NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 2/6

Feb 6th 2023Connor Learn

Each day, this column will provide live updates for all NBA news. Enjoy up-to-the-minute alerts for injuries and lineup confirmations. The Key News to Watch section will highlight notable injuries to monitor for the current NBA slate.

Key NBA News to Watch

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) — Available

  • De'Aaron Fox (personal) — In

  • Jaylen Brown (illness) — Out

  • Bradley Beal (foot) — Out

  • Keldon Johnson (ankle) — Available

  • Christian Wood (thumb) — In

  • Spencer Dinwiddie (traded) — Out

  • Ben Simmons (knee) — Out

  • Tre Jones (foot) — Out

  • Isaiah Stewart (hip) — Available

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Boston Celtics News

Confirmed Lineup: Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Robert Williams

  • Jaylen Brown (illness) — Out

  • Luke Kornet (ankle) — Out

  • Marcus Smart (ankle) — Injured

  • Danilo Gallinari (ACL) — Injured

The Pistons have posted the second-worst defensive rating (119.4) in the league. The Celtics have registered the best winning percentage (92.3%), point differential (+15.7), offensive rating (125.2), and defensive rating (109.5) against teams with bottom-ten defensive ratings this season.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Jaden Ivey, Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren

  • Isaiah Stewart (hip) — Available

  • Cory Joseph (back) — Available

  • Marvin Bagley (hand) — Injured

  • Cade Cunningham (shin) — Injured

Saddiq Bey will likely start while Isaiah Livers, Hamidou Diallo, and Kevin Knox absorb Stewart's minutes if he's ruled out. Detroit's rebounding efforts could be compromised against a Celtics team that leads the league with a 74.7% defensive rebound rate in that event.

Cleveland Cavaliers News

Confirmed Lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

  • Caris LeVert (hamstring) — In

  • Ricky Rubio (injury management) — Out

  • Dylan Windler (ankle) — Injured

Mitchell has struggled and been less aggressive since returning from his groin injury for a second time, logging diminished 24.2% usage and a 41.8 eFG% during the last four matches. As a result, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and either LeVert or Cedi Osman have played expanded roles.

Washington Wizards News

Confirmed Lineup: Monte Morris, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford

  • Bradley Beal (foot) — Out

  • Anthony Gill (conditioning) — Available

  • Kyle Kuzma (ankle) — Out

Beal (+5.0%), Kispert (+2.9%), and Porzingis (+2.4%) have registered positive usage differentials with Kuzma and Rui Hachimura off the court this season. Morris (+7.3%), Porzingis (+6.6%), and Jordan Goodwin (+6.6%) have logged the highest usage differentials on the team with Beal, Kuzma, and Hachimura off the floor thus far.

Los Angeles Clippers News

Confirmed Lineup: Terance Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac

  • John Wall (abdominal) — Injured

Norman Powell has continued his excellent play off the bench, averaging 21.0 points on 26.0% usage and a 66.3 eFG% in his last ten games. He has shot 51.7% from three on 6.0 attempts per game in that span, and his shooting could take on heightened importance if coach Lue continues to avoid utilizing Luke Kennard in the rotation.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Edmond Sumner, Cam Thomas, Joe Harris, Royce O'Neale, Nic Claxton

  • Spencer Dinwiddie (traded) — Out

  • Ben Simmons (knee) — Out

  • Seth Curry (adductor) — Injured

  • Dorian Finney-Smith (traded) — Out

  • TJ Warren (shin) — Available

  • David Duke Jr. (G League) — Available

  • Kevin Durant (knee) — Injured

Cam Thomas (43.5%), Sumner (28.9%), and Patty Mills (20.8%) led a shorthanded Nets team in usage Saturday, but their roles should decline slightly in Warren's expected return. Simmons rejoining the lineup could reduce their time and on-ball reps as well.

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Josh Richardson, Malaki Branham, Keldon Johnson, Keita Bates-Diop, Jakob Poeltl

  • Keldon Johnson (ankle) — Available

  • Tre Jones (foot) — Out

  • Jeremy Sochan (back) — Out

  • Romeo Langford (adductor) — Out

  • Blake Wesley (G League) — Available

  • Dominick Barlow (G League) — Available

  • Devin Vassell (knee) — Injured

Josh Richardson led the Spurs with seven assists Friday and could continue to play a lead facilitating role if Jones remains out. Branham averaged 24.0 points in the last two games on 21.2% usage and an unsustainable 77.6 eFG%. However, if Johnson is ruled out, Branham could be asked to generate more offense.

