Trae Young, Luka Doncic, Donovan Mitchell headline NBA injury report for Friday, Jan. 7

There are a billion injuries and players out due to COVID-19. That’s an exaggeration. But not really. The NBA injury report for Friday, January 7th is very long. The Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs are among teams dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak and have multiple players in protocols. LeBron James is probable. Shocking. Giannis Antetokounmpo is also dealing with a non-COVID illness but is probable. Anyway, let’s get into the injury report, clear your schedule.

NBA Injury Report: January 7th

San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Devontae Cook (conditioning) Available
Lonnie Walker IV (conditioning) Available
Devin Vassell (protocols) OUT
Derrick White (protocols) OUT
Thad Young (protocols) OUT
Keldon Johnson (protocols) OUT
Tre Jones (protocols) OUT

The Spurs injury report is lengthy. It’ll open up plenty of good DFS plays for tonight’s slate. Dejounte Murray ($9,600) is up top and is a good tournament option. Jakob Poeltl ($6,200) is another good play; he’s reached a double-double in four of the last five games. Bryn Forbes and Jock Landale are both under $4K and are good value options, especially if Walker and Cook remain out.

Isaiah Joe (back) OUT
Danny Green (calf) Available
Matisse Thybulle (conditioning) Will Play

Update — Not that you’re going to want to play Green after the infamous zero stat line. If you were considering it, he’s going to be on a minutes limit tonight vs. the Spurs.

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Brooklyn Nets

Jrue Holiday (protocols) OUT
Grayson Allen (protocols) OUT
Pat Connaughton (protocols) OUT
George Hill (protocol) OUT
Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) Available
Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) TBD

Update - After missing Wednesday’s game with an illness, Antetokounmpo is ready to go for Friday’s game against Nets.

The Bucks are missing key players, including Holiday, who was placed into protocols on Thursday. With everyone out, the Bucks will lean on Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,400) and Khris Middleton ($7,900). Jordan Nwora ($5,000) is one of my favorite plays on the slate. If the Bucks are missing all these rotation players, Nwora should play a ton of minutes. He’s got a lot of upside as well; Nwora had a stretch of four games recently when he averaged around 19 points.

Kyrie Irving (home game) OUT

Utah Jazz vs. Toronto Raptors

Rudy Gobert (protocols/shoulder) OUT
Donovan Mitchell (back) OUT
Jordan Clarkson (back) OUT
Royce O’Neale (knee) OUT
Rudy Gay (heel, personal) OUT
Mike Conley (rest) OUT
Bojan Bogdanovic (finger) OUT

Update - Gay has also been ruled out due to a heel issue and personal reasons. The Jazz are down to backup players across the board.

Update - The Jazz have essentially ruled out their entire rotation outside of Gay. He’s a great play in fantasy and DFS formats, although it’s hard to say how efficient he’ll be with lesser players around him.

The Jazz won’t have a handful of starters for their matchup vs. the Raptors tonight. We already know Mitchell, Gobert and Conley are out. Gay, O’Neale and Clarkson may also sit. O’Neale ($4,100) is a great play if he’s ruled in. Same goes for Clarkson and Gay.

Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls

Montrezl Harrell (protocols) Questionable
Davis Bertans (foot) OUT
Rui Hachimura (conditioning) OUT

Alex Caruso (protocols) OUT

Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets

Luka Doncic (ankle) OUT
Willie Cauley-Stein (personal) OUT

Update - Doncic, who was doubtful to play, has been officially ruled out for Friday’s game.

The Mavericks likely won’t have Doncic, so we can fire up Jalen Brunson ($7,000) in tournaments at this price point. The Rockets may keep things close enough and the game script would be perfect. Dorian Finney-Smith ($5,300) feels like a great play given how he’s looked lately. DFS has scored in double figures in six straight games. Tim Hardaway Jr. ($5,100) is also in play if Doncic sits.

Alperen Sengun (ankle) OUT

Sengun is out another week with his ankle injury. This is a tough blow for the Rockets, who were hoping to evaluate their rookie center.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Derrick Favors (protocols) OUT
Isaiah Roby (protocols) OUT

Sacramento Kings vs. Denver Nuggets

Terence Davis (ankle) OUT
Richaun Holmes (protocols) OUT

Aaron Gordon (illness) Available
Bones Hyland (illness) Available
Zeke Nnaji (protocols) expected to play
Jeff Green (protocols) expected to play

Update - Both Hyland and Gordon will take the floor for the Nuggets Friday.

Update - Green is expected to take the floor for the Nuggets Friday. It seems like Denver’s rotation is likely to closest to normal for the first time in a while due to injuries and protocols.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Trae Young (back) Available
Cam Reddish (ankle) Available
Bogdan Bogdanovic (conditioning) Available
John Collins (conditioning) Available

Update - It seems like the Hawks key players are all going to suit up Friday against the Lakers.

Update — This entire group wen through shootaround and are considered game-time decisions for Friday’s contest.

If the Hawks are missing both Young and Collins, we can fire up Reddish ($5,500) and Delon Wright ($5,600) in tournaments. The Hawks are kings of the $5K range on this slate; Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter are all in that group and would be strong plays.

LeBron James (abdominal) Available

As expected, James will suit up Friday against the Hawks.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Rajon Rondo (conditioning) Available
Cedi Osman (conditioning) Probable
Isaac Okoro (elbow) OUT

Update — Rondo is expected to make his Cavaliers debut tonight vs. the Blazers.

Larry Nance Jr. (knee) OUT
Damian Lillard (abdomen) OUT
Cody Zeller (knee) Available

Update - Zeller is officially available for Friday’s game.

Update — The Trail Blazers are expected to have C Cody Zeller back in the lineup tonight, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Zeller has missed almost a month due to a knee injury. With Nance out, Zeller could come back and fill minutes in the front court. He isn’t really a viable play in DFS unless we get a handle on how much he’ll play. If Zeller is going to play 15-20 minutes, at min-price, he isn’t a bad leverage value.