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Fantasy Week 7 | NBA Week 7

Sixers star Joel Embiid shoves reporter

Sun Nov 3 2:04am ET
Field Level Media

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid got into a verbal altercation with a local reporter that turned physical after the team's 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.

The incident happened in the Sixers' locker room, where Embiid confronted Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes about an article that made reference to Embiid's son and late brother. The piece also criticized the seven-time All-Star's ability to stay healthy and act professionally.

"The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I'm going to do to you and I'm going to have to ... live with the consequences," Embiid told Hayes as reporters filtered into the locker room.

Embiid continued with some profane language before rejecting an attempted apology from Hayes. After Embiid said that he didn't care what reporters had to say, Hayes said, "But you do," prompting Embiid to raise his voice and push Hayes on the shoulder.


A public relations official for the 76ers then got in between the two while another staff member tried to get reporters out of the locker room.

Team security asked reporters not to report on the altercation, at which point Embiid delivered another message.

"They can do whatever they want," he said. "I don't give a (expletive)."

The league has already said that it is conducting an investigation into the matter.

"We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room this evening and are commencing an investigation," a spokesman for the NBA said in a statement.

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told ESPN that he too is aware of the situation.

"We take the situation very seriously and are investigating, and have already spoken to the NBA," Morey said in a statement.

Embiid, 30, has yet to play in a game this season because of left knee injury management. He was limited to just 39 games (all starts) in 2023-24.

In those 39 games, Embiid averaged 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.7 blocks.

Embiid is only two seasons removed from being named MVP, earning that title by posting averages of 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks in 66 games (all starts) during the 2022-23 campaign.

Philadelphia is off to a 1-4 start this season.

Player Notes
Naji Marshall Thu Dec 5 4:20pm

Dallas Mavericks forwardNaji Marshall(illness) will miss his third consecutive game due to an illness on Thursdays versus the Washington Wizards. Before being sidelined, Marshall had made the most of his opportunity as a starter while Klay Thompson was on the shelf, averaging 13.1 points and 4.0 rebounds. Once he's able to get back on the floor, his fantasy value will drop, as Thompson has since returned from his injury.

Ty Jerome Thu Dec 5 4:00pm

Cleveland Cavaliers guardTy Jerome(illness) is in danger of missing his second straight game due to an illness for Thursday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets. Darius Garland may see additional playing time if Jerome cannot suit up. Craig Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert will likely also see an uptick in minutes. LeVert, who is already averaging 24.1 minutes per game, could see a significant increase in his fantasy value on Thursday.

Josh Giddey Thu Dec 5 3:50pm

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (ankle) is questionable ahead of Thursday's matchup with the San Antonio Spurs due to a sprained right ankle. If the 23-year-old cannot play, the Bulls backcourt will be significantly depleted, with Coby White(ankle) andLonzo Ball(knee) already announced as sidelined. Players like Talen Horton-Tucker and rookie Matas Buzelis will likely see more minutes than usual. Fantasy managers will want to monitor Giddey's status closer to tip-off.

Corey Kispert Thu Dec 5 9:10am

Washington Wizards guard/forward Corey Kispert (ankle) will miss his first game of the season on Thursday against Dallas. He has been ruled out with a left ankle sprain, joining Kyle Kuzma (ribs) and Kyshawn George (ankle) on the shelf. These three have all averaged at least 26 minutes of action per game this season. This leaves a lot of minutes to be filled for the rest of the gang. Carlton Carrington and Jared Butler should getter a bigger workload on Thursday, with Johnny Davis also in the mix for an expanded role.

Coby White Thu Dec 5 9:00am

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against San Antonio. A left ankle sprain will keep him out for a second consecutive game. Lonzo Ball (knee) is also out on Thursday, and Josh Giddey (ankle) is regarded as questionable, meaning there might be a lot of minutes available for Chicago's reserves. Talen Horton-Tucker has done well lately and could be in line for a larger role in the rotation. He has reached double figures in scoring in five consecutive outings. Jevon Carter should get a decent amount of action as well, as the Bulls will be short of playmakers if Giddey doesn't make it.

