NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 3/19

Mar 19th 2023

Connor 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

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — In

  • Trae Young (knee) — Available

  • Zach Collins (biceps) — Available

  • Brook Lopez (ankle) — Available

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Denver Nuggets News

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

Jokic excelled in Denver's 122-120 home loss to Brooklyn a week ago, finishing with 35 points on 31.3% usage, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists. Porter Jr. was also sharp, scoring 23 points on nine-for-12 shooting. However, Murray struggled, scoring 16 points on five-for-19 shooting, and Denver's reserves scored just 25 points.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Nic Claxton

  • Moses Brown (signed) — Available

  • Ben Simmons (knee, back) — Injured

Bridges led the team with 25 points on seven-for-16 shooting in their 122-120 road win over Denver a week ago. Claxton finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists on eight-for-nine shooting, while Dinwiddie scored 15 points on five-for-15 shooting but led the Nets with 16 assists. Brooklyn connected on 17 of their 44 threes against a Nuggets team that has allowed the third-fewest made threes per game (11.1) during their last 15 matches.

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Torrey Craig, Bismack Biyombo

  • Deandre Ayton (hip) — Out

  • Landry Shamet (foot) — In

  • Kevin Durant (ankle) — Injured

Paul and Booker will be tasked with even more responsibilities than they typically would in Ayton's absence due to Okogie and Craig playing less-involved roles than Phoenix has gotten out of their forward play for much of the season. Booker (+3.3%) and Paul (+2.5%) have registered positive usage differentials and similarly have recorded rebound rate differentials of +2.0% or higher with Ayton, Durant, Cam Johnson, and Mikal Bridges off the floor this season.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

  • Kenrich Williams (wrist) — Injured

  • Aleksej Pokusevski (leg) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

Atlanta Hawks News

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

  • Trae Young (knee) — Available

  • Jalen Johnson (hamstring) — Out

In the four games Young has missed with most of Atlanta's rotation available this season, Murray (29.2%), Hunter (23.0%), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (21.9%) posted heightened usage rates, while Murray (+8.8%) and Bogdanovic (+5.6%) registered positive assist rate differentials.

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Tre Jones, Malaki Branham, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins

  • Zach Collins (biceps) — Available

  • Jeremy Sochan (knee) — Out

  • Devonte' Graham (quad) — Out

  • Doug McDermott (hip) — Out

  • Keita Bates-Diop (Achilles) — Available

  • Romeo Langford (injury management) — Not on injury report

  • Julian Champagnie (G League) — Available

  • Charles Bassey (knee) — Injured

  • Khem Birch (knee) — Injured

Sandro Mamukelashvili will project to start if Collins is ruled out. In his brief Spurs tenure, Mamukelashvili has registered a usage rate 6.0% lower and an assist rate 11.1% lower than what Collins has posted since becoming a full-time starter. Johnson (+3.7%), Branham (+2.4%), and Jones (+2.4%) have recorded positive usage differentials, while Vassell has led the team with a +4.2% assist rate differential with Collins and Jakob Poeltl off the court this season.

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, Bam Adebayo

  • Kyle Lowry (knee) — Available

  • Nikola Jovic (ankle) — Available

  • Cody Zeller (nose) — Injured

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Killian Hayes, Jaden Ivey, Rodney McGruder, Marvin Bagley, James Wiseman

  • Marvin Bagley (ankle) — Not on injury report

  • Isaiah Livers (hip) — Out

  • Alec Burks (foot) — Out

  • RJ Hampton (back) — Out

  • Isaiah Stewart (shoulder) — Injured

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles) — Injured

  • Hamidou Diallo (ankle) — Injured

  • Cade Cunningham (shin) — Injured

Bagley's return should add more balance to Detroit's rotation, placing less pressure on the centers and guards to score while Eugene Omoruyi is relegated to backup power forward duties. Rodney McGruder has started the last six matches, shooting 56.8% from downtown while making 3.5 three-point attempts per game, but will likely be demoted to the bench if Livers returns.

