Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) is doubtful for Friday's matchup with Brooklyn and is trending toward a third straight absence. With Dereck Lively II (foot) ruled out for the season and set to undergo foot surgery, Anthony Davis should continue handling heavier minutes at center after producing 29 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 30 minutes last time out. Dwight Powell and Moussa Cisse are expected to pick up backup runs behind Davis but remain fringe fantasy options rather than reliable streamers.

Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (knee) will miss a second straight game Friday against Cleveland, further stretching an already thin wing rotation. With Bilal Coulibaly (oblique) and Corey Kispert (thumb) also sidelined, Justin Champagnie has stepped into a larger role, posting 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks in 32 minutes last time out. Rookie Will Riley added 15 points in 19 minutes and remains a deep-league option for points and threes. Champagnie profiles as a boards-and-stocks streamer, while Riley is best treated as matchup dependent.

Charlotte Hornets guard Collin Sexton (quadriceps) will miss his third straight game Friday against Chicago due to a left quad strain, with his next chance to return Sunday in Cleveland. His absence keeps Charlotte thin in the backcourt alongside LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Tre Mann (knee), pushing more responsibility to younger options. KJ Simpson logged 16 points, five rebounds, and one assist in 29 minutes in his last start, giving him deep-league streaming appeal. Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller should continue handling added usage, while Sexton remains a clear hold in standard formats.

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (calf) is probable for Friday's matchup with Charlotte after a late addition to the injury report, though he remains on track to play. The designation appears precautionary as White continues to ramp up after missing a large chunk of the early season. He has averaged 20.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists over his last five games while logging a steady role. With Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) and Kevin Huerter (hamstring) sidelined, White's usage should hold, while Tre Jones (ankle) benefits as a secondary ball-handler.

Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (ankle) is probable for Friday's game against Charlotte after missing three straight contests and logging two full practices. Jones should continue to factor into the rotation with Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) and Kevin Huerter (hamstring) sidelined, even with Coby White (calf) back. Over his last five appearances, Jones averaged 14.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steal in 27.8 minutes on 64.9 percent shooting, giving him soft hold value in deeper formats.

Chicago Bulls guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) will not play Friday against Charlotte due to a Grade 1 sprain after missing practice time. Dosunmu had been holding his own of late, averaging 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.0 three-pointers in 31.8 minutes over his last five, so the Bulls lose a useful glue piece. Coby White (calf) and Tre Jones (ankle) are both probable and should absorb the ball-handling and extra guard run if cleared, while Jevon Carter and Dalen Terry remain deep-league fillers.

Milwaukee's G Kevin Porter Jr. recorded a triple-double, finishing with 18 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in a 116-101 win over the Celtics on Thursday, Dec. 11.

Milwaukee Bucks' F Kyle Kuzma scored 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting in a 116-101 win over the Celtics on Thursday, Dec. 11. Kuzma is owned in only 42.1% leagues.

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley (Achilles) won't play on Friday against the Golden State Warriors. The veteran floor general is bothered by right Achilles tendinopathy. Conley has been limited to 19.1 minutes per game this season, so he won't be a big miss. However, Bones Hyland and Rob Dillingham could get a slight boost in playing time, increasing their fantasy prospects. The two may also benefit from the absence of Anthony Edwards (foot), who is listed as questionable for Friday's game. Matchups against Golden State have been favorable for point guards, as the Warriors allow the 12th-most fantasy points in the league to the position.

Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (hip) will remain out for a seventh consecutive game on Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets. He was always unlikely to play after Sacramento listed Schroder as doubtful on the initial injury report. There's no Zach LaVine (thumb) either on Thursday night, opening up additional playing opportunities for Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, and Nique Clifford. The latter is set to start to contest in LaVine's place. Schroder's next chance to return will be on Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (foot) is considered questionable for Friday's fascinating matchup against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. On Monday night, Edwards dropped 40 points on the Phoenix Suns, but he is now experiencing soreness in his right foot. Mike Conley (Achilles) has been officially ruled out for Friday, meaning Minnesota will be lacking playmakers if Edwards also has to sit. Players like Bones Hyland and Rob Dillingham will be asked to step up. At the same time, Edwards' absence would give additional offensive touches to Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray will join the first unit on Thursday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. Portland is without Donovan Clingan (lower leg), Robert Williams (illness), and Yang Hansen (face), giving Murray a good opportunity to play a big role in the frontcourt. Duop Reath is also expected to see more action on Thursday night. Murray's previous two starts this season didn't go too well, as he averaged 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds across 30.0 minutes.

