NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 3/7

Mar 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

  • James Harden (foot) — Out

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) — Out

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — In

  • Kyle Kuzma (knee) — In

  • Jrue Holiday (neck) — Out

  • Jalen Brunson (foot) — Out

  • Jordan Clarkson (finger) — Out

  • Wendell Carter Jr. (hip) — Out

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles) — Out

  • D'Angelo Russell (ankle) — Out

  • Draymond Green (hand) — In

  • Jalen Williams (wrist) — Out

  • Tobias Harris (calf) — Out

  • Walker Kessler (illness) — Out

  • Jalen Duren (ankles) — Out

  • Isaiah Stewart (hip) — Out

  • Killian Hayes (hand) — Out

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Milwaukee Bucks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jevon Carter, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) — Out

  • Jrue Holiday (neck) — Out

  • Khris Middleton (injury management) — Not on injury report

  • Goran Dragic (knee) — Out

  • Wesley Matthews (calf) — Injured

Khris Middleton (40.2%), Portis (25.4%), Lopez (23.0%), and Carter (22.1%) have led the team in usage while Middleton (37.5%), Carter (27.4%), and Joe Ingles (27.2%) have posted the highest assist rates among current Bucks with Antetokounmpo and Holiday off the court this season.

Orlando Magic News

Confirmed Lineup: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Moe Wagner

  • Wendell Carter Jr. (hip) — Out

  • Gary Harris (adductor) — Out

  • Admiral Schofield (concussion) — Out

  • Jonathan Isaac (adductor) — Injured

With Carter Jr. and Harris sidelined Sunday, Moe Wagner and Jalen Suggs exceeded 33.0 minutes and 18.0% usage. Their opportunities could remain stable if Carter Jr. or Harris are ruled out again, though Cole Anthony could also provide additional offense after logging 23.9 minutes Sunday.

Washington Wizards News

Confirmed Lineup: Delon Wright, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford

  • Kyle Kuzma (knee) — In

  • Monte Morris (back) — Out

  • Xavier Cooks (signee) — Out

Though Anthony Gill started, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert exceeded 31.0 minutes when Kuzma was sidelined Sunday. Beal (39.8%) and Porzingis (30.9%) posted heightened usage rates as they shouldered more of the offense. In addition, Beal has also recorded an elevated 30.8% assist rate during Morris' absence. He and Delon Wright will be tasked with fewer responsibilities when Morris returns.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Jaden Ivey, Rodney McGruder, Isaiah Livers, Marvin Bagley, James Wiseman

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles) — Out

  • Jalen Duren (ankles) — Out

  • Isaiah Stewart (hip) — Out

  • Killian Hayes (hand) — Out

  • Alec Burks (foot) — Out

  • Rodney McGruder (ankle) — Not on injury report

  • Hamidou Diallo (ankle) — Injured

  • Cade Cunningham (shin) — Injured

Ivey acted as the lead facilitator during the last two games Hayes missed, averaging 12.0 assists during those contests. Cory Joseph, RJ Hampton, Eugene Omoruyi, Jared Rhoden, and Buddy Boeheim are available to complete the rotation. Joseph played 31.6 minutes off the bench Monday.

Charlotte Hornets News

Confirmed Lineup: Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre, Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington, Mark Williams

  • Cody Martin (knee) — Out

  • LaMelo Ball (ankle) — Injured

Charlotte has quietly improved defensively lately, allowing the second-fewest points per 100 possessions (105.5) and fewest made threes per game (9.0) during their last five contests. This improvement will be tested against a Knicks team that registered the second-best offensive rating (124.6) and made the sixth-most threes per game (15.1) during their current nine-game winning streak.

New York Knicks News

Confirmed Lineup: Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson

  • Jalen Brunson (foot) — Out

The lineup condensed with Brunson sidelined for New York's 131-129 double-overtime win Sunday: five players logged 39.8 minutes or more, and the seventh man played 11.5 minutes. Immanuel Quickley attempted 28 field goals, Randle and Barrett both attempted 22, and Robinson's eight shots ranked fourth on the team. Additionally, Quickley led the team with seven assists.

