Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (illness) is still not available for the Suns after testing positive for the flu. Nurkic had fallen out of the Suns rotation even before the illness, and his time with the team could be quickly coming to an end after the Suns acquired Nick Richards on Wednesday. Nurkic averaged 8.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 23.7 minutes per game in his 25 games this season, but it remains uncertain when and where he'll play next. At this point, Mason Plumlee has stepped in as the starting center for the Suns with rookie Oso Ighodaro serving as his primary backup. Both are in a good matchup on Thursday against the Wizards with Nurkic out and Richards not yet available for his debut.

Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards is listed as out for the team's Thursday night matchup with the Wizards in Washington. He was acquired in a trade from the Hornets on Wednesday night but has not joined the team yet, according to the official NBA Injury Report. Richards' next chance to suit up for Phoenix will be Saturday in Detroit. Until he's ready, Mason Plumlee will likely continue to start with Oso Ighodaro as his primary backup since Jusuf Nurkic (illness) was also listed out for Thursday Night's game.

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) was downgraded to out after being initially listed as doubtful for Thursday night's matchup against the Wizards. Beal sustained his sprained ankle on Tuesday against the Hawks. Beal won't get a chance to face his old team on Thursday, but he has been playing pretty well since moving to the bench for the Suns. While he's out on Thursday, other members of the second unit like Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will get more work. Allen could be an especially strong DFS or streaming option in a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Wizards, who allow the most points per game in the NBA.

Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (foot) has been ruled out for a sixth consecutive game ahead of Thursday's matchup against Phoenix. He has landed on the shelf with a plantar fascia contusion on his right foot. Jared Butler had an impressive spell during the first few games Brogdon missed but has logged just 15 minutes over the past two contests. Corey Kispert, Kyshawn George, and Justin Champagnie have shared most of the available minutes among Washington's bench players. However, none of the trio appears to be good fantasy options due to inconsistency.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (illness) is questionable for Thursday's game against Oklahoma City. An illness has kept him sidelined for a pair of games, and Jerome might also be forced to miss a meeting with his former team. Caris LeVert and Max Strus have carried the bench with Jerome out. However, they have been inconsistent and face a tricky matchup on Thursday as the Cavaliers go up against the league's top defense.

Sacramento Kings guard/forward Malik Monk (groin) will likely return to the lineup on Thursday against Houston, as the team lists him as probable for the contest. Monk missed Tuesday's action against Milwaukee due to groin soreness. Keon Ellis took over his spot in the starting lineup and had a fine night with 18 points. He will lose a significant amount of fantasy value by returning to the bench. Monk has provided 18.6 points with 4.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists since being promoted to the first unit. One of his first games in the new role was against the Rockets, and Monk had a fun night in a 120-111 win with 17 points and a career-high 12 assists.

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) will likely miss Thursday's return to his old stomping ground, as the team has labeled him doubtful ahead of the game against Washington. Beal injured his left ankle against Atlanta on Tuesday. Phoenix sent the former Wizards leader to the second unit earlier this month, but Beal has coped fairly well with his new role. He has averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists coming off the bench. Other bench pieces, like Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, should feature more in the rotation if Beal can't play in Thursday's game. Allen has more fantasy upside, particularly in a matchup against a team that gives up the most three-point attempts in the league.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) might be ready to return to the lineup on Thursday against Detroit, with the team listing him as questionable on the injury report. He has picked up the questionable tag after missing nearly 11 weeks due to a left ankle sprain. Nesmith was a starter for the Pacers early in the campaign over Bennedict Mathurin, so it will be interesting to see how the rotation works out with everybody healthy. Indiana has played well with its current lineup, going 12-4 since Dec. 8. Even if Mathurin gets bumped to the bench, he should still have a major role to play, with Nesmith's return having a much bigger impact on Ben Sheppard's playing time.

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (groin) is questionable to play in Thursday's matchup against Detroit. He's nursing a "mild" groin strain, which has already kept Haliburton out of one game. Ben Sheppard replaced Haliburton in the starting lineup against Cleveland on Tuesday, but he didn't do much in 32 minutes. T.J. McConnell also picked up a few extra minutes and came close to a double-double off the bench. Bennedict Mathurin (suspension) is already out for Thursday's game, so several players must step up offensively if Haliburton also can't play.

