NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 1/21

Jan 21st 2024

J.J. Calle

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

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Anthony Davis (Achilles) — Available

  • Tyrese Haliburton (injury management) — Out

  • Franz Wagner (ankle) — In

  • Jrue Holiday (elbow) — Out

  • Anfernee Simons (illness) — In

  • Tyler Herro (shoulder) — Available

  • Aaron Gordon (shoulder) — Available

  • Michael Porter Jr. (illness) — Available

  • Fred VanVleet (back) — Out

  • Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) — Out

  • Daniel Gafford (concussion protocol) — Not on injury report

  • Andrew Nembhard (back) — In

  • Al Horford (rest) — Out

  • Scoot Henderson (nose) — Available

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Brooklyn Nets News

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

  • Dariq Whitehead (foot) — Injured

  • Ben Simmons (back) — Injured

  • Day'Ron Sharpe (knee) — Injured

Los Angeles Clippers News

Confirmed Lineup: James Harden, Terance Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Mason Plumlee

  • Ivica Zubac (calf) — Injured

  • Moussa Diabate (hand) — Injured

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic, Bam Adebayo

  • Tyler Herro (shoulder) — Available

  • Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin) — Out

  • Dru Smith (knee) — Out for season

Orlando Magic News

Confirmed Lineup: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

  • Franz Wagner (ankle) — In

  • Gary Harris (calf) — Out

Wagner has missed the last eight games, and the Magic have lost five of six -- four of those coming against teams in the top six of their conference. They’ve ranked 27th in Wagner’s absence with a 108.8 Offensive Rating, and it lines up with Okeke and Caleb Houstan getting the second and third most minutes over that span.

Injecting Wagner into the lineup will reset the rotation and remove a significant offensive burden off Banchero, whose effective field goal efficiency has dropped to 42.2% -- which ranks last among 44 players with a usage rate greater 26.0% over the last eight games. Banchero is seventh in usage (32.8%) with Wagner sidelined.

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Aaron Gordon (shoulder) — Available

  • Michael Porter Jr. (illness) — Available

  • Julian Strawther (knee) — Injured

  • Vlatko Cancar (knee) — Injured

Washington Wizards News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford

  • Daniel Gafford (concussion protocol) — Not on injury report

Boston Celtics News

Confirmed Lineup: Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis

  • Jrue Holiday (elbow) — Out

  • Al Horford (rest) — Out

Holiday played less than 30 minutes in Friday's two-point loss, the first time he's done so in a contest decided by less than 17 points. Horford's presence was preferred in the matchup against Nikola Jokic. Horford could sit the front end of the upcoming back-to-back set against a Rockets team playing on zero days rest after an overtime victory.

Houston Rockets News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Alperen Sengun

  • Fred VanVleet (back) — Out

  • Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) — Out

  • Jeff Green (calf) — Out

  • Reggie Bullock (back) — Out

  • Tari Eason (leg) — Injured

  • Victor Oladipo (knee) — Injured

Indiana Pacers News

Confirmed Lineup: TJ McConnell, Buddy Hield, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

  • Tyrese Haliburton (injury management) — Out

  • Andrew Nembhard (back) — In

  • Isaiah Jackson (concussion) — Out

Haliburton didn’t have a minute restriction in his return to the lineup Friday after missing five games. He beat his original re-evaluation timeframe, but he looked to be laboring early in the contest.

There were only four minutes when Haliburton or Siakam weren’t on the court, and the Pacers had a 131.9 Offensive Rating in Siakam’s minutes. All but one of Siakam's baskets were assisted, and this is the first season since he won a championship with the Raptors that more of his shots have been assisted instead of unassisted.

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic

  • Jordan Goodwin (ankle) — Available

  • Bol Bol (foot) — Out

  • Damion Lee (knee) — Injured

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Malcolm Brogdon, Anfernee Simons, Jabari Walker, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton

  • Anfernee Simons (illness) — In

  • Scoot Henderson (nose) — Available

  • Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) — Injured

  • Moses Brown (wrist) — Injured

  • Robert Williams (knee) — Out for season

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Anthony Davis (Achilles) — Available

  • Taurean Prince (knee) — Out

  • Cam Reddish (knee) — Available

  • Gabe Vincent (knee) — Injured

Davis is questionable for the first time since December 30th, and the last time he missed a game was December 15th. He’s missed two games all season, both spaced a month apart. The games he missed were double-digit losses to the Rockets and Spurs -- two teams at the bottom of the standings. He’s played in 17 straight games and ranked fifth over that span with 37.3 minutes per game.

Davis operating out of the post has been extremely effective. With D’Angelo Russell in the starting lineup for the past four games, Davis has led the Lakers with a 28.4% assist rate, and James’ assist rate has declined to 26.4% in the new alignment.