NBA Player News

Given how well Moussa Diabate has played, Gibson’s inclusion in the starting lineup was surprising. The veteran big man provided seven rebounds in his 16 minutes on the floor but little else. Diabate played the other 32 available minutes at the five, finishing with two points, eight rebounds, two steals, and four blocked shots. Diabate should be streamed until Mark Williams (foot) or Nick Richards (ribs) returns.

Sunday’s game is the first of two in as many days for the Celtics, who host Miami on Monday. Fantasy managers should expect Horford and Porzingis to miss one of those games. Neemias Queta and Luke Kornet will have added streaming value during these days, with the former offering a little more value to managers seeking rebounds.

Holiday and White are two of four key rotation players on the injury report for Sunday’s game. White injured his foot during the second half of Friday’s win in Chicago and did not return. Payton Pritchard is the player who has the most to gain if either backcourt starter cannot play against the Cavaliers.

This will be a sixth straight absence for Wade, which will open the door for both Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro to see some extra minutes. However, neither player is worth streaming.

Caruso will miss a fourth straight game with a hip injury, but this won’t have a dramatic impact on fantasy basketball. He hasn’t played a significant role, and his only real contributions have been in the steals category. Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace will each see a few extra minutes.

Both wings will remain sidelined for this game, and there isn’t a clear timeline for a return for either. With no changes to who is available for this upcoming game, rookie Ja’Kobe Walter may be in line for another start.

The injury report for Denver’s game against the Clippers on Sunday hasn’t been released yet, but there is a chance that Gordon is able to play in that one. If not, his next opportunity to return to the lineup will come on Tuesday against the Warriors. Whenever Gordon makes his return, Peyton Watson will be pushed to the bench and will lose his value as a streamer.

Both players haven’t seen the floor over the team’s last few games. Their absences won’t have an impact on the team’s rotation or on fantasy basketball.

Micic is dealing with a knee issue, but it shouldn’t keep him out of the lineup on the second night of a back-to-back. With LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann both sidelined for at least two weeks, Micic should be a reliable source of assists for the foreseeable future.

Richards has been sidelined since the fifth game of the year, which has left Moussa Diabate as the primary center option. There is a chance that Richards returns to the lineup this weekend, which would likely cut into Diabate’s minutes and could force him to play a reserve role. However, with Mark Williams still sidelined, both Diabate and Richards should see plenty of minutes.

Young is still managing this Achilles issue, but it has only forced him to miss one game this season. On the second night of a back-to-back, Young should still see his normal workload after posting a 21/11 double-double on Friday.