NBA News
Luka Doncic Exits Christmas Game Early
Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (calf) will not finish Wednesday's Christmas game against Minnesota. The Mavericks leader injured his left calf, exiting the action with 2:31 remaining in the second quarter. He was off to a great start in the game with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 16 minutes. Quentin Grimes started the second half in Doncic's place. Spencer Dinwiddie will need to put in extra work as well during Doncic's absence.
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Derrick White Available Versus 76ers
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (hamstring) has received the green light to play against Philadelphia on Christmas Day. White has missed only one game this season and will be available for Wednesday's matchup despite dealing with a hamstring issue. Jrue Holiday (shoulder) will not be in the lineup, so White will be expected to do a bit extra in the Celtics backcourt on Christmas. He's struggled offensively this month, shooting only 36.7 percent from the field while averaging 14.2 points.
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Jrue Holiday Will Not Play On Christmas Day
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (shoulder) has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against Philadelphia. He will be sidelined with right shoulder impingement, with the team downgrading Holiday from questionable to out. Holiday's absence should boost Payton Pritchard's playing time. He's struggled in recent outings, scoring just 13 points across the previous two games, but Pritchard has had an impressive year overall off the Boston bench. The 26-year-old averages 15.7 points with nearly 43 percent shooting from deep.
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Jayson Tatum Cleared For Action Wednesday
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (illness) will suit up for Wednesday's Christmas clash against Philadelphia. Boston has upgraded him from questionable to available ahead of the game. Tatum will be back in action after missing one contest due to an illness. He had a historic outing in his last appearance versus Chicago, finishing with 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. On Christmas Day, Tatum has previously averaged 23.6 points. Another 23-point performance would help him pass Bill Sharman for second place on Boston's all-time Christmas scoring list.
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Jaden Hardy Available Versus Timberwolves
Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (ankle) will be in the lineup for Wednesday's Christmas matchup against Minnesota. He's returning from a six-game absence after being initially listed as questionable for the contest. Hardy's addition adds an extra option for Dallas, but he isn't expected to be a major factor on Wednesday. Across 22 outings this season, the 22-year-old has averaged only 14.5 minutes per game, scoring 6.5 points. He has earned just 10 total minutes over his last two appearances.
2 hours ago
Luka Doncic Good To Go Wednesday
Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (heel) will play against Minnesota on Christmas Day. Dallas has upgraded him from probable to available. Doncic returned from a two-game absence on Monday versus Portland and eased his way to a 27-7-7 line. He has recorded three triple-doubles in his last five appearances and will look to do something special again. The Slovenian superstar has been immense in previous Christmas Day outings, averaging 36.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks.
2 hours ago
Zion Williamson Expected To Return To Full Practice Next Week
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (hamstring) is nearing his comeback, as the team announced on Tuesday that he is expected to return to full practice next week. Williamson is considered week-to-week. The Pelicans star played in only six games at the start of the season before landing on the shelf with a left hamstring strain. He averaged 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks. Brandon Ingram (ankle) has been ruled out for at least two more weeks, so the likes of Trey Murphy III, Brandon Boston Jr., and Jordan Hawkins continue to have extra fantasy value for a bit longer.
5 hours ago
Brandon Ingram To Be Re-Evaluated In Two Weeks
New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Brandon Ingram (ankle) is set to spend at least a couple of more weeks on the sidelines. The team announced that Ingram will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The former All-Star has already missed a lot of action, featuring just twice since Nov. 22. With Zion Williamson (hamstring) also on the shelf, Trey Murphy III (ankle), Brandon Boston Jr., and Jordan Hawkins have additional fantasy value.
5 hours ago
Trey Murphy III Considered Day-To-Day
New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (ankle) is considered day-to-day. He injured his ankle on Sunday against Denver but has luckily escaped a serious injury. Considering the team has labeled him as day-to-day, there's a chance Murphy III doesn't even have to miss any games. New Orleans returns to action on Thursday against Houston. Murphy III has stood out recently with several strong performances, scoring 20-plus points in five of his last six appearances.
6 hours ago
Dru Smith Out For Season With An Achilles Injury
Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (Achilles) has been ruled out for the rest of the season. He tore his left Achilles in Monday's game against Brooklyn. This is a very unfortunate blow for Smith, who had just carved out a significant role on the team for himself, averaging 29.3 minutes over a six-game stretch before Monday's action. It's made worse by the fact that Smith lost most of the 2023-24 campaign to a knee injury and also had a season-ending injury in 2021-22 in the G League. Smith notched 6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 19.1 minutes while he was healthy this term. Rookie Pelle Larsson will likely soak in most of his minutes.
6 hours ago
Gary Payton II Might Miss A Second Straight Game Wednesday
Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (calf) has been labeled as questionable for Wednesday's Christmas game against the Lakers. He missed his first game of the season on Monday versus Indiana and might have to remain on the sidelines due to a calf contusion. Payton II has logged a pair of starts this month but typically doesn't play a big role in the rotation, averaging 13.4 minutes for the season. The team should soak in the leftover minutes as a group.
6 hours ago
D'Angelo Russell In Danger Of Missing Christmas Game
Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell (thumb) has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's Christmas battle against Golden State. He hurt his left thumb on Monday versus Detroit, logging only 16 minutes of action. Gabe Vincent will be in line for more minutes off the bench if Russell has to sit out Wednesday's action, with Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish also in a position to play larger roles. Max Christie might receive extra action among the Lakers starters.
6 hours ago
Anthony Davis Questionable For Christmas Day Action
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (shoulder) has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's meeting with Golden State. He has sustained a shoulder contusion ahead of Christmas. Davis has played through a foot problem most of the season, missing only one game, so it appears likely that he will shake off the questionable tag ahead of tip-off. The star center is riding a seven-game double-double streak, and Davis looks set for another productive outing against a Warriors team that can be very vulnerable against opposing big men.
6 hours ago
LeBron James Questionable To Face Warriors On Christmas
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) is once again accompanied by a questionable tag on the injury report ahead of the team's Christmas Day matchup against Golden State. The veteran superstar continues to manage a left foot injury. However, despite being a regular on the injury report, James has sat out only two contests all season, so it appears safe to assume that he will hit the court on Wednesday. James has famously always enjoyed the Christmas Day games, averaging 26.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.5 steals while posting a 10-8 record with his teams.
6 hours ago
Derrick White Battling A Hamstring Problem, Questionable To Play On Christmas Day
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (hamstring) is in danger of missing his second game of the season, with the team listing him as questionable for Wednesday's meeting with Philadelphia. He's nursing right hamstring tightness. With Jrue Holiday (shoulder) and Jayson Tatum (illness) also questionable for Christmas action, we might get a hefty dose of the Celtics reserves versus Philadelphia. Payton Pritchard, Al Horford, and Sam Hauser would all become popular fantasy targets if Boston isn't at full strength on Wednesday.
6 hours ago
Jrue Holiday Carrying A Questionable Tag On Christmas
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (shoulder) is considered questionable for the team's Christmas Day clash against Philadelphia. A shoulder problem might take Holiday out of the lineup for the first time in seven games. Payton Pritchard's fantasy stock would get a big boost if Holiday won't be able to play. He's been one of the top bench scorers in the league this season, averaging 15.7 points in 28.6 minutes. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla likes to have Pritchard come off the bench, so Sam Hauer might also have additional fantasy value as Holiday's replacement in the starting unit.
6 hours ago
Jayson Tatum Iffy For Christmas Game
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (illness) is regarded as questionable for Wednesday's Christmas game against Philadelphia. He was a late scratch on Monday versus Orlando because of an illness, and Tatum hasn't had a lot of time to recover. Tatum's absence on Monday gave Al Horford an opportunity to log his 19th start of the campaign. The veteran big man has averaged 9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists as part of the first unit this season. Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, and Payton Pritchard may see more action off the bench if Tatum remains out on Christmas Day.
7 hours ago
Jamal Murray Questionable For Christmas Action
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's matchup against Phoenix. He missed a meeting with the Suns on Monday due to a right ankle sprain and might also have to sit out a Christmas rematch between the two teams. Russell Westbrook made his seventh start of the year on Monday, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in 25 minutes. He will take on a bigger load once again if Murray can't play on Wednesday.
7 hours ago
Grayson Allen Sidelined For Christmas
Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (concussion) will sit out Wednesday's Christmas battle against Denver. He remains in concussion protocol, missing a second consecutive game. With Allen out of commission, Ryan Dunn reached the 30-minute mark for the second time this season on Monday versus the Nuggets. However, he didn't do a lot in the contest, scoring five points and registering four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Royce O'Neale also benefits from Allen's absence, but he's been on a cold stretch lately.
7 hours ago
Devin Booker Ruled Out For Christmas Clash
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (groin) will not play against Denver on Christmas Day. He exited the lineup last week with a left groin strain and will be absent for a third straight game. Kevin Durant has averaged 33.0 points with Booker out of the lineup, while Bradley Beal's scoring numbers have also received a big boost. The two combined for 46 points in Monday's heavy 117-90 loss to the Nuggets.
7 hours ago
Luka Doncic
• PG
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Mavericks
