NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 4/4

Apr 4th 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 (calf) — In

  • LeBron James (foot) — In

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — In

  • Trae Young (illness) — Out

  • Jaylen Brown (back) — Out

  • Lauri Markkanen (hand) — Out

  • Bam Adebayo (hip) — Available

  • Karl-Anthony Towns (illness, calf) — In

  • Jamal Murray (thumb) — In

  • Klay Thompson (back) — Out

  • Keldon Johnson (foot) — Out

  • Zach Collins (finger) — Out

  • D'Angelo Russell (foot) — Out

  • OG Anunoby (ankle) — In

  • Dillon Brooks (hip) — Out

  • Delon Wright (illness) — Out

  • Deni Avdija (elbow) — Out

Recent NBA News

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Toronto Raptors News

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

  • OG Anunoby (ankle) — Available

  • Gary Trent Jr. (back) — Out

  • Will Barton (ankle) — Available

  • Precious Achiuwa (illness) — Available

  • Otto Porter (toe) — Injured

Coach Nurse said after Sunday's game that Anunoby suffered a "mild, mild" sprain, but Anunoby didn't do much during Monday's practice. Nurse said Monday he'd like to get Anunoby and Trent Jr. on the court against the Hornets but admitted both could be limited.

Charlotte Hornets News

Confirmed Lineup: Theo Maledon, Bryce McGowens, Svi Mykhailiuk, JT Thor, Nick Richards

  • Terry Rozier (foot) — Out

  • PJ Washington (foot) — Out

  • Kelly Oubre (shoulder) — Out

  • Gordon Hayward (thumb) — Out

  • Dennis Smith Jr. (toe) — Out

  • Mark Williams (ankle) — Out

  • Cody Martin (knee) — Injured

  • LaMelo Ball (ankle) — Injured

Richards will start, Kai Jones should serve as the backup center while also playing additional time at forward, and Williams will be omitted from the rotation if coach Clifford continues following the plan he set for utilizing his three centers last week. Theo Maledon will be demoted to the bench, and James Bouknight will also play reduced minutes if Smith Jr. returns.

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo

  • Bam Adebayo (hip) — Available

  • Kyle Lowry (knee) — Available

  • Nikola Jovic (back) — Out

Kevin Love could have been demoted to the bench because he was needed at center in Adebayo's absence Saturday, or that could have been the start of a new trend as coach Spoelstra resets the rotation before the playoffs. Strus, Caleb Martin, and both point guards should continue playing increased minutes if Love is limited to backup center duties in Adebayo's expected return.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Killian Hayes, Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Livers, Jalen Duren, James Wiseman

  • Marvin Bagley (concussion) — Out

  • Alec Burks (foot) — Out

  • Rodney McGruder (foot) — Out

  • Isaiah Stewart (shoulder) — Injured

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles) — Injured

  • Hamidou Diallo (ankle) — Injured

  • Cade Cunningham (shin) — Injured

Bagley's absence creates the potential for Wiseman and Jalen Duren to log time together, and both big men could be more involved in the offensive effort if they're more frequently utilized in pick-and-roll actions sans Bagley. Wiseman thrived in Detroit's last matchup against the Heat with Duren sidelined two weeks ago, contributing 22 points and 11 rebounds in 33.1 minutes.

Cleveland Cavaliers News

Confirmed Lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

  • Isaac Okoro (knee) — Out

  • Dylan Windler (foot) — Out

Wade scored five points on two-for-three shooting and dished out one assist in 27.1 minutes after being inserted into the starting lineup Sunday. Caris LeVert was tasked with generating more offense off the bench, scoring 15 points on five-for-10 shooting and recording four assists in 33.0 minutes. The remaining starters and LeVert could all play heightened roles if LeVert continues coming off the bench in Okoro's absence.

Orlando Magic News

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

  • Admiral Schofield (ankle) — Available

  • Kevon Harris (elbow) — Not on injury report

  • Jonathan Isaac (adductor) — Injured

Milwaukee Bucks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Pat Connaughton, Jae Crowder, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

  • Khris Middleton (injury management) — Out

  • Grayson Allen (ankle) — Injured

  • Jevon Carter (foot) — Out

  • Meyers Leonard (calf) — Available

Though Carter and Connaughton could be more assured of playing extended minutes, Joe Ingles should assume an expanded sixth-man role with two wing starters sidelined. Ingles logged 16.2% usage and a 22.7% assist rate, while Holiday posted heightened 27.9 usage in the five games Middleton has missed since the All-Star break.

