Our Injury Report NBA article is here to bring you all of the daily updates needed to maximize your bets for the day.
Make sure to check back regularly to this NBA injury report article as each pick could help inform your betting. We’ll update this article with three of our top injuries that will have a significant impact on certain matchups.
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Injury Report NBA – Key News For Wednesday, Mar. 26
Wednesday night’s injury report once again features multiple superstars among the walking wounded, including some dealing with nagging injuries that are already ruled out.
Today’s article will examine six confirmed or potential prominent absences on tonight’s NBA slate and how the player’s team may be impacted, including how others could benefit from that star potentially being off the floor.
We’ll also list some additional noteworthy short-term injuries at the end of today’s article:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks, QUESTIONABLE (foot):
Antetokounmpo has been a mainstay on the injury report this season due to his knee issues, but he’s played through those countless times. However, the big man is now dealing with a left foot sprain that has him listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets. Milwaukee is 12-12 in Giannis’ absences thus far this season, with the last one having come Feb. 12 versus the Timberwolves that resulted in a 103-101 win for the Bucks.
Of the healthy current regular members of the Bucks’ rotation, Kyle Kuzma leads the Bucks with a 29.0% usage rate when both Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (calf) are off the floor, a scenario in which the trade-deadline acquisition also averages 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per 36 minutes. Kevin Porter Jr., who has seen an uptick in playing time off the bench in the last two games with Lillard out, is right behind Kuzma with a 28.8% usage rate, as well as a team-high 25.7 points and 8.1 assists per 36.
If Antetokounmpo sits out Wednesday, there could be a ripple effect that sees Kuzma or Taurean Prince move to power forward, and in either case, AJ Green or Gary Trent could shift into the starting five to cover either small forward or shooting guard.
Jayson Tatum, Celtics, DOUBTFUL (ankle):
Tatum appears likely to log his seventh absence of the season Wednesday night against the Suns due to the ankle sprain he suffered in Monday’s win over the Kings. Boston has actually fared well without its biggest star this season, going 5-1 in the six games he’s sat out so far. That includes three straight wins, all by at least eight points, during Tatum’s trio of absences thus far in March.
When Tatum is off the floor, Jaylen Brown, who’s off the injury report for Wednesday’s contest after recently missing three games with a knee issue, leads Boston with a 33.8% usage rate and per-36 averages of 25.0 points, 6.8 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 20.7 shot attempts. Kristaps Porzingis is a relatively close second with a 28.3% usage rate sans Tatum, and he also averages a team-high 25.5 points per 36 minutes in that split.
In Tatum’s likely absence, Al Horford, who’s averaged 9.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 39 turns with the first unit this season, is project to get another start at power forward.
James Harden, Clippers, QUESTIONABLE (foot):
Harden could miss only his fourth game of the season Wednesday against the Knicks due to his foot injury. Los Angeles has yet to notch a victory without its star player this season, going 0-3 against the tough trio of the Rockets, Thunder and Celtics while averaging a relatively modest 105.7 points per game in that sample.
Among current members of the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell are unsurprisingly neck and neck with respective 33.8% and 32.8% usage rates when Harden is off the court. Powell is also averaging a team-high 27.7 points per 36 minutes in that split, while Leonard is clocking a team-high 21.0 shot attempts per 36 whenever Harden is on the bench.
If Harden can’t play Wednesday, Kris Dunn could shift to point guard, which would likely lead to Bogdan Bogdanovic drawing a start at two-guard.
Damian Lillard, Bucks, OUT (calf):
Lillard will sit out his 14th game of the season Wednesday against the Nuggets and is considered out indefinitely. Milwaukee is 8-5 without Lillard this season after dropping a 108-106 decision to the Suns on Monday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is unsurprisingly the Bucks’ usage leader whenever Lillard is off the court, as the big man boasts a 35.3% figure in that scenario. However, as already noted, Antetokounmpo is questionable for Wednesday’s game due to a foot sprain. Therefore, as detailed in Antetokounmpo’s entry, Kuzma is the member of Milwaukee’s current first unit that stands to benefit the most if the Greek Freak joins Dame on the bench.