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. will return to the starting lineup on Thursday against the Boston Celtics, replacing Jericho Sims. Trent Jr. was a regular starter earlier in the campaign but has come exclusively off the bench this month. Sims started each of the last two contests, but the 27-year-old was limited to only 2.0 points per game and had 6.0 rebounds. While Trent Jr. has done a decent job off the bench, his numbers have improved slightly in a starting role this season, jumping to 9.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (shoulder) will sit out Thursday's tilt against the Boston Celtics, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports. He was initially listed as questionable on the injury report after Green missed his first game of the season last Saturday against the Detroit Pistons. Kyle Kuzma moved to the starting unit against Detroit, while Gary Trent Jr.'s fantasy stock also receives a boost from Green's absence. Green will get his next chance to return on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (finger) has been ruled out for Friday's action against the Washington Wizards. The big man returned to full practice this week but will sit out a sixth consecutive game. Thomas Bryant and Dean Wade have picked up extra shifts in the rotation during Allen's absence, but neither player has been a good fantasy option. Wade's numbers tend to fluctuate, while Bryant hasn't provided much besides rebounds. On paper, Friday's matchup is a juicy one for Cleveland's frontcourt, as only Chicago has allowed more fantasy points to centers this season than Washington.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole (quadriceps) has received the green light to play on Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The team has upgraded Poole's status from questionable to available. The savvy scorer has been out since early November, making only seven appearances this season. Due to his long layoff, Poole may only see limited action on Thursday. However, once he is back in shape, Poole could be set for a huge stretch, with Zion Williamson (adductor) on the shelf. Before straining his left quadriceps, Poole posted 17.3 points and 3.4 assists in 30.3 minutes per game.

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (ankle) will be re-evaluated in one week, Ian Begley of SYN reports. McBride injured his left ankle in a contest against the Orlando Magic last Sunday. He has already missed one game and won't be able to help his team in the NBA Cup semifinal matchup against the Magic this weekend and a potential final on Tuesday. Jordan Clarkson will play a more active role in the rotation until McBride returns. The veteran guard put up 12 points and had three rebounds in 26 minutes when New York defeated the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (calf) has been upgraded to questionable on the injury report ahead of Friday's meeting with the Utah Jazz. Morant has missed 10 games due to a right calf strain, but he has been nearing a comeback and went through full practice on Thursday. This is a good sign that he will be able to return to the lineup. However, considering he has been out for nearly a month, Morant is unlikely to have a full workload against the Jazz. Vince Williams Jr. has been starting during Morant's absence and will be bumped back to the second unit on Friday if Memphis' star man makes a comeback. Cam Spencer also loses fantasy value with Morant's return.

Charlotte Hornets guardLaMelo Ball(ankle)is out for Friday's clash with the Chicago Bulls. Ball will miss his second consecutive game due to a left ankle bruise. His next chance to return will come on Sunday versus the Cavs. Fantasy managers should expect that he will likely carry a questionable tag ahead of Sunday's contest. Across 16 games this season, the 24-year-old is averaging 19.4 points, 8.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 28.9 minutes per contest.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (illness) is set to return from a one-game absence on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies after the team removed him from the injury report. The Finnish star couldn't play in Sunday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to illness, resulting in Kyle Filipowski getting his seventh start of the campaign. Filipowski will probably head back to the bench for Friday's action, but he has performed well recently and should maintain fantasy value. Markkanen has been inconsistent lately, but he could do plenty of damage against a Grizzlies team that allows the fifth-most three-point attempts in the league.