We’re in the final month of the 2022-2023 NBA season and some teams like the Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Pelicans have multiple players out of their lineups. The Pistons sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference while the Pelicans have been a sinking ship for a while. We should have a good idea in the next week or two whether Zion Williamson will take the floor again for New Orleans. The Pistons continue holding out Jalen Duren. If you missed it, check out the latest fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups if you need a lineup replacement for someone on this NBA injury report. Be sure to keep track of the latest NBA injury news and fantasy basketball lineup news on a daily basis in this homestretch of the NBA season. Now, here are some more of the latest NBA player injuries to know for fantasy basketball this week.

 

2023 NBA Injury Report Fantasy Basketball Week 21

NBA Point Guard Injury News

Luka Doncic, PG, Dallas Mavericks (Thigh)

Doncic is dealing with a strained thigh and his return to the court will depend on his pain. The Mavericks play on Saturday and it would be surprising to see him active for that contest. Kyrie Irving will be the primary ball distributor, and Tim Hardaway Jr and Justin Holiday will also bring up the ball at times. If the Mavericks want to feature other players on offense, they could put Frank Ntilikina in to just set up the offense without shooting the ball himself.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (Abdomen)

Did Gilgeous-Alexander sit for the Thunder's last game because of his injury or rest? It's very hard to tell and the Thunder have a ton of draft picks already and are still fighting for positioning in the play-in tournament. If Gilgeous-Alexander needs another game off, Josh Giddey will run the point and Tre Mann will see more action on the floor. Luguentz Dort will be asked to shoot more if Gilgeous-Alexander is sidelined.

Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks (Foot)

After returning from a foot injury on Thursday, Brunson had to leave the game after re-injuring it. He's probably looking at a couple of games on the shelf and if that's the case, Immanuel Quickley will see a lot more time with the ball and the scoring will be spread around a bit more to other players including Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks will take a more cautious approach with Brunson so he's healthy for the playoffs.

Kevin Porter Jr., PG, Houston Rockets (Thigh)

Porter missed his last game with an injured thigh and if he needs to miss more time, Jalen Green will see an uptick in shots and reserve guards Daishen Nix and Josh Christopher will see more run. The Rockets could have Jae'Sean Tate run the point as well. Porter missed a ton of action and played just four games before missing his last one. 

D'Angelo Russell, PG, Los Angeles Lakers (Ankle)

Russell has sat for the Lakers' last six games, but he will return to the Lakers' starting lineup on Friday sending Dennis Schroder back to the bench. Schroder should still play 20-25 minutes. Russell will be the second prioritized scorer for the Lakers behind Anthony Davis with LeBron James still out. 

De’Aaron Fox, PG, Sacramento Kings (Hamstring)

Fox returned to the Kings' lineup on Thursday after dealing with a sore hamstring. 

Collin Sexton, PG, Utah Jazz (Hamstring)

Sexton hasn't played since before the all-star break and Kris Dunn (who just got a second 10-day contract with Utah) has been doing a good job filling in for him. Jordan Clarkson can also run the offense too. Talen Horton-Tucker has been more involved in the Jazz rotation since Sexton went down and he has shown the ability to be able to set up his teammates on offense. He’s also dished no fewer than three assists in 10 straight games. 

 

NBA Shooting Guard Injury News

Royce O'Neale, SG, Brooklyn Nets (Knee)

It's hard to tell whether the Nets rested five players last game or if they're actually injured. If O'Neale needs to miss another game, Joe Harris and Seth Curry will play more minutes and Harris will see a slight increase in shots. O'Neale is utilized more for his defense when on the floor. 

Alec Burks, SG, Detroit Pistons (Foot)

Burks has missed his last couple of battles with an injured foot and if he needs more time to heal up, Rodney McGruder will play more reserve minutes and the Pistons could go small and put Cory Joseph in the lineup with Killian Hayes. If that combination was put out on the floor, Joseph could be the off-guard being set up for shots by Hayes. 

