NBA Player News

Bamba (knee) won't play in Saturday's game versus the Nuggets, Joey Linn of SI.com reports.

Bamba will miss his second straight contest to begin the regular season Saturday due to left knee soreness. His next chance to suit up is Sunday's matchup with Golden State.

Claxton (hamstring) is available but will come off the bench during Friday's game against the Magic, Evan Barnes of Newsday reports.

Coach Jordi Fernandez said Claxton will play more Friday after seeing only 15 minutes off the bench before being ejected from the season-opening loss to the Hawks on Wednesday. However, Brooklyn's big man will remain on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future. In his limited action, Claxton posted seven points (3-4 FG, 1-4 FT), five rebounds, a steal and a block against Atlanta.

Lopez (quadriceps) is available for Friday's game versus the Bulls.

Lopez was added to the injury report Thursday due to a minor quadriceps injury, but the veteran big man will play through it and shouldn't have any restrictions. Therefore, expect Lopez to handle his regular workload as the Bucks' starting center. He delivered 10 points, eight rebounds, six assists and six blocks across 36 minutes in the win over the 76ers on Wednesday.

Coach Rick Carlisle said Jackson (groin) is available for Friday's game against the Knicks, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports.

Jackson missed the club's Opening Night due to a right groin strain. However, the 22-year-old is expected to return to game action and serve as Myles Turner's primary backup with James Wiseman (Achilles) potentially out for the rest of the season.

Coach Jordi Fernandez said Friday that Claxton (hamstring) will see an increase in playing time Friday against the Magic as the team works him back from injury, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.

Claxton was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul during Wednesday's game against the Hawks and saw only 15 minutes of action. However, Fernandez believes the big man will continue to see more playing time as the club works him back, and he will likely play 20-plus minutes against the Magic.

Kornet produced four points (2-3 FG), three rebounds and one assist in 16 minutes during Thursday's 122-102 win over the Wizards.

Kornet has now played 31 total minutes over the first two games of the season. With Kristaps Porzingis out until early December and 38-year-old Al Horford needing rest, expect Kornet, Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta to see decent minutes over the next few weeks. The issue is, though, that reserve minutes will probably be split equally between those the three backups. Boston has its first back-to-back to begin November. Expect Kornet, Tillman and Queta to receive an extra minutes boost at that time.

Wiseman underwent successful surgery to repair a torn left Achilles on Thursday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

While the timetable for Wiseman's return is expected to be established in the coming weeks, his 2024-25 campaign is almost certainly over. Isaiah Jackson (groin), Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker are now Indiana's primary bench options in the frontcourt.

Tillman delivered eight points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3Pt), one rebound and one assist across 15 minutes in Thursday's 122-102 win at Washington.

Expect Tillman, Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta to receive significant minutes when the Celtics face struggling opponents such as the Wizards. Kristaps Porzingis is out until at least early December and 38-year-old Al Horford needs to pace himself to be ready for the playoffs. That said, none of the three Boston big men reserves will ever produce gaudy stats. The Celtics are very deep and don't need reserve centers to produce on the offensive end.

Hayes is listed as probable for Friday's game versus the Suns due to left foot soreness.

Despite being a late addition to the injury report, Hayes is still expected to suit up Friday. The 24-year-old big man logged 15 minutes in the Lakers' regular-season opener and should continue to serve as the team's backup center, as Christian Wood (knee) and Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) remain sidelined.

Ware has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Hornets due to a stomach illness and did not practice Friday, Miami Heat beat writer Adam Lichtenstein reports.

Ware will not travel with the team to Charlotte after failing to practice. The rookie grabbed one rebound in only six minutes during Wednesday's season-opening loss to Orlando, and his absence is not likely to cause too many waves in the rotation. Ware's next opportunity to play will come Monday at home against the Pistons.