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.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (knee) has been listed as questionable for Thursday's tilt against the Philadelphia 76ers. The veteran star played only 15 minutes in Tuesday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, exiting the action with a sore left knee. Gary Payton II started the second half in Butler's place, notching 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Buddy Hield also had a larger workload without Butler, logging 28 minutes off the bench. He finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Both players would have more fantasy value if Butler sits out Thursday's action.

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (ankle) is on the injury report with a questionable tag ahead of an encounter with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. Since returning from a knee issue, Kuminga has played in two games. Now, he may have to miss time due to a sore right ankle. Golden State is battling the injury bug right now, and many players would have added fantasy value if the team goes into Thursday night's game with a depleted lineup. Stephen Curry (quadriceps) remains unavailable, while Jimmy Butler III (knee), Al Horford (sciatica), Quinten Post (ankle), and Trayce Jackson-Davis (knee) are all listed as questionable, alongside Kuminga.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (knee) is listed as questionable for Thursday's matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Philadelphia begins a back-to-back on Thursday, and it appears certain that George will miss at least one of the games. Since his season debut, George has seen limited action and played only 18 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Washington Wizards. He is averaging 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 22.2 minutes per game. Justin Edwards could return to the starting lineup if George doesn't play, giving him more fantasy appeal.

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown (illness) is considered doubtful for Thursday's matchup against the Washington Wizards. He will likely miss his first game of the season due to illness. A second absence might also be in store for Brown, as Boston has another game on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown leads the Celtics in scoring with 29.0 points per game, and his absence would open up a lot of offensive touches for other players on the team. Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchardwill all have increased fantasy appeal if Brown sits on Thursday.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) has been listed as doubtful for Thursday's clash against the Golden State Warriors, indicating that he is likely to miss a second consecutive game. Due to knee issues, the former MVP has taken the court just seven times this season, averaging 19.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals. Embiid's absence means fantasy managers can continue to keep faith in Andre Drummond, who has posted seven double-doubles in his 10 starts this season. Golden State ranks 25th in rebounding rate, making it a favorable fantasy matchup for Drummond.

Bulls' G Josh Giddey recorded a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a 103-113 loss to the Nets on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Nuggets' G Jamal Murray scored 52 points on 19-of-25 shooting in a 135-120 win over Indiana on Wednesday, Dec. 3.