NBA Small Forward Injury News

Brandon Ingram, SF, New Orleans Pelicans (Ankle)

Ingram hurt his ankle in the Pelicans last game and we don't know how much time he'll miss and if he needs to sit out for the next few contests, Trey Murphy III and Josh Richardson will see a boost in shot-attempts and Naji Marshall and Dyson Daniels will play more as well. CJ McCollum will become the Pelicans prioritized scorer if Ingram doesn't play. 

Jalen Williams, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder (Wrist)

Williams has missed the Thunder's last two games and if he needs more time to recover, Dario Saric will see more action on the court. Aaron Wiggins should see reserve run as well and if the Thunder want, they could play Jeremiah Robinson-Earl at other positions as well. We've seen Williams toggle between playing at small forward and power forward this year.

Bennedict Mathurin, SF, Indiana Pacers (Ankle)

Mathurin injured his ankle in the Pacers previous game and is looking at a couple of games off the floor. Chris Duarte and Jordan Nwora will play more and Buddy Hield should see a slight uptick in shots. Nwora has taken 10 shots or more in 5 of his last 6 games.

Hamidou Diallo, SF, Detroit Pistons (Ankle)

Diallo's season is likely over after injuring his ankle a few days ago and with him out of the lineup, Burks will benefit when he's healthy and Isaiah Livers and Rodney McGruder should see more playing time at small forward.

Norman Powell, SF, Los Angeles Clippers (Shoulder)

Powell has an injured shoulder and he’ll miss at least a few more games leaving a good number of shots on the table. Eric Gordon and Terance Mann will be the main beneficiaries and will be more involved in the offense with the Clippers' second unit. Powell takes 11-12 shots per game. We’ll have to see how his quickly his shoulder heals up, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see his timetable to return lengthened. 

 

NBA Power Forward Injury News

Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks (Hand)

Antetokounmpo has sat out for the Bucks' last two games as he's nursing an injured hand. The Bucks' next game is on Saturday and if he can't make it back to the lineup, Khris Middleton will be the prioritized scorer, and Bobby Portis will be inserted into the starting lineup and play more minutes and take more shots. Brook Lopez will be asked to shoot more as well. Consider Antetokounmpo day-to-day.

Kevin Durant, PF, Phoenix Suns (Ankle)

Durant suffered a pretty bad ankle sprain during warmups the other night before the Suns game and he'll miss the next two to three weeks of action. While he's out, Chris Paul will need to shoot more and Josh Okogie will see a major increase in shots and Torrey Craig will start. More plays will need to center around Deandre Ayton in the post as well. The Suns just want Durant as healthy as possible by the time the playoffs arrive.

Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans (Hamstring)

It's very questionable whether we will see Williamson play again this season, but the latest update from his re-evaluation states that he'll be sidelined for at least another two weeks. While he's out, McCollum will take more shots and Jonas Valanciunas and Herbert Jones will be asked to produce more in the post. Naji Marshall will see increased playing time with Ingram out as well.

Cameron Johnson, PF, Brooklyn Nets (Knee)

Johnson could have been just resting for a game or he's actually dealing with a sore knee. If he needs to miss another game, Joe Harris will play more minutes and take more shots and Dorian Finney-Smith will likely shoot more from beyond the arc. 

Isaiah Stewart, PF, Detroit Pistons (Shoulder)

Stewart will be out for most of the final month of the season with a shoulder injury. There's a chance the Pistons simply shut him down for the rest of the way. With Stewart out of action, Marvin Bagley III will start alongside James Wiseman with Jalen Duren backing up Wiseman. Livers will toggle between small forward and power forward and he'll take more shots.

Jeremy Sochan, PF, San Antonio Spurs (Knee)

Sochan will return to the Spurs lineup on Friday. He took 13 shots or more in his previous four battles and Keita Bates-Diop will return to the bench as Sochan continues to start at power forward. 

Reggie Bullock, PF, Dallas Mavericks (Quad)

Bullock has been playing more power forward since Finney-Smith was traded away and with him likely missing action after suffering a quad injury a few days ago, Christian Wood and Hardaway will take more shots and Davis Bertans will play more minutes. 

Jonathan Kuminga, PF, Golden State Warriors (Ankle)

Kuminga is another player who injured his ankle while warming up and if he needs any more time off the floor, Andre Iguodala will play 15-20 minutes backing up Draymond Green and he'll help out at small forward as well. Andrew Wiggins has been off the floor for personal reasons for the last handful of games.

