NBA Player News

Hartenstein is out for Wednesday's game against Portland due to a left soleus strain.

The big man's next chance to play is Friday against the Warriors. The Thunder are likely to shift Chet Holmgren over to the five for the bulk of the center minutes, which should open up more frontcourt playing time for Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort.

Jackson is out for Wednesday's game against Orlando due to a concussion.

Jackson remains stuck in the league's concussion protocol for a fifth straight game. Tony Bradley should handle the backup center role behind Jay Huff on Wednesday. Jackson's next chance to return comes Friday against San Antonio.

Kalkbrenner (elbow) is out for Wednesday's game against Golden State.

Wednesday will mark a fifth straight absence for the rookie big man. Friday's game against Milwaukee is his next chance to return from an elbow sprain. Moussa Diabate should continue to start at center Wednesday.

Plumlee (groin) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Warriors.

Plumlee is set to miss his fourth consecutive contest due to a right groin strain, and his next chance to play will come Friday against the Bucks. With Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) also remaining on the shelf, Moussa Diabate and PJ Hall are candidates for increased playing time.

Porzingis (illness) is off the injury report for Wednesday's game against Minnesota.

The stage is set for the star big man to return to the lineup after missing multiple weeks with an illness, which will likely eat into Onyeka Okongwu's minutes. Porzingis has averaged 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 blocks in 25.9 minutes per tilt across 13 games this season.

Horford (rest) will be available for Wednesday's game against Charlotte.

Horford is no longer appearing on the injury report after sitting out Monday's win over the Nets due to maintenance. The veteran big man has averaged just 14.1 minutes per game in his last two appearances.

Towns posted 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks over 30 minutes during Monday's 130-125 win over the Pelicans.

Towns led the team in boards Monday, turning in his fourth consecutive double-double. The star big man has averaged a strong 22.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 three-pointers in 31.6 minutes per contest across his last 12 games, shooting 52.6 percent from the field.

The Nuggets announced Tuesday that Jokic has been diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension injury and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

Jokic sustained the injury in the closing seconds of the second quarter of Monday's 147-123 loss to the Heat and was unable to return for the second half. After the Nuggets sent in the three-time MVP in for further tests, Jokic appears to have avoided any major structural damage to his knee but is nonetheless expected to remain out through at least the end of January. Jonas Valanciunas opened the second half of Monday's game with the Nuggets' starters and is the most likely candidate to see his fantasy value climb in Jokic's absence, though he still played only 16 minutes in the loss to Miami. Additionally, reserve big men such as Zeke Nnaji and DaRon Holmes could become more involved in the rotation, and the Nuggets could also lean more heavily on small-ball lineups featuring Peyton Watson or, once healthy, Aaron Gordon (hamstring) at center.

Valanciunas notched six points (3-3 FG), four rebounds, one assist and one block across 16 minutes during Monday's 147-123 loss to Miami.

Nikola Jokic left this game with a knee injury and looked to be in a lot of discomfort. If he ends up missing any time, Valanciunas is the next man up for Denver and would likely slot in as the fill-in starter. If that happens, his per-minute upside would make him an obvious grab in fantasy hoops.

Gobert finished Monday's 136-101 victory over the Bulls with nine points (4-5 FG, 1-4 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, four blocks and one steal across 30 minutes.

Gobert nearly recorded his 14th double-double, and he notched four blocks for the fourth time this season. The former Jazz big man has been a beast on the boards during December, leading the league with 12.3 rebounds per game, to go with 12.5 points, 1.8 assists and 1.8 blocks in 31.6 minutes across 13 appearances.