New Orleans Pelicans News

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

  • Jose Alvarado (leg) — Injured

  • Zion Williamson (hamstring) — Injured

Ingram led the team with 31 points on heightened 34.9% usage and six assists in their 114-112 road loss to the Rockets on Friday. Valanciunas contributed 22 points and 17 rebounds in 34.1 minutes after not exceeding 20.8 minutes during his previous four contests. McCollum finished with 14 points on five-for-12 shooting, and he's logged reduced 18.2% usage in the two games he's played against Houston this season with Ingram available.

Houston Rockets News

Confirmed Lineup: Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, KJ Martin, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Green excelled in Houston's 114-112 home win over New Orleans on Friday, contributing 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists despite shooting one-for-seven from downtown. Porter Jr. shot five-for-12 from three on his way to finishing with 20 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Sengun submitted a 17-point, 11-rebound performance on eight-for-17 shooting, playing 36.4 minutes while the Pelicans were willing to utilize Jonas Valanciunas for extended time.

Toronto Raptors News

Confirmed Lineup: Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl

  • Dalano Banton (thumb) — Out

  • Otto Porter (toe) — Injured

VanVleet enters this matchup having played well this week, posting elevated 26.2% usage and recording a 66.7 eFG% during Toronto's last three matches. He thrived in the first two matchups with Milwaukee this season, averaging 33.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 9.5 assists on 27.3% usage while averaging 5.0 made threes on 13.0 three-point attempts per game. Additionally, the Bucks allowed the most made threes per game (17.6) during their last five contests.

Milwaukee Bucks News

Projected Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

  • Brook Lopez (ankle) — Available

  • Grayson Allen (foot) — Available

  • Jae Crowder (calf) — Out

  • Meyers Leonard (calf) — Out

  • Goran Dragic (knee) — Out

  • AJ Green (two-way) — Inactive

  • Thanasis Antetokounmpo (not with team) — Out

The Bucks have a 12-1 record against opponents playing on zero days of rest this season, allowing the second-fewest points per 100 possessions (108.3) during those matches. That includes a 7-0 record at home and a 130-122 home victory over Toronto on January 17th.

Los Angeles Clippers News

Confirmed Lineup: Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac

  • Brandon Boston Jr. (tailbone) — Out

  • Norman Powell (shoulder) — Injured

On the heels of their five-game losing streak, the Trail Blazers have now recorded the seventh-lowest point differential (-1.6) in the league. The Clippers have the eighth-lowest point differential (-1.0) this season but have thrived against the other nine teams with bottom-ten point differentials, posting a 19-3 record and allowing the second-fewest points per 100 possessions (107.4).

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Cam Reddish, Jusuf Nurkic

  • Jerami Grant (quad) — Out

  • Nassir Little (illness) — Available

  • Ibou Badji (knee) — Injured

  • Justise Winslow (ankle) — Injured

The Trail Blazers will remain increasingly reliant on Lillard and Simons in Grant's continued absence, but they will face off with a Clippers team that has allowed opposing lead guards to flourish recently. Markelle Fultz scored 28 points, Stephen Curry scored 50, Immanuel Quickley scored 26, Tyus Jones scored 25, and De'Aaron Fox scored 33 against Los Angeles during their last six contests.

Orlando Magic News

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

  • Jalen Suggs (concussion) — Out

  • Jonathan Isaac (adductor) — Injured

Carter Jr. has been sharp in four games following a hip injury, averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds while recording increased usage (21.4%) and defensive rebound rates (22.4%), in addition to a 66.9 eFG%. His 7.7 points in the paint per game rank fourth on the team behind Fultz, Wagner, and Banchero. The Magic will face off with a Lakers team that's allowed the third-most points in the paint per game (57.6) during their last 10 contests.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Troy Brown Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Davis

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — In

  • Mo Bamba (ankle) — Injured

  • LeBron James (foot) — Injured