Injury Report

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Phoenix Suns @ Philadelphia 76ers

Game Time: 7:00 pm ET

DraftKings Lines

PHX +3 (+130), PHI -3 (-155)
Game Total: 222

Key Storylines

Beal & Nurkic Benched?: The news of the day came from Chris Haynes last night, stating that Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic will come off the bench with Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee starting moving forward. Reportedly, there is locker room tension and frustration over roles, though I doubt rookie Ryan Dunn or super-backup Mason Plumlee is saying “I want to start” so it is your guess about who is grumbling. This is a five-game week for the Suns, so stream Dunn, Plumlee, Nurkic and Grayson Allen to see where things go from here. Beal should be held regardless as I’d expect him to still play upper 20s or more in minutes.  And if he struggles, maybe some unhappiness causes him to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a JImmy Butler trade and get himself out of Phoenix…who knows? So hold tight. 

Embiid doing his thing: Embiid is moving is a little better these days, though I don’t think he’ll ever consistently be the dominant two-way force he was a couple years ago as he won’t want to put too much pressure on that knee to hold up. Either way, we’re getting to dominant offensive force now. Also, what did I say about trusting the career sample of better shooting for Paul George? Hopefully his positive FG% uptick continues. 

Stream of the Game

Let’s go Ryan Dunn as a potential week-long stream with five games on. I’m not sure he actually plays 30 minutes as he might be a 20-to-25 minute starter, but considering he’s been playing 27.2 MPG in his last six contests (injuries help that number), maybe the Suns do like what he does in those minutes.

Alternatives:

Kelly Oubre (questionable)
Grayson Allen
Caleb Martin
Mason Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkic
–deep league line–
Guerschon Yabusele (boosted if Embiid – questionable sits – but Biid has played through this left foot sprain designation consistently).
Andre Drummond

Portland Trail Blazers @ Detroit Pistons

Game Time: 7:00 pm ET

DraftKings Lines

POR +6.5 (+205), DET -6.5 (-250)
Game Total: 224

Key Storylines

Weird injury reporting: Deandre Ayton went from off the injury report, to questionable for rest, to probable for rest, all within the space of around three hours on Sunday evening for Monday’s game. Why? It’s head-scratching to even list a player as “pending designation” for rest, so I’m just going to assuming the conversation was:

Billups: “Hey Ayton, sit out a game to give Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III a chance for more minutes.”
Ayton: “No.” (not on injury report)
Billups: “Please?”
Ayton: “Maybe.” (listed questionable for rest)
*Someone on Twitter/X calls Ayton soft* (I don’t like throwing that word at players myself).
Ayton: “Wait, Chauncey…no.” (listed probable for rest)

An Ausar Thompson sighting: The fake out we got from JB Bickerstaff is a tad annoying after the Wendell Moore Jr. spot start on Friday (to play 15 minutes and realize it was a bad idea) before pivoting to Ausar Thompson as the starter for the sidelined Jaden Ivey (left fibula fracture) on Saturday…Thompson is questionable for Monday with an illness but at least now we know he’s worth the flier in 12-team formats.
Moore was a DNP on Saturday by the way. 

Stream of the Game

Malik Beasley and Ausar Thompson (questionable) should generally be on rosters, so I like the everpresent Toumani Camara as a stream.

Alternatives:

Shaedon Sharpe (likely rostered, but his roster %s isn’t that high).
Isaiah Stewart
Scoot Henderson
Tim Hardaway Jr. (hasn’t been worth it lately, but a “hope for the best” stream)
–deep league line–
Robert Williams III or Donovan Clingan
Marcus Sasser
Simone Fontecchio (back from three-game absence)
Ron Holland (a risk even at this depth)

Indiana Pacers @ Brooklyn Nets

Game Time: 7:30 pm ET

DraftKings Lines

IND -10.5 (-470), BKN +10.5 (+360)
Game Total: 223

Key Storylines

Hali and Nesmith thoughts: Tyrese Haliburton isn’t quite the top 5-to-6 elite player we wanted him to be, but he is practically a first-round producer in recent weeks and that’s fine. Aaron Nesmith’s absence has been about a month longer than we expected, so he’ll likely be back soon. I saw a photo of him walking repping the Indiana Fever recently so I’d assume he’s just ramping up from his ankle sprain. 

Injuries Stacking Up: Cam Johnson (ankle) will be re-evaluated before the Nets go on their road trip which begins on January 10, while Cam Thomas (hamstring) will be re-evaluated after the road trip ends on January 19 as he strained the same left hamstring which kept him out before. D’Angelo Russell left on Saturday with a shin contusion and is questionable for Monday night, while Ben Simmons (calf soreness/lower back injury management) is also questionable.

Ziaire Williams popped onto the radar on Saturday, while players like Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson all have either usage or minutes (or both) opening up for them.

Stream of the Game

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