NBA Player News

Dončić is away from the Lakers for personal reasons, and Thursday’s game is the first of three that they’ll play on their upcoming road trip. What his absence means for games against Boston and Philadelphia is unknown, but it leaves a massive hole in the Lakers’ lineup. LeBron James and Austin Reaves will see their usage rates increase, which is especially important for the former, given his production in Monday’s loss to the Suns. As for the spot in the starting lineup, Gabe Vincent is the most likely replacement.

Embiid will return from nearly a month-long absence on Wednesday as the Sixers look to bounce back from a loss to OKC. Philadelphia will also welcome back Paul George, who was serving a 25-game suspension, for the first time since Jan 29th. The return of both players is good news for a Sixers team that could benefit from reps together as the postseason nears. They are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.

With Marcus Smart still out, LaRavia remains in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game. The other change to the lineup is Hayes, who steps in for the injured Deandre Ayton (knee).

Despite dealing with an ankle issue, Green will suit up on Wednesday and look to provide an impact off Detroit’s bench. The veteran guard is averaging 6.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game this season. He’s unlikely to make a notable impact from a fantasy basketball standpoint.

Harris is good to go after being listed as probable on the injury report released by the Pistons on Wednesday afternoon. However, there may be some questions regarding his availability for Thursday’s game against the Pelicans. Given where the Pistons are in the standings, it would be unsurprising if they gave Harris a night off at some point soon.

Duren was upgraded to probable Wednesday afternoon, so his availability against the Hawks isn’t a surprise. The 22-year-old center continues to manage right knee soreness and with this being the first game of a back-to-back it’s possible Duren won’t play against the Pelicans on Thursday. With Isaiah Stewart (calf) still sidelined, Paul Reed will backup Duren on Wednesday.

Yabusele missed Monday’s win over the Rockets. Nick Richards started and had 11 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes. Richards will likely head back to the bench with Yabusele and Isaac Okoro available to return Wednesday against the 76ers.

Ayton was downgraded from questionable to out as the Lakers look to rebound from Monday’s loss, a game in which the former first-overall pick posted a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double. With Ayton now sidelined, Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes could see more minutes than usual.

Okoro is back after a seven-game absence, which will likely cause a change to the Bulls’ starting lineup. Nick Richards could be headed to the bench, but the equation likely changes if Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is available.

Toppin was initially listed as probable with a foot injury, so his availability against the Lakers on Wednesday isn’t a surprise. The 28-year-old power forward still isn’t playing enough minutes to have much fantasy value. Toppin isn’t worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.

Nembhard is good to go after initially being probable for Wednesday’s game. As long as he’s allowed to play starters’ minutes, the Pacers’ point guard should continue to be a positive asset in category leagues.