

Fri Jan 9 1:43am ET
Field Level Media
Pascal Siakam scored 18 of his 30 points in the first half and hit the winning shot as the Indiana Pacers snapped a 13-game losing streak and gave coach Rick Carlisle his 1,000th career coaching victory in a 114-112 triumph against the host Charlotte Hornets Thursday night.
Collin Sexton's potential tying shot was off the mark in the final second as the Hornets lost in the final seconds for the second night in a row.
Siakam scored on a go-ahead drive with 11.5 seconds left. He made 12 of 23 shots with three 3-pointers and also grabbed 14 rebounds. T.J. McConnell racked up 23 points off the Pacers' bench, Aaron Nesmith supplied 16 points and Jay Huff added 10 points.
LaMelo Ball had a game-high 33 points, aided by seven 3-point baskets, in his first game coming off the bench since his rookie season (2020-21). Miles Bridges posted 19 points, Kon Knueppel had 18 points and Sexton finished with 11 points.
Timberwolves 131, Cavaliers 122
Julius Randle scored 28 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished eight assists to help Minnesota hold on to beat visiting Cleveland.
Jaden McDaniels finished with 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting for Minnesota, which won its fourth game in a row. Anthony Edwards scored 25 points on 10-for-20 shooting, and Rudy Gobert recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points on 10-for-20 shooting to lead Cleveland, which lost for the second time in its past three games. He added eight assists. Sam Merrill scored 22 points off the bench, and Jarrett Allen notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
Jazz 116, Mavericks 114
Lauri Markkanen scored 33 points and Utah closed on a 16-7 run to beat visiting Dallas.
Keyonte George had 19 points and seven assists for Utah, which snapped a five-game losing streak. Brice Sensabaugh scored 14 points, Walter Clayton Jr. added 12, and Kevin Love had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Klay Thompson scored 23 points, Anthony Davis added 21 points and 11 rebounds, Naji Marshall had 17 points and Max Christie chipped in 16.
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (ankle) has been downgraded to out ahead of Thursday's game against the Utah Jazz. Washington will miss his second game in a row after spraining his ankle during Saturday's contest. The Mavs will likely use a committee approach with Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin to fill the void on Thursday. Marshall posted 15 points, seven rebounds, and two steals in 32 minutes of action on Tuesday. He's looking like a viable streaming option while Washington is on the bench. Thompson could also be worth a look, but he's more of a low-end option at the moment.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (hand) is officially cleared to suit up for Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Garland was a late addition to the injury report due to a right-hand contusion. It doesn't appear to be serious enough to force Garland to miss any action. Garland finished with 29 points, six assists, and two rebounds during Tuesday's game against the Indiana Pacers. This hand injury didn't seem to impact him during that game, so fantasy managers shouldn't have anything to worry about. Garland is safe to start in all fantasy formats ahead of Thursday's contest.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (calf) will return to action for Thursday's game against the Miami Heat. White played on Monday after missing three games due to a calf injury. He sat out of Wednesday's game for injury maintenance, but is cleared to suit on for the second leg of the back-to-back set. According to K.C. Johnson, White is going to play roughly 24-26 minutes during Thursday's game. The Bulls want to be cautious with White, who has been limited to 16 games this season due to injuries. The 25-year-old is averaging 18.4 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game this season. His value will take a slight hit with the limitations, but it's not far off his normal allotment of minutes. Fantasy managers should be safe to get White back into their lineups on Thursday.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (foot) is available to suit up for Thursday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Edwards was previously tagged questionable due to right foot injury management, but he has since cleared to play. The 24-year-old star guard posted 26 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal across 29 minutes during Tuesday's 122-94 win over the Heat during his last appearance. Edwards is averaging 31.3 points per contest in his previous seven outings and continues to be a fantasy force across all formats this season.
Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter (back) is ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Miami Heat. Huerter will sit out the second leg of the back-to-back set due to lower back tightness. This seems like injury maintenance, so Huerter will likely be back in the mix for Saturday's game versus the Dallas Mavericks. Coby White (calf) is back in the rotation on Thursday, but is only playing around 24-26 minutes. Even with White returning, the absence of Huerter should still benefit Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones. Fantasy managers cannot go wrong with either Dosunmu or Jones for Thursday's slate. Dosunmu seems to have the slight edge as he's scored 10 or more points in seven straight games coming into Thursday's contest.
According to Ben Anderson of KSL News, Salt Lake City, Utah Jazz guard/forward Ace Bailey (hip) is unavailable for Thursday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. Bailey will be out of action for the second game of a back-to-back set this evening. The 19-year-old rookie should be back on the floor for Saturday's matchup with the Hornets. With Bailey sidelined, Brice Sensabaugh could be a solid streaming option across most fantasy formats during tonight's tilt.
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (knee) is officially cleared to suit up for Thursday's game versus the Indiana Pacers. Miller is back in action after sitting out of Wednesday's contest due to a left knee contusion. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried about the injury, with Miller likely being held out for injury maintenance reasons. He's averaging 20.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 30.7 minutes per game this season. Miller has scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games. When healthy, Miller is worth starting in most fantasy formats.
