WEDNESDAY’S 4-GAME SLATE
Updated 8:25 pm ET
UPDATE 8:25 pm ET: Jerami Grant (knee) is available against the Clippers. This could take a few minutes away from Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee and maybe a couple spot minutes from Michael Porter Jr. Grant may start out on Kawhi Leonard, but isn’t a great option.
UPDATE 6:34 pm ET: Kelly Olynyk (thumb) is available against the Thunder.
UPDATE 6:20 pm ET: Nerlens Noel (ankle) and Steven Adams (knee) are available. Both of them will be tough to use after more than a half-week off, and it’s really tough to use Darius Bazley or Mike Muscala now.
UPDATE 5:00 pm ET: Serge Ibaka (knee) and OG Anunoby (knee) will not play. This should put Chris Boucher in the rotation, especially with OG being out to somewhat limit the usage of a PF/C combo consisting of Pascal Siakam and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Boucher and RHJ are cheap options with Boucher offering superior upside, and Norman Powell gets a boost, too.
UPDATE 2:30 pm ET: The Pacers will not have Malcolm Brogdon (neck), but Myles Turner (neck) and Victor Oladipo (ankle) will play. JaKarr Sampson will be starting for T.J. Warren (foot), but Sampson isn’t a great per-minute guy even against a team that can’t rebound. The Pacers want to rebound better, so it could be Goga Bitadze as the backup over T.J. Leaf. Aaron Holiday should have more ball-handling chances without Brogdon. Justin Holiday will start and should get minutes, but he’s only a fringe play.
UPDATE 2:00 pm ET: Danuel House (toe) is out for Wednesday, joining Russell Westbrook (rest) as the only two players out for today. Eric Gordon is back and should see minutes close to 20, and Robert Covington isn’t on the injury report after his ankle tweak. RoCo should be good for minutes in the 30s.
UPDATE 1:43 pm ET: The 76ers have some of their injury report out and the headline is that Joel Embiid (ankle) will play. Coach Brett Brown said that he wants to get Embiid out there before the postseason, but there’s really no word on the range of his minutes. Alec Burks is also out, which gives Shake Milton a little more upside. Raul Neto should handle the ball in the second unit. Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris and Al Horford are all back after getting their rest day, as well.
Top Injuries to Watch
It’s pretty light today, you guys (famous last words).
1. The Pacers could get their first mass-rest day with T.J. Warren (foot) out to slow down his Bubble MVP odds. Malcolm Brogdon (neck), Victor Oladipo (ankle) and Myles Turner (neck) are all questionable. Aaron Holiday looks like the play here while T.J. McConnell and Goga Bitadze are worth a look. Justin Holiday is a low-upside punt as well.
2. Serge Ibaka (knee) is questionable, which could get Chris Boucher in the mix.
3. Jerami Grant (knee) is questionable for this one. If he’s out, that could up minutes for Paul Millsap, Michael Porter Jr. and Mason Plumlee.
Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets, 4:00 pm ET
Besides an Oladipo B2B rest and Brogdon’s neck issue for the first game, the Pacers haven’t done much rest. For this one, they have T.J. Warren (foot) out while Myles Turner (neck), Victor Oladipo (ankle) and Malcolm Brogdon (neck) are all probable. McMillan said that the “main focus is whatever these guys need to have them ready for the playoffs.” If they’re all out, Aaron Holiday should be busy with a lot of Justin Holiday, JaKarr Sampson, T.J. McConnell, Goga Bitadze and maybe Doug McDermott.
The Rockets played on Tuesday, so we don’t have their official injury report. However, Danuel House and James Harden are expected to be a full go. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook is likely to sit, which opens up Austin Rivers and Ben McLemore for some chances.
Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 6:30 pm ET
The Raptors injury report is pretty clean after resting their backcourt on Monday. Serge Ibaka (knee) is questionable, which could get Chris Boucher in there again after his big Monday.
The 76ers have not put out their injury report yet because of a back-to-back set. Al Horford sat out because of his chronic knee issue, but he did say he was feeling better. Tobias Harris likely just got one game off and the same with Josh Richardson. Joel Embiid (ankle) missed the second half on Sunday and didn’t play on Tuesday, but he could have a chance to return today. We should get the injury report soon.
Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 pm ET
Kelly Olynyk (thumb) is probable as the only noteworthy new injury, and Kendrick Nunn (personal) is still out for one more. It should be Goran Dragic in the starting lineup with more Tyler Herro. Both are options.
OKC hasn’t filed their report yet. They’re probably going to be fairly clean with Steven Adams (knee) and Nerlens Noel (ankle) as the only two guys likely on there.
LA Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets, 9:00 pm ET
The Clippers still don’t have Montrezl Harrell (personal), so Ivica Zubac gets to go up against Nikola Jokic. Landry Shamet (foot) is out and Patrick Beverley (calf) is still sidelined. That should get Reggie Jackson a couple more minutes while maybe more run for Rodney McGruder or Terance Mann. Besides Zu, not much here with Bev and Shamet being low-usage guys.
The Nuggets have Jerami Grant (knee) as questionable for this one, so him sitting could help Michael Porter Jr. and Paul Millsap. As per usual, Gary Harris (hip) and Will Barton (knee) are out. MPJ gets a tough matchup, but he’s still an option.
