him to return early, since they are only 13-40 and well out of the playoff picture, and also likely looking to improve their draft position. The team will continue to lean heavily on Jay Huff, Jarace Walker, and Micah Potter in the frontcourt while Zubac is out.
Source: Alex Golden
Source: Alex Golden
Josh Giddey Doubtful Again on Wednesday
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (hamstring) is unlikely to return to the Bulls before the All-Star break, since he was listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Celtics. Giddey and Tre Jones (hamstring) are both doubtful for the team's last game before the break, leaving new Bulls Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, and Rob Dillingham likely to carry the workload. Giddey and Jones will fit into the new-look rotation when they're healthy, but until then, the new acquisitions should continue to get a chance to earn their roles with their new team on Wednesday in Boston.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Dalen Terry Will Sign Two-Way Contract With Sixers
Free-agent guard/forward Dalen Terry will join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-way contract and could be active for up to 18 of the final 29 games of the season. Terry was traded from the Bulls to the Knicks for Guerschon Yabusele and then to the Pelicans for Jose Alvarado. New Orleans waived Terry, who will now join the wing rotation for the Sixers. He played 204 games with the Bulls over the last four seasons since being drafted as the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He has averaged only 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 11.1 minutes per game in his NBA career and isn't likely to make much of an impact with Philadelphia either. It is worth watching his fit with his new team, though, especially as the Sixers look to figure out their rotation without Paul George for a while.
Source: Adam Aaronson
Source: Adam Aaronson
Klay Thompson Could Be Rested Tuesday
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Klay Thompson (rest) is on the injury report with a questionable tag ahead of Tuesday's tilt against the Phoenix Suns. Luckily, the veteran isn't dealing with an injury, but the team is undecided about whether to rest Thompson for the game. Thompson has improved his productivity since the turn of the year, averaging 13.4 points over his last 14 appearances. Khris Middleton is available for his Mavericks debut on Tuesday and will likely soak up most of Thompson's minutes if needed. Middleton is projected to be a bench contributor in Dallas, limiting his fantasy upside.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
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