Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (ankle) will play against Phoenix on Christmas Day. He's returning from a one-game absence, with the team upgrading Murray from questionable to available. Murray's return will send Russell Westbrook back to the second unit. Coming off the bench, Westbrook's contributions have been limited to 11.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists this season. Murray has registered 20-plus points in each of his last four appearances, which marks his best scoring run of the season.

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young (heel) is questionable to face Chicago on Thursday. After sitting on the injury report for multiple weeks with an Achilles injury, Young is currently troubled by a heel contusion. He missed a game with the issue last week but was back in the lineup for Monday's matchup against Minnesota. Should Young head back to the shelf on Thursday, Vit Krejci will likely log his second start of the season. He was fairly anonymous in his first opportunity last Saturday versus Memphis, finishing with seven points, three assists, and one steal. Young's absence would likely bring Keaton Wallace back to the rotation as well. His production was limited to five points and four assists versus the Grizzlies.

Atlanta Hawks guard/forward Bogdan Bogdanovic (lower leg) is carrying a questionable tag ahead of Thursday's game against Chicago. He might be out for a second consecutive game after sustaining a lower leg contusion. With Bogdanovic out of the lineup against Minnesota on Monday, Garrison Mathews went berserk off the Hawks bench with 25 points on 7-for-8 shooting from deep. We might see a similar effort from him on Thursday if Bogdanovic remains sidelined. The Bulls give up the fifth-most three-point attempts in the league and have one of the worst defensive records.

Milwaukee Bucks small forward Khris Middleton (ankle) has been labeled as probable for Thursday's matchup against Brooklyn. The veteran has just logged his first couple of starts of the campaign and is expected to make an eighth consecutive regular-season appearance. He missed the recent NBA Cup final with an illness. Middleton looked back to his best in Monday's 112-91 win against Chicago, notching 21 points with five rebounds and five assists in 23 minutes. However, he has offensively benefited from the absences of Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) and Damian Lillard (illness). Both Bucks superstars have been listed as questionable and may return to action on Thursday.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) is considered questionable for Thursday's clash against Brooklyn. After leading Milwaukee to the 2024 NBA Cup win, Antetokounmpo has struggled with a back problem, missing two consecutive contests. If he remains out on Thursday, Bobby Portis will be in line for a third consecutive start. He's had a pair of big games in the first unit and should continue to put up good numbers in Thursday's favorable matchup. Portis averages 24.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists as a starter this season.

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (illness) has landed on the injury report as questionable ahead of Thursday's game against Brooklyn. He's trying to overcome an illness to avoid missing a fourth consecutive game. Lillard's health issues have given Ryan Rollins a chance to experience what life as an NBA starter feels like. He's made three starts across the season, averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.7 steals in the role. Delon Wright and AJ Green also get extra playing opportunities with Lillard out.

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (ankle) is questionable for Thursday's action against Washington. He's hoping to return from a three-game absence. At the start of the week, it was reported that Miller was "making good progress," so he should be ready to rejoin the action soon. If Miller doesn't return on Thursday, Cody Martin and DaQuan Jeffries should continue to get extra work. Martin has made back-to-back starts, but his offensive game is inconsistent, making him a fairly risky fantasy option. Jeffries has been a new addition to the rotation lately, averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds across the past two games.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (calf) is likely "to miss an extended period of time." The 25-year-old was listed on the injury report because of a heel injury heading into the Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves but was able to suit up. Unfortunately, he lasted only 16 minutes before his premature exit because of a calf strain. Doncic was observed leaving the arena on crutches, with an MRI now scheduled for Thursday. Kyrie Irving, who had 39 points off 14-for-27 shooting from the field versus Minnesota, is the favorite to lead things on the scoring end while Doncic is on the shelf. Quentin Grimes, averaging 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 43.1% shooting from deep in nine starts this season, should also be in line for an uptick in fantasy production.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Alex Caruso (hip) will not suit up for Thursday's matchup against Indiana. He has been ruled out for the contest after Caruso hurt his left hip on Monday against Washington. Ajay Mitchell got extra burn on Monday and enjoyed the best game of his young career with 16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace figure to soak in some of Caruso's minutes as well. Wallace gave up his starting spot to Joe on Monday but still went close to 30 minutes of action and should remain a better fantasy option.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (groin) has been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against Memphis. A groin issue will keep him off the floor for a fourth consecutive contest. Poeltl's absence opens up more playing opportunities for Kelly Olynyk and Chris Boucher. The latter is coming off a big performance, having finished Monday's 139-125 loss to the Knicks with 16 points, three rebounds, three steals, and one block in 19 minutes. However, Boucher tends to be a volatile fantasy asset. Olynyk only recently made his season debut and has so far averaged 6.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in limited action.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (finger) will remain out on Thursday against Toronto. This will be his second consecutive absence with a right index finger injury. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Luke Kennard will likely figure more prominently in the rotation with Smart out. The former produced 13 points with 3-for-4 shooting behind the arc in Monday's 114-110 loss to the Clippers. As a good three-point shooter, Kennard can also rack up points in a hurry, but he didn't register a single field-goal attempt in 16 minutes on Monday.

Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) sat out the entire second half of Wednesday's 118-114 loss to Philadelphia. He hurt his left ankle less than two minutes into the game. Following a brief trip to the locker room, Porzingis was able to finish the first half, but he missed the second half with left ankle soreness. Luke Kornet started the second half in his place. Before exiting the contest, Porzingis amassed nine points, two rebounds, and three assists in 13 minutes with 3-for-6 shooting from deep. The Latvian star made only his 11th appearance of the season on Christmas Day, and unfortunately, it looks like he could miss some time again. We should get an update on Porzingis before Boston's encounter with Indiana on Friday night.

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (shoulder) is available for Wednesday's Christmas clash against Golden State. He has shaken off a questionable tag ahead of the juicy matchup. Davis' scoring efforts have been inconsistent this month, but he still fills the stat sheet on a nightly basis, and we should see another big performance from him against the Warriors. The Lakers star notched 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in three meetings with Golden State last term.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell (thumb) has been ruled out for Wednesday's Christmas matchup against Golden State. A left thumb injury gave Russell a questionable tag entering Wednesday, and the team has now officially ruled him out for the contest. Russell has hurt his shooting hand, so it's possible he might have to skip multiple games. His first chance to return comes on Saturday versus Sacramento. Gabe Vincent should take over most of Russell's playmaking duties off the bench, with Dalton Knecht and Max Christie also in line to benefit from his absence.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) will play on Christmas Day against Golden State. He has been upgraded from questionable to available. James has played well in Christmas games throughout his career, and his recent form has also been outstanding. The veteran superstar boasts two triple-doubles and two 30-point efforts in his last five appearances. A season ago, James averaged a massive 36-point triple-double in the matchup against the Warriors.

Golden State Warriors forward Kyle Anderson (illness) will be in the lineup on Christmas Day against the Lakers. He was a late addition to the injury report with an illness, but the team has now upgraded him from questionable to available. Anderson's fantasy stock has gone downhill all year, and with the Warriors now fully healthy, it's not guaranteed that Anderson will get minutes. The 31-year-old has posted 4.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists across 13.3 minutes in seven December appearances.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (calf) is good to go for Wednesday's clash against the Lakers. After missing his first game of the season on Monday versus Indiana, Payton II carried a questionable tag entering Wednesday. However, he has been upgraded to available ahead of tip-off. Payton II's defense will be a valuable asset against the Lakers, but he doesn't provide enough production across the board to be worthy of a spot on most fantasy squads.

According to Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com, Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (back) is questionable against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday due to the management of his lower back injury. Simmons has started four straight games, and it appears his injury designation is more for rest, but his status still needs to be monitored. The 28-year-old is averaging 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in 30.5 minutes per game in the last four contests.

Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports that Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (calf) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks. Finney-Smith is in danger of missing his third game in a row due to a left calf contusion. The Nets could have several players missing in action, with Ben Simmons (back) questionable while Cam Thomas(hamstring) andZiaire Williams(knee) will be sidelined. Jalen WilsonandKeon Johnson's fantasy value will increase if Finney-Smith and Simmons cannot suit up, as more playing time and scoring opportunities will be available.

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (hamstring) is considered questionable for Thursday's meeting with Miami. The veteran is nursing a hamstring strain and has been absent for 12 consecutive games. Harris averages fewer than 17 minutes per game for the season, but he might play a larger role in the rotation once he returns due to the number of injuries the Magic have suffered. The 30-year-old could eat into the playing time of Trevelin Queen, who logged 34 minutes as a starter on Monday versus Boston.