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin has been handed a one-game suspension, meaning he will not be available for Thursday's contest against Detroit. Mathurin was given the suspension for inappropriate contact and verbal abuse of a game official. The incident occurred in Tuesday's 127-117 loss to Cleveland. Jarace Walker could feature more in the rotation with Mathurin out. However, Indiana might have Aaron Nesmith (ankle) back in the lineup, which would bump Walker down on the depth chart.

Knicks' F Josh Hart recorded a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 12 assists and 17 rebounds in a 125-119 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. will move into the starting five ahead of Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. Head coach Ty Lue has decided to tweak his starting unit and move Jones into the starting unit on Wednesday. Kris Dunn will head to the bench after posting a dud during his 25 minutes of action on Monday. Jones has been decent this season, but he isn't someone worth starting in most fantasy formats right now. So far, Jones is averaging 9.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 24 minutes per game this season.

Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (shin) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Russell played 21 minutes off the bench during Tuesday's game after missing the previous four games. That being said, it appears the Nets are going to play it safe and rest Russell in the second leg of the back-to-back set. Keon Johnson and Ziaire Williams should both see increased roles on Wednesday. Also, Ben Simmons will likely do most of the ball handling which should increase his fantasy value.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (face) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. This doesn't come as much of a shock as Grant will now miss nine games in a row due to a facial contusion. Head coach Chauncey Billups has said that Grant is getting closer to a return, so maybe Grant can return this weekend. The Blazers play both Saturday and Sunday, so possibly Grant can return for one of those games. Deni Avdija (ankle) has been playing big minutes lately, but he's listed as doubtful for Thursday. That being said, Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson are likely to see heavy minutes with the Blazers shorthanded right now.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (ankle) is listed as doubtful ahead of Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Avdija now appears to be in serious danger of missing two games in a row due to an ankle issue. His injury comes at a bad time with the Blazers already extremely shorthanded. That being said, Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson are expected to both play heavy minutes on Thursday. Henderson dropped 39 points during his last outing, so he could be worth a look as a streaming choice while he's hot.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (back) is available ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Adebayo took a hard fall during Saturday's contest and as a result he sat out of Monday's game. Luckily, Adebayo is back in the mix after missing only one game due to a lower back contusion. His return to the court means less playing time for both Kevin Love and Kel'el Ware. Neither player is an ideal streaming option with Adebayo likely getting his full workload on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should feel safe getting Adebayo back in their lineups here.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets. Gordon will sit out the second game of the back-to-back set for what is likely rest purposes. Gordon played 17 minutes on Tuesday and is still working his way back after missing nine games in a row due to a calf issue. The absence of Gordon should mean more playing time for Peyton Watson in the rotation. Watson has done enough lately to be worth a look as a possible streaming option until Gordon is able to get back to 100 percent.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (elbow) won't play on Wednesday versus the Rockets. The multi-time MVP missed a few games last week because of an illness. However, right elbow inflammation will keep him off the floor against the Rockets. Without Jokic, DeAndre Jordan might draw the start. The veteran had 12 points, nine rebounds, and two steals in his only start this season. But that type of production is good enough to land him a spot in most fantasy lineups while making him an appealing value option for DFS managers. That will still apply even if he comes off the bench.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (knee) will play against the Rockets on Wednesday. The veteran is coming off a stellar performance, scoring 45 points in Tuesday's win over the Dallas Mavericks. With Nikola Jokic (elbow) and Aaron Gordon (calf) both sidelined, Murray has an excellent chance to keep it going on the offensive end versus Houston, giving him a higher ceiling for fantasy managers.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) was ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the 76ers. It is already known that KAT has a sprained thumb. However, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post provided an additional update, reporting that tests also revealed a bone chip. Fortunately, "surgery isn't necessary," added Bagley. The "plan is for Towns to play with the chip." The 29-year-old is having an excellent first season in New York, averaging 25.4 points and 13.9 rebounds while shooting a career-high 44.9% from behind the arc. He also missed just three games leading up to his absence on Wednesday night. It sounds as if Towns will be back once the swelling in his thumb subsides, so he's considered day-to-day. But until he's back on the floor, Jericho Sims may continue to start, although Precious Achiuwa will benefit the most.