FRIDAY’S 4-GAME SLATE
Updated 7:40 pm ET
UPDATE 8:40 pm ET: The 76ers are starting Joel Embiid with Shake Milton, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris and Al Horford. We are expecting managed minutes
UPDATE 7:54 pm ET: Danuel House (toe) will not play on Friday. With Eric Gordon available, he should soak up most of House’s minutes while Ben McLemore, Michael Frazier, Jeff Green and Austin Rivers could pick up a few extra minutes.
UPDATE 7:40 pm ET: Joel Embiid (ankle) is a game-time call for this one, and Glenn Robinson III (hip) is out. Embiid’s injury isn’t serious after suffering it three games ago, but he’ll likely have minutes limits if he goes. From a DFS standpoint, it’ll be easier to attack this situation if he sits because that’ll open up Kyle O’Quinn and Norvel Pelle to some degree.
UPDATE 7:20 pm ET: Danuel House (toe) is now a game-time decision for this one. Coach Mike D’Antoni also said his regulars will see at least a half of action today, so you’re firing up James Harden and probably Lord Robert Covington in a revenge game. If House doesn’t go, that should get more minutes to Jeff Green, Ben McLemore and maybe Michael Frazier.
UPDATE 6:05 pm ET: Well, the Clippers are starting Reggie Jackson, Amir Coffey, Rodney McGruder, JaMychal Green and Ivica Zubac. That means Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Marcus Morris are likely out today. The Clippers are short on guys, so they’re down to the starters, Terance Mann, Pat Patterson, Joakim Noah and Lou Williams. Coffey, Mann, Green and Reggie are all options.
UPDATE 3:40 pm ET: The Heat announced that Jae Crowder (knee) will not play. However, Andre Iguodala and Derrick Jones Jr. are available. The Heat really need SF depth, so chances are DJJ or Iggy are out there. It makes more sense for Jones Jr. to get the minutes, though. This frontcourt situation has gone from clear to a mess in a hurry. On the other hand, Duncan Robinson starting at the three should still help Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn.
UPDATE 3:30 pm ET: The Heat are starting Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Udonis Haslem and Kelly Olynyk. This comes as a surprise after a very credible beat writer said that some rotation guys will sit on top of the inactives, so that looks to be wrong. The Heat may also be really thin at SF, so Solomon Hill could see minutes. The frontcourt rotation isn’t as clear as we thought, so there’s some risk in using guys like Chris Silva, Olynyk and Kyle Alexander. Olynyk will likely be limited on playing time. Herro and Nunn look like great plays.
UPDATE 2:20 pm ET: The Pacers will start Malcolm Brogdon, Edmond Sumner, Justin Holiday, Alize Johnson and JaKarr Sampson. We know that Victor Oladipo, T.J. Warren and Myles Turner are all out, but not having Aaron Holiday out there is a big concern. It might be tough to go after Aaron or T.J. McConnell here. We’re also expecting minutes limits on Brogdon. Sumner is an interesting play after his big Wednesday outing, and JaKarr’s minutes should be in the 20s. Goga Bitadze is available, but he is likely only looking at 10-15 minutes.
UPDATE 2:00 pm ET: The newest injury report has Dennis Schroder listed as available for today’s game. That’s a change from the report earlier today that had him out, but Schroder should have a shot to get minutes today. His workload is a bit unclear, but this news makes Devon Hall and Hamidou Diallo much less attractive. Schroder could be an option and we’ll be looking for some quotes on his playing time in the coming hours.
UPDATE 1:00 pm ET: Jerami Grant is starting for Michael Porter Jr. (rest). This rotation is going to be deep, so really nobody on the Nuggets is a safe play.
UPDATE 12:49 pm ET: The Raptors will start Terence Davis II, Matt Thomas, Norman Powell, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Marc Gasol. We’d guess Gasol and Powell aren’t playing in the second half. Chris Boucher is a great play, and TD2 should also have a chance for second-half minutes due to a lack of ball-handling for their G League guys. Stanley Johnson was the backup PG in the scrimmages.
UPDATE 12:39 pm ET: The Nuggets have listed Michael Porter Jr. as out. Coach Mike Malone said he will play some Noah Vonleh and Troy Daniels, so that means this rotation is going to be an absolute mess. Bol Bol should be in play today, but after that it’s a total gamble.
