NBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 3/7

Mar 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

  • Luka Doncic (ankle) — Available

  • Jaylen Brown (pelvis) — In

  • Ochai Agbaji (knee) — In

  • Lonnie Walker (illness) — Available

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__NBA for notifications.

Brooklyn Nets News

Confirmed Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Dennis Smith Jr., Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, Nic Claxton

  • Lonnie Walker (illness) — Available

  • Day'Ron Sharpe (wrist) — Out

  • Cam Johnson (ankle) — Out

  • Cam Thomas (ankle, foot) — Out

  • Ben Simmons (back) — Out for season

  • Dariq Whitehead (shin) — Out for season

With Johnson, Simmons, and Thomas sidelined, the Nets will need some of their role players to step up on both sides of the ball. Of course, Bridges and Claxton will be available and should lead the way, but players like Schroder and Walker should at least provide more offense. Schroder has played well recently, averaging 17.0 points and 6.8 assists over his last five appearances, each of which have been starts. He'll have an enticing matchup against the Pistons, who have allowed the second-most points per game (26.9) to point guards this season.

Detroit Pistons News

Confirmed Lineup: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren

  • Taj Gibson (signed) — Available

  • Quentin Grimes (injury management) — Out

Minnesota Timberwolves News

Confirmed Lineup: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Rudy Gobert

  • TJ Warren (signed) — Available

  • Josh Minott (illness) — Not on injury report

  • Jordan McLaughlin (illness) — Available

  • Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) — Injured

  • Jaylen Clark (Achilles) — Injured

Indiana Pacers News

Confirmed Lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

  • Bennedict Mathurin (shoulder) — Out

  • Doug McDermott (calf) — Out

Miami Heat News

Confirmed Lineup: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic, Bam Adebayo

  • Patty Mills (signed) — Available

  • Tyler Herro (foot) — Out

  • Kevin Love (heel) — Out

  • Josh Richardson (shoulder) — Out for season

The Heat will be without Herro and Love for the next two contests, which includes Thursday's game against Dallas. Herro has missed the previous five outings and Miami has gone 4-1. Butler has led the team offensively over that span, averaging 26.5 points and 6.8 assists per game, with Adebayo chipping in 20.8 points per contest. Adebayo should be able to find success against the Mavs, who have given up the fourth-most points per game (24.9) league-wide to centers this season.

Dallas Mavericks News

Confirmed Lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford

  • Luka Doncic (ankle) — Available

  • Maxi Kleber (knee) — Available

Toronto Raptors News

Confirmed Lineup: Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., Ochai Agbaji, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk

  • Ochai Agbaji (knee) — In

  • DJ Carton (ankle) — Out

  • Jalen McDaniels (illness) — Available

  • Bruce Brown (knee) — Out

  • Jakob Poeltl (finger) — Injured

  • Scottie Barnes (hand) — Injured

Phoenix Suns News

Confirmed Lineup: Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic

  • Josh Okogie (abdomen) — Out

  • Devin Booker (ankle) — Injured

  • Nassir Little (knee) — Injured

  • Damion Lee (knee) — Injured

Boston Celtics News

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

  • Jaylen Brown (pelvis) — In

  • Neemias Queta (knee) — Injured

If Brown is sidelined, the Celtics' matchup against Denver will be even tougher. Through three games this month, Brown has averaged 25.0 points per contest and has led the team with a 30.9% usage rate. Tatum would likely garner increased usage against the Nuggets, who have won six of their last seven contests, posting the third-best Net Rating (+10.8) league-wide over that span of games. Boston's +26.1 Net Rating during that time was the league's best.

Denver Nuggets News

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

  • Vlatko Cancar (knee) — Injured

Chicago Bulls News

Confirmed Lineup: Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic

  • Torrey Craig (knee) — In

  • Dalen Terry (personal) — Not on injury report

  • Zach LaVine (foot) — Out for season

  • Patrick Williams (foot) — Out for season

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) — Out for season

Golden State Warriors News

Confirmed Lineup: Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green

San Antonio Spurs News

Confirmed Lineup: Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Jeremy Sochan, Zach Collins

  • Victor Wembanyama (ankle) — Out

  • Charles Bassey (knee) — Out for season

The Spurs have played six games sans Wembanyama this season and are winless in those outings. They'll play their seventh game without him, this time against a Kings team that is nearly at full health. Wembanyama has played in 21 consecutive contests and has posted seven straight double-doubles, and his absence should result in increased usage for Johnson and Collins.

Sacramento Kings News

Confirmed Lineup: De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

  • Sasha Vezenkov (ankle) — Injured