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Jimmy Butler set to return for Heat; Terry Rozier out

Mon Nov 18 2:42pm ET
Field Level Media

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has been cleared to return for Monday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, however Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Terry Rozier have been ruled out.

Butler, who has missed the past four games with a sprained right ankle, has been upgraded to "available" for the game against the Sixers.

Butler is averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists in eight starts.

Jaquez sprained his ankle during Sunday's loss to the Indiana Pacers and has been ruled out. Rozier will miss his first game with right foot discomfort.


It's unclear when Rozier sustained the injury to his foot. He played the entire game against the Pacers, scoring nine points in 27 minutes. He's averaging 12.9 points and 3.7 assists in 12 starts this season.

Jaquez scored just two points in 15 minutes before exiting late in the third quarter after turning his right ankle. He did not return. He's averaging 8.9 points and 6.0 rebounds in nine games (no starts) this season. Jaquez missed three games earlier this season with a stomach illness.

Player Notes
Caris LeVert Mon Nov 18 5:50pm

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Caris LeVert (knee) is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics. He previously missed two games earlier in the season because of right knee soreness, but now he is dealing with inflammation in his left knee. With LeVert, along with Sam Merrill (ankle) and Isaac Okoro (ankle), all potentially sidelined, the Cavaliers might need to rely heavily on their bench players for Tuesday, leaving minutes on the table for Craig Porter, Georges Niang, and Ty Jerome.

Jaden Ivey Mon Nov 18 5:50pm

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (ankle) will play during Monday's game against the Chicago Bulls. As expected, Ivey is active after being listed as probable on the injury report ahead of this game. It sounds like he's dealing with a minor ankle sprain but that won't be enough to hold him out of Monday's contest. Ivey posted 28 points and eight assists during Sunday's game. The 22-year-old has posted a few duds this season, but Ivey has mostly been solid early on. Fantasy managers should get him back in their lineups ahead of tip-off.

Tim Hardaway Jr. Mon Nov 18 5:50pm

Detroit Pistons guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (head) is available ahead of Monday's game against the Chicago Bulls. The veteran guard will make his return to the court after missing each of the last three games due to a head laceration. Malik Beasley has been seeing an increase in playing time with Hardaway sidelined. Beasley has scored 20 points or more in each of the last four games, so he should still remain a key piece of the rotation. Hardaway hasn't done enough on the court to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats but he might have some deep league appeal.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Mon Nov 18 5:40pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) will play in Monday's game versus the Houston Rockets. It's not uncommon to see the 29-year-old on the injury report. But he was listed as probable, so there wasn't much concern amongst fantasy managers regarding his availability. Despite Milwaukee's struggles, Antetokounmpo has had an MVP-caliber year, averaging 32.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Although he's shot just 20.0% from deep and 60.5% from the line, he's a must-start in any fantasy format, obviously.

Damian Lillard Mon Nov 18 5:40pm

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (concussion) has been cleared to suit up for Monday's game against the Houston Rockets. Lillard will make his return to the court after missing each of the last three games while in the league's concussion protocol. His return will push Delon Wright back to the bench where he won't have ideal streaming value. The expectation is that Lillard will see his full workload during his first game back. Fantasy managers should feel safe about getting Lillard back in their fantasy lineups ahead of tip-off. Lillard is averaging 26 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in 35 minutes per game. He has been one of the best guards in the league this season.

Zach Edey Mon Nov 18 5:30pm

Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The rookie center suffered a left ankle sprain during Sunday's game, so Edey missing Tuesday's contest isn't a shocker. It's worth noting that the Grizzlies play back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday. That means fantasy managers might not see Edey back on the court until Saturday versus the Chicago Bulls. Jay Huff has been playing minutes in the teens, so he should see an increase in minutes going forward. He's a decent shooter from beyond the arc, but Huff doesn't offer much value outside of that. Brandon Clarke should see an uptick in minutes as well and is the better fantasy option between the two.

Marcus Smart Mon Nov 18 5:30pm

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (illness) is listed as questionable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. Smart missed Sunday's game, so it looks like at least a two-game absence for Smart. It's worth noting that the Grizzlies do play a back-to-back set, so hopefully Smart can return on Wednesday. Until then, Luke Kennard and Vince Williams Jr. should see more playing time off the bench. Neither player has been much of a fantasy option, but Kennard is the better choice between the two. He's a good shooter from 3-point range and dished out 11 assists in a game last week.

Myles Turner Mon Nov 18 5:30pm

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (calf) won't play in Monday's game versus the Toronto Raptors. The 2015 No. 11 overall pick is experiencing right calf soreness, although fantasy managers are hoping he'll be back on the floor for Wednesday's meeting with the Houston Rockets. Without Turner in the mix, Pascal Siakam may spend more time in the middle, with Obi Toppin expected to see extra work from off the bench.

Sam Merrill Mon Nov 18 5:30pm

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Sam Merrill (ankle) is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics due to a left ankle injury. He has been sidelined for the last three games because of inflammation in his left ankle, but he could return against the defending champs. In the meantime, Craig Porter has stepped up in Merrill's absence over the last three games. Merrill will likely not be a significant contributor in fantasy if he is available to suit up.

