Player news from trusted outlets
Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Luka Dončić will miss his fourth consecutive game due to a left hamstring strain, ruling him out for Thursday's matchup against the Mavericks. The Lakers star was also recently mentioned by Kevin Durant in a playful jab at the NBA All-Star World team, highlighting a friendly rivalry ahead of the All-Star Game.
Joel Embiid was ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Knicks due to right knee injury management, his second consecutive missed game before the All-Star break. He will use the break for rest and recovery, with re-evaluation scheduled after. In his absence, the 76ers suffered a massive 138-89 loss, highlighting his crucial impact on the team, especially defensively. Embiid's next opportunity to play is February 19 against Atlanta, with Andre Drummond and Adem Bona covering center minutes.
Jrue Holiday scored 23 points for the Portland Trail Blazers in their 133-109 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Trail Blazers struggled with 25 turnovers and trailed by as many as 28 points in the game, which ended their three-game winning streak.
Jaden McDaniels contributed 21 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves in their 133-109 victory over Portland. He scored 15 points in the opening half, and his floating jumper helped push Minnesota's lead to 50-38. The Timberwolves ended the Trail Blazers' three-game winning streak before the All-Star break.
Pelle Larsson was sidelined for Wednesday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Miami Heat, playing short-handed with only nine players, managed to secure a 123-111 victory in their final game before the All-Star break.
Tyler Herro missed his 15th consecutive game, sidelined for Wednesday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite being short-handed, the Miami Heat secured a 123-111 victory using only nine players in their final game before the All-Star break.
Bam Adebayo led the short-handed Miami Heat to a 123-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, recording an impressive 27 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks. He had a strong first half with 15 points, helping the Heat secure a win in their final game before the All-Star break.
Norman Powell was sidelined for Wednesday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, as the short-handed Miami Heat secured a 123-111 victory using only nine players. His absence was noted as the team headed into the All-Star break.
Andrew Wiggins has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans due to left toe inflammation, missing Miami's final game before the All-Star break. His next opportunity to play is scheduled for February 20 against Atlanta. With Wiggins sidelined, teammates Kasparas Jakucionis, Myron Gardner, and Simone Fontecchio are candidates for increased playing time for the Miami Heat.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson returned to action Wednesday against the Hornets after a one-game absence due to a knee issue. He looked fresh, totaling 19 points (7-15 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 13 rebounds, nine assists, one block, and four steals across 34 minutes in the 110-107 loss. This marked his 35th double-double of the season, putting him just one behind Karl-Anthony Towns for the league lead, and his third game with at least four steals. His return means Asa Newell will likely head back to the second unit, and Mouhamed Gueye's minutes are expected to dip.
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs supplied 16 points (5-14 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, 10 assists, three blocks, and four steals across 35 minutes during Wednesday's 116-108 loss to the Bucks. This performance contributed to his ongoing defensive rampage, where he has accumulated 16 steals and 10 blocks over his past four games. Suggs has also dished out double-digit assists in three of those four appearances, ranking him No. 1 overall in fantasy leagues during this torrid stretch.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter finished Wednesday's 116-108 victory over Orlando with his second triple-double of the season and fifth of his career, recording 18 points (5-14 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 10 rebounds, 11 assists, and two blocks in 39 minutes. He appeared to tweak his right leg midway through the third quarter but managed to play through it without heading to the locker room. While managers can operate under the assumption that no news is good news for now, it wouldn't be surprising if he lands on the injury report ahead of Thursday's matchup with the Thunder.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Cam Thomas accumulated 34 points (12-20 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 6-6 FT), four rebounds, and two assists over 25 minutes during Wednesday's 116-108 victory over the Magic. After being held to just four points in his Bucks debut Monday, Thomas was much more involved in the rotation with Ryan Rollins (foot) unavailable, taking full advantage of the increased opportunity. He was part of the closing lineup and hit a deep, dagger triple with 20 seconds left to seal the win for Milwaukee. It will be interesting to see if Thomas can maintain this momentum in Thursday's tough matchup against the Thunder.
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard posted 26 points (11-18 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT), eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals across 34 minutes in Wednesday's 124-105 win over the Bulls. Coming off the bench for a fifth consecutive contest, Pritchard bounced back significantly after a low-scoring outing Sunday. He led all players in scoring, marking his fourth time reaching the 20-point threshold in his last five outings. During that span, he has averaged 21.8 points, 6.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per contest, also dishing out at least seven dimes in four of those five games.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (pelvis) has been cleared to play in Wednesday's game against the Warriors, shedding his questionable tag. He sustained a right pelvic contusion during Tuesday's game against the Lakers but will suit up for the second leg of the back-to-back. Castle has been performing well recently, averaging 15.8 points, 7.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 29.3 minutes per game across his last 10 appearances.
Devin Carter will make his first career start Wednesday for the Sacramento Kings against the Jazz. This opportunity arises due to the unavailability of Russell Westbrook (ankle), Zach LaVine (finger), and Malik Monk (illness). The rookie has shown recent improvement, averaging 14.7 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per contest over his last three games, making him a potential streamer in deep leagues.
The Utah Jazz envision Jaren Jackson Jr. forming a long-term frontcourt partnership with their top scorer, Lauri Markkanen. This strategic move is part of the team's plan to transition from a lottery team into a future playoff contender, highlighting Jackson Jr.'s potential role in their core development.
Austin Reaves (calf) has been removed from the injury report and is expected to play in Thursday's game against the Mavericks. He sat out Tuesday's loss for injury management, following a 19-game absence due to a calf strain. In four February appearances off the bench, Reaves has averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 24.8 minutes per game. It's unclear if he'll remain on a minutes restriction, though he logged 29 minutes in his last outing.
Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against Dallas, potentially missing his second consecutive contest before the All-Star break. He sat out Tuesday's loss to the Spurs. If Ayton is sidelined, Jaxson Hayes is the likely starter, with Maxi Kleber and Drew Timme candidates for increased minutes off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Caleb Martin is questionable for Thursday's game against the Lakers due to a left ankle sprain. He tweaked his ankle during Tuesday's loss to the Suns, putting him in danger of missing the Dallas Mavericks' final game before the All-Star break. Should Martin be unable to play, Max Christie and Khris Middleton could see increased minutes.
