NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 1/20

Jan 20th 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 (hamstring) — Out

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Stephen Curry (hip) — Out

  • Domantas Sabonis (illness) — Available

  • Trae Young (ankle) — Available

  • Donovan Mitchell (groin) — Out

  • Jamal Murray (foot, ankle) — Available

  • Klay Thompson (injury management)— Out

  • Andrew Wiggins (foot) — Out

  • Draymond Green (toe) — Out

  • Franz Wagner (ankle) — In

  • Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) — Available

  • Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) — Available

  • Naji Marshall (toe) — Out

Recent NBA News

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New Orleans Pelicans News

Confirmed Lineup: CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Dyson Daniels, Trey Murphy, Jonas Valanciunas

  • Naji Marshall (toe) — Out

  • Herb Jones (back) — In

  • Zion Williamson (hamstring) — Injured

  • Brandon Ingram (toe) — Injured

The Pelicans enter this game with a significant rest disadvantage: they will play their third match in five days, and the Magic last played Sunday. Jose Alvarado, Devonte' Graham, and Garrett Temple's minutes would be further heightened if Marshall and Jones are ruled out.

Orlando Magic News

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

  • Franz Wagner (ankle) — In

  • Markelle Fultz (illness) — Not on injury report

  • Jonathan Isaac (G League) — Out

  • RJ Hampton (G League) — Available

  • Caleb Houstan (G League) — Out

  • Kevon Harris (G League) — Out

  • Chuma Okeke (knee) — Injured

Banchero likely moves down to the three if Franz Wagner is ruled out, opening up time for Bol Bol, Moe Wagner, and Mo Bamba. With Franz Wagner off the court this season, Banchero (+3.7%) and Bol (+3.4%) have posted the highest usage differentials on the Magic.

New York Knicks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Jericho Sims

  • Mitchell Robinson (thumb) — Injured

Hartenstein averaged 23.8 minutes while logging 9.8% usage and a 17.8% rebounding rate as he started seven of the eight contests Robinson has missed this season. Jericho Sims averaged 18.6 minutes as the typical backup center, and Julius Randle was also utilized at the five.

Atlanta Hawks News

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

  • Trae Young (ankle) — Available

  • Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) — Available

The Knicks recorded the fourth-lowest defensive rating (115.3) in the league when Mitchell Robinson (thumb) was sidelined for eight games earlier in the season. Hunter (+7.7%) and Murray (+4.0%) have recorded the highest usage differentials on the Hawks, while Murray has logged a +10.4% assist rate differential in the four games Young has missed this season.

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Ty Jerome, Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney

  • Stephen Curry (hip) — Out

  • Klay Thompson (injury management)— Out

  • Andrew Wiggins (foot) — Out

  • Draymond Green (toe) — Out

  • Andre Iguodala (hip) — Out

  • Jonathan Kuminga (foot) — Available

  • James Wiseman (ankle) — Out

  • JaMychal Green (leg) — Available

Poole (37.9%) and Kuminga (23.2%) have led the Warriors in usage in the four games Curry, Thompson, and Wiggins have missed this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers News

Confirmed Lineup: Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

  • Donovan Mitchell (groin) — Out

  • Ricky Rubio (injury management) — Out

  • Dean Wade (shoulder) — Injured

  • Dylan Windler (ankle) — Injured

The Cavs have allowed the third-fewest made threes (10.9) and three-point attempts (30.1) per game during their last ten matches after allowing the third-most made threes per game (15.0) at the highest percentage (42.5%) in the seven previous contests. Cleveland's improved perimeter defense will be tested against a Warriors team that leads the league in made threes per game (16.4) and three-point percentage (43.8%).

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Bam Adebayo

  • Udonis Haslem (Achilles) — Available

  • Duncan Robinson (finger) — Injured

  • Nikola Jovic (back) — Injured

  • Omer Yurtseven (ankle) — Injured

Coach Spoelstra commented on Lowry's minutes before Wednesday's game, saying, "I won’t play him what he was playing before, certainly not where he was one of the league leaders in minutes." Lowry was limited to 22.0 minutes Wednesday, though he played 13.5 minutes in the first half as he returned for a blowout win. He was trending to play 27.0 minutes and could continue to face a light restriction.

