NBA Player News

Hukporti is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Magic.

The rookie center hasn't been a regular part of the NBA rotation this season, so his likely absence isn't expected to affect many fantasy decisions. Hukporti has averaged just 8.8 minutes per game in his 11 outings off the bench.

Horford will not play in Sunday's game against the Wizards for rest purposes.

The Celtics do not play again until Thursday, so Horford will end up getting some extended time off. The veteran big man is averaging 9.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.2 triples, 0.9 blocks and 0.7 steals across 28.0 minutes in 19 games this season. In his absence, Neemias Queta and Luke Kornet could see more depth minutes at center.

The Pistons are waiving Reed on Saturday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Reed has been an inconsistent part of Detroit's rotation but is averaging 4.8 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes across 12 appearances this season. Reed will now be an unrestricted free agent as the Pistons were looking to add roster and salary flexibility.

Kleber (illness) is out for Sunday's game versus the Warriors, Eddie Sefko of the Mavericks' official site reports.

Kleber will miss his third straight contest Sunday due to an illness. The 32-year-old big man's next chance to suit up is Thursday's outing against the Clippers.

Clingan (knee) tallied six points (3-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt), seven rebounds and two assists across 15 minutes Friday in the Trail Blazers' 118-116 loss to the Spurs.

Portland was without Deandre Ayton (illness) and Robert Williams (conditioning/concussion) on Friday, but Clingan's return from a seven-game absence due to a sprained left knee helped restore some depth in the frontcourt. Jabari Walker drew the start at center, but once Ayton returns, Clingan should remain ahead of Walker in the pecking order. Williams, meanwhile, represents a more viable threat than Walker to challenge for the backup role, though Portland showed a willingness to use Williams as a reserve power forward for a brief period in November when all of Clingan, Ayton and Williams were healthy at the same time.

Nurkic (thigh) turned in 12 points (6-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt), seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal across 31 minutes in Friday's 134-126 win over the Jazz.

Nurkic reclaimed his spot in the starting five after missing the last five games, initially due to a left ankle sprain and then due to a right thigh contusion. He faced no restrictions in his return, clearing the 30-minute mark while setting a new season high with three blocks. Nurkic's health has been shaky this season and his minutes have been volatile, but if he can replicate Friday's line with any sort of regularity, he'll be worthy of a roster spot in 12-team points and category leagues.

Wembanyama notched 28 points (8-19 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 10-10 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and one steal in 34 minutes during Friday's 118-116 win over the Trail Blazers.

The second-year phenom sealed the win by sinking a pair of free throws with just 2.1 seconds left on the clock, breaking a 116-116 tie. Wembanyama is playing through some nagging injuries right now, and while it didn't affect his offensive output, he did fail to record double-digit rebounds for the first time since Nov. 26. On the season, Wembanyama's averaging 23.8 points, 10.2 boards, 3.8 assists, 3.3 blocks, 3.1 threes and 1.2 steals.

Jokic closed with 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 2-4 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and two steals across 30 minutes during Friday's 120-98 win over the Clippers.

The fact that this stat line is relatively subpar shows how good Jokic has been this season, and he's justified as the top overall pick in most drafts due to his impressive contributions. This was just the third time across 20 games in which the star big man didn't record a double-double or a triple-double. Jokic is averaging 35.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game since the beginning of December, so he should get back to posting his elite numbers sooner rather than later.

Zubac produced 13 points (6-12 FG, 1-3 FT), 13 rebounds, four assists and one steal across 32 minutes during Friday's 120-98 loss to Denver.

Zubac's scoring numbers have experienced a regression compared to the early weeks of the season, though that was expected, but he remains a consistent force on the boards. The big man has recorded double-digit rebounds in all but one of his last 14 appearances, a span in which he's averaging 13.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.9 blocks per game. Zubac has recorded 16 double-doubles across 26 games in 2024-25.

Collins supplied 22 points (8-12 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 2-4 FT), six rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals in 35 minutes during Friday's 134-126 loss to the Suns.

The veteran big led Utah's starters in scoring on the night as he stayed hot from three-point range. Collins has drained at least three treys in four of the last five games, averaging 19.4 points, 6.0 boards, 3.2 assists, 3.2 threes and 1.2 blocks over that stretch while shooting 56.1 percent from the floor and a stunning 66.7 percent (16-for-24) from downtown.