NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 1/17

Jan 17th 2024

Justin Phan

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

  • Pascal Siakam (traded) — Out

  • Luka Doncic (ankle) — In

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (shoulder) — Out

  • Anthony Edwards (knee) — In

  • Jalen Brunson (calf) — In

  • LeBron James (ankle) — In

  • Anthony Davis (ankle) — In

  • Kristaps Porzingis (knee) — Out

  • Anfernee Simons (illness) — Available

  • Jrue Holiday (elbow) — Available

  • Derrick White (ankle) — Out

  • Deandre Ayton (travel) — Out

  • Brandon Miller (back) — Out

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) — Available

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Minnesota Timberwolves News

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

  • Anthony Edwards (knee) — In

  • Jaylen Clark (Achilles) — Injured

Edwards was listed questionable on the injury report heading into Sunday's win with a left knee contusion and ended up playing 38.2 minutes without any reported issues. The injury is now listed as left knee tendinitis which is somewhat notable. He has a history of playing through questionable tags though so he should be expected to give it a go here. The Wolves enter as sizable 11.5-point favorites against the last-place Pistons so Edwards may not have to play his full allotment of minutes should this one get out of hand.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Killian Hayes, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) — Available

  • Danilo Gallinari (acquired) — Available

  • Mike Muscala (acquired) — Available

  • Cade Cunningham (knee) — Injured

  • Monte Morris (quad) — Injured

Orlando Magic News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Suggs, Caleb Houstan, Chuma Okeke, Paolo Banchero, Goga Bitadze

  • Franz Wagner (ankle) — Out

  • Gary Harris (calf) — Out

Atlanta Hawks News

Confirmed Lineup: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey, Jalen Johnson, Clint Capela

  • Wesley Matthews (calf) — Out

  • De'Andre Hunter (knee) — Injured

  • Mouhamed Gueye (back) — Injured

  • Vit Krejci (shoulder) — Injured

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama

  • Sidy Cissoko (ankle) — Out

  • Zach Collins (ankle) — Injured

  • Charles Bassey (knee) — Out for season

Boston Celtics News

Confirmed Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Luke Kornet

  • Kristaps Porzingis (knee) — Out

  • Jrue Holiday (elbow) — Available

  • Derrick White (ankle) — Out

  • Jaylen Brown (knee) — Not on injury report

This isn't a procedural listing by the Celtics as they aren't amid a back-to-back. Porzingis and Holiday popped up on previous injury reports with their respective injuries, while White tweaked his ankle during Monday's win and briefly checked out. Al Horford will continue to serve as Boston's go-to fill-in starter if one of Porzingis, Holiday, or White is ruled out. Sam Hauser would slot in if at least two are sidelined. As 16-point favorites at home against a sputtering Spurs side, it wouldn't be surprising to see caution exercised here and one or more of the three held out.

Milwaukee Bucks News

Confirmed Lineup: Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Andre Jackson Jr., Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (shoulder) — Out

  • Jae Crowder (abdominal) — Available

  • Chris Livingston (illness) — Not on injury report

Cleveland Cavaliers News

Confirmed Lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, Jarrett Allen

  • Caris LeVert (wrist) — Available

  • Evan Mobley (knee) — Injured

  • Darius Garland (jaw) — Injured

  • Ty Jerome (ankle) — Injured

Houston Rockets News

Confirmed Lineup: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

  • Reggie Bullock (back) — Out

  • Tari Eason (leg) — Injured

  • Victor Oladipo (knee) — Injured

New York Knicks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Isaiah Hartenstein

  • Jalen Brunson (calf) — In

  • Josh Hart (knee) — Available

  • Mitchell Robinson (ankle) — Injured

Brunson has missed two straight games with a calf contusion, and coach Thibodeau said Monday that he is day-to-day. Thibs added that his status is tied a bit to pain tolerance with his injury. The Knicks were held to just 94 points in Monday's loss without Brunson, and Thibs described their performance after as "choppy."

Deuce McBride has started both games in place of Brunson and has been heavily featured, averaging 37.1 minutes in those starts. Losing Hart too in addition to Brunson would be a massive blow to the Knicks' depth and would require extended minutes from Quentin Grimes, Malachi Flynn, and Precious Achiuwa off the bench as part of a possible eight-man rotation. Randle has unsurprisingly led all Knicks players with a 29.3 percent usage rate over the last two contests, with DiVincenzo second at 24.4 percent.

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic, Bam Adebayo

  • Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin) — Out

  • Kevin Love (knee) — Out

  • Dru Smith (knee) — Out for season

Toronto Raptors News

Confirmed Lineup: Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Jontay Porter

  • Gary Trent Jr. (illness) — Available

  • Gradey Dick (thumb) — Available

  • Pascal Siakam (traded) — Out

  • Otto Porter Jr. (knee) — Out

  • Christian Koloko (respiratory) — Out

  • Jakob Poeltl (ankle) — Injured

Charlotte Hornets News

Confirmed Lineup: LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Cody Martin, Miles Bridges, Nick Richards

  • Brandon Miller (back) — Out

  • Frank Ntilikina (leg) — Available

  • Bryce McGowens (hip) — Out

  • Mark Williams (back) — Injured

  • Gordon Hayward (calf) — Injured

New Orleans Pelicans News

Confirmed Lineup: CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas

  • Kira Lewis (traded) — Out

  • Matt Ryan (elbow) — Injured

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., Dereck Lively II

  • Luka Doncic (ankle) — In

  • Derrick Jones Jr. (calf) — Available

  • Grant Williams (ankle) — Available

  • Josh Green (illness) — Out

  • Dante Exum (foot) — Out

Doncic has missed three straight games with a sprained ankle and coach Kidd said on Monday that he had no idea whether Doncic would be back for Wednesday's contest. Doncic was straight-up ruled out for the first two games and then initially listed doubtful for the third, so an initial questionable listing is a positive sign.

Irving's recent stat lines without Luka: 42p-7r-7a, 33p-5r-6a, 44p-4r-10a

Irving and Hardaway Jr. became the second duo in Mavs history to both score 40+ points in a single game after combining for 83 in Monday's win.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, Anthony Davis

  • LeBron James (ankle) — In

  • Anthony Davis (ankle) — In

  • Cam Reddish (knee) — Out

  • Gabe Vincent (knee) — Injured

Brooklyn Nets News

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

  • Dariq Whitehead (injury maintenance) — Out

  • Day'Ron Sharpe (knee) — Injured

  • Ben Simmons (back) — Injured

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Anfernee Simons, Malcolm Brogdon, Jerami Grant, Jabari Walker, Duop Reath

  • Anfernee Simons (illness) — Available

  • Deandre Ayton (travel) — Out

  • Malcolm Brogdon (adductor) — Available

  • Ibou Badji (hip) — Available

  • Jerami Grant (illness) — Not on injury report

  • Matisse Thybulle (illness) — Not on injury report

  • Shaedon Sharpe (adductor) — Injured

  • Moses Brown (wrist) — Injured

  • Robert Williams (knee) — Out for season

Simons was a late addition to the injury report with an illness which usually doesn't bode well for a player's chances of playing. The Blazers have been blown out in six of their last seven games, though Wednesday's contest has a chance to be competitive. After having just eight players available Sunday, Portland should have at least 12 available Wednesday assuming Ayton and Badji are a go.

Ayton has been sidelined for over three weeks with knee tendinitis and will almost certainly be on some sort of minutes limit in his return after such an extended layoff. He'll bring some needed stability to the center spot and put a brief end to the center carousel that's cycled between Brown, Duop Reath, Badji, and Jabari Walker.