UPDATE 11:00 am ET: The Raptors are resting Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam. Serge Ibaka and OG Anunoby are doubtful. It’s certainly Chris Boucher time here while Terence Davis II should handle the ball a ton. Paul Watson had a star-studded G League season and can fill it up, so he might be a punt option.
This is a weird slate here, and nobody has anything to play for. Lets go over some teams with Q tags first. Also, pretty much every team here has a great chance to rest their starters in the second half.
Miami Heat – We know they’re without Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler, and you’d think Jae Crowder is out despite the Q tag. Andre Iguodala and Derrick Jones Jr. are also questionable. Tyler Herro looks like a great play, and I’d be looking at Chris Silva if Spo really went crazy on rest. Kendrick Nunn could be an option too.
Toronto Raptors – Serge Ibaka (knee) and OG Anunoby (knee) are questionable, but you’d think they sit. Chris Boucher will be chalk if they do sit, and Marc Gasol might be out with Dewan Hernandez as his backup. Terence Davis II could get minutes, but you’d need him to start. I wouldn’t trust the usual starters unless we get a quote.
Philadelphia 76ers – Joel Embiid (ankle) is questionable with an ankle issue. That’s what kept him out for the first game, and not that hand issue that cut his night short on Wednesday. You’d think he’d be limited and that would mean there’s really no reason to play the other guys because the chemistry/rhythm aspect of it is gone. Still, it’ll be really tough to target anyone early because Al Horford would likely start at center to cut into Kyle O’Quinn and Norvel Pelle.
Indiana Pacers – Goga Bitadze is questionable, but coach Nate McMillan made it sound like he’s resting guys here. If Goga is out, we might be looking at some Alize Johnson and T.J. Leaf.
Denver Nuggets vs. Toronto Raptors, 1:30 pm ET
The Nuggets won’t have Will Barton and Gary Harris again, making them inactive for all eight seeding games. Mike Malone made it sound like they could miss playoff action, too. Michael Porter Jr. should start, but it’s really tough to trust coach Mike Malone.
Serge Ibaka (knee) is questionable again and the same with OG Anunoby (knee). Coach Nick Nurse said that he will mix it up on management, so really all bets are off here. The Raptors have plenty of depth at most positions, but either way it’s likely Chris Boucher time for the third Raptors game in a row.
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers, 4:00 pm ET
It’s a heavy rest day for Miami with Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, and Gabe Vincent out. Kendrick Nunn is available for this one, and there are two questionable tags in Jae Crowder (knee) and Derrick Jones Jr. (knee). Jae is likely closer to doubtful. No Vincent is kind of big to get Tyler Herro in your lineups. Chris Silva could be in the mix as an off-the-board frontcourt guy, depending on if he starts.
The Pacers aren’t going to have 60% of their starting lineup with no Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner and T.J. Warren. You’d think Malcolm Brogdon is limited, so there should be minutes for Aaron Holiday and T.J. McConnell. T.J. Leaf and Alize Johnson could have minutes headed their way if no Goga Bitadze (knee, questionable).
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. LA Clippers, 6:30 pm ET
Chris Paul is finally resting with a hand issue, and Luguentz Dort also gets the night off after banging knees with Jae Crowder on Wednesday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander figures to start at point guard while Devon Hall and Hamidou Diallo should also benefit. Diallo should fill some of Dort’s minutes while Terrance Ferguson, Andre Roberson and Abdel Nader should also see more run.
The Clippers have Landry Shamet, Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell all listed as out. This has load management written all over it, so we likely won’t see Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Lou Williams in the second half. Terance Mann could be an interesting option. Joakim Noah and Amir Coffey are also on the board.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Houston Rockets, 9:00 pm ET
Joel Embiid (ankle) is questionable, and it’s not because of the hand issue that kept him out for most of Wednesday. Glenn Robinson III (hip) is questionable. Without Embiid out there, there’s really no need to play the others regular minutes. It’s going to be really tough to attack this game unless we get more info.
We know that Russell Westbrook is out, and Danuel House is off the injury report. The Rockets may manage here after not doing so at all, so maybe Chris Clemons is on the board late. Austin Rivers could be safe, and maybe we see some Jeff Green. Bruno?
