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 (back) — Out
LeBron James (calf) — Available
Anthony Davis (adductor, hip) — Available
Jamal Murray (hamstring) — Out
Aaron Gordon (heel) — Out
Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) — Out
Jordan Poole (ankle) — Available
Jordan Clarkson (illness) — Available
Cam Reddish (groin) — Out
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Confirmed Lineup: Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford
Jordan Poole (ankle) — Available
Ryan Rollins (knee) — Injured
Delon Wright (knee) — Injured
Poole has recorded a league-worst -202 plus/minus differential. His absence in the previous game didn’t matter much as the Wizards lost by 28 points. Overall, the Wizards' defense has improved slightly with Poole on the bench, and their offense has spiked in those minutes to 122.5 points per 100 possessions. Poole’s status may not matter as the Pistons have lost 13 straight and rank in the bottom four with a 107.4 Offensive Rating and 120.7 Defensive Rating during the losing streak.
Confirmed Lineup: Malcolm Brogdon, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton
Ish Wainright (knee) — Injured
Anfernee Simons (thumb) — Injured
Robert Williams (knee) — Out for season
Confirmed Lineup: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren
Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) — Out
Joe Harris (shoulder) — Injured
Monte Morris (quad) — Injured
Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Bruce Brown, Buddy Hield, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner
Aaron Nesmith (wrist) — Available
Confirmed Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Max Christie, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
LeBron James (calf) — Available
Anthony Davis (adductor, hip) — Available
Cam Reddish (groin) — Out
Rui Hachimura (nose) — Injured
Gabe Vincent (knee) — Injured
Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) — Injured
Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris, Nicolas Batum, Joel Embiid
Danuel House Jr. (quad) — Out
Jaden Springer (illness) — Out
Kelly Oubre Jr. (rib) — Injured
Confirmed Lineup: Dyson Daniels, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
CJ McCollum (lung) — Injured
Matt Ryan (calf) — Injured
Trey Murphy (knee) — Injured
Williamson will rejoin the lineup after resting the previous game. That’ll give him two days of rest between games, and he’s been much more effective when he’s had more than one day of rest:
One reason for his improvement could be the absence of McCollum. Although Williamson’s usage and rebound rate have declined in the past 11 games, his touches have increased by 10.9%.
The Jazz rank 26th with a 119.4 Defensive Rating, and their interior defense has been suspect. Walker Kessler’s return isn’t the antidote as the Jazz allowed 53.3 points in the paint in the first eight games with Kessler and 54.6 before he returned on Saturday -- two marks in the bottom nine. Williamson is primed for another solid outing on two days rest as he ranks second in the NBA with 18.6 points in the paint per game.
Confirmed Lineup: Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson, Simone Fontecchio, John Collins, Omer Yurtseven
Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) — Out
Jordan Clarkson (illness) — Available
Coach Hardy adjusted his lineups the previous game with Markkanen and Clarkson unavailable. That included starting Kris Dunn, Simone Fontecchio, and Omer Yurtseven. Clarkson practiced Sunday, but Markkanen didn’t. It could hint at their final status in a rematch against the Pelicans.
Confirmed Lineup: Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Justin Holiday, Michael Porter Jr., DeAndre Jordan
Nikola Jokic (back) — Out
Aaron Gordon (heel) — Out
Jamal Murray (hamstring) — Out
Peyton Watson (illness) — Available
Hunter Tyson (illness) — Out
Vlatko Cancar (knee) — Injured
The Nuggets are playing their sixth game in nine days and possibly 11th straight without Murray. They’ve lost four of the last six contests whereas the Clippers are winners in four of their last five, coinciding with Russell Westbrook moving to a bench role.
The Nuggets have won all three games on zero days rest -- the first was played with Murray, and the second was the one when Murray suffered the strained hamstring in the first quarter.
Jokic has attempted 60 shots in the last two games, and with Murray out the last 10 games, Jokic has ranked second with a 35.0% usage rate and first with a 48.2% assist rate. Opposing coaches like Ime Udoka, Tyronn Lue, and Gregg Popovich have tried to keep from doubling Jokic on offense in order to limit the damage from his teammates, but that has elevated Jokic's offensive output.
Confirmed Lineup: James Harden, Terance Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac
Mason Plumlee (knee) — Injured
Brandon Boston Jr. (quad) — Injured