Philadelphia 76ers News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, Joel Embiid

  • James Harden (foot) — Out

  • Tobias Harris (calf) — In

  • PJ Tucker (back) — In

Maxey (+6.3%), Harris (+5.3%), and De'Anthony Melton (+3.4%) posted the highest usage differentials on the team while Maxey (+11.5%), Embiid (+6.9%), and Melton (+6.1%) similarly logged the highest assist rate differentials on the 76ers with Harden off the court this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves News

Confirmed Lineup: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Rudy Gobert

  • Jaylen Nowell (knee) — Out

  • Austin Rivers (neck) — Available

  • Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) — Injured

Through eight games in Minnesota, Conley has logged decreased usage (14.7%) and assist rates (21.4%) compared to his production in Utah this season. Playing with a lower-usage point guard has caused the usage rates of all four other starters to increase compared to their season-long rates, with Gobert (+2.4%) and Anderson (+2.3%) recording the highest differentials.

Brooklyn Nets News

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

  • Edmond Sumner (personal) — Not on injury report

  • Nerlens Noel (signed) — Available

  • Ben Simmons (knee) — Injured

Dinwiddie has registered a +6.9% assist rate differential in games Simmons has missed during his second Nets tenure. Johnson (8.0), Dinwiddie (6.2), Finney-Smith (5.1), and Bridges (4.9) have led Brooklyn in three-point attempts per game during the last nine contests and face a promising matchup against a Rockets team that remains vulnerable to shooting.

Houston Rockets News

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

Porter Jr. has posted 20.9% usage in three games post-injury, 3.9% lower than his season-long clip. Despite averaging a similar amount of touches per minute since Porter Jr. returned, Sengun has logged a usage rate 2.9% lower and an assist rate 7.5% lower than the rates he recorded during Porter Jr.'s absence.

Golden State Warriors News

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

  • Draymond Green (hand) — In

  • Kevon Looney (back) — In

  • Andre Iguodala (hip) — Available

  • Anthony Lamb (two-way) — Ineligible

  • Moses Moody (G League) — Out

  • Andrew Wiggins (personal) — Out

  • Gary Payton II (adductor) — Injured

  • Ryan Rollins (foot) — Injured

Lamb averaged 24.2 minutes off the bench with Wiggins unavailable for the last eight matches but no longer has any games remaining on his two-way contract. Barring Lamb signing a standard deal before they face the Thunder, Jonathan Kuminga and Ty Jerome are candidates to absorb Lamb's time in a remade bench unit.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

  • Jalen Williams (wrist) — Out

  • Kenrich Williams (wrist) — Injured

  • Aleksej Pokusevski (leg) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

While Aaron Wiggins and Ousmane Dieng are the best bets for increased minutes if Jalen Williams is ruled out, Williams' time could be dispersed across the lineup due to the positionless nature of Oklahoma City's roster. It is more certain that Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort, and Giddey will handle additional offensive responsibilities in that event; Gilgeous-Alexander (+2.5%) and Dort (+1.4%) have posted positive usage differentials with Williams off the court this season.

Utah Jazz News

Confirmed Lineup: Talen Horton-Tucker, Ochai Agbaji, Simone Fontecchio, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk

  • Lauri Markkanen (back) — In

  • Jordan Clarkson (finger) — Out

  • Walker Kessler (illness) — Out

  • Micah Potter (G League) — Available

  • Collin Sexton (hamstring) — Injured

Markkanen (30.8%), Horton-Tucker (24.2%), and Simone Fontecchio (22.9%) led the team in usage while Kris Dunn (42.9%) and Horton-Tucker (28.6%) logged elevated assist rates when Clarkson recently missed two games.

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, Reggie Bullock, Dwight Powell

  • Maxi Kleber (hamstring) — Available

  • JaVale McGee (ankle) — Out

Memphis Grizzlies News

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

  • Kennedy Chandler (illness) — Out

  • Jake LaRavia (back) — Out

  • Vince Williams Jr. (shoulder) — Out

  • Ja Morant (not with team) — Out

  • Brandon Clarke (Achilles) — Injured

  • Steven Adams (knee) — Injured

David Roddy, Luke Kennard, and John Konchar will primarily lose minutes in Brooks' return, but they will continue to play additional time if coach Jenkins again opts for a nine-man rotation. Bane (29.9%), Brooks (29.5%), and Jackson Jr. (27.3%) led the team in usage while Jones (32.8%) and Bane (24.2%) recorded the highest assist rates among Grizzlies starters in games Morant has missed this season.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Malik Beasley, Troy Brown Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Davis

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — In

  • D'Angelo Russell (ankle) — Out

  • Mo Bamba (ankle) — Out

  • LeBron James (foot) — Injured

Davis led the league with a 37.8% usage rate during his last three games and the Lakers' last four contests. Dennis Schroder and Austin Reaves' roles will likely diminish most when Russell returns.