Ryan Rollins, who’s started the last three games in Lillard’s stead and has averaged 6.0 points, 3.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals over 25.3 minutes per contest, could remain on the first unit Wednesday. However, Porter should also continue to see his fair share of minutes off the bench.
Jalen Brunson, Knicks, OUT (ankle):
Brunson is set to sit out his 11th game of the season Wednesday against the Clippers due to his ankle spain. New York is now 6-4 without Brunson this season following its 128-113 win over the Mavericks on Tuesday night.
Heading into the victory against Dallas, Karl-Anthony Towns was already leading the Knicks with a 32.8% usage rate, and he then proceeded to post a 26-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double with one assist across 34 minutes.
With Miles McBride (groin) likely to sit out again Wednesday, Cameron Payne, who tallied 13 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one steal across 30 minutes versus the Wizards on Sunday but then mustered just two points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals versus Dallas, is projected to start at point guard.
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers, OUT (back/hand)
Maxey will miss his 13th straight game and 21st overall this season Wednesday against the Wizards due to his pair of injuries. After a 112-99 loss at the hands of the Pelicans on Monday Philadelphia is now 3-17 without Maxey, and five of the last seven defeats have come by double digits.
Quentin Grimes leads Philadelphia regulars with a 35.6% usage rate when Maxey, Joel Embiid (OFS-knee), Kelly Oubre (OUT-knee), Paul George (OFS- groin/knee) and Andre Drummond (OUT-toe) are off the floor. Grimes got Monday’s game against New Orleans off for rest, but he’s expected to play Wednesday and comes in on an eight-game heater that’s seen him average 30.3 points (50.0% shooting), 5.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per 34.3 minutes per contest.
In Maxey’s most recent absence Monday, Jared Butler returned to the starting point guard role and registered a first-unit-high 26.2% usage rate while supplying 19 points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals. However, Jeff Dowtin Jr., who’d drawn the start in the game prior, still managed 12 points, two assists, one rebound, three blocks and one steal in 22 minutes off the bench.
Additional notable short-term injuries: Bobby Portis, Bucks, OUT (suspension); Bradley Beal, Suns, OUT (hamstring); Kelly Oubre, 76ers, OUT (knee); Kyshawn George, Wizards, OUT (ankle); Khris Middleton, Wizards, OUT (ankle); Miles McBride, Knicks, OUT (groin); Andre Drummond, 76ers, OUT (toe); Bilal Coulibaly, Wizards, OUT (hamstring); Immanuel Quickley, Raptors, OUT (rest); Jakob Poeltl, Raptors, OUT (rest); Cameron Johnson, Nets, OUT (rest); Aaron Gordon, Nuggets, QUESTIONABLE (calf)
NBA Injury Report Betting Guide
With a long 82-game season that’s played out on the unforgiving surface of the hardwood – not to mention the fact players are faster and more physical than ever – injuries are a nightly albatross for coaches, players, fans and bettors alike to contend with from their respective perspectives.
Pay Attention To Star Players
For those of us spectators that like to add a little monetary incentive to the games we consume, NBA injuries to frontline players are particularly impactful due to the compact number of players on a first unit and the inherent dependency the production of each typically has on their teammates.
Usage Rate Is Key
Perhaps the single most revelatory metric for gauging the impact of a player’s absence is usage rate, commonly defined as a measure of what percentage of a team’s plays a specific player is involved in by touching the ball in some form.
There is no shortage of tools available that pinpoint what players benefit the most from another’s absence in terms of a rise in usage rate, and those same tools also typically provide each player’s average in all major categories when another specified player is off the floor.
Line and Total Movement Impact
The bigger the name in terms of an injured player, the bigger the impact naturally is on betting strategy.
However, that in itself is a multi-layered scenario – there are many factors that go into determining how to go about wagering on a team missing a major star on any given night, including how much line and totals movement has occurred as a result of the news.
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