<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
Brook Lopez has an opportunity to produce for the Clippers and fantasy managers with Ivica Zubac sidelined. <\/p>\n
F Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n
Johnson suffered a knee injury during Tuesday\u2019s loss to Dallas and was due to undergo an MRI on Wednesday. According to ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania, he has been diagnosed with a bone bruise and is expected to miss time. As was the case when Peyton Watson (18 percent) missed a few games, Tim Hardaway Jr. (eight percent) and Bruce Brown (10 percent) are the players who are likely to be first in line to fill the resulting vacancy in the starting lineup. Of course, the Nuggets are still awaiting the returns of Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon, who may not be available until early January.<\/p>\n
F\/C Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n
Jackson suffered a head injury during Monday\u2019s loss to the Celtics and was not available for Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Bucks. Starting center Jay Huff (29 percent) only played 21 minutes on Tuesday, but he would be the \u201cbest\u201d option for fantasy managers willing to consider rostering a Pacers center. The team recently re-signed James Wiseman (less than one percent), and he played 12 minutes off the bench on Tuesday. The Pacers were also willing to go small at times, factoring into Jarace Walker (two percent) picking up a few additional minutes off the bench. Even with Huff as the starter, he\u2019s averaging only 19.6 minutes per game this season; there aren\u2019t any appealing options on the Pacers\u2019 roster.<\/p>\n
C Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers<\/p>\n
Zubac suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain during Saturday\u2019s win over the Lakers and has been ruled out for at least three weeks. Brook Lopez (15 percent) moved into the starting lineup for Tuesday\u2019s win over the Rockets, producing five points, six rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes. He\u2019s been challenging to rely on in fantasy basketball this season, and that\u2019s unlikely to change, even with Zubac\u2019s injury. First-round pick Yanic Konan Niederh\u00e4user (less than one percent) played 15 minutes off the bench on Tuesday and is a better option for dynasty league managers who can afford to stash him than redraft leagues.<\/p>\n
G Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and F Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n
Don\u010di\u0107 suffered a leg contusion during Saturday\u2019s loss to the Clippers and did not play in Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Suns, while Hachimura has missed the last two games with a groin injury. Nick Smith Jr. (less than one percent) and Jake LaRavia (seven percent) moved into the starting lineup, with the latter\u2019s four defensive contributions being most notable about their performances. While LaRavia would be worth a look in deep leagues if Hachimura remains out on Thursday against the Rockets, there\u2019s no need to consider Smith. <\/p>\n
The expectation is that Luka is on track to play Thursday, so Smith may be headed to the bench regardless of what happens with Austin Reaves\u2019 minutes restriction. Reaves, who missed time with a calf injury, logged 22 minutes off the bench on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
F\/C Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n
By itself, Clarke\u2019s injury would not affect fantasy basketball. However, he was Zach Edey\u2018s replacement in the starting lineup before going down with a strained right calf. Jock Landale (12 percent) filled in for Clarke for the December 22 loss to the Thunder, but Santi Aldama (45 percent) received the nod for the December 23 win over the Jazz. And he went off, finishing with 37 points, five rebounds, seven assists, one steal and seven three-pointers in 34 minutes. While starting would make Landale worth a look in deep leagues, Aldama deserves consideration in 12-team formats, whether he starts or comes off the bench.<\/p>\n
F Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n
McDaniels suffered an oblique injury during Minnesota\u2019s December 21 win over the Bucks and did not play two nights later against the Knicks. Mike Conley (one percent) moved into the starting lineup, finishing with eight points, one rebound, two assists, two steals, one block and two three-pointers in 30 minutes. Even if McDaniels remains sidelined, Conley\u2019s production has not been good enough to merit rostering in most leagues. Bones Hyland (three percent) has earned rotation minutes recently, but there should be better options available on most waiver wires.<\/p>\n
G\/F Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n
Jones has been banged up recently, first developing a migraine after taking a hit to the face during Saturday\u2019s win over the Pacers. He was able to play two nights later against the Mavericks, but then the Pelicans wing sprained his right ankle. Jones did not play in Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Cavaliers, resulting in Bryce McGowens (one percent) moving into the starting lineup. In 31 minutes, McGowens recorded eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one three-pointer.<\/p>\n
If Jones has to miss more time, fantasy managers would be better off targeting Saddiq Bey (36 percent), especially as he continues to start over Zion Williamson. Williamson\u2019s minutes limit will disappear at some point, but Bey has played well enough to continue figure prominently in the rotation, even if he\u2019s pushed to the bench.<\/p>\n
G Jalen Brunson and F OG Anunoby, New York Knicks<\/p>\n