Kevon Looney Mon Nov 18 5:20pm

Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The big man was questionable coming into this one, but Looney will officially sit out due to an illness. His absence won't have a huge impact on the rotation, but it should mean we see slight changes. Trayce Jackson-Davis should see more playing time in the rotation and could be a possible streaming option with more minutes. Draymond Green could also see more time at the center spot, but Jackson-Davis gains the most value from the loss of Looney.

Joel Embiid Mon Nov 18 5:20pm

According to Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, center Joel Embiid (illness) will warm up and try to play in Monday's game against the Miami Heat. The multi-time MVP is under the weather, so he's currently listed as doubtful. However, even if he does suit up, it's unknown how much time he'll spend on the floor. While fantasy managers should still consider Embiid a must-start if he plays, DFS managers may want to look for other options.

Luka Doncic Mon Nov 18 5:10pm

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (knee) is questionable for Tuesday's matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 25-year-old is averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 32.1% shooting from behind the arc, all down from the 2023-24 campaign. He's also been frequently mentioned on the league's official injury report nearly all season. But Doncic didn't suit up for Sunday's win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, his first absence of the season. If he misses another contest on Tuesday, Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy could see a bump in minutes. However, both players aren't reliable fantasy options, with the duo combining for 23 points against OKC.

Donovan Mitchell Mon Nov 18 5:10pm

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has been removed from the injury report ahead of Tuesday's game against the Boston Celtics. The superstar guard received a rest day during Sunday's win over the Charlotte Hornets.The 28-year-old has been outstanding this season and received a much-deserved day off. Now, the undefeated Cavs head into a tough matchup against the Celtics and will definitely need Mitchell for that now. Ty Jerome will head back to the bench, so he won't have much streaming appeal with the second unit. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable getting Mitchell back in their lineups for Tuesday's contest.

Victor Wembanyama Mon Nov 18 5:00pm

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (knee) is doubtful for Tuesday's game against OKC. The 20-year-old has a bruised right knee, keeping him off the floor for Saturday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Zach Collins got the start in his place, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, and three blocks. Unfortunately, he shot a rough 0-for-5 from behind the arc. But with Wembanyama trending toward missing another game, Collins should be considered a starting fantasy option. There's also a good chance he'll turn his shooting woes around.

Paolo Banchero Mon Nov 18 5:00pm

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (oblique) was only able to play a handful of games before going down at the end of October. Banchero suffered a torn right oblique muscle which came with roughly a two-month timetable to return. However, Banchero recently said that he's feeling good and that he thinks he can get back on the court before Christmas. The Magic could certainly use the help of the All-Star forward, but they aren't going to rush him back. He'll likely be re-evaluated in the coming weeks, so fantasy managers will know more information after that. For now, Jonathan Isaac and Moritz Wagner will continue seeing increased roles in the rotation. Fantasy managers should continue to hold Banchero as it sounds like he could be back in possibly a month.

Mo Bamba Mon Nov 18 4:50pm

According to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Los Angeles Clippers centerMo Bamba(knee) is questionable for Monday's contest with the Golden State Warriors due to left knee recovery. The big man made his regular season debut on Sunday, registering eight points, eight rebounds, and one assist in 15 minutes. With the Clippers in the second half of back-to-back games, the 26-year-old is likely out just for precautionary reasons. In Bamba's absence, Kai JonesandNicolas Batum will likely see an uptick in minutes on the court.

Jusuf Nurkic Mon Nov 18 4:10pm

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) is still ailing from a sprained ankle and will have to miss Monday's game against the Orlando Magic. The veteran big man has carried an injury status with his ankle for the past handful of games and has only been forced to miss one other contest. His ankle sprain seems to be more of a day-to-day issue, so fantasy managers will want to stay tuned for updates ahead of their next game on Wednesday. Mason Plumlee should see extra minutes in the meantime while Royce O'Neale will probably get some time in small-ball lineups.

Miles McBride Mon Nov 18 3:50pm

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (knee) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game on Monday and will watch from the sidelines as the team takes on the Washington Wizards. The fourth-year guard is dealing with knee inflammation which seems to be bad enough to cause the Knicks to take a cautious approach. Despite coming off of the bench, McBride has averaged 26.4 minutes per game this year, so his minutes will likely be split between Cameron Payne and the starters.

Cam Whitmore Mon Nov 18 3:50pm

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (knee) is dealing with some soreness in his left knee and has been ruled out for the team's Monday night contest against the Milwaukee Bucks. The second-year wing hasn't appeared in a game since November 6 when he received around seven minutes against the San Antonio Spurs in a blowout. Once the team got healthier and added Reed Sheppard in the NBA Draft, Whitmore fell out of the rotation and remains off of the fantasy radar until injuries or a trade happens.

Terry Rozier Mon Nov 18 3:50pm

Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier (foot) is unavailable for Monday's game against the 76ers due to discomfort in his right foot. Since Monday's matchup is the second half of back-to-back sets, it's likely a precautionary decision to sit the 30-year-old. On the bright side, the Heat will be glad to have Jimmy Butler (ankle) back on the court after missing four games due to an ankle issue, especially as Rozier has struggled this November, with a shooting percentage of just 35.3 percent.


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