NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 1/7

Jan 7th 2024

Cooper Boni

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

  • Ja Morant (shoulder) — Out

  • Luka Doncic (ankle) — In

  • Kevin Durant (hamstring) — Available

  • Zion Williamson (quad) — Out

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Anthony Davis (ankle) — Available

  • Keldon Johnson (wrist) — Available

  • Jonathan Kuminga (toe) — Available

  • Markelle Fultz (knee) — Available

  • Dereck Lively II (ankle) — Out

  • Malaki Branham (ankle) — Available

  • Jeremy Sochan (quad) — Available

  • Goga Bitadze (illness) — Available

  • Anthony Black (illness) — Available

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

San Antonio Spurs News

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

  • Keldon Johnson (wrist) — Available

  • Jeremy Sochan (quad) — Available

  • Malaki Branham (ankle) — Available

  • Doug McDermott (forearm) — Available

  • Zach Collins (ankle) — Injured

  • Charles Bassey (knee) — Out for season

Cleveland Cavaliers News

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

  • Evan Mobley (knee) — Injured

  • Darius Garland (jaw) — Injured

  • Ty Jerome (ankle) — Injured

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant, Duop Reath

  • Jabari Walker (knee) — Out

  • Matisse Thybulle (foot) — Out

  • Deandre Ayton (knee) — Out

  • Moses Brown (wrist) — Out

  • Robert Williams (knee) — Out for season

Brooklyn Nets News

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

  • Ben Simmons (back) — Injured

Atlanta Hawks News

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

  • De'Andre Hunter (knee) — Injured

  • Mouhamed Gueye (back) — Injured

  • Vit Krejci (shoulder) — Injured

Orlando Magic News

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

  • Markelle Fultz (knee) — Available

  • Wendell Carter Jr. (knee) — Out

  • Goga Bitadze (illness) — Available

  • Anthony Black (illness) — Available

  • Franz Wagner (ankle) — Out

  • Jonathan Isaac (hamstring) — Out

  • Joe Ingles (ankle) — Out

  • Gary Harris (calf) — Out

The Magic won their most recent game while having just nine available players. Banchero, Suggs, and Cole Anthony combined for 82 points against the Nuggets in that contest, led by Banchero, who attempted 21 field goals and a game-high 19 free throws. Things won't get much easier for Orlando as they could be in a similar situation injury-wise by the time the game tips off against Atlanta. The Hawks have the league's sixth-best Offensive Rating (119.1) and beat the Magic in their first meeting this season.

New Orleans Pelicans News

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

  • Zion Williamson (quad) — Out

  • Jose Alvarado (illness) — Out

  • Matt Ryan (elbow) — Injured

Sacramento Kings News

Confirmed Lineup: De'Aaron Fox, Chris Duarte, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

  • Trey Lyles (ankle) — Out

Minnesota Timberwolves News

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

  • Jaylen Clark (Achilles) — Injured

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, Derrick Jones Jr., Dwight Powell

  • Luka Doncic (ankle) — In

  • Dereck Lively II (ankle) — Out

  • Grant Williams (ankle) — Available

  • Markieff Morris (illness) — Available

  • Richaun Holmes (personal) — Available

  • Dante Exum (foot) — Out

  • Maxi Kleber (toe) — Injured

The Mavericks could be without numerous regular starters against one of the league's best teams in Minnesota. Doncic, Exum, and Lively II missed the previous outing, and Dallas managed to win by 36 points, albeit against a struggling Blazers squad. It'd be a bit tougher to win while down key players against the Timberwolves, whose 108.3 Defensive Rating is the best league-wide. If Doncic is sidelined again, usage would likely funnel to Irving, who's averaged 22.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest since returning from an extended absence three games ago.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Livers, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jalen Duren

  • Alec Burks (injury management) — Available

  • Isaiah Stewart (toe) — Injured

  • Monte Morris (quad) — Injured

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Julian Strawther (knee) — Out

  • Vlatko Cancar (knee) — Injured

Memphis Grizzlies News

Confirmed Lineup: Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Jaren Jackson Jr., Bismack Biyombo

  • Ja Morant (shoulder) — Out

  • Vince Williams (foot) — Available

  • Derrick Rose (hamstring) — Injured

  • Brandon Clarke (Achilles) — Injured

  • Steven Adams (knee) — Out for season

The Grizzlies could be without Morant against the Suns, a situation they found themselves in twice while Morant was suspended earlier this season. Memphis lost both of those outings by a combined 28 points. If Morant can suit up, they should be competitive against Phoenix, who have won five of their last six, posting the league's second-best Offensive Rating (123.6) over that span. Memphis has lost 20 of 26 games sans Morant this season, while they've won six of nine contests with him available.

Phoenix Suns News

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

  • Kevin Durant (hamstring) — Available

  • Eric Gordon (knee) — Out

  • Jusuf Nurkic (eye) — Available

  • Nassir Little (knee) — Out

  • Bol Bol (ankle) — Out

  • Damion Lee (knee) — Injured

Durant has missed the previous three outings, and the Suns won two of those games. They've won five of seven overall sans Durant this season, including one of their two wins against the Grizzles. Memphis allows 25.1 points per game to opposing power forwards, a bottom-10 mark league-wide, boding well for Durant if he can return to the court. If he remains sidelined, usage should funnel to Booker and Beal, who have both seen usage rate increases when playing without Durant this season. Chimezie Metu would likely draw another spot start if Durant remains sidelined.

Toronto Raptors News

Confirmed Lineup: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl

  • Gary Trent Jr. (quad) — Available

  • Otto Porter Jr. (knee) — Out

  • Christian Koloko (respiratory) — Injured

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis

  • Jonathan Kuminga (toe) — Available

  • Draymond Green (reconditioning) — Out

  • Gui Santos (ankle) — Out

  • Gary Payton II (hamstring) — Injured

Los Angeles Clippers News

Confirmed Lineup: James Harden, Terance Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac

  • Moussa Diabate (hand) — Out

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, Anthony Davis

  • LeBron James (ankle) — Available

  • Anthony Davis (ankle) — Available

  • D'Angelo Russell (tailbone) — Available

  • Rui Hachimura (calf) — Out

  • Gabe Vincent (knee) — Injured