Neither Brunson nor Anunoby traveled with the team for Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Timberwolves, staying back in New York to get a little more time off for injury maintenance reasons. Both should be fine for Thursday\u2019s game against the Cavaliers, with Brunson already cleared and Anunoby listed as probable. Tyler Kolek (three percent) and Mitchell Robinson (16 percent) moved into the starting lineup, with the former recording career-highs in points and rebounds. Kolek isn\u2019t worth holding onto when Brunson is available, but his recent performances have made the second-year guard a player worth keeping in mind for nights when the Knicks rest their star point guard. And with the Knicks not having more than one day off at any point until January 14, it would be unsurprising if starters not named Mikal Bridges get an occasional night off.<\/p>\n
G Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n
Mitchell did not play in Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Spurs after entering the league\u2019s concussion protocol following Monday\u2019s win over the Grizzlies. While he may not be a starter, the second-year guard has played well enough to put himself on the radar of some standard leagues despite coming off the bench on most nights. The minutes that would have gone to Mitchell were spread among multiple players, including Cason Wallace (25 percent), Alex Caruso (nine percent) and Isaiah Joe (five percent). While Joe boasts the highest scoring average of the trio, Wallace\u2019s 2.3 steals per game have made him the best option for category league managers.<\/p>\n
G Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n
Allen has been out since December 14, missing the last three games due to right knee injury management. Royce O\u2019Neale (15 percent) has returned to the starting lineup, averaging 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 28 minutes per game. He\u2019s mainly worth a look for those needing steals and three-pointers, but that\u2019s about it. And it\u2019s always a good time to target Collin Gillespie (31 percent), especially with Jalen Green unlikely to return from his hamstring injury until sometime in January.<\/p>\n
F Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers<\/p>\n
Grant has missed Portland\u2019s last three games with a sore Achilles tendon. While this isn\u2019t believed to be an injury that will sideline the forward for an extended period, it does affect the Trail Blazers\u2019 rotation. Kris Murray (one percent) moved into the starting lineup, averaging 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 30.7 minutes. While the playing time is encouraging for the former first-round pick, the production isn\u2019t enough to make Murray a player worth streaming if Grant remains out.<\/p>\n
F Keegan Murray and G Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Murray\u2019s name was added to the long list of players who have suffered calf injuries this season. The Kings\u2019 forward had to exit Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Pistons after playing 20 minutes, having appeared to tweak his right calf. Rookie Nique Clifford (one percent) was the replacement, and he finished with 14 points, two rebounds, two steals and two three-pointers in 25 minutes. With Zach LaVine also sidelined, the rookie wing\u2019s playing time increased even before Murray\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n
Clifford isn\u2019t someone to target if Murray misses time, but he is worth tracking. Something else to watch in Sacramento is Malik Monk\u2018s (19 percent) playing time. He played 14 minutes off the bench on Tuesday and five two nights prior against the Rockets. The veteran guard picked up two DNP-CDs before then, with injuries getting him back onto the fringe of the Kings\u2019 rotation. If Murray has to miss time, Monk would be a better streaming option, provided he receives rotation minutes.<\/p>\n
C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors<\/p>\n
The lower back injury that first became a problem for Poeltl during the preseason flared up recently, sidelining him during Toronto\u2019s December 21 loss to the Nets. The 7-footer did not play at all in Tuesday\u2019s win over the Heat, with Sandro Mamukelashvili (11 percent) moving into the starting lineup. In 27 minutes, Mamu tallied 14 points, six rebounds, seven assists, one steal and four three-pointers.<\/p>\n
And he wasn\u2019t the only Raptors frontcourt player to provide solid value in Poeltl\u2019s absence. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles (two percent) recorded his first double-double, finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, one block and one three-pointer in 25 minutes off the bench. While Mamu is the superior streaming option if Poeltl remains out, Murray-Boyles is worth keeping an eye on.<\/p>\n
F Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz<\/p>\n
It looks like we\u2019re at the point in the season when the Jazz begin to sit some of their established players for \u201cinjury management\u201d reasons. Neither Markkanen nor Jusuf Nurki\u0107 played in Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Grizzlies, resulting in Utah starting Kevin Love (one percent) and Kyle Filipowski (24 percent). Filipowski, who can probably be rostered even when Markkanen and Nurki\u0107 are available, finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two three-pointers in 35 minutes. <\/p>\n
Deeper into the rotation, Taylor Hendricks (one percent) may be a \u201csilly season\u201d option in deeper leagues where Filipowski has already been claimed after the trade deadline. He recorded a line of 21 points, four rebounds, one assist, three steals and two three-pointers in 27 minutes off the bench.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Christmas Eve means that the entire NBA is off for the first time since Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, one day…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":369751,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-369750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=369750"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369750\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/369751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=369750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=369750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=369750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}