Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (ankle) will miss a ninth consecutive game on Thursday against the Orlando Magic. The two-time Finals MVP had a strong start to the season, but unfortunately, he has run into health issues again. Over the first six games of the season, Leonard averaged 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals. Nicolas Batum's workload has increased since Leonard's exit from the lineup, with the French veteran even picking up some starts. However, Batum's fantasy value has remained low due to his underwhelming numbers. Despite averaging over 21 minutes of action over the last eight games, Batum has been limited to 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds.

Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) is set to miss two weeks of action. The 29-year-old sustained an LCL strain in his left knee last Friday against the Detroit Pistons and has already sat out a pair of games. Oubre Jr. ranks fourth in scoring among the 76ers players, averaging 16.8 points in 34.8 minutes. He has had a large workload due to Paul George's (knee) absence. George made his season debut at the start of this week and could be back in action on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks after sitting out the first leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday versus the Toronto Raptors.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (ankle) is planning to return to action on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks, Tim Reynolds of Associated Press reports. The 2025 All-Star has yet to play this season due to offseason ankle surgery. A week ago, Herro said that he would be ready to go in 1-2 weeks. With Herro on the shelf, Norman Powell has led the Heat in scoring, averaging 25.4 points per game. Meanwhile, Pelle Larsson has enjoyed a starting role and will likely be bumped to the bench when Herro returns. His presence could also impact the usage of Jaime Jaquez Jr.and Andrew Wiggins.

Trail Blazers' F Deni Avdija recorded a triple-double, finishing with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a 121-122 loss to the Bulls on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Denver's C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a 125-118 win over New Orleans on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (illness) will play in Wednesday's contest against the Chicago Bulls. He is available to return after missing Tuesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns because of an illness. On Wednesday, Grant could start the contest as Shaedon Sharpe's (calf) replacement. The Trail Blazers are also without Jrue Holiday (calf), allowing Grant to take on more offensive responsibilities. With Holiday already absent for Sunday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, Grant had his second-highest scoring game of the season with 26 points.

Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (chest) has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He is dealing with a right pectoral strain, but the issue isn't serious enough to keep Smith sidelined. Smith fills backup duties for Nikola Vucevic in Chicago, but he has produced some strong performances lately, even getting a couple of double-doubles. Portland allows the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers, making it a potential field day for Chicago's big men on Wednesday night.

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (ankle) will return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks. Per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Brunson has been named a starter for the matchup, alongside Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson. The team initially listed the star guard as questionable for the game. Brunson ended up missing only two games with a right ankle sprain. Miles McBride will move back to the bench on Wednesday night.

Chicago Bulls point guard Tre Jones (ankle) has been downgraded to out ahead of Wednesday's tip-off against the Portland Trail Blazers. He carried a doubtful tag on the initial injury report. Wednesday's game will mark a third straight absence for Jones, who is dealing with left ankle impingement. Luckily for the Bulls, Coby White was cleared to make his season debut just as Jones exited the lineup, so the team has coped well with his absence. White will play with a 26-28-minute restriction on Wednesday night.

Portland Trail Blazers guard/forward Shaedon Sharpe (calf) will be sidelined for Wednesday's meeting with the Chicago Bulls. He will miss the second leg of a back-to-back with a sore right calf. Jrue Holiday (calf) will also remain out for this one, so Portland's backcourt won't have many healthy bodies left. Caleb Love impressed with a 17-point outing off the bench in Tuesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns and could make an even bigger impact against the Bulls. Sidy Cissoko is also likely to feature a lot more in the rotation.

Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin (illness) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports. He has caught an illness bug, and the team ruled Martin out for the game after adding him to the injury report late. Martin has played a minuscule role with the Mavericks this season, and his absence won't make much of an impact in the rotation. Over 13 appearances, Martin has averaged only 10.0 minutes per game.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) will play against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports. Gafford carried a probable tag on the initial injury report. He is returning to action following a one-game absence. Dallas elected to rest Gafford on Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second leg of a back-to-back. On Wednesday, Gafford will continue to spearhead an Anthony Davis-less Dallas frontcourt. The athletic big man has averaged 10.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks since making his season debut at the start of this month.

Washington Wizards forward/center Marvin Bagley III has been named a starter for Wednesday's contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He will replace Alexandre Sarr(toe), who will miss his first game of the season. Bagley III has typically been a reliable fantasy performer as a member of the first unit, averaging 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds for his career as a starter. However, as a starting center, he must outbattle four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert on Wednesday night, which will be a tough task. Due to Sarr's absence, Tristan Vukcevic will likely also receive increased playing time.

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley will make his fifth start of the season in Wednesday's clash against the Washington Wizards. He will fill in for Jaden McDaniels (wrist), who has landed on the shelf after making an impressive 158 consecutive appearances. In his previous starts this campaign, Conley has averaged 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals. While these aren't comparable to the numbers the 19-year veteran posted during his heyday, Conley's productivity has significantly improved when he has run with the starters. Wednesday's game is also a good fantasy matchup for him, as Washington owns the worst defensive record in the league against point guards this season and gives up the fifth-most assists to the position.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey (ankle) is good to go for Wednesday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets. He will return to action after missing one game with an ankle sprain. With Zion Williamson (hamstring) also back in the Pelicans lineup, Bey will likely be limited to a bench role, meaning his fantasy value will be low. As a reserve, Bey has averaged 9.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game this season. On Wednesday, he might make a slightly bigger impact, as Denver allows the third-most bench points in the league.

Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (hamstring) will sit out Wednesday's contest against the New Orleans Pelicans. Gordon was a late addition to the injury report and was initially handed a questionable designation. The veteran is managing a hamstring problem and may also miss time later in the week, when Denver has a back-to-back scheduled. With Gordon unavailable, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and Spencer Jones are likely to absorb more minutes. Of the three players, Hardaway Jr. offers the most fantasy upside.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (hamstring) will play on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk reports. New Orleans' explosive star has missed eight games with a hamstring injury and was listed as questionable on the initial injury report. Williamson has made five appearances so far this season, averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.0 steals in 31.4 minutes. While his workload may be limited after a long absence, Williamson can still make a fantasy impact.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Cooper Flagg (illness) has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against the New York Knicks. He was added to the injury report late due to illness, and the team has now officially ruled him out. The top pick of this year's draft will miss his first career game. With no Anthony Davis (calf) on Wednesday either, the Mavericks offense will flow through P.J. Washington, Max Christie, Brandon Williams, and Klay Thompson.

Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo (toe) will be available against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. The Heat have uprgaded his status from questionable to available. Adebayo was out for six games after spraining his left big toe. As a result of his return, Kel'el Ware will likely land in the second unit for Wednesday's game. However, Ware should still have a significant role to play in the rotation, and there might even be more minutes than usual available for Miami's bench mob on Wednesday, as the Warriors will play with a weakened team.

Charlotte Hornets guardTre Mann(ankle) will be out of the lineup on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers due to left ankle soreness. Mann hasn't missed a game this season, averaging 10.1 points, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per contest across 14 outings. He doesn't offer ton from a fantasy perspective when available as LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton, and Kon Knueppel also log a ton of backcourt minutes for the Hornets.