NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 2/7

Feb 7th 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

  • Nikola Jokic (hamstring) — In

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — Available

  • Brandon Ingram (toe) — Available

  • DeMar DeRozan (hip) — Out

  • Dejounte Murray (migraine) — Available

  • Jamal Murray (knee) — Out

  • Rudy Gobert (groin) — In

  • Spencer Dinwiddie (traded) — Out

  • RJ Barrett (illness) — Available

  • Jonas Valanciunas (quad) — Available

  • Aaron Gordon (ankle) — In

  • Kyle Anderson (back) — Out

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

New York Knicks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Jericho Sims

  • RJ Barrett (illness) — Available

  • Mitchell Robinson (thumb) — Injured

Immanuel Quickley started in Barrett's stead Sunday, but Miles McBride and Evan Fournier absorbed most of Barrett's time. Randle (34.1%) and Brunson (32.7%) have posted heightened usage rates in the five matches they've played without Barrett this season.

Orlando Magic News

Confirmed Lineup: Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

  • Mo Bamba (suspension) — Out

  • Chuma Okeke (knee) — Injured

Wagner has seemingly hit a wall as the season has progressed. He's registered 19.5% usage during the last eight games after posting a 24.3% rate during the eight previous matches.

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Deandre Ayton

  • Devin Booker (groin) — In

  • Cam Payne (foot) — Injured

  • Landry Shamet (foot) — Injured

Booker confirmed that he will face a minute restriction, which will minimize the impact of his return to some degree. However, Paul, Bridges, and Ayton's offensive roles should diminish, while Torrey Craig, Dario Saric, and Ish Wainright play reduced time.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Joe Harris, Royce O'Neale, Nic Claxton

  • Spencer Dinwiddie (traded) — Out

  • Ben Simmons (knee) — In

  • Dorian Finney-Smith (traded) — Out

  • TJ Warren (injury management) — Not on injury report

  • Yuta Watanabe (back) — Out

  • Kessler Edwards (traded) — Out

  • Kevin Durant (knee) — Injured

  • Seth Curry (adductor) — Injured

Cam Thomas scored 44 or more points in successive games while logging 41.3% usage. However, Simmons and Dinwiddie could start and assume a majority of on-ball reps, causing Thomas to be demoted to a more narrow reserve role.

Atlanta Hawks News

Confirmed Lineup: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, De'Andre Hunter, John Collins, Clint Capela

  • Trae Young (illness) — Not on injury report

  • Dejounte Murray (migraine) — Available

Young has averaged 23.2 points on 39.5% shooting and 11.0 assists in the six games he has played this season following a one-game absence. He's averaged 27.0 points on 43.0% shooting and 9.9 assists throughout the season.

New Orleans Pelicans News

Confirmed Lineup: CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy, Jonas Valanciunas

  • Brandon Ingram (toe) — Available

  • Jonas Valanciunas (quad) — Available

  • Dyson Daniels (ankle) — Injured

  • Zion Williamson (hamstring) — Injured

Offensive opportunities should decline with Ingram and Valanciunas expected to rejoin the lineup. Ingram has posted the fourth-highest usage rate (36.1%) league-wide since returning from injury, causing McCollum's usage to decline to 23.0% in that time.

Chicago Bulls News

Confirmed Lineup: Ayo Dosunmu, Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic

  • DeMar DeRozan (hip) — Out

  • Patrick Williams (ankle) — In

  • Alex Caruso (foot) — In

  • Javonte Green (knee) — Injured

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Injured

DeRozan could struggle to find his spots against Memphis' defense: their opponents have attempted mid-range shots at the eighth-lowest volume (28.7%) and made the third-lowest percentage (40.1%) of those attempts. Vucevic has dished out between four and six assists in the last five games, registering a 20.7% assist rate after posting a 14.4% rate in his first 48 matches this season.

Memphis Grizzlies News

Confirmed Lineup: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman

  • Ja Morant (wrist) — Not on injury report

  • Ziaire Williams (G League) — Out

  • Kennedy Chandler (G League) — Out

  • Jake LaRavia (G League) — Out

  • Steven Adams (knee) — Injured

Tillman posted 11.1% usage and a 15.2% rebound rate while averaging 28.9 minutes during the last three games, and Brandon Clarke averaged 17.9 minutes during those contests. Tillman's bulk should continue to be valued against a Bulls team that has utilized both Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond at the five lately.

Minnesota Timberwolves News

Confirmed Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Rudy Gobert

  • Rudy Gobert (groin) — In

  • Kyle Anderson (back) — Out

  • Austin Rivers (suspension) — Out

  • Jordan McLaughlin (injury management) — Available

  • Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) — Injured

Anderson left Sunday's game early again due to back spasms, but coach Finch admitted postgame that they took a cautious approach after they got out to an early lead against a shorthanded Nuggets team. Russell made 44.7% of his 10.3 three-point attempts per game during the previous ten matches, but his hot shooting will be tested against a healthier Denver team that allowed the fewest made threes per game (10.2) at the fourth-lowest percentage (33.9%) during their last 15 contests.

Denver Nuggets News

Confirmed Lineup: Bruce Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

  • Nikola Jokic (hamstring) — In

  • Jamal Murray (knee) — Out

  • Aaron Gordon (ankle) — In

  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (ankle) — In

  • Zeke Nnaji (shoulder) — Out

  • Jack White (adductor) — Available

Coach Malone appears set to continue to deploy Christian Braun instead of Bones Hyland, at least until the trade deadline. Braun has registered a usage rate 15.4% lower than Hyland's clip when sharing the floor with Murray this season. As a result, Murray and Bruce Brown should generate more of the offense on the second unit.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

  • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (G League) — TBD

  • Ousmane Dieng (G League) — TBD

  • Lu Dort (hamstring) — Injured

  • Aleksej Pokusevski (leg) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

The Thunder have posted a 2-4 record and scored the fifth-fewest points per 100 possessions (109.3) while playing on zero days of rest this season. While the Lakers boast a 7-4 record against teams playing the second game of a back-to-back set, they've allowed the sixth-most points per 100 possessions (118.0) in those contests.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — Available

  • Austin Reaves (hamstring) — Available

James is 36 points away from breaking the all-time scoring record. The Lakers' next two games will be nationally televised, and James could be incentivized to rest. Schroder and Russell Westbrook will handle additional facilitating responsibilities, while Davis and Hachimura will also play inflated offensive roles if James is ruled out.