NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 11/8

Nov 8th 2023

Cooper BoniJohn Raudebaugh

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

  • Anthony Davis (adductor, hip) — Out

  • Bradley Beal (back) — In

  • Draymond Green (personal) — Out

  • Nikola Jokic (wrist) — Available

  • Derrick White (personal) — Available

  • Ben Simmons (hip) — Out

  • Jalen Duren (ankle) — Available

  • Zion Williamson (personal) — Out

  • Jimmy Butler (knee) — Available

  • Gary Payton II (illness) — Out

  • Herb Jones (leg) — Out

  • Lu Dort (hip) — In

  • Walker Kessler (elbow) — Injured

  • Keldon Johnson (wrist) — Available

  • Devin Vassell (adductor) — In

Recent NBA News

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Washington Wizards News

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

Charlotte Hornets News

Confirmed Lineup: LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington, Mark Williams

  • Terry Rozier (groin) — Out

  • Miles Bridges (suspension) — Out

  • Frank Ntilikina (leg) — Injured

  • James Bouknight (knee) — Injured

  • Cody Martin (knee) — Injured

Rozier is officially out for the next two games due to a strained left adductor. Miller started in his place on Monday and despite playing 36 minutes, he had one of his poorest statistical outings of the season. His one rebound and seven points on 25.0% shooting were season-lows.

Utah Jazz News

Confirmed Lineup: Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson, Ochai Agbaji, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins

  • Walker Kessler (elbow) — Injured

  • Keyonte George (foot) — Available

Indiana Pacers News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Bruce Brown, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner

Boston Celtics News

Confirmed Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis

  • Derrick White (personal) — Available

  • Neemias Queta (foot) — Out

Philadelphia 76ers News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid

Boston and Philadelphia enter the game each with a 119.9 offensive rating and matching 5-1 records. Philadelphia has a league-best 61.3% true shooting percentage compared to Boston's 60.4%. Meanwhile, opponents are shooting 44.0% from the field against the Celtics and 44.5% against the 76ers. All are top-five marks league-wide.

Los Angeles Clippers News

Confirmed Lineup: Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac

  • Terance Mann (ankle) — Available

  • Mason Plumlee (knee) — Injured

  • Brandon Boston Jr. (quad) — Injured

In Harden's debut, he and Westbrook logged almost identical tracking stats. Harden recorded 54 touches and a 4.4-minute time of possession. Westbrook logged 53 touches and a 4.2-minute time of possession. They each scored 17 points in 31 minutes.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Royce O'Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith

  • Ben Simmons (hip) — Out

  • Lonnie Walker IV (knee) — Available

  • Cam Johnson (calf) — Out

  • Nic Claxton (ankle) — Out

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, Keldon Johnson, Victor Wembanyama, Zach Collins

  • Keldon Johnson (wrist) — Available

  • Devin Vassell (adductor) — In

Through two games without Vassell, Johnson has logged a +3.18% usage rate differential to go along with a team-high 21.0 points per game. In five games prior to Vassell's injury, Johnson averaged 15.2 points per game. Wembanyama continues to lead the team in usage with a 28.9% rate on the season.

New York Knicks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Keita Bates-Diop, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic

  • Bradley Beal (back) — In

  • Devin Booker (calf) — Out

  • Damion Lee (knee) — Injured

Beal reportedly practiced Tuesday and seems he could be as close as he's been to making his Suns debut. Eric Gordon averaged 75.0 touches over the last two games without Booker while Durant recorded a team-high 80.0 touches per game during that span. Durant's 33.2% usage rate through seven games is a team-high and he's logged a +2.33% usage rate differential without Booker on the floor.

Chicago Bulls News

Confirmed Lineup: Coby White, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Torrey Craig, Nikola Vucevic

  • Alex Caruso (elbow) — Available

  • Patrick Williams (finger) — Available

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Out for season

Teams have averaged 56.0 points in the paint against the Suns this season. It's the second-most league-wide and offers a plus-matchup for Vucevic. He's scored 72.7% of his points in the paint, which is up from 54.3% last season. He posted a season-high 24 points against the Pacers - who allow the most points in the paint to opponents - last week.