Washington Wizards News

Confirmed Lineup: Jordan Goodwin, Johnny Davis, Corey Kispert, Anthony Gill, Daniel Gafford

  • Bradley Beal (knee) — Out

  • Kyle Kuzma (ankle) — Out

  • Kristaps Porzingis (illness) — Out

  • Monte Morris (ankle) — Out

  • Delon Wright (illness) — Out

  • Deni Avdija (elbow) — Out

Washington's dynamic could play out similarly to when Kispert scored a career-high 29 points on 10-for-19 shooting in Sunday's 118-109 loss. Davis contributed 16 points on six-for-11 shooting, six rebounds, and three assists in 30.2 minutes, while Jordan Goodwin finished with 11 points on five-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds, and six assists in 24.5 minutes off the bench. However, Avdija scored nine points on three-for-nine shooting in that match and should be more involved.

Minnesota Timberwolves News

Confirmed Lineup: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert

  • Karl-Anthony Towns (illness, calf) — In

  • Austin Rivers (illness) — Out

  • Jaylen Nowell (knee) — Out

  • Naz Reid (wrist) — Injured

Towns should be expected to play, but it is notable how much his illness affected him when he scored eight points on one-for-three shooting as foul troubles limited him to 25.1 minutes in Minnesota's loss to Portland on Sunday. Edwards scored 37 points on 15-for-30 shooting in that match and could retain a heightened role if Towns is similarly limited or sidelined.

Brooklyn Nets News

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

  • Ben Simmons (back) — Injured

Boston Celtics News

Confirmed Lineup: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Grant Williams, Al Horford

  • Jaylen Brown (back) — Out

  • Payton Pritchard (heel) — Out

  • Robert Williams (injury management) — Out

  • Al Horford (back) — Not on injury report

  • Justin Champagnie (signee) — Out

  • Danilo Gallinari (ACL) — Injured

Sam Hauser will likely start as Grant Williams, Derrick White, and Marcus Smart play increased minutes if Brown is sidelined for the first game of a back-to-back set. White (+6.8%), Malcolm Brogdon (+2.9%), and Tatum (+2.2%) have posted positive usage differentials in games Brown has missed this season.

Philadelphia 76ers News

Confirmed Lineup: James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, Joel Embiid

Harden has logged reduced 23.6% usage in three games since returning from an Achilles injury and could still be less than 100%. He excelled in Philadelphia's three previous matches with Boston this season, averaging 27.3 points while registering a 61.4 eFG%. Embiid averaged 31.7 points on 33.9% usage during those contests and could play a more featured role if Harden continues to play less aggressively.

Atlanta Hawks News

Confirmed Lineup: Dejounte Murray, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Saddiq Bey, John Collins, Clint Capela

  • Trae Young (illness) — Out

  • De'Andre Hunter (knee) — Out

While Bey, Collins, Capela, and the reserves could be more involved in the offense, Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic's roles would increase most if Young is ruled out. Murray posted +4.6% usage and +8.0% assist rate differentials in the last three games Young missed. Bogdanovic recorded +3.6% usage and +7.2% assist rate differentials during those contests.

Chicago Bulls News

Confirmed Lineup: Patrick Beverley, Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic

  • Alex Caruso (foot) — Available

  • Javonte Green (knee) — Available

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Injured

The Hawks struggled to defend two ball-dominant players with De'Andre Hunter (knee) sidelined Sunday, contributing heavily to Kyrie Irving scoring 41 points. Atlanta could similarly struggle to defend DeRozan and LaVine. DeRozan averaged 29.3 points on 28.2% usage in Chicago's first three matchups with Atlanta this season and projects to see more favorable matchups.

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Nikola Jokic (calf) — In

  • Jamal Murray (thumb) — In

  • Zeke Nnaji (knee) — Out

Jeff Green averaged 28.3 minutes in the two contests when Jokic was the only regular starter sidelined. However, Green might not be utilized similarly if Jokic remains out because the Rockets deploy traditional centers. Murray (25.7%), Bruce Brown (24.6%), and Porter Jr. (24.4%) led Denver's core rotation in usage, while Murray (34.1%) and Gordon (23.9%) posted the highest assist rates on the team during the two recent matches Denver's starters played sans Jokic.

Houston Rockets News

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

  • Jae'Sean Tate (knee) — Injured

  • TyTy Washington (G League) — Out

Green averaged 16.7 points on 39.1% shooting and 29.5% usage in three matchups with the Nuggets this season. Porter Jr. (66.7%), Martin (61.8%), and Sengun (60.2%) recorded effective field goal percentages above 60.0% during the last four games and will need to step up if Green struggles.

