NBA Basketball 24-Hour Briefing
×Injury Updates Rock NBA
Celtics center Nikola Vucevic fractured his right ring finger in Friday's win over the Mavs and will miss approximately a month, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania. The Lakers will be without LeBron James and two big men against the Pacers, as Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber join James on the sidelines. Ayton left Thursday's loss to the Nuggets with a knee injury while James complained of a sore elbow afterward. Pistons forward Ausar Thompson also suffered an ankle injury in Thursday's loss to the Spurs, leaving in the first quarter and not returning.
Star Debuts and Absences
Trae Young dazzled in his Wizards debut despite rust, thrilling the D.C. crowd with 12 points in limited action and showing the playmaking ability Washington hasn't seen since John Wall. Meanwhile, the Warriors continue to reckon with Kristaps Porzingis's absence as the mysterious illness that sidelined him after his Feb. 19 debut remains unresolved. In Houston, the Warriors pulled off an OT surprise as Stephen Curry's pregame text message of encouragement to Draymond Green helped spark the win.
Fantasy Impact
With Vucevic sidelined for a month, fantasy managers must decide whether to hold or cut injured stars like him and DeMar DeRozan. The injury wave hitting the league creates opportunities for others to step up, though questions remain about whether players like Miles Bridges deserve roster spots in shallow leagues.