Los Angeles Lakers News

Confirmed Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, Christian Wood

  • Anthony Davis (adductor, hip) — Out

  • Rui Hachimura (concussion) — Available

  • Jaxson Hayes (ankle) — Out

  • Gabe Vincent (knee) — Injured

  • Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) — Injured

  • Jalen Hood-Schifino (knee) — Injured

Davis struggled to endure Monday's game as he dealt with a left adductor injury and hip spasms. After two locker room visits, he sat out the fourth quarter. Christian Wood played the entire fourth quarter on his way to a season-high 30 minutes. The potential starting lineup - in the event Davis sits - of Russell, Reaves, Prince, James, and Wood has logged seven minutes together this season.

Houston Rockets News

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

  • Tari Eason (leg) — Available

  • Amen Thompson (ankle) — Injured

  • Victor Oladipo (knee) — Injured

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith, Bam Adebayo

  • Jimmy Butler (knee) — Available

  • Caleb Martin (knee) — Out

  • Nikola Jovic (illness) — Out

  • Jamal Cain (illness) — Out

Grizzlies opponents have averaged a league-high 40.3 three-point attempts and 16.0 made-threes per game. Herro is converting 41.0% of a team-high 8.7 three-point attempts per game, and his 5.4 pull-up attempts per game from deep are the sixth-most league-wide.

Memphis Grizzlies News

Confirmed Lineup: Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr., Bismack Biyombo

  • John Konchar (hip) — Out

  • Xavier Tillman (knee) — Out

  • Ja Morant (suspension) — Out

  • Derrick Rose (knee) — Injured

  • Brandon Clarke (Achilles) — Injured

  • Steven Adams (knee) — Out for season

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren

  • Jalen Duren (ankle) — Available

  • Jaden Ivey (illness) — Out

  • Alec Burks (forearm) — Out

  • Joe Harris (shoulder) — Injured

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) — Injured

  • Monte Morris (quad) — Injured

  • Isaiah Livers (ankle) — Injured

Milwaukee Bucks News

Confirmed Lineup: Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Jae Crowder, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

  • Khris Middleton (injury management) — Out

New Orleans Pelicans News

Confirmed Lineup: Dyson Daniels, Jordan Hawkins, Brandon Ingram, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Jonas Valanciunas

  • Herb Jones (leg) — Out

  • Zion Williamson (personal) — Out

  • CJ McCollum (lung) — Injured

  • Jose Alvarado (ankle) — Injured

  • Trey Murphy (knee) — Injured

  • Naji Marshall (knee) — Injured

Minnesota Timberwolves News

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

  • Jordan McLaughlin (knee) — Injured

  • Jaylen Clark (Achilles) — Injured

Cleveland Cavaliers News

Confirmed Lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

  • Isaac Okoro (knee) — Out

  • Sam Merrill (illness) — Out

  • Ty Jerome (ankle) — Out

  • Ricky Rubio (personal) — NWT

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

  • Lu Dort (hip) — In

  • Ousmane Dieng (wrist) — Available

  • Kenrich Williams (back) — Out

Toronto Raptors News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schröder, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl

  • Precious Achiuwa (groin) — Out

  • Christian Koloko (respiratory issues) — Out

The Raptors have held opponents to a fifth-lowest 107.4 points per game. They are also the only team with two players in the top five in defensive win shares with Anunoby (2nd) and Barnes (4th).

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., Grant Williams, Dwight Powell

  • Maxi Kleber (toe) — In

  • Dereck Lively II (illness) — Out

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Dario Saric, Kevon Looney

  • Gary Payton II (illness) — Out

  • Draymond Green (personal) — Out

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Nikola Jokic (wrist) — Available

  • Jamal Murray (hamstring) — Out

  • Vlatko Cancar (knee) — Injured

Jokic averaged a league-high 95.2 touches per game through the first six games. In the last contest without Murray, he logged 123, including 70 frontcourt touches. His assist rate also spiked to a season-high 50.7%.

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Malcolm Brogdon, Shaedon Sharpe, Matisse Thybulle, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton

  • Scoot Henderson (ankle) — Out

  • Ish Wainright (calf) — Out

  • Anfernee Simons (thumb) — Injured

  • Robert Williams (knee) — Injured

Sacramento Kings News

Confirmed Lineup: Keon Ellis, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

  • De'Aaron Fox (ankle) — Out

  • Trey Lyles (calf) — Out

The team has been offensively deficient without Fox. Through three games, they've logged a league-worst 100.7 offensive rating and posted league-lows in points (95.7) per game and pace. After they both shot at least 40.0% from three last season, Murray is shooting 26.0% from deep, and Huerter is converting just 24.2% on his shots from three-point range this year.