Doug McDermott, PF, San Antonio Spurs (Thumb)

McDermott is set to return to the floor on Friday and he should play around 20 minutes with Sochan also healthy. He'll battle Bates-Diop for reserve minutes. 

Bojan Bogdanovic, PF, Detroit Pistons (Achilles)

Bogdanovic’s Achilles is still bothering him and he’s sat for three of the Pistons' last four games, and with Detroit at the bottom of the conference, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him get shut down for the rest of the season in the next week or two. If he needs to miss another game, Marvin Bagley III will start next to James Wiseman and Isaiah Livers will get more minutes and shots as well.

Kevin Love, PF, Miami Heat (Ribs)

Love returned on Wednesday after sitting out with injured ribs. If Love needs to sit for another game to recover, Caleb Martin and Max Strus will fill in for him. If needed, the Heat could let Jimmy Butler play a little power forward as well shifting him to the post and Duncan Robinson can see more playing time at small forward. 

Brandon Clarke, PF, Memphis Grizzlies (Achilles)

Clarke tore his Achilles and is out for the rest of the season. With Clarke sidelined, Santi Aldama should see more minutes behind Jaren Jackson Jr and Steven Adams (when healthy). He’ll battle Xavier Tillman for reserve minutes once Adams returns, but, until Adams is activated, Tillman should continue to start and Aldama will be the primary big man to substitute off the bench. 

Jonathan Isaac, PF, Orlando Magic (Adductor)

Isaac hasn’t been able to stay healthy and he just had surgery on his leg after tearing a muscle. We won’t see him on the court for the rest of the season. Bol Bol will benefit by seeing a slight uptick in playing time. Isaac hasn’t been able to prove that he can handle playing 15 minutes per game without his body breaking down. 

NBA Center Injury News

Nicolas Claxton, C, Brooklyn Nets (Thumb)

The Nets deactivated multiple players last game, but if Claxton is legitimately hurt with a sprained thumb, Nerlens Noel and Day'Ron Sharpe will fill in at center for Brooklyn.

Steven Adams, C, Memphis Grizzlies (Knee)

After thinking we'd see Adams back on the floor in the next few games, new reports came out that he got an injection in his knee and will miss at least the next four weeks. We might not see him back on the court until the playoffs and while he's out, Xavier Tillman will be his primary fill in and Santi Aldama will see more action on the floor as well. 

Mark Williams, C, Charlotte Hornets (Thumb)

Williams left the Hornets' last game with an injured thumb and if he needs time to recover, Nick Richards who played 29 minutes last game, should continue seeing an increase in playing time. Kai Jones and JT Thor could substitute at center as well if Richards needs to be relieved. We're awaiting news regarding how bad Williams' thumb injury truly is.

Mo Bamba, C, Los Angeles Lakers (Ankle)

High-ankle sprains tend to take a longer time to recover from and that is what Bamba is dealing with, and his season could potentially be over. He'll miss most of the final month of the regular-season and Wenyen Gabriel and Rui Hachimura will back up Davis in the post. Hachimura will play minutes at both center and power forward until James returns to action. 

Wendell Carter Jr., C, Orlando Magic (Hip)

Carter missed the Magic’s last game with a sore hip and if he needs to sit for Tuesday’s game, Mo Wagner will fill in for him and Bol will back him up. If Orlando needs more size, they can also turn to Goga Bitadze as well, but they should mainly stick with Wagner and Bol. 

Robert Williams, C, Boston Celtics (Hamstring)

Williams will miss another few games with a strained hamstring and the Celtics will be very cautious with Williams because they need him healthy for the playoffs and he has a bad recent history when it comes to injuries. Mike Muscala will see a lot more playing time with Williams out and Blake Griffin will see the court more as well. If Horford is back for the Celtics' next game, he can shift up to center to fill in as well. 

 

Fantasy Alarm is the home of all things Fantasy Sports. Bringing you the best Fantasy Football, Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Basketball content all year long. Be sure to also check out the best fantasy promo codes on offer today!

Related NBA Links: