NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Player Health & Injuries
Nikola Vucevic espn.com will miss three to four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured finger. Ja Morant espn.com remains sidelined for at least two more weeks as he recovers from an elbow injury. Jamal Murray espn.com left Friday's game with an ankle injury and is set for testing. Ausar Thompson espn.com sprained his right ankle in Thursday's loss and didn't return.
Star Returns & Debuts
Kristaps Porzingis espn.com says he feels healthy after recovering from illness and is ready to play consistently for the Warriors. Trae Young espn.com dazzled in his Wizards debut with 12 points, thrilling the D.C. crowd despite limited minutes. Cooper Flagg espn.com returned from an eight-game absence with 18 points and six assists in a loss to Orlando.
Notable Performances
Victor Wembanyama espn.com led a stunning 25-point comeback as the Spurs stunned the Clippers 116-112, saying he had "zero left" physically afterward. The Warriors pulled off an overtime win in Houston, with Stephen Curry espn.com sending encouragement to Draymond Green before the game.
Team Updates
The Lakers will be without LeBron James espn.com and two big men - Deandre Ayton espn.com and Maxi Kleber - against the Pacers. Ayton left Thursday's game with a knee injury while James complained of a sore elbow afterward. The Grizzlies continue to miss Ja Morant as they try to stay competitive.
Legal & Off-Court
A federal judge issued a $1 million judgment against NBA free agent Malik Beasley espn.com in a contract dispute with his former agency. The Celtics face a frontcourt challenge with Vucevic out after his recent surgery.
With Jayson Tatum espn.com preparing to return from Achilles injury, Boston's championship hopes are getting a major boost. The Warriors are still working through Porzingis espn.com's mysterious illness issues that have limited his playing time since the trade.