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell

  • Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) — Available

  • McKinley Wright (foot) — Out

  • Christian Wood (thumb) — Injured

  • Maxi Kleber (hamstring) — Injured

Powell played 24.1 minutes with Wood sidelined Saturday and could have played more time had the Mavs kept the game competitive. Dinwiddie has logged a +2.5% usage differential with Wood off the court this season, and Dinwiddie's offensive role diminished when Wood was permanently inserted into the starting lineup.

Los Angeles Clippers News

Confirmed Lineup: Terance Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac

  • Paul George (hamstring) — Not on injury report

  • Kawhi Leonard (injury management) — Not on injury report

  • Luke Kennard (calf) — Out

  • Moses Brown (G League) — Out

  • John Wall (abdominal) — Injured

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Tre Jones, Romeo Langford, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Jakob Poeltl

  • Blake Wesley (G League) — Out

  • Devin Vassell (knee) — Injured

Langford has started but averaged 21.4 minutes with Vassell sidelined for the last eight matches. Josh Richardson has logged 19.6% usage and a 24.3% assist rate in 25.3 minutes per game while serving as a sixth man during that span.

Indiana Pacers News

Confirmed Lineup: Andrew Nembhard, Buddy Hield, Aaron Nesmith, Oshae Brissett, Myles Turner

  • Tyrese Haliburton (elbow, knee) — Injured

  • Daniel Theis (knee) — Injured

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Nikola Jokic (hamstring) — Out

  • Jamal Murray (foot, ankle) — Available

  • Jeff Green (hand, finger) — Available

  • Vlatko Cancar (illness) — Out

  • Peyton Watson (adductor) — Injured

The Nuggets have the best home winning percentage (87.5%) and have scored the most points per 100 possessions (123.1) at home this season. The Pacers have an 8-14 record and have posted the ninth-worst defensive rating (117.7) on the road.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, Royce O'Neale, Nic Claxton

  • TJ Warren (injury management) — Not on injury report

  • Kevin Durant (knee) — Injured

Utah Jazz News

Confirmed Lineup: Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Malik Beasley, Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler

  • Kelly Olynyk (ankle) — Injured

Utah has recorded the eighth-highest defensive rebound rate (72.6%) and allowed the fifth-fewest points in the paint per game (47.2) league-wide as Kessler has averaged 29.7 minutes and posted a 21.3% defensive rebound rate in the last five games. Conversely, the Jazz logged the fifth-lowest defensive rebound rate (69.8%) and allowed the most points in the paint per game (55.5) in their 43 previous matches.

Memphis Grizzlies News

Confirmed Lineup: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams

  • Ziaire Williams (illness) — In

  • Danny Green (ACL) — Injured

Morant (33.2%) and Bane (26.3%) have logged stable usage rates as Jackson Jr.'s (21.3%) and Brooks' (20.5%) usage has declined as Memphis has remained mostly healthy during their 11-game winning streak.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, Troy Brown Jr., LeBron James, Thomas Bryant

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Austin Reaves (hamstring) — Injured

  • Lonnie Walker (knee) — Injured

  • Anthony Davis (foot) — Injured

Although Thomas Bryant has shared the floor with Wenyen Gabriel at times during the last four games, Bryant has progressively been losing time to Gabriel. Bryant has averaged 20.1 minutes, and Gabriel 26.8 minutes during the previous four contests.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

  • Eugene Omoruyi (G League) — Out

  • Aleksej Pokusevski (leg) — Injured

  • Ousmane Dieng (wrist) — Injured

  • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (ankle) — Injured

  • Chet Holmgren (foot) — Injured

Oklahoma City has scored the third-most points in the paint per game (55.5), while the Kings have allowed the third-most points in the paint per game (54.8) and the seventh-most points per 100 possessions (115.7). The Thunder have a 7-3 record but have scored the fifth-fewest points per 100 possessions (113.9) against teams with bottom-ten defensive ratings.

Sacramento Kings News

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

  • Domantas Sabonis (illness) — Available

  • Terence Davis (illness) — Available

  • Matthew Dellavedova (illness) — Available

  • Alex Len (illness) — Available

  • Neemias Queta (G League) — Available

Richaun Holmes played 30.8 minutes while starting in Sabonis, Len, and Queta's absences Wednesday, and Len played 14 minutes in a start in the first game Sabonis missed this season. Fox (+3.8%), Trey Lyles (+3.2%), and Barnes (+3.2%) have logged the highest usage differentials on the Kings in the two games Sabonis has missed this season, while Huerter has also posted a +5.1% assist rate differential.