Utah Jazz centerJusuf Nurkic(ribs) is unavailable for Thursday's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. Due to a rib contusion, Nurkic will miss the first half of a back-to-back set this evening. While the 31-year-old big man is sidelined, 22-year-old Kyle Filipowski will take on extra playing time. Filipowski provided 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one block across 29 minutes in his last appearance on Monday against Houston. He could potentially give fantasy managers a productive option with the extended minutes during Nurkic's absence.

Brooklyn Nets guard Terance Mann (ribs) will play on Thursday versus Utah after missing the last two games. The 29-year-old has averaged 8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 19 appearances this season. Without question, those statistical contributions aren't the best. However, with Michael Porter Jr. (back) resting, Mann might be in line for a much more productive night against one of the worst defensive teams in the National Basketball Association.

Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton (knee) is available for Thursday's meeting with the 76ers. He hasn't played in nearly a year after suffering a partially torn ACL during a game versus the Dallas Mavericks last December, resulting in surgery. Melton will likely have some rust to shake off in his first game back from a lengthy layoff, so it's unknown how impactful he will be offensively. However, the 27-year-old could at least make life a little more difficult on the defensive end for Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and others. With head coach Steve Kerr indicating Melton will be capped at 20 minutes of action, he should be considered a desperation streaming option (at best) for deep-league fantasy participants.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (groin) is questionable for Friday's meeting with the Miami Heat after missing the last 10 games. There's likely some hurdles he'll need to clear before getting the green light to suit up. However, the questionable designation at least suggests he's moving in the right direction. The 23-year-old out of Duke averaged 21.7 points in his 12 appearances before being sidelined with the groin strain, down from the 2024 campaign. Still, he's certainly missed by fantasy managers in all formats. With that said, if Banchero doesn't play on Friday evening, Tristan da Silva, averaging 11.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 38.3% shooting from deep in 10 starts, will presumably remain in the starting lineup.

Golden State Warriors centerTrayce Jackson-Davis (knee) has been upgraded to available for Thursday's tilt with the Philadelphia 76ers. Jackson-Davis was out of action for two games due to soreness in his right knee. With Al Horford(back) andQuinten Post(ankle)listed as questionable for this evening, it remains to be seen if the 25-year-old big man will have an expanded role in his return.

Michael Wallace of the Grizzlies' official sitereports that Memphis Grizzlies guardJa Morant(calf)is now considered day-to-day after missing nine consecutive contests due to a Grade 1 right calf strain. The star point guard was active during parts of Thursday's practice, and his next chance to play comes Friday against the Clippers. However, Morant will have to get in a few full practices under his belt and realistically, he will likely return to the floor in mid-December.

According to Anthony Slater of ESPN.com, Golden State Warriors forwardJimmy Butler III(knee) is unavailable versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. Butler played only 15 minutes during Tuesday's clash with Oklahoma City, exiting the contest due to a sore left knee.Gary Payton IIstarted the second half in Butler's spot, posting 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Buddy Hield was assigned extra time on the floor as well while Butler was out of action, logging 28 minutes. Hield also collected 12 points, four rebounds, and two steals in the 124-112 Warriors loss. Both players provide fantasy value with Butler sidelined this evening.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (calf) is ready to return to action on Thursday after missing Tuesday's game with a calf injury. He was upgraded from questionable to available on Thursday before game time. The 25-year-old started three of his previous five games, playing big minutes in each contest and averaging 38.2 minutes per game while producing 16.8 points, 4.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 three-pointers in those five contests. With Paul George (knee) out on Thursday against the Warriors, Grimes could be in a very involved role once again, and he's a solid option to consider for DFS or streaming purposes against the injury-depleted Warriors. The Sixers play again on Friday, so keep an eye on his status going forward, since the team could choose to alternate him and George each missing a game in this set.

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown (illness) will not play on Thursday, as expected, after the team downgraded him from doubtful to out on Thursday before they visit Washington. Brown will have a chance to return Friday at home against the Lakers for the second half of the back-to-back, but in his absence, the Celtics will be great fantasy assets while picking up his workload. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard will carry more scoring work in the backcourt, while Jordan Walsh, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Josh Minott will all help fill in at forward. Walsh has been especially impressive lately and is finding ways to make meaningful contributions, while Hauser always brings streak scoring upside.

Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Paul George (knee) was downgraded from questionable to out on Thursday, ahead of his team's home game against the Warriors. George has been limited to only six games this season and has only averaged 22.2 minutes per contest. He only played 18 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Washington Wizards and is now averaging 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. With George out, Justin Edwards could return to the starting lineup, which would give him much more upside as a streaming or DFS option.

Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (injury management) will not play on Thursday when the Nets host the Jazz to finish their back-to-back set of games. Porter played big minutes on Monday and Wednesday and had big games to help Brooklyn defeat the Hornets and Bulls. He finished Wednesday with 33 points, 10 boards, and five assists, after scoring 35 points on Monday. His absence will leave a huge usage void for the rest of the Nets' roster to step in and try to fill in this favorable matchup against the Jazz. Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson, and Ziaire Williams are a few of the members of the frontcourt who should get a boost on Thursday while Porter gets the night off for lower back injury management. His next chance to return will be Saturday at home against the Pelicans.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knees) was upgraded from doubtful to questionable on Thursday before his team hosts the Warriors. Embiid is recovering from injuries to both his knees and has played just three games since Nov. 1. He last played on Sunday against the Hawks, logging 30 minutes in the double-overtime contest and finishing with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. He missed Tuesday's game, but his questionable tag indicates he has a shot to either play Thursday against the Warriors or Friday against the Bucks. Whichever game he plays, he'll be very involved for the Sixers, and he could try to give it a go on Thursday, especially with Paul George (knee) being ruled out at the same time Embiid was upgraded. If Embiid plays, Andre Drummond will have a reduced role off the bench.

Chicago Bulls forward Noa Essengue (shoulder) will miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The No. 12 overall pick in the NBA Draft has only appeared in two games for the Bulls this season, playing only six minutes and going 0-for-3 in his very limited NBA action. In four games with the G-League Windy City Bulls, the 18-year-old averaged 23 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 30.8 minutes. Coach Billy Donovan said, "The recommendation was to get it fixed now instead of waiting, because it's something that could continue to be a problem for him." Essengue could still be a part of the future plans for the Bulls, but he won't have any value in re-draft leagues this season.

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is expected to miss approximately two to four weeks with a calf strain suffered on Wednesday night against the Pistons, according to reports from ESPN's Shams Charania. He only played three minutes before leaving the game, and his absence leaves lots of work for the rest of the roster while he is sidelined. This will be the second time Giannis has been out for an extended period this season. While Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. will do most of the heavy lifting on offense, there will also be more minutes and opportunities for Bobby Portis, Myles Turner, and Kyle Kuzma. The injury took place on the same day that news broke that he was planning to meet with the team to discuss his long-term future with the team. Those discussions could still happen, but his injury will be tough for the struggling Bucks to navigate. Even though they won the game that he left early, they are still 10-13, barely holding onto the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference.

Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (rib) is questionable for Thursday's game in Brooklyn, opening the door for extra frontcourt minutes if he sits. Second-year big Kyle Filipowski profiles as the primary beneficiary after delivering 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one block in 29 minutes in his last outing, giving him short-term deep-league appeal. Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Anderson could also re-enter the mix, though both carry low ceilings. Managers should view this frontcourt as a matchup-driven streaming spot unless Nurkic misses extended time.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (back) will stay sidelined Thursday against Toronto, marking his fourth straight absence and leaving the backcourt thin with Luka Doncic (personal) also out. Gabe Vincent, Jake LaRavia, and second-year wing Dalton Knecht should again handle the leftover minutes, though all remain fringe deep-league flyers rather than standard-league streamers. Knecht produced 13 points and four rebounds in his last outing, while Vincent and LaRavia continue to offer muted, low-volume lines.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (departure) is no longer with the team as the organization prepares to part ways with the veteran, ending his limited backup role and creating a modest opening in the rotation. Paul averaged 3.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists across his last five outings in 13.4 minutes, so the fantasy ripple is minimal. Kris Dunn should continue seeing steady guard minutes and remains the only viable streamer, offering assists and steals. Bogdan Bogdanovic (hip) may absorb some second-unit usage once healthy, but he is best treated as a deep-league stash.

Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Quentin Grimes (calf) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with Golden State after missing Tuesday's win over Washington. His absence opened meaningful minutes on the wing, with rookie VJ Edgecombe producing nine points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks in 24 minutes while starting. Justin Edwards and Jared McCain also handled expanded roles and remain viable short-term streamers if Grimes sits again. Grimes should still be held in most formats due to stable minutes, three-point volume, and steals, but managers should track Edgecombe's continued ramp-up.

Washington Wizards guard/forward Bilal Coulibaly (oblique) is expected to miss multiple weeks, removing a key perimeter defender from an already thin rotation and opening short-term streaming chances on the wing. Cam Whitmore logged 16 minutes Tuesday and posted four points, five rebounds and one block, placing him on the radar as a deeper-league fringe option rather than a priority add. Justin Champagnie and rookie Will Riley also scored 13 points and offer low-end appeal. All three profile as situational streamers while Coulibaly is out.

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (back) won't be in the lineup on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Austrian giant has been managing a back problem all season, regularly skipping games when Toronto has a back-to-back scheduled. Fantasy managers can expect to see Poeltl return to the court on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets. Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili have increased fantasy value with Poeltl out of the lineup, although Jamison Battle started in his place the last time he was rested. Even as a starter, Battle only logged 11:15 of action, so he isn't someone fantasy managers should consider.