NBA News
Keegan Murray Sidelined Again On Friday
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (ankle) won't play on Friday against the Grizzlies. He'll now be sidelined for a second-straight contest, recently missing Wednesday's win over the 76ers because of ankle soreness. Keon Ellis got the start, finishing with nine points. But he shined most on the defensive end, amassing four steals and two blocks. Ellis will start again on Friday night, although the debut of Devin Carter could mean he'll be less productive.
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Bogdan Bogdanovic Upgraded to Available Friday Against The Lakers
Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (lower leg) was originally listed as questionable for Friday night's matchup against the Lakers, but he was upgraded to available and is ready to return after a five-game absence due to a lower leg contusion. Bogdanovic has been limited to just 14 games this year due to injury, but when he has been on the floor he has been productive, contributing 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.9 steals in 25.3 minutes per game. He may play a reduced workload on Friday in his first game back, but he should resume his role as one of the primary scoring options in Atlanta's second unit once he's back to full speed.
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Jalen Johnson Available To Return On Friday
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) was upgraded from questionable to available for Friday night's matchup with the Lakers. The breakout forward missed Wednesday's 139-120 loss to the Nuggets but will be back in the lineup as the Hawks try to knock off the Lakers, who are on the second night of a back-to-back. Johnson has averaged 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in his 31 games this season and has been on pace with those numbers recently as well. He had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in his first game against the Lakers this season, but his scoring has been trending up lately, setting him up as a good play in the late game on Friday night.
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LeBron James Cleared To Face The Hawks
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) will play on Friday versus the Hawks. The 40-year-old continues to play well, most recently amassing 38 points in Thursday's 114-106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He did log 36 minutes, so there's a chance he won't play as much on Friday night. With Anthony Davis (ankle) back from a one-game absence, James may also not be as productive. Still, he's a must-start against Atlanta, a team that has allowed 119.4 points per game this season, the fourth-worst mark in the National Basketball Association.
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Trae Young Is Available Against Los Angeles On Friday
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young will be able to play on Friday night against the Lakers despite a questionable tag coming into the night. Throughout the season, the All-Star point guard has been a regular on the injury report but he has only missed two games all year. On Wednesday in Denver, he had 30 points to go with nine assists and four rebounds to start the New Year. Young has been putting up great numbers all season, and has really picked it up over his last 10 games, producing 25.7 points, 12.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game in 35.9 minutes per contest. He's a great play in all formats against the Lakers, who have been a top-10 matchup for point guards in most formats.
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Brandon Clarke Available To Play Friday Against Sacramento
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (calf) is available to return after a two-game absence due to a calf issue as the Grizzlies visit the Kings. He missed the Grizz's last two games but has played 31 games this season, averaging 18.4 minutes per contest. He has been one of the first big men off the bench for Memphis and is averaging 7.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.8 steals per contest. He could have possibly started while Zach Edey (concussion) was also sidelined for the last two games, but both big men will return to the rotation together on Friday night after being upgraded from questionable.
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Anthony Davis Back On Friday Night
Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis (ankle) will play on Friday versus the Hawks. AD wasn't available for Thursday's win over the Trail Blazers because of a sprained ankle, only his second absence of the 2024-25 campaign. But the Lakers were able to pull off the win without him. Fortunately, Davis is back and is always a must-start in all fantasy formats, even more so against a Hawks team that has allowed a fourth-worst 119.4 points per contest this season.Of course, Davis' return means Jaxson Hayes will head back to the bench.
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Zach Edey Ready To Return
Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (concussion) is ready to return from a two-game absence after being upgraded from questionable to available for Friday night's game against the Kings. Brandon Clarke (calf) was also sidelined for the last two games and will also return serving as Edey's primary backup. Edey will be back in the lineup after starting five straight games and averaging 11.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game. During that stretch, he had a massive 21-point, 16-rebound double-double against the Raptors, and he's starting to really show his upside as an NBA center. Now that he's cleared, the rookie can be re-inserted into your lineup as normal on Friday night.
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Jalen Suggs Won't Return On Friday Night
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (back) won't return to Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors. The 23-year-old wasn't having the best game, scoring only six points until he went down with a non-contact injury near the end of the second quarter. He was taken off the floor in a wheelchair and eventually diagnosed with back spasms. However, Suggs will likely undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury. If he's not available on Sunday versus Utah, Cole Anthony could be in line for some more minutes.
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Sam Merrill Ruled Out For Friday
Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's matchup against Dallas. He hurt his right ankle against the Lakers on Tuesday, and Merrill was unlikely to be available for Friday's contest when the team listed him as doubtful on the initial injury report. His absence shouldn't be a big loss for the Cavaliers, as Merrill has averaged only 7.0 points in 19.2 minutes this season. Max Strus and Caris LeVert will likely share the available minutes on Friday. Strus appears to be getting closer to working at full capacity. He logged a season-high 26 minutes on Tuesday against the Lakers, notching 15 points with three rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
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Tari Eason Remains Out On Friday
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (lower leg) has been ruled out for Friday's contest against Boston. His absence will extend to an eighth consecutive game. Eason was listed as doubtful on the initial injury report, suggesting it might take a bit more time until he's ready to play. With Eason out, Cam Whitmore and Jae'Sean Tate have entered the rotation. Both players also benefit from the absences of Jabari Smith Jr. (hand) and Amen Thompson (suspension). However, they will remain in the second unit on Friday, with Rockets head coach Ime Udoka deciding to insert Jeff Green into the starting five as Smith Jr.'s replacement.
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Miles McBride Out Again Versus OKC
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (hamstring) won't play on Friday against OKC. Deuce has been battling hamstring tightness, so he'll miss his second consecutive game on Friday night. Had Jalen Brunson (calf) remained out, McBride could have benefited if he were active. However, with Brunson available on Friday, McBride's upside would have been limited. Still, Cameron Payne should see more minutes and could be more productive than usual.
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AJ Green On Track To Return Saturday
Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (back) appears to be on track to return to the lineup on Saturday against Portland, with the team listing him as probable for the contest. A back problem took Green out of the lineup for the second time this season when Milwaukee played Brooklyn on Thursday. Green has averaged 7.7 points this season as a three-point specialist. He's nailed 44.2 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. Portland allows the opposition to hit 37.9 percent of shots from outside, the third-highest mark in the league. Thus, this will be a favorable matchup for Green, though his role in the rotation is relatively limited.
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Jalen Brunson Cleared For Friday Night
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (calf) will play on Friday versus OKC. Brunson hasn't been as productive on the scoring end this season compared to the 2023-24 campaign. However, he's still a potent fantasy provider, averaging 25.2 points, 7.7 assists, and 40.3% shooting from behind the arc. Brunson has mostly been playing through calf tightness of late. However, it finally kept him off the floor for Wednesday's matchup against Utah. But with Brunson back in the mix, he should be featured in all fantasy lineups, although his presence will likely mean fewer scoring opportunities for OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. Cameron Payne, who got the start on Wednesday, will head back to the bench, limiting his fantasy upside.
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Khris Middleton Likely To Remain In Lineup On Saturday
Milwaukee Bucks small forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is considered probable for Saturday's matchup against Portland. The Bucks continue to list him on the injury report, but Middleton has been a regular in the lineup for nearly a month now, and nothing suggests that he will sit out on Saturday. Middleton has been a starter for the last six games, recording 18.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists across 26.0 minutes. If Middleton doesn't play on Saturday, Taurean Prince will likely move back to the starting unit and receive an uptick in minutes.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Listed As Probable For Saturday
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is probable for Saturday's contest against Portland. After recovering from an illness, Antetokounmpo is back on the injury report with a knee problem, but he is expected to make his third consecutive appearance. However, if Antetokounmpo suffers a setback and has to sit out Saturday's action, Bobby Portis would be in line to rejoin the starting unit. He has been fantastic in five previous starts this season, averaging 21.2 points with 11.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
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Jimmy Butler Gets Suspended Seven Games
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been suspended seven games by the organization on Friday. The Heat have suspended Butler for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team. Butler has not been shy about airing out his disappointment with the team and his desire to play elsewhere. This is not the first time that Butler has talked his way out of an organization. The superstar forward has a player option for next season, which he's obviously not going to accept if Miami doesn't trade him. That being said, Butler is expected to be traded this season and possibly has already played his last game with the Heat.
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Jeremy Sochan Absent Versus Nuggets
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (back) will not play against Denver on Friday. An issue with his lower back limited Sochan to 15 minutes on Tuesday against the Clippers, and he will miss at least one full game because of the injury. Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie could receive an uptick in minutes with Sochan out. Johnson has been more productive of the two recently, notching 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in 21.0 minutes.
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Jerami Grant Unavailable On Saturday
Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (face) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. This marks the third game in a row that Grant has been forced to miss due to a facial contusion. His next chance to play will be against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. In the meantime, Deni Avdija will continue seeing an increased role. Avdija has been playing well lately and is worth rostering in most fantasy formats right now. He should continue seeing a bigger role until Grant is able to play again.
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Maxi Kleber Active On Friday
Dallas Mavericks forward/center Maxi Kleber (oblique) will play against Cleveland on Friday. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. Kleber has been carrying a heavier workload lately, as the team has missed several frontcourt pieces. However, his output has been underwhelming, to say the least. Despite averaging nearly 30 minutes a night over the last four games, Kleber has scored only 5.3 points while notching 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
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Keegan Murray
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Kings
