NBA Basketball 24-Hour Briefing
×Injury Report
Deandre Ayton left Thursday's loss to the Nuggets with a knee injury while LeBron James complained of a sore elbow afterward. Pistons forward Ausar Thompson exited early with a sprained right ankle in their loss to the Spurs.
Returns & Comebacks
Copper Flagg returned from a left midfoot sprain after missing eight games, posting 18 points and six assists in a narrow loss to the Orlando Magic. Ja Morant will miss at least two more weeks recovering from a sprained ligament in his elbow.
Performances
Stephen Curry sent encouraging text messages to Draymond Green before the Warriors' overtime victory in Houston. Trae Young impressed in his Wizards debut, finishing with 12 points in limited minutes, showing the type of talent Washington hasn't had since John Wall.
Off-Court News
Malik Beasley faces a $1 million civil judgment in a contract dispute with his former agency. Jayson Tatum is nearing a return from his Achilles injury, which could shift the NBA's balance of power with weeks remaining in the season.