According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (hip) didn't travel with his team to Chicago on Thursday. The Heat square off against the Bulls tomorrow evening in the Windy City. Jovic will miss his second game in a row due to a right hip impingement. He will likely be unavailable for Sunday's road matchup with the 76ers as well. Once the 22-year-old can return, he will have to regain his shooting touch to be fantasy-relevant again.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (knee) is absent from the team's injury report ahead of Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The injury-prone star missed Wednesday's contest versus Toronto after making his season debut on Monday in a 110-108 victory over the Clippers. In his first outing, he registered nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks across 21 minutes on the floor. With George likely seeing limited minutes and Joel Embiid (knee) still out, Tyrese Maxey,VJ Edgecombe, andQuentin Grimes will likely see plenty of extra minutes and scoring opportunities this evening.

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Harris returned from a hamstring injury about a week ago and was starting to work his way into the rotation. He could be in for more work with the team in search of scoring options in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo (groin) for the next few weeks. However, Garris is now in danger of missing Thursday's game against the 76ers due to illness. He's only playing 9.5 minutes per contest in his eight games this season, but check back before tip-off to see if he can be part of the team's rotation without Giannis on Thursday.

Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (hip) will be unavailable for Friday's matchup with the Chicago Bulls. Wiggins hasn't missed a game this season, but a left hip injury will keep him out of action Friday evening. The 30-year-old is having a solid campaign so far, averaging 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals across 15 outings. It's unclear whether Wiggins will play in Philadelphia on Sunday, since he didn't travel with the team to the Windy City. Nikola Jovic(hip) is also unavailable, so Jamie Jaquez and Pelle Larsson will be relied upon to produce offensively during tomorrow night's tilt.

Free agent guard/forward Garrison Mathews is signing a 10-day hardship contract with the Pacers, who have been decimated by injuries in the early part of the season. Mathews has played six seasons in the NBA, spending time with the Wizards, Rockets, and Hawks. Last year, he played 47 games for Atlanta and averaged 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.8 three-pointers in 17.7 minutes per game. He will give the Pacers some experience and scoring on the wing and should play minutes right away. The veteran sharpshooter may be a DFS or streaming option if you need three-point production when the 2-13 Pacers take on the Cavaliers on Friday and Mathews makes his debut.

Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (knee) will not be able to play this season for the Mavs, as the team announced that he will need a follow-up surgery after complications with an offseason knee procedure. He played 20 games last season with Dallas and averaged 8.7 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game. The 30-year-old was on a one-year, $3 million deal with the Mavericks and will be a free agent after this season if he looks to return to action for the 2025-26 season.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (quad) is dealing with a quad contusion but is expected to play through the issue on Thursday against the Bucks as the Sixers finish a back-to-back. Maxey played 38 minutes on Tuesday and totaled 24 points, nine assists, three steals, and two rebounds in his team's loss to the Raptors. Maxey has been posting great numbers this season, averaging 31.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while logging a heavy workload of 40 minutes per game. He is likely to be available for the second night in a row on Thursday, although he may be less than 100%. If he needs extra help, Quentin Grimes, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George could help pick up more offense on Thursday.

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (thumb) does not have an injury designation for Thursday against the Grizzlies, so he should be set to make his season debut as expected. The Kings have definitely missed Murray's contributions on both ends of the floor, and he'll step right into as large a role as he is ready to handle. On Thursday, Domantas Sabonis (knee) is out, so Precious Achiuwa will be able to play a little bigger, and there will be more work available for Murray if he's ready. Since this will be his first game, though, he may need some time to ramp up. He will be fantasy relevant when he's at 100%, but he's high-risk for DFS contests in his first game of the season and could have a minutes limit.

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (knee) will miss his second straight game on Thursday night when his team visits the Grizzlies in Memphis. He also sat out on Wednesday, in what was thought to be just a rest day to have him ready for Thursday's contest. Instead, he'll miss both games of the back-to-back, but the team hasn't given any update as to a timeline for his return. He could be back as soon as Saturday against the Nuggets, but there definitely seems to be more going on than initially expected. Sabonis has been very productive when available, but he has been limited to 11 games this season. Without him on Thursday, Drew Eubanks and Precious Achiuwa will get more minutes in the middle in Memphis.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will miss another game on Thursday after being listed as out on the injury report before the Sixers finish their back-to-back with a matchup against the Bucks. Embiid practiced on Tuesday but will not be able to return this week as was initially hoped. The team will continue to evaluate him on a day-to-day basis due to his right knee after having his left knee operated on before the season. While he remains out, Andre Drummond will continue to get most of the minutes at center. The veteran has posted a double-double in five straight games after producing 10 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes Tuesday against Toronto.

Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) is considered doubtful for Thursday's Western Conference tilt against the Sacramento Kings. The former Defensive Player of the Year has sustained a right ankle sprain. So far, Jackson Jr. has played in all 15 Grizzlies games, averaging 17.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. His absence on Thursday would likely result in Santi Aldama moving to the first unit. Even as a bench player, Aldama has been productive, but a starting job would add a bit more fantasy value to the Spaniard. Thursday's game is a wonderful fantasy matchup for the Grizzlies, as Sacramento has the fourth-worst defense in the Association but plays at the fifth-highest pace.

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (knee) is listed as questionable for Thursday's contest against the San Antonio Spurs. He is experiencing right knee soreness and may have to sit out a fourth consecutive game. Porzingis has played in only nine of Atlanta's 15 games, so it's starting to look like another injury-disrupted season for him. When active, Porzingis has made a significant impact despite poor shooting numbers, averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 25.8 minutes. Since Porzingis' exit from the lineup, Onyeka Okongwu has exploded as a starter, posting 26.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game.

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (hip) is questionable to play on Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs. The first-overall pick of the 2024 draft hurt his left hip on a fall on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns and may be forced to sit out a second consecutive game. Vit Krejci was promoted to the starting unit when Risacher was out on Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Although he played 36 minutes, Krejci only recorded nine points, three rebounds, and two assists, meaning his fantasy value remains low even as a starter.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (groin) will be absent for a fourth straight game on Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers. He continues to be sidelined due to a left groin strain. Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs have larger offensive roles without Banchero, while Tristan da Silva has taken over from him in the first unit. It's been a strong three-game stretch for da Silva, who has averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals since joining the starting five. On Thursday, da Silva could be even more productive, as the Clippers are ranked 24th in defensive efficiency.

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.