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is officially ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Nembhard was a late addition to the injury report due to lower back soreness. The Pacers will take the cautious approach and hold out Nembhard for Thursday's contest. His absence on the court should free up playing time for T.J. McConnell and Ben Sheppard. Both players should see an uptick in value due to the increased playing time. McConnell is the better streaming choice for Thursday's game due to the fact that he has been the more consistent option this season.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (ankle) has been upgraded to available ahead of Thursday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Ball was listed as probable with right ankle soreness, but will officially play in both legs of the back-to-back set. On Wednesday, Ball struggled from the floor, going 7-for-20, but finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 25 minutes of action. The hope is that Ball will be a more efficient shooter during this favorable matchup against the Pacers. Fantasy managers can safely get Ball active in their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Utah Jazz forward/center Kevin Love (rest) is set to suit up against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Love has had the last two games off to rest, but he will return to action this evening. Jusuf Nurkic (toe) is listed as questionable, and if he's unable to play, Love could see extended minutes in his return. The 37-year-old veteran center has averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 20.3 minutes per game in his last 10 outings.
According to NBA writer Justin Russo, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (ankle) is listed as questionable for Friday's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets due to a right ankle sprain. The 34-year-old veteran forward turned his right ankle after stepping on a fan during a 123-111 loss to the Knicks on Wednesday. If Leonard is unable to suit up, John Collins, Kris Dunn, and Kobe Sanders will likely receive extra minutes and added scoring opportunities during the contest.
Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (toe) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. Nurkic may miss the second half of a back-to-back set due to injury maintenance for a left toe sprain. On Wednesday, the 31-year-old big man racked up 15 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, one block, and three steals across 33 minutes during a 129-125 loss to the Thunder. If Nurkic is unable to suit up, center Kyle Filipowski will take on a heavier workload than usual this evening.
Utah Jazz guard/forward Ace Bailey (hip) is questionable for Thursday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. Bailey returned on Wednesday against the Thunder after missing five consecutive contests due to a left hip flexor strain. However, he may sit out the back end of back-to-back games this evening. If the 19-year-old rookie is unavailable, Brice Sensabaugh and Svi Mykhailiuk will likely take on extra minutes during tonight's tilt.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards (foot) is considered questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers due to right foot injury management. It appears the Timberwolves may be leaning towards giving Edwards the evening off. However, he was listed as questionable with the same injury designation before Tuesday's game against the Heat but ended up playing. The 24-year-old star guard posted 26 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal across 29 minutes during the 122-94 Timberwolves win. Fantasy managers will have better insight into Edwards' status near tip-off at 8 p.m. ET.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) won't play on Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 29-year-old is having trouble with his left knee. He ended a two-game absence on Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers, but Wade logged only eight minutes before exiting the game due to a left knee contusion. De'Andre Hunter, Nae'Qwan Tomlin, and Jaylon Tyson (illness) will help fill the void left by Wade. Although Tyson is listed on the injury report due to illness, he is expected to be available against Minnesota.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Brandon Williams (heel) is considered questionable for Thursday's clash against the Utah Jazz. He has sustained a heel contusion and may have to sit out some action after a good start to 2026. Over three January appearances, Williams has averaged 15.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 25.0 minutes. If Williams is unable to play against Utah, Ryan Nembhard will likely receive a larger workload. This is an excellent fantasy matchup for Dallas' second unit, as Utah gives up the most bench points in the Association.
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (ankle) is not expected to suit up on Thursday against the Utah Jazz, as the team has listed him as doubtful on the injury report. Washington dropped out of the lineup this week due to a sprained right ankle and is poised to miss a second straight game. Naji Marshall got a starting opportunity on Tuesday versus the Sacramento Kings and had a good all-around performance. Across 32 minutes, Marshall amassed 15 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and two steals. If Washington remains out on Thursday, Marshall is likely to log another start in a very attractive fantasy matchup against the NBA's poorest defense.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (rest) is not on the injury report for Thursday's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The six-time All-Star was rested on Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers. Dean Wade (knee) started in his place but left early. Mitchell has scored 30-plus points in three straight games, shooting 54 percent. It will be challenging for him to keep the run going on Thursday night, as Cleveland faces the NBA's sixth-best defense. Darius Garland and Sam Merrill, who combined for 48 points on Tuesday, will have fewer scoring opportunities with Mitchell back.
The Atlanta Hawks have acquired guard/forward Corey Kispert (hamstring) from the Washington Wizards. The franchise decided to part ways with its star man, Trae Young, and found a landing spot for him in D.C. Guard CJ McCollum also moved to Atlanta as part of the deal. Kisper has made all of his 311 career appearances with the Wizards, averaging 10.9 points on 38.3 percent three-point shooting. Injuries have limited Kispert's impact this season; through 19 appearances, he's averaged 9.2 points in 19.5 minutes per game. From a fantasy perspective, the trade doesn't change much for Kispert, as his role in Atlanta will likely mirror what he had in Washington.
Guard CJ McCollum has been traded for the second time in six months, this time moving from the Washington Wizards to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for star guard Trae Young. McCollum joined the Wizards from the New Orleans Pelicans in the offseason, making 35 appearances for the team. He averaged 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 30.9 minutes. The 34-year-old will likely have a lesser role in Atlanta and won't be as impactful in fantasy. Still, he's a savvy scorer and will bring veteran leadership to a young squad. McCollum has an expiring $30.6 million contract and is playing for his future this campaign.
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