NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 2/9

Feb 9th 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

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Out

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — Available

  • DeMar DeRozan (hip) — Available

  • Jamal Murray (knee) — Out

  • Nic Claxton (hamstring) — Out

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Jamal Murray (knee) — Out

  • Zeke Nnaji (shoulder) — Doubtful

  • Thomas Bryant (acquired) — Out

  • Bones Hyland (traded) — Out

  • Davon Reed (traded) — Out

Although Bruce Brown went to the locker room during the first quarter, Ish Smith played 14.0 first-half minutes with Murray sidelined and Bones Hyland out of the rotation Monday, finishing with eight points, four rebounds, and seven assists on four-for-six shooting in a blowout win. Jokic and Porter Jr. played longer into the first quarter and also played expanded roles sans Murray.

Orlando Magic News

Confirmed Lineup: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

  • Gary Harris (adductor) — Out

  • Mo Bamba (traded) — Out

  • Patrick Beverley (acquired) — Out

  • Chuma Okeke (G League) — Out

The Nuggets boast the best offensive rating (119.4) league-wide. The Magic have posted a 6-14 record and the worst offensive rating (107.8) against teams with top-ten offensive ratings. However, their defense has held up surprisingly well against those teams, allowing the fourth-fewest points per 100 possessions (112.5).

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Chris Paul, Damion Lee, Torrey Craig, Jock Landale, Deandre Ayton

  • Devin Booker (injury management) — Out

  • TJ Warren (acquired) — Out

  • Dario Saric (traded) — Out

  • Darius Bazley (acquired) — Out

  • Kevin Durant (knee) — Injured

  • Cam Payne (foot) — Injured

  • Landry Shamet (foot) — Injured

Paul and Ayton figure to play even more central roles in a shorthanded Suns lineup, but additional options will need to step up. Damion Lee and either Josh Okogie or Saben Lee should see expanded opportunities to create offense.

Atlanta Hawks News

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

  • Saddiq Bey (acquired) — Out

  • Aaron Holiday (illness) — Out

  • Garrison Mathews (acquired) — Out

  • Bruno Fernando (acquired) — Out

  • Frank Kaminsky (traded) — Out

  • Justin Holiday (traded) — Out

Young dished out 12 assists in 27.2 minutes, while Murray posted 21 points, six rebounds, eight assists and a 76.9 eFG% in Atlanta's 132-100 blowout road win over Phoenix last Wednesday. The Hawks shot 19-for-33 (57.6%) from three during that contest, and the Suns shot four-for-28 (14.3%) from downtown.

Chicago Bulls News

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

  • DeMar DeRozan (hip) — Available

  • Patrick Williams (ankle) — Available

  • Alex Caruso (foot) — Available

  • Javonte Green (knee) — Injured

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Injured

Vucevic (+4.4%), Alex Caruso (+3.5%), and LaVine (+2.1%) have posted positive usage differentials, while Vucevic (+7.0%), Caruso (+4.3%), and Dosunmu (+4.1%) have logged positive assist rate differentials in games DeRozan has missed this season.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Thomas, Royce O'Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith, Day'Ron Sharpe

  • Spencer Dinwiddie (acquired) — Available

  • Mikal Bridges(acquired) — Out

  • Nic Claxton (hamstring) — Out

  • Cam Johnson (acquired) — Out

  • Dorian Finney-Smith (acquired) — Available

  • Jae Crowder (traded) — Out

  • Yuta Watanabe (back) — Available

  • Day'Ron Sharpe (foot) — Available

  • Seth Curry (adductor) — Injured

While difficult to justify taking the ball out of Cam Thomas' hands after he averaged 44.7 points on 39.9% usage and a 65.3 eFG% during the last three games, that will happen with Dinwiddie being added to the lineup. Thomas likely still serves as a sixth man and could close halves if he continues to play well, but his role being scaled down with Dinwiddie available is inevitable.

Milwaukee Bucks News

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

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) — Available

  • Brook Lopez (illness) — Available

  • Jae Crowder (acquired) — Out

  • Joe Ingles (injury management) — Out

  • Jordan Nwora (traded) — Out

  • George Hill (traded) — Out

  • Serge Ibaka (traded) — Out

  • Bobby Portis (knee) — Injured

Antetokounmpo scored 40 or more points during his previous three matchups with the Lakers, including when he scored 40 points on 14-for-23 shooting in early December. Influenced partially by Portis' absence, Lopez registered an 18.2% defensive rebound rate during the previous six matches after recording a 12.6% rate during his first 47 games.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Troy Brown Jr., Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Out

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — Available

  • D'Angelo Russell (acquired) — Out

  • Malik Beasley (acquired) — Out

  • Jarred Vanderbilt (acquired) — Out

  • Thomas Bryant (traded) — Out

  • Davon Reed (acquired) — Out

  • Patrick Beverley (traded) — Out

  • Mo Bambo (acquired) — Out

James has been listed as questionable before the last 11 matches he played and will be honored pregame before this matchup airs on TNT. Davis excelled during the first matchup with the Bucks this season, scoring 44 points on 18-for-27 shooting. However, he averaged 19.3 points on just 20.7% usage during his three previous matches with Milwaukee.