NBA Player News

Charlotte assigned Richards (ribs) to the G League's Greensboro Swarm on Monday.

Richards will miss his 12th game in a row when Charlotte plays the Magic on Monday, but he and fellow center Mark Williams (foot) will both link up with the Swarm to take part in practice. Expect Richards to be immediately recalled after participating in practice, though it's unclear if he'll be ready to return to action for Charlotte's second game of the week Wednesday versus the Heat.

Charlotte assigned Williams (foot) to the G League's Greensboro Swarm on Monday.

Though Williams won't be available to play in the Hornets' game Monday against the Magic, he'll presumably be linking up with Charlotte's G League affiliate to take part in practice. Williams will likely rejoin the Hornets shortly after Monday's practice, but it's unclear if he'll be ready to make his season debut when Charlotte plays its second game of the week Wednesday versus the Heat. Nick Richards (ribs) looks to be on a similar timeline for a return as Williams, so Charlotte could get both of its top two centers back in action in relatively short order.

Bamba will not play Monday against the Celtics due to left knee injury recovery, Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports.

Bamba will miss the second leg of the Clippers' back-to-back set. Nicolas Batum could end up seeing more run as a small-ball center Monday behind starter Ivica Zubac while Bamba rests.

Sabonis racked up 13 points (6-12 FG, 1-3 3Pt), 18 rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 35 minutes during Sunday's 108-103 loss to the Nets.

The Kings endured a slow start Sunday. Despite the team's overall struggles, Sabonis was productive and finished just three assists away from a triple-double. The star big man has recorded either a double-double or triple-double in each of his outings except for the season opener. Sabonis' consistency levels are truly remarkable. He's averaging 18.4 points, 13.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.1 steals-plus-blocks in 11 outings since the beginning of November.

Claxton provided four points (2-3 FG), seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 23 minutes during Sunday's 108-103 win over Sacramento.

Claxton made his first start since Nov. 13, and even though his scoring numbers weren't surprising, he delivered a solid outing due to his contributions in other categories. The Nets need him to be more productive on offense, however, especially since Ben Simmons (rest) has been a non-factor on that end of the court.

Allen notched 23 points (10-14 FG, 3-5 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 32 minutes during Sunday's 122-108 victory over the Raptors.

Allen was extremely efficient Sunday, missing just four of his 14 attempts from the field, and he kept his double-double streak alive. The big man, who has scored at least 20 points in three of his last five appearances, is averaging 17.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game over the last six games.

Poeltl posted 12 points (5-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 19 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in 33 minutes during Sunday's 122-108 loss to Cleveland.

Poeltl recorded his fifth straight double-double, and it was the third time he grabbed at least 15 rebounds in that span. He's always been considered a strong two-way presence, but the veteran has taken his game to another level in 2024-25. He's racked up 10 double-doubles already while averaging 16.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game this season.

Kornet (hamstring) is doubtful for Monday's game against the Clippers.

Kornet is expected to miss his second game in a row, while Al Horford (illness) is expected to sit as well. The Celtics are expected to get Kristaps Porzingis (foot) back in the lineup, however, so Kornet's fantasy appeal is likely going to take a big hit going forward.

Horford (illness) is doubtful for Monday's game against the Clippers.

Monday's game is the second leg of a back-to-back set, so the Celtics were likely planning on Horford to sit even before this illness. Luke Kornet (hamstring) is also considered doubtful, but Kristaps Porzingis (foot) is expected to be in the rotation for the first time this season.

Porzingis (foot) has been upgraded to probable for Monday's game against the Clippers.

This is a welcome surprise for Boston, as Porzingis was able to beat his initial timetable. He'll likely have some restrictions in his first game back, but no specifics have been reported yet. With Al Horford (illness) and Luke Kornet (hamstring) considered doubtful, Porzingis may step into the starting lineup right away.