NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 12/16

Dec 16th 2023

Justin Phan

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

  • Tyrese Haliburton (knee) — Out

  • De'Aaron Fox (shoulder) — Out

  • Anthony Edwards (hip) — Available

  • Paul George (groin) — Available

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) — In

  • Jamal Murray (ankles) — Available

  • Aaron Gordon (heel) — Available

  • Jerami Grant (concussion) — In

  • Clint Capela (knee) — Out

  • Isaiah Stewart (shoulder) — Out

  • De'Andre Hunter (knee) — Available

  • Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) — Out

  • Gordon Hayward (illness) — Out

  • Mark Williams (back) — Out

  • PJ Washington (shoulder) — Out

  • Alex Caruso (ankle) — Out

  • Malik Beasley (illness) — Out

  • Marvin Bagley (back) — Available

  • Talen Horton-Tucker (illness) — Available

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Ausar Thompson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Marvin Bagley

  • Isaiah Stewart (shoulder) — Out

  • Marvin Bagley (back) — Available

  • Jalen Duren (ankle) — Injured

  • Monte Morris (quad) — Injured

Milwaukee Bucks News

Confirmed Lineup: Damian Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr., MarJon Beauchamp, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) — In

  • Malik Beasley (illness) — Out

  • Pat Connaughton (ankle) — Not on injury report

  • Khris Middleton (injury management) — Out

  • Jae Crowder (adductor) — Injured

Middleton will sit out on Saturday in the first leg of a back-to-back set and return to the lineup on Sunday. He has sat out a leg of all three of the Bucks' back-to-backs. Jackson Jr. has started in his absence but has averaged just 13.4 minutes in three starts, with coach Griffin preferring to play Connaughton and MarJon Beauchamp more off the bench. Lillard leads all Bucks players with a +2.6% usage rate differential this season when Middleton has been off the court.

Philadelphia 76ers News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris, Nicolas Batum, Joel Embiid

Charlotte Hornets News

Confirmed Lineup: Terry Rozier, Bryce McGowens, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Nick Richards

  • Gordon Hayward (illness) — Out

  • Mark Williams (back) — Out

  • PJ Washington (shoulder) — Out

  • LaMelo Ball (ankle) — Injured

  • Frank Ntilikina (leg) — Injured

  • Cody Martin (knee) — Injured

Atlanta Hawks News

Confirmed Lineup: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Saddiq Bey, Onyeka Okongwu

  • Clint Capela (knee) — Out

  • De'Andre Hunter (knee) — Available

  • Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) — Out

  • AJ Griffin (personal) — Out

  • Jalen Johnson (wrist) — Injured

  • Mouhamed Gueye (back) — Injured

  • Kobe Bufkin (thumb) — Injured

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

  • Ricky Rubio — NWT

The Cavs were hit with a pair of gut punches on Friday with Mobley expected to miss 6-8 weeks and Garland sidelined at least a month. Isaac Okoro has the inside track to start in Garland's place, but Caris LeVert and Craig Porter Jr. will also be in the conversation. LeVert logged 35.1 minutes off the bench in Thursday's loss and will likely be in that general range for the foreseeable future. Mitchell (32.9%) and LeVert (27.1%) have led all Cavs players this season in usage rate with Garland and Mobley off the court and will be tasked with carrying the majority of the offensive load for at least the next month.

Chicago Bulls News

Confirmed Lineup: Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic

  • Alex Caruso (ankle) — Out

  • Zach LaVine (foot) — Injured

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Out for season

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Orlando Robinson

  • Haywood Highsmith (back) — Not on injury report

  • Josh Richardson (back) — Available

  • Jamal Cain (finger) — Available

  • Bam Adebayo (hip) — Injured

  • Tyler Herro (ankle) — Injured

  • Dru Smith (knee) — Out for season

Indiana Pacers News

Confirmed Lineup: TJ McConnell, Bruce Brown, Buddy Hield, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner

  • Tyrese Haliburton (knee) — Out

  • Jalen Smith (knee, heel) — Injured

  • Andrew Nembhard (knee) — Injured

Haliburton suffered a left knee contusion during Friday's loss and coach Carlisle said afterward that he could miss the second leg of a back-to-back on Saturday. The Pacers could be extremely thin at point guard as they're already without Nembhard. While Carlisle has preferred to keep him in the second unit, TJ McConnell would likely start at the point out of necessity. Indiana's Offensive Rating has fallen from 125.8 with Haliburton on the court to 114.4 when he's been on the bench. Bruce Brown leads the team with a +4.6% usage rate differential this season with Haliburton off the court.

Minnesota Timberwolves News

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

  • Anthony Edwards (hip) — Available

  • Jaylen Clark (Achilles) — Injured

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton

  • Dorian Finney-Smith (knee) — Out

  • Dennis Smith Jr. (back) — Injured

  • Lonnie Walker (hamstring) — Injured

  • Ben Simmons (back) — Injured

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney

  • Draymond Green (suspension) — Out

  • Gary Payton II (calf) — Injured

Coach Kerr finally made the move to bench Andrew Wiggins and rolled out a new look lineup in Thursday's loss featuring Podziemski and Kuminga. Kerr said afterward that he'll stick with the new lineup for a bit and give it a fair shot. The five-man unit was a plus-3 in 14 minutes Thursday and has a +13.5 Net Rating so far this season. Thompson responded with a season-high 30 points on just 15 shot attempts.

Oklahoma City Thunder News

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

Denver Nuggets News

Confirmed Lineup: Jamal Murray, Justin Holiday, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

  • Jamal Murray (ankles) — Available

  • Aaron Gordon (heel) — Available

  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (concussion protocol) — Out

  • Vlatko Cancar (knee) — Injured

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Dante Exum, Derrick Jones Jr., Grant Williams, Dereck Lively II

  • Seth Curry (illness) — Available

  • Richaun Holmes (illness) — Out

  • Kyrie Irving (heel) — Injured

  • Josh Green (elbow) — Injured

  • Maxi Kleber (toe) — Injured

Portland Trail Blazers News

Confirmed Lineup: Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton

  • Jerami Grant (concussion) — In

  • Ish Wainright (knee) — Out

  • Robert Williams (knee) — Out for season

Utah Jazz News

Confirmed Lineup: Kris Dunn, Collin Sexton, Simone Fontecchio, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk

  • Lauri Markkanen (hamstring) — Not on injury report

  • Talen Horton-Tucker (illness) — Available

  • Omer Yurtseven (illness) — Out

  • John Collins (illness) — Out

  • Luka Samanic (illness) — Out

  • Keyonte George (foot) — Injured

  • Jordan Clarkson (thigh) — Injured

Sacramento Kings News

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

  • De'Aaron Fox (shoulder) — Out

  • Alex Len (ankle) — Injured

Fox suffered a right shoulder injury late during Thursday's win and was visibly bothered by it to close the game. The team is labeling it "irritation." If Fox has to miss time, Keon Ellis would more than likely move into the starting lineup coming off his best game of the season. Davion Mitchell has been buried in the rotation and limited to garbage time as of late but could reenter the rotation. Malik Monk leads all Kings rotation players in usage rate differential (+4.8%) this season with Fox off the court.

New York Knicks News

Confirmed Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Jericho Sims

  • Josh Hart (knee) — Available

  • Mitchell Robinson (ankle) — Injured

Los Angeles Clippers News

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

  • Paul George (groin) — Available

  • Bones Hyland (knee) — Out

  • Moussa Diabate (hip) — Out

  • Mason Plumlee (knee) — Injured