NBA Player News

CMB exited early from Sunday’s game with a thumb contusion, but he may not end up missing more time. He has been starting recently, but if CMB ends up sitting out, Sandro Mamukelashvili would get the starting nod and would be a high-priority streaming option.

Sabonis will be back after missing Wednesday’s game against Toronto, which was the second night of a back-to-back. Following an extended absence, it isn’t surprising that Sabonis wasn’t asked to play two nights in a row. His minutes have been strictly monitored, so he will likely continue to come off the bench against Cleveland.

Mitchell returned to the Heat lineup on Monday after missing the prior two games with a left shoulder contusion, most recently logging 19 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Kings. If he’s unable to play against Portland, the Heat will likely turn to Kasparas Jakučionis to fill the void. The rookie would be worth streaming if allowed to start.

Powell is dealing with tightness in his lower back, but the probable tag suggests that he’ll be able to take on his usual responsibilities. With Tyler Herro (ribs) facing an extended absence, Powell’s fantasy ceiling should be on par with where it was when the season began, and Herro was out after offseason toe surgery.

Initially listed to be dealing with tightness in his left hamstring, Ware’s diagnosis has been changed to a strain. Thursday’s game will be the second he’s missed due to the injury, which should give Nikola Jović and Simone Fontecchio a few more minutes. Neither player is worth the streaming risk in most leagues.

Sidery also mentions that “Sacramento is eyeing RJ Barrett as the primary player in return.” We do know from previous reporting that the Raptors are open to moving some combination of Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and/or Jakob Poeltl at the trade deadline. It remains to be seen if anything comes from this, but Sabonis would fit as a post offensive option alongside slashing wings like Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes.

Turner did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Thunder, which led to Gary Harris starting and Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as the starting center opposite Chet Holmgren. Harris played nine minutes, with Bobby Portis’ playing time increasing off the bench. Harris is likely to fall out of the rotation entirely if Turner plays on Friday.

Kornet has been battling left adductor tightness but has continued to play around 20 minutes a game. This will be his first missed game since December 5th. Bismack Biyombo could move into the rotation, but the Spurs may be able to get by with going small and playing Harrison Barnes or Keldon Johnson more minutes.

Bagley and Tristan Vukcevic are both out on Thursday, which means the Wizards don’t have a true backup center. Then again, it might not matter on Thursday since the Nuggets are also without their only two centers. Jamir Watkins could see minutes as the backup big man, and Khris Middleton could also spend extra time at power forward or as the big man in smaller lineups.

Randle, Naz Reid, and Donte DiVincenzo are the only players to play in all 44 games this season, so the expectation is that Randle will do what he can to get onto the court. Randle was also present at shootaround earlier on Thursday, so the injury is likely not severe. If he doesn’t play, Reid would likely slide into the starting lineup with Joan Beringer entering the rotation.

Williams missed the beginning of the season while recovering from ACL surgery and made his season debut on January 10th. As of now, it appears that the Hornets are just resting him in the second game of a back-to-back in order to help him in his continued recovery. Charlotte plays again on Saturday, so we’ll know the extent of Williams’ discomfort by then. Tidjane Salaün (Achilles) was available to play on Wednesday but didn’t see the court, so he may step back into Williams’ minutes on Thursday.