NBA Injury & Rotation Report for Thursday, March 3

Before you place a wager or set your DFS lineup let us take you around the NBA for the latest injury and rotation updates.

Injury situations that have already hit and have swung things in a meaningful way:

• Jaylen Brown (BOS, Out), Kevin Durant (BKN, Available), Andre Drummond (BKN, Probable), Marvin Bagley III (DET, Out), Hamidou Diallo (DET, Probable), Kyle Lowry (MIA, Out), Moses Moody (GSW, Probable), Talen Horton-Tucker (LAL, Probable)

Injury situations that we’re tracking and would swing things in a meaningful way if they hit (As of 3:30 PM Injury Report):

• Trae Young (ATL, Questionable- did not participate in shootaround), Fred VanVleet (TOR, Questionable), LeBron James (LAL, Questionable), Klay Thompson (GSW, Questionable), Jimmy Butler (MIA, Questionable), Frank Jackson (DET, Questionable), Thaddeus Young (TOR, Questionable), John Konchar (MEM, Questionable), Caleb Martin (Questionable), PJ Tucker (MIA, Questionable), Max Strus (MIA, Questionable), Maxi Kleber (DAL, Questionable), Richaun Holmes (SAC, Questionable), Avery Bradley (LAL, Questionable)

Lineup scenarios to keep an eye on that will largely factor into minute disbursements.

• Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant returns to action tonight surrounded by an unfamiliar sporting cast. KD was averaging 36.5 minutes per game for Brooklyn before his injury and it is being reported that he will not be on any sort of minutes restriction tonight. The new-look starting lineup will likely feature Patty Mills, Seth Curry, and Durant along with one of Bruce Brown or James Johnson and one of Andre Drummond or LaMarcus Aldridge.
• Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown will be out against Memphis and is expected to be replaced by Derrick White in the starting lineup. Jayson Tatum is likely to be a chalky play tonight without his main sidekick while White offers some upside as a potential primary ball-handler besides Marcus Smart.
• Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet’s availability tonight will be the biggest question for this Raptors squad going into their matchup with Detroit. Our projections currently have Fred VanVleet in the lineup, but if not we expect Malachi Flynn to get the starting nod once again as he has over the last two games without VanVleet available. Thad Young’s potential absence could also open up some room for extended runs for Khem Birch and/or Chris Boucher.
• Los Angeles Lakers: If the Lakers aren’t already a mess, LeBron James’s possible absence could make it that much worse. Russell Westbrook will likely find himself being highly owned if that were to come to fruition, as his natural stat-stuffing ability will be increase without James on the floor. Regardless of LeBron’s injury status, Dwight Howard could find himself inserted into the starting lineup instead of Frank Vogel trotting out LeBron as a small-ball five given his ability to defend a stand-up center in Ivica Zubac. Howard potentially being in the starting lineup would have a major impact on the rebounding rates of both James and Westbrook.
• Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young did not participate in shootaround as noted above making it appear that the point guard is trending towards being out, but official confirmation is needed on him. Assuming Young is unavailable, Delon Wright could find himself inserted into the starting lineup along with Lou Williams being the main ball-handler coming off the bench. Wright will take on Young’s high distribution role that will make him a popular play at a $3800 price tag on FanDuel that offers some nice upside.
• Golden State Warriors: Moses Moody started in Golden State’s last two games in Klay Thompson’s absence, but the first-quarter injury on Tuesday that cost Moody the rest of his night has him on the injury report as well. If Thompson were to be held out once again and Moody’s probably designation holds true, finding him in the starting backcourt alongside Steph Curry could have Moody as a pretty popular play at $3500 on Fanduel.