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Skylar Mays, Shaedon Sharpe, Jeenathan Williams, Kevin Knox, Drew Eubanks

  • Anfernee Simons (foot) — Out

  • Jerami Grant (quad) — Out

  • Jusuf Nurkic (knee) — Out

  • Trendon Watford (ankle) — Out

  • Nassir Little (ankle) — Out

  • Kevin Knox (knee) — Available

  • Matisse Thybulle (knee) — Out

  • Cam Reddish (back) — Out

  • John Butler Jr. (ankle) — Available

  • Damian Lillard (calf) — Injured

  • Keon Johnson (finger) — Injured

  • Ibou Badji (knee) — Injured

  • Justise Winslow (ankle) — Injured

With nearly all of Portland's forward and backup center rotation questionable, Jabari Walker, Shaq Harrison, Jeenthan Williams, and whichever questionable players are available could be in line for extended minutes. In addition, Mays and Sharpe should become increasingly featured in the offensive effort if Knox and Watford, in particular, are sidelined.

Memphis Grizzlies News

Confirmed Lineup: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman

  • Dillon Brooks (hip) — Out

  • Jake LaRavia (calf) — Out

  • Ziaire Williams (foot, ankle) — Injured

  • Brandon Clarke (Achilles) — Injured

  • Steven Adams (knee) — Injured

David Roddy started the last two games Brooks missed, averaging 24.8 minutes and recording 16.6% usage. Roddy should play a similar role, and the other reserves will also play increased minutes if coach Jenkins opts for a nine-man rotation in the event Brooks is sidelined. Morant (+3.8%), Jackson Jr. (+2.8%), and Bane (+1.4%) have posted positive usage differentials with Brooks off the court this season.

Sacramento Kings News

Confirmed Lineup: De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

  • Malik Monk (leg) — Available

  • Matthew Dellavedova (finger) — Injured

New Orleans Pelicans News

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

  • Jose Alvarado (leg) — Injured

  • Zion Williamson (hamstring) — Injured

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Anthony Davis

  • LeBron James (foot) — In

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — In

  • D'Angelo Russell (foot) — Out

  • Mo Bamba (ankle) — Out

Davis retained a featured offensive role despite James returning for the last four matches, posting 28.5% usage and a 66.9 eFG% during those contests. The Jazz could struggle to defend Davis, as their options to act as his primary defender are Kelly Olynyk, Udoka Azubuike, and Damian Jones.

Utah Jazz News

Confirmed Lineup: Talen Horton-Tucker, Ochai Agbaji, Luka Samanic, Kelly Olynyk, Udoka Azubuike

  • Lauri Markkanen (hand) — Out

  • Jordan Clarkson (finger) — Out

  • Collin Sexton (hamstring) — Available

  • Rudy Gay (back) — Out

  • Walker Kessler (concussion) — Injured

Sexton should face a minute restriction, but Horton-Tucker and Kris Dunn could handle fewer on-ball reps if Sexton is cleared to return. Given that Horton-Tucker scored 32 points on 12-for-25 shooting despite Markkanen returning Sunday, Olynyk, Agbaji, and Simone Fontecchio's roles will expand most if Markkanen is unavailable.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

  • Aleksej Pokusevski (knee) — Out

  • Kenrich Williams (wrist) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

Since securing 17 rebounds on March 24th, Giddey has posted an elevated 21.1% defensive rebound rate during the last five matches. Additionally, he led the Thunder in rebounds during all three matchups with the Warriors this season, averaging 8.7 boards while posting a 24.4% defensive rebound rate.

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Anthony Lamb, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green

  • Klay Thompson (back) — Out

  • Andrew Wiggins (personal) — Out

  • Andre Iguodala (wrist) — Injured

  • Ryan Rollins (foot) — Injured

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Tre Jones, Devonte' Graham, Malaki Branham, Keita Bates-Diop, Sandro Mamukelashvili

  • Keldon Johnson (foot) — Out

  • Zach Collins (finger) — Out

  • Devin Vassell (injury management) — Out

  • Jeremy Sochan (knee) — Out

  • Romeo Langford (injury management) — Out

  • Charles Bassey (knee) — Injured

  • Khem Birch (knee) — Injured

Despite the potential for Collins to be ruled out, San Antonio's offensive dynamic could be similar to Sunday's 142-134 overtime win. Though Doug McDermott scoring 30 points on nine-for-15 shooting and Julian Champagnie scoring 26 points on nine-for-14 shooting will prove to be outliers, both players, Jones, and Branham should continue playing heightened roles.

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton