NBA Injury News & Starting Lineups (December 23): Kristaps Porzingis Questionable, Malcolm Brogdon Out Thursday

NBA Injury News & Starting Lineups (December 23): Kristaps Porzingis Questionable, Malcolm Brogdon Out Thursday article feature image
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Below are the projected starting lineups for each team playing on Thursday's NBA slate, along with notable injury news for each squad. For real-time injury updates, check out our FantasyLabs NBA news page

NBA Injury News

7 p.m. ET: Karl-Anthony Towns and Bradley Beal have entered health and safety protocols.

RJ Barrett has been downgraded to out for return to competition conditioning.

Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis are out with an Achilles and calf respectively.


Though their game was canceled today, the Brooklyn Nets had a mix of good and bad news Thursday. Three more players — David Duke Jr., Kessler Edwards and Cam Thomas — were placed in health and safety protocols this morning. James Harden, Paul Millsap and Jevon Carter have all cleared health and safety protocols.

Kristaps Porzingis is questionable again with a toe injury. Porzingis missed the Mavericks' game against the Timberwolves Tuesday with the same issue.

Malcolm Brogdon is questionable for the Pacers with a sore achilles. Brogdon missed one game with the injury and played just seven minutes against the Heat Tuesday after re-aggravating the injury.

Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter Jr. are questionable for the Magic. Anthony has missed three games with an ankle injury and Carter missed two with a leg injury.

The Knicks lost Derrick Rose for eight weeks due to ankle surgery, but cleared two more players from health and safety protocols on Thursday, guards RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes, along with Obi Toppin yesterday. Barrett is expected to play against the Wizards.

Projected Starting Lineups

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Orlando Magic (7 p.m. ET)

Pelicans Projected Lineup

PG – Devonte' Graham
SG – Josh Hart
SF – Brandon Ingram
PF – Herbert Jones
C – Willy Hernangomez

Injury news: Jonas Valanciunas (Illness) is out; Naji Marshal and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have entered health and safety protocols

Magic Projected Lineup

PG – Cole Anthony
SG – Gary Harris
SF – Franz Wagner
PF – Wendell Carter Jr.
C – Robin Lopez

Injury news: Cole Anthony (Ankle) and Wendell Carter Jr. (Leg) are available; Terrence Ross, Moe Wagner, Mo Bamba (Ankle), Mychal Mulder (COVID Protocols) and RJ Hampton are in health and safety protocols

Houston Rockets vs. Indiana Pacers (7 p.m. ET)

Rockets Projected Lineup

PG – Jalen Green
SG – Eric Gordon
SF – Garrison Mathews
PF – Jae'Sean Tate
C – Christian Wood

Injury news: Kevin Porter Jr. (Thigh) is out

Pacers Projected Lineup

PG – Brad Wannamaker
SG – Justin Holiday
SF – Caris LeVert
PF – Torrey Craig
C – Myles Turner

Injury news: Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles) and Domantas Sabonis (Calf) are out

Atlanta Hawks vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7 p.m. ET)

Hawks Projected Lineup

PG – Delon Wright
SG – Bogdan Bogdanovic
SF – Cam Reddish
PF – John Collins
C – Gorgui Dieng

Injury news: Sharife Cooper, Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Clint Capela, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Kevin Huerter and Trae Young are in health and safety protocols

76ers Projected Lineup

PG – Tyrese Maxey
SG – Seth Curry
SF – Matisse Thybulle
PF – Tobias Harris
C – Joel Embiid

Injury news: Danny Green, Andre Drummond, Georges Niang and Shake Milton are in health and safety protocols

Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. ET)

Pistons Projected Lineup

PG – Cory Joseph
SG – Frank Jackson
SF – Hamidou Diallo
PF – Saddiq Bey
C – Isaiah Stewart

Injury news: Frank Jackson (Ankle) and Cory Joseph (Thumb) are available; Isaiah Livers (Conditioning) is questionable; Jerami Grant (Thumb) is out; Killian Hayes, Saben Lee, Isaiah Stewart, Cade Cunningham is in health and safety protocols

Heat Projected Lineup

PG – Kyle Lowry
SG – Gabe Vincent
SF – Max Strus
PF – Duncan Robinson
C – Dewayne Dedmon

Injury news: PJ Tucker (Leg), Markieff Morris (Neck) and Jimmy Butler (Glute) are out; Caleb Martin is in health and safety protocols

Washington Wizards vs. New York Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET)

Wizards Projected Lineup

PG – Spencer Dinwiddie
SG – Aaron Holiday
SF – Deni Avdija
PF – Kyle Kuzma
C – Daniel Gafford

