NBA Player News

Poeltl fouled out of Friday's 121-111 loss to the Heat after recording 24 points (10-11 FG, 4-5 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist and one block over 32 minutes.

Poeltl fouled out Friday but still managed to record his ninth double-double of the month. The big man is averaging 16.6 points and 11.7 rebounds, to go along with 2.4 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, since the beginning of November. He's also recorded at least 20 points five times, so he has a sizable role as a scoring option for Toronto.

Vucevic had 32 points (11-16 FG, 6-9 3Pt, 4-6 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists and one block across 34 minutes during Friday's 138-129 loss to the Celtics.

Vucevic posted his best scoring mark of the season, and he posted a surprising stat line considering he battled with Kristaps Porzingis on both ends of the court all game long. Vucevic also notched his third consecutive double-double, and he's posted five double-doubles over his last seven contests.

Porzingis closed with 21 points (7-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-7 FT), eight rebounds and one assist over 25 minutes during Friday's 138-129 victory over the Bulls.

Porzingis played 25 minutes in his second game of the season but looked much better than in his debut. The star big man ended just two boards shy of a double-double, and he's likely to remain in a starting role, though he's also likely to get an occasional day off, allowing Al Horford to move into the starting unit. Porzingis has accounted for 37 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks across 48 minutes in his first two games of the season.

Zubac posted 16 points (8-9 FG), 13 rebounds, one assist and one steal over 34 minutes during Friday's 93-92 loss to Minnesota.

Zubac recorded his sixth consecutive double-double, and the big man has also grabbed 10 or more rebounds in nine appearances in a row. His two-way contributions have been a big reason why the Clippers have posted solid results -- Friday's loss aside -- despite missing key contributors such as Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Norman Powell (hamstring). Over that nine-game stretch, Zubac is averaging 15.1 points and 13.0 rebounds per game while shooting 68.4 percent from the floor.

Hayes (ankle) is expected to be sidelined 2-to-3 weeks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Hayes returned from a six-game absence in Tuesday's game against the Suns and aggravated his sprained right ankle. The backup big man missed the team's last two games as a result and is now expected to be sidelined until mid-December. His earliest possible return date is seemingly Dec. 19 versus the Kings following the league's in-season tournament. In his absence, Rui Hachimura figures to continue being the prime source of depth in Los Angeles' frontcourt, while Christian Koloko and Max Christie could also see some extra run in the rotation. When healthy, Hayes is averaging 6.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks across 17.5 minutes per game.

Eubanks (knee) isn't included on the injury report for Saturday's game against the Mavericks.

Eubanks played just one minute and 30 seconds in Wednesday's 122-103 loss to the Nuggets before leaving early with a bruised left knee, but two days off between games apparently provided sufficient recovery time for him. The Jazz will get Lauri Markkanen (personal) and John Collins (knee) back from one-game absences Saturday but will remain without Kyle Filipowski (lower leg), so Eubanks should be able to stick in the rotation as the primary backup to starting center Walker Kessler.

Duren provided 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-7 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and four blocks over 26 minutes during Friday's 130-106 victory over Indiana.

Duren led his team in rebounds and grabbed double-digit boards for the second time in his last three appearances, resulting in his sixth double-double of November. He also posted another strong showing at the rim and has recorded 10 blocks over his last four games. This was a timely performance on the offensive end for Duren, who had been held to seven points or fewer in three of his last four matchups.

Bitadze supplied eight points (2-6 FG, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, three assists, five blocks and one steal across 27 minutes during Friday's 123-100 victory over the Nets.

Bitadze continues to start despite the return of Wendell Carter, blocking a season-high five shots. Although his offense is somewhat sporadic, Bitadze has been a relatively consistent source of rebounds and defensive stats since moving into the starting lineup. Over the past month, he has averaged 9.4 points and 7.8 rebounds to go with 2.8 combined steals and blocks. Given the recent success. there is no reason to think he will shift to the bench anytime soon.

Missi finished with 16 points (6-13 FG, 4-6 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal in 31 minutes during Friday's 120-109 loss to the Grizzlies.

Missi recorded his second double-double in the past three games, adding multiple blocks for the third straight game. It's been a varied season for the rookie center, although much better of late. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 11.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 combined steals and blocks in 26.8 minutes per game. Although his productivity could take a hit when the Pelicans are fully healthy, Missi should continue to play as their primary center option moving forward.

Hayes (ankle) is out for Friday's game against the Thunder, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports

Hayes couldn't recover from the injury in time to suit up Friday, and he's set to miss a second straight game due to a right ankle contusion. His next chance to feature will come against the Jazz on Sunday.