Jimmy Butler, KAT, Trae Young headline NBA injury report for Wednesday, Jan. 5

It’s a loaded NBA slate Wednesday with 11 games on the schedule and with a long list of games comes a long injury report. Luckily for the league, the updated COVID protocols seem to be bringing players back to the court faster with minimal re-entry or further outbreaks. That’s a good sign as the NBA powers through the schedule and makes up postponed contests. Here’s a look at Wednesday’s injury report.

NBA Injury Report, January 5

Detroit Pistons vs. Charlotte Hornets

P.J. Washington (protocols) AVAILABLE

Update - Washington is officially good to go for Wednesday’s game.

Update - Washington is on track to play Wednesday against the Pistons.

Washington’s designation indicates he’s likely to be cleared of the protocols, but might not be up to speed with conditioning to take the floor. Kelly Oubre Jr. continues to get a boost if Washington ends up sitting out.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic

Tyrese Maxey (protocols) TBD
Matisse Thybulle (protocols) TBD

Maxey and Thybulle are impact players defensively, especially the latter. If both remain out, look at total lines in this game as well as guys like Shake Milton, Georges Niang and Seth Curry as value options.

Cole Anthony (ankle) AVAILABLE
Wendell Carter Jr. (illness) AVAILABLE
Moe Wagner (illness) OUT

Update - Anthony is good to go Wednesday, as is Carter Jr.

Update - Both Anthony and Carter Jr. are considered game-time decisions, which will certainly keep some fantasy and DFS players on their toes ahead of tipoff.

Anthony has struggle to take advantage of the absences of Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz due to his own ankle injury. If he does take the floor, Anthony represents a value play in fantasy and DFS formats.

Houston Rockets vs. Washington Wizards

Christian Wood (suspension) Will Play
Kevin Porter Jr. (suspension) Will Play

Both Wood and Porter were held out of the Rockets’ last game on Monday against the Sixers serving one-game suspensions. We should expect both players back for tonight’s game vs. the Wizards.

Spencer Dinwiddie (conditioning) OUT
Montrezl Harrell (protocols) OUT
Rui Hachimura (conditioning) OUT

Update - Hachimura has cleared COVID protocols, but also remains out Wednesday against the Rockets.

Update - Dinwiddie has cleared protocols, but remains out Wednesday.

The Wizards have key rotation players in the protocols, which means guys like Deni Avdija and Daniel Gafford continue to be strong value options.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Boston Celtics

Dejounte Murray (protocols) AVAILABLE
Doug McDermott (protocols) OUT

Update - Murray is playing, but will have a minutes restriction of under 30 minutes per Gregg Popovich.

Update — Murray isn’t on the injury report, which means he’s expected to play. We’ll wait for further confirmation since it’s still early in the day.

Murray was held out of Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors but Gregg Popovich told reporters the point guard is on track to return tonight vs. the Celtics.

Jayson Tatum (conditioning) AVAILABLE
Robert Williams (toe) AVAILABLE

Update - Williams is on track to play in Wednesday’s contest.

Tatum returns to the floor for the Celtics, while Williams is likely to play.

Brooklyn Nets vs. Indiana Pacers

Kyrie Irving (vaccine mandate) AVAILABLE
LaMarcus Aldridge (foot) AVAILABLE

Update - Irving is expected to play around 30 minutes, which is a good sign of where his fitness is at given his long absence from the court.

Update — Aldridge will play against the Pacers tonight but it’s unclear just how much. LMA told reporters he’s still feeling some symptoms of COVID-19 and still needs to get his legs/wind under him. So we could see Aldridge on a minutes limit. Something to consider.

Irving makes his long-awaited season debut when the team travels to Indiana. Aldridge is questionable with a foot issue. If he doesn’t play, Blake Griffin and Nic Claxton are in line for more minutes.

Malcolm Brogdon (conditioning) OUT
Caris LeVert (protocols) OUT
Chris Duarte (protocols) OUT
Jeremy Lamb (conditioning) OUT

Update - All the Pacers guards have been listed as out. None were expected to take the floor, but this is a rough development for Indiana with Kyrie Irving returning for the Nets.

Update - Duarte appears to be close to clearing protocols but likely is out due to conditioning.

Brogdon is doubtful despite clearing protocols Tuesday, as is Lamb. LeVert and Duarte remain question marks, which means Justin Holiday, Duane Washington Jr. and Lance Stephenson are all in line to see more minutes in this game.

Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks

Andre Iguodala (knee) OUT
Otto Porter Jr. (injury management) OUT

Update - With Porter Jr. out, look for Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to potentially get more run in this contest. The Warriors obviously value both rookies highly, so now is the chance to get them some more minutes with Iguodala and Porter Jr. sidelined.

Update - Iguodala has been ruled out for Wednesday’s contest.

Iguodala is the lone Warrior in question on the injury report officially, as Klay Thompson and James Wiseman still inching closer to a return to the court. The 2015 Finals MVP has been dealing with a knee issue.

Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) OUT
Pat Connaughton (protocols) OUT
Grayson Allen (protocols) OUT
Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) OUT

Update - Antetokounmpo has been ruled out due to a non-COVID illness. Expect the betting lines to shift towards the Raptors slightly in this game but the Bucks are still likely to be a favored.

Khris Middleton was dealing with a personal matter earlier in the week but looks to be good to play. With three backcourt rotation players out, the Bucks stars get a huge boost in this game. Look for Middleton and Jrue Holiday to get more shots up, which could help with some player props on those guys.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Lu Dort (knee) OUT

Dort, Oklahoma City’s defensive star, is out with a knee injury.

Karl-Anthony Towns (conditioning) AVAILABLE
D’Angelo Russell (conditioning) AVAILABLE

Update - Both Towns and Russell are ready to go in Wednesday’s game.

Update — Both Towns and Russell are on track to return to the lineup tonight vs. the Thunder. That’ll give the T-Wolves pretty much their full rotation back.

Both Towns and Russell are game-time calls after clearing protocols. This line could flip significantly if one or both are in line to play.

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets

Joe Ingles (protocols) OUT
Donovan Mitchell (back) AVAILABLE
Jordan Clarkson (back) AVAILABLE
Bojan Bogdanovic (finger) AVAILABLE
Rudy Gobert (shoulder) OUT

Update - Gobert is out but everyone else who had an injury designation is in for the Jazz.

After having a relatively clean start to the season, the Jazz suddenly filled up the injury report. Ingles is out with protocols, while Bogdanovic and Gobert are questionable. Look for guys like Royce O’Neale and Rudy Gay to get even more run if those guys are ruled out.

Monte Morris (protocols) AVAILABLE
Austin Rivers (thumb) AVAILABLE

Update - Rivers will start for the Nuggets and is a strong value play, especially with Morris on a minutes restriction.

Update - Morris has been cleared and will play around 25 minutes Wednesday against the Jazz. That’s a big boost for Denver, which has been ravaged by injuries of late.

Morris remains in protocols, while Rivers continues to deal with a thumb issue. The Nuggets did get Aaron Gordon back after a hamstring problem, so that’s good news for Denver.

Miami Heat vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Jimmy Butler (ankle) OUT
KZ Okpala (wrist) OUT
Duncan Robinson (protocols) AVAILABLE

Update - Robinson is good to go Wednesday against Portland.

Update - Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson has been upgraded to questionable, suggesting he’s close to clearing protocols and could be good enough from a conditioning standpoint to play.

Butler remains out after suffering a leg injury Monday. Okpala is also out as the Heat can’t seem to catch a break with injuries.

Damian Lillard (injury management) OUT
Larry Nance Jr. (protocols) AVAILABLE
Cody Zeller (protocols) OUT

Update - Nance Jr., who was originally doubtful, has been cleared to play. With Zeller out, he gets a boost as a backup big man for Portland and does represent a sneaky value play.

Lillard seemingly has aggravated his abdominal injury, so he’s getting a break Wednesday. With both Nance Jr. and Zeller likely out, look for Jusuf Nurkic, Norman Powell and Nassir Little to have some additional value.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Sacramento Kings

Cam Reddish (ankle) AVAILABLE
John Collins (conditioning) OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic (conditoning) OUT
Trae Young (back) OUT

Update - Reddish is available to play, while Young has been ruled out. Young’s absence opens things up for Kevin Huerter to be more of a ball handler. Delon Wright and Lou Williams are other value options with Young out.

Update - Both Bogdanovic and Jalen Johnson have cleared protocols but are out for Wednesday’s game due to conditioning.

Update - Collins has officially cleared protocols, but remains out for Wednesday’s game.

Update - Both Young and Reddish participated in Atlanta’s shootaround Wednesday and are officially game-time decisions for the contest against the Kings.

Young is dealing with a back issue and is questionable. Both Collins and Bogdanovic should be close to clearing protocols under the new guidelines, but we’ll see what their conditioning is like. Reddish is questionable. He’ll be a strong fantasy and DFS play if Bogdanovic and Young are officially ruled out.