Injury news: Rui Hachimura (Conditioning) is available; Bradley Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is in health and safety protocols

Knicks Projected Lineup

PG – Kemba Walker
SG – Alec Burks
SF – Evan Fournier
PF – Julius Randle
C – Mitchell Robinson

Injury news: RJ Barrett (Conditioning) and Derrick Rose (Ankle) is out; Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes have cleared health and safety protocols; Nerlens Noel, Immanuel Quickley, Kevin Knox, Miles McBride, Quentin Grimes are in health and safety protocols

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks (8:30 p.m. ET)

Bucks Projected Lineup

PG – Jrue Holiday
SG – Grayson Allen
SF – Khris Middleton
PF – Semi Ojeleye
C – DeMarcus Cousins

Injury news: Sandro Mamukelashvili (Illness) is out; Donte DiVincenzo, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are in health and safety protocols

Mavericks Projected Lineup

PG – Jalen Brunson
SG – Sterling Brown
SF – Dorian Finney-Smith
PF – Kristaps Porzingis
C – Dwight Powell

Injury news: Kristaps Porzingis (Toe) is questionable; Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway Jr, Trey Burke, Maxi Kleber, Jaquori McLaughlin, Luka Doncic and Josh Green are in health and safety protocols

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns (9 p.m. ET)

Thunder Projected Lineup

PG – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG – Josh Giddey
SF – Lu Dort
PF – Darius Bazley
C – Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

Injury news: Derrick Favors (Rest) is out

Suns Projected Lineup

PG – Chris Paul
SG – Devin Booker
SF – Mikal Bridges
PF – Jae Crowder
C – Deandre Ayton

Injury news: Nothing new

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz (9 p.m. ET)

Timberwolves Projected Lineup

PG – D'Angelo Russell
SG – Leandro Bolmaro
SF – Malik Beasley
PF – Jaden McDaniels
C – Naz Reid

Injury news: Naz Reid (Calf), Jaylen Nowell (Thumb) and D'Angelo Russell (Ankle) are available; Patrick Beverley, Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, Josh Okogie, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns are in health and safety protocols

Jazz Projected Lineup

PG – Mike Conley
SG – Donovan Mitchell
SF – Bojan Bogdanovic
PF – Royce O'Neale
C – Rudy Gobert

Injury news: Miye Oni (Ankle) is available; Udoka Azubuike (Ankle) is out

Charlotte Hornets vs. Denver Nuggets (9 p.m. ET)

Hornets Projected Lineup

PG – LaMelo Ball
SG – Terry Rozier
SF – Gordon Hayward
PF – Miles Bridges
C – Mason Plumlee

Injury news: Cody Martin is in health and safety protocols

Nuggets Projected Lineup

PG – Monte Morris
SG – Will Barton
SF – Jeff Green
PF – Aaron Gordon
C – Nikola Jokic

Injury news: JaMychal Green (Ankle), Aaron Gordon (Hamstring) and Bones Hyland (Ankle) are probable; Markus Howard (Knee) is out; Bol Bol is in health and safety protocols

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET)

Grizzlies Projected Lineup

PG – Ja Morant
SG – Desmond Bane
SF – Dillon Brooks
PF – Jaren Jackson Jr.
C – Steven Adams

Injury news: Tyus Jones (Finger) and John Konchar (Foot) are questionable; Brandon Clarke (Knee), Sam Merrill (Ankle) and Santi Aldama (Calf) are out; Ziaire Williams is in health and safety protocols

Warriors Projected Lineup

PG – Stephen Curry
SG – Gary Payton II
SF – Jonathan Kuminga
PF – Draymond Green
C – Kevon Looney

Injury news: Jonathan Kuminga (Back) is probable; Andre Iguodala (Knee) is out; Damion Lee, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins are in health and safety protocols

San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET)

Spurs Projected Lineup

PG – Dejounte Murray
SG – Derrick White
SF – Doug McDermott
PF – Keldon Johnson
C – Jakob Poeltl
Injury news: Nothing new

Lakers Projected Lineup

PG – Russell Westbrook
SG – Wayne Ellington
SF – Talen Horton-Tucker
PF – LeBron James
C – DeAndre Jordan

Injury news: LeBron James (Abdominal) is probable; Avery Bradley, Kent Bazemore, Trevor Ariza, Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn and Austin Reaves are in health and safety protocols

Brooklyn Nets vs. Portland Trail Blazers (PPD)

League note: Nets-Blazers postponed Thursday.

— FantasyLabs NBA (@FantasyLabsNBA) December 22, 2021


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