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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Confirmed Lineup: Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, Walker Kessler
Jarred Vanderbilt (back) — Out
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.
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.
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.
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.