Last Updated on December 19, 2025 1:38 pm by Keston Paul | Published: December 19, 2025

We have six game days next week and a lot to talk about.

Note that there are no Games on Christmas Eve: Wednesday, December 24.

Injuries to Watch

This is for December 20 to December 28.

Impending Evaluations

Early Next Week:

• Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain)
• Haywood Highsmith (right knee surgery) but we may not hear anything
• Christian Braun (left ankle sprain)
• Austin Reaves (left calf) should get an update this week or by early next week at the latest
• Miles McBride (left ankle) is pretty much past his re-evaluation timeline so I expect something by early next week

Late Next Week:

• Larry Nance Jr. (right calf) if it’s on the three-week end of a 3-4 week re-evaluation timeline
• Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain)
• Derrick Jones Jr. (right knee) appears to be ahead of schedule, so we could have a positive update by the end of next week.
• Gabe Vincent (back)
• Landry Shamet (right shoulder)

Timelines Getting Close

Early Next Week:

• Aaron Nesmith (left knee) is pretty much past his original four-week timeline so I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns by early next week
• Nikola Jovic (right elbow)

Late Next Week:

• Evan Mobley (left calf strain) if he is on the two-week end of his 2-4 week timeline
• Al Horford (right sciatic nerve irritation) recently said he’ll be out around one more week
• Franz Wagner (left ankle sprain) will be about three weeks into a 2-4 week timeline by the end of next week
• Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) could return by December 26 at the earliest based on recent reports, but it might be the week after

Other Injury Notes

• Kristaps Porzingis (illness) might get an update at the end of next week, but his situation seems to be murky in general so I wouldn’t count on an update for sure.
• Grant Williams (right ACL tear) has been sidelined for almost 13 months now, so he should be back soon despite us not hearing anything.
• Mavs head coach Jason Kidd recently said that Kyrie Irving (left ACL tear) still doesn’t have a timeline and to “ask again next month.”
• While Giannis Antetokounmpo (left calf strain) will be around two or three weeks into his timeline, we were already told he is expected to miss closer to four weeks so I wouldn’t expect him back in December.
• Kelly Oubre Jr. (left LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (adductor) are both past their original timelines
• Jrue Holiday (right calf), Matisse Thybulle (left hand) and Scoot Henderson (left hamstring) are overdue for more specific updates
• Domantas Sabonis (left knee) will pretty much be at the end of his timeline for an update before next week
• RJ Barrett (right knee) should get an update at any time now
• Corey Kispert (right hand) might be in contention for a return by the end of next week but that isn’t certain with an unclear timeline

Schedule Breakdown

Weekly Info

Games played:

BKN is only playing TWO games

18 teams play THREE games – ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, GSW, HOU, LAC, LAL, MIA, MIL, MIN, NYK, PHI, PHO, SAC, SAS, TOR, WAS

11 teams play FOUR games – CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, IND, MEM, NOR, OKC, ORL, POR, UTA

Weekly Lineup Leagues Start/Sit Choices:

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• About the Author
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Keston Paul

Keston majored in Biology and minored in Literatures in English at the University of the West Indies (U.W.I.), St. Augustine. Hailing from Trinidad & Tobago, Kes grew up loving cricket, then football (soccer, not NFL) & never missed a Barça game in the 2010s. Later on, he grew obsessed with basketball/fantasy basketball & unfortunately claims to be a Sixers fan for some reason.

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