NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 3/28

Mar 28th 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

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) — Out

  • Ja Morant (thigh) — Out

  • Jimmy Butler (neck) — Out

  • Kelly Oubre (shoulder) — Out

  • Jarrett Allen (groin) — Out

  • Jordan Poole (wrist) — Available

  • Gordon Hayward (thumb) — Out

  • Draymond Green (neck) — Available

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Boston Celtics News

Confirmed Lineup: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford

  • Jayson Tatum (hip) — Not on injury report

  • Grant Williams (illness) — Available

  • Payton Pritchard (heel) — Available

  • Danilo Gallinari (ACL) — Injured

Washington Wizards News

Confirmed Lineup: Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Kristaps Porzingis

  • Bradley Beal (knee) — Out

  • Kyle Kuzma (ankle) — Out

  • Monte Morris (groin) — Available

  • Daniel Gafford (foot) — Out

  • Jay Huff (G League) — Out

Delon Wright would start again, and Johnny Davis or Jordan Goodwin would play extended minutes if Morris remains out. Davis logged two assists in 29.9 minutes Sunday, and Goodwin played just 20.5, which contributed to Avdija recording seven assists in an expanded secondary facilitating role. Additionally, Porzingis and Avdija could be more involved in the rebounding effort if coach Unseld Jr. deploys smaller lineups in Gafford's potential absence.

Cleveland Cavaliers News

Confirmed Lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Lamar Stevens, Evan Mobley

  • Jarrett Allen (groin) — Out

  • Isaac Okoro (knee) — Out

  • Dean Wade (illness) — Out

  • Raul Neto (hamstring) — Out

  • Danny Green (health protocols) — Out

Lamar Stevens should get the starting nod if Allen is ruled out, and Caris LeVert will project to start if Okoro is sidelined after getting the second-half nod in Okoro's stead Sunday. Cedi Osman will play increased minutes if either Allen or Okoro are unavailable. Garland (+2.1%) and Stevens (+1.6%) have logged positive usage differentials, while Ricky Rubio (+4.5%), Mobley (+2.7%), and Osman (+1.9%) have posted the highest rebound rate differentials on the team in games Allen has missed this season.

Atlanta Hawks News

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

  • Jalen Johnson (hamstring, groin) — Injured

Capela has posted a heightened 23.7% rebound rate as he's secured at least 12 boards in four of the last five games. He could continue to succeed if Jarrett Allen (groin) is sidelined for Cleveland. The Cavs registered the second-worst rebound rate (45.7%) league-wide when Allen was recently sidelined for four games.

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Kevin Love, Bam Adebayo

  • Kyle Lowry (knee) — Available

  • Gabe Vincent (back) — In

  • Jimmy Butler (neck) — Out

  • Cody Zeller (nose) — Not on injury report

  • Nikola Jovic (back) — Out

Adebayo has struggled against the Raptors, exceeding 19 points just once as he averaged 15.8 points on reduced 21.1% usage in 12 matchups during the last four seasons.

Toronto Raptors News

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

  • Gary Trent Jr. (elbow) — Out

  • Will Barton (ankle) — Out

  • Dalano Banton (thumb) — Out

  • Joe Wieskamp (hamstring) — Out

  • Otto Porter (toe) — Injured

Orlando Magic News

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

  • Kevon Harris (elbow) — Out

  • Jonathan Isaac (adductor) — Injured

The Magic could give a Grizzlies team that has posted the third-best defensive rating (110.8) a battle on the road, especially with Ja Morant (thigh) expected to be sidelined. They should at least be involved in a low-scoring contest. Orlando has allowed the fewest points per 100 possessions (108.4) and scored the third-fewest (107.0) as they've gone 7-6 against teams with top-ten defensive ratings on the road this season.

Memphis Grizzlies News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman

  • Ja Morant (thigh) — Out

  • Vince Williams Jr. (shoulder) — Out

  • Ziaire Williams (foot, ankle) — Injured

  • Brandon Clarke (Achilles) — Injured

  • Steven Adams (knee) — Injured

One of Luke Kennard and Santi Aldama will likely step up in Morant's expected absence, especially if coach Jenkins deploys a nine-man rotation. In the nine games Morant recently missed, Jackson Jr. (28.7%) and Bane (27.5%) were the only Grizzlies starters to post usage rates above 19.0%, while Jones (32.9%) and Bane (22.2%) posted the highest assist rates on the team.

Charlotte Hornets News

Confirmed Lineup: Theo Maledon, Bryce McGowens, Svi Mykhailiuk, PJ Washington, Nick Richards

  • Terry Rozier (foot) — Out

  • Kelly Oubre (shoulder) — Out

  • Gordon Hayward (thumb) — Out

  • Dennis Smith Jr. (toe) — Out

  • Xavier Sneed (signed) — TBD

  • Cody Martin (knee) — Injured

  • LaMelo Ball (ankle) — Injured

Coach Clifford said Monday that he would rotate using three centers for the remainder of the season on a game-to-game basis, with Mark Williams sitting this upcoming match. Though Smith Jr. should handle even more facilitating responsibilities in Hayward's expected absence, the rotation could remain fairly stable if Oubre returns as Hayward is unavailable. Alternatively, Bryce McGowens would likely start while James Bouknight also plays increased minutes.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

Confirmed Lineup: Josh Giddey, Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) — Out

  • Lindy Waters III (foot) — Out

  • Kenrich Williams (wrist) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

Waters III averaged 26.5 minutes during the last two games Gilgeous-Alexander missed. Ousmane Dieng, Tre Mann, and Aaron Wiggins will now be candidates for extended minutes if Gilgeous-Alexander is sidelined. Expect Giddey and Jalen Williams, in particular, to shoulder more of the offensive effort in that event.

New Orleans Pelicans News

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

  • Jose Alvarado (leg) — Injured

  • Zion Williamson (hamstring) — Injured

Murphy scored a career-high 41 points while shooting nine-for-14 from three on March 12 and was supposed to revert to a lower-volume role when Ingram returned for the next match, but that hasn't been the case. Instead, Murphy made at least three shots from downtown during the next six games before shooting one-for-seven from three in Monday's blowout win. He's attempted 9.0 threes per game during the last seven matches, connecting on 46.0% of those tries.

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Stephen Curry, Donte DiVincenzo, Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green

  • Jordan Poole (wrist) — Available

  • Draymond Green (neck) — Available

  • Gary Payton II (Achilles) — Available

  • Andrew Wiggins (personal) — Out

  • Andre Iguodala (wrist) — Injured

  • Ryan Rollins (foot) — Injured