Chicago Bulls News

Confirmed Lineup: Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic

  • Patrick Williams (ankle) — In

  • Alex Caruso (foot) — Out

  • Javonte Green (knee) — Injured

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Injured

DeRozan has averaged 35.0 points on 60.6% shooting and 32.0% usage in three games against the Spurs since being traded to the Bulls.

Sacramento Kings News

Confirmed Lineup: De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

  • De'Aaron Fox (personal) — In

Sabonis averaged 22.0 points on 21.9% usage, a 25.9% defensive rebound rate, and a 43.9% assist rate as the Kings averaged 137.0 points in their two victories over the Rockets last month. He could play a more substantial role along with Davion Mitchell, Malik Monk, and Huerter, in particular, if Fox misses another game.

Houston Rockets News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Green, Eric Gordon, KJ Martin, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

  • Eric Gordon (knee) — Not on injury report

  • Jae'Sean Tate (injury management) — Not on injury report

  • Garrison Mathews (toe) — Out

  • Kevin Porter Jr. (foot) — Injured

Porter Jr. was injured late in the first quarter of the first of Houston's back-to-back losses against the Kings last month. Green (32.6%) and Smith Jr. (20.9%) posted elevated usage rates, while Sengun led the team with a 40.5% assist rate during those matches.

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: McKinley Wright, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, Reggie Bullock, Dwight Powell

  • Luka Doncic (heel) — Out

  • Kyrie Irving (traded) — Out

  • Christian Wood (thumb) — In

  • Frank Ntilikina (illness) — Available

  • Markieff Morris (traded) — Out

  • Davis Bertans (calf) — Injured

  • Maxi Kleber (hamstring) — Injured

McKinley Wright, Jaden Hardy, and Ntilikina should function as the lead facilitators; Wright served as Spencer Dinwiddie's backup while Ntilikina was out of the rotation with Doncic sidelined Saturday. Hardaway Jr., Hardy, and Wright will likely lead the team in usage if Wood isn't cleared to rejoin the lineup.

Utah Jazz News

Confirmed Lineup: Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, Walker Kessler

  • Jarred Vanderbilt (back) — Out

Oklahoma City Thunder News

Confirmed Lineup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Aaron Wiggins, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams

  • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (G League) — Out

  • Ousmane Dieng (G League) — Out

  • Eugene Omoruyi (G League) — Available

  • Lindy Waters (G League) — Available

  • Lu Dort (hamstring) — Injured

  • Aleksej Pokusevski (leg) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded a +3.4% usage differential in games Dort has missed this season, taking on more offensive responsibilities while the remaining wings play less active roles than Dort. That includes when Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points and seven assists while shooting 10-for-24 from the floor and 10-for-10 from the free throw line for a 128-120 home loss to the Warriors last Monday.

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green

  • Andre Iguodala (hip) — Out

  • Stephen Curry (leg) — Injured

Poole (35.2%), Thompson (27.6%), and Wiggins (24.0%) have posted elevated usage rates with Curry off the floor this season. Similarly, Thompson (27.8%), Poole (27.5%), and Wiggins (20.4%) led the Warriors in usage in the 224 minutes they played together with Curry off the court last season.

Milwaukee Bucks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) — Available

  • Bobby Portis (knee) — Injured

The Bucks are undefeated and have registered the best defensive rating (107.2) in the league since Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton returned seven games ago. Antetokounmpo averaged 25.3 points in the paint during the last six games, and Portland allowed the third-most points in the paint per game (55.8) during their last ten contests.

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Jerami Grant, Drew Eubanks

  • Drew Eubanks (back) — Available

  • Gary Payton II (illness) — Available

  • Ibou Badji (knee) — Out

  • Jusuf Nurkic (calf) — Injured

  • Justise Winslow (ankle) — Injured

Trendon Watford has averaged 24.3 minutes off the bench with Nurkic unavailable for most of the last three games, and Eubanks has averaged 22.6 minutes despite starting in Nurkic's absence. However, Eubanks' superior interior defense and rebounding will likely be valued more against the Bucks, potentially temporarily causing their near-even minute split at the five to end.