Jusuf Nurkic Thu Dec 5 8:40am

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) will miss a third straight game on Thursday against New Orleans. The Bosnian big man is nursing a thigh contusion and is expected to be re-evaluated on Monday, meaning he will also sit out the weekend's back-to-back against Miami and Orlando. Oso Ighodaro and Mason Plumlee have shared starts during Nurkic's absence. Both players have had quiet outings, although Plumlee averaged double-double numbers as a starter earlier in the campaign. Centers have typically feasted against the Pelicans this season, with only six teams allowing more fantasy points to opposing fives.

Lonzo Ball Thu Dec 5 8:40am

Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball (knee) will not be in the lineup for Thursday's clash against San Antonio. Following his lengthy battle with a knee injury, Ball hasn't been cleared for back-to-backs, and the team has decided to keep him out from Thursday's game. We should see him back in action in Friday's matchup against Indiana. Considering he had a 33-month break from basketball, Ball has played well this season, averaging 4.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 16.2 minutes. With Coby White (ankle) also out and Josh Giddey (ankle) questionable, Jevon Carter might get a decent workload in the rotation.

Brandon Ingram Thu Dec 5 8:30am

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (calf) is considered questionable for Thursday's meeting with Phoenix. However, it appears likely that he will return from a five-game absence, as Ingram went through full practice on Wednesday. The team also hopes to get Herb Jones (shoulder) back against the Suns. The return of the two would be a nice boost for an injury-depleted team. Ingram is having a fine campaign and tends to do especially well in home outings, averaging 26.8 points at the Smoothie King Center compared to 17.9 points on the road.

Aaron Gordon Thu Dec 5 8:20am

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) is listed as probable on the injury report ahead of Thursday's game against Cleveland. Following a 10-game absence, Gordon has played in both of Denver's games, and it looks like it's safe to assume he will be out there again on Thursday. The veteran forward stood out with 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in the previous game against Golden State. He logged 33 on the night, so Gordon should also be free of any minute restrictions on Thursday.

Goga Bitadze Wed Dec 4 6:30pm

Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (ankle) will return to action in Wednesday's matchup against Philadelphia. He's back after missing Tuesday's game against the Knicks with an ankle sprain. The Georgian big man opened the month with a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double against Brooklyn and has performed well since November. Last month, he averaged 9.4 points and 7.8 rebounds with 1.9 blocks. Philadelphia is tied for the second-lowest rebounding rate in the league, putting Bitadze in a solid position to produce another double-double on Wednesday.

Anthony Davis Wed Dec 4 6:20pm

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (foot) will play against Miami on Wednesday. The team has upgradEd Davis from probable to available. The star big man will look to produce a bounce-back performance after being limited to 12 points on 4-for-14 shooting against Minnesota on Monday. It's not a good matchup for Davis, as he will go head to head against All-Defense First Team member Bam Adebayo. Last season, Davis averaged only 19.0 points and 11.5 rebounds against Adebayo and the Heat.

Victor Wembanyama Wed Dec 4 6:10pm

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (back) won't play in Thursday's game against the visiting Bulls. The 20-year-old has a case of lower back soreness. But the Spurs also play on Friday against Sacramento, so the team may just be playing it safe. As expected, Wembanyama has had a quality year, averaging 23.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, and 1.3 steals. As a result, there will be plenty of shots up for grabs, with Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, and Jeremy Sochan potentially on tap to get more scoring opportunities. Zach Collins should also slide into Wemby's spot in the rotation and is worth streaming in all fantasy formats.

Ben Simmons Wed Dec 4 6:10pm

According to Brooklyn Nets beat reporter Erik Slater, guard Ben Simmons (back) is available to play against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Simmons sat out Monday's game against the Bulls for back-injury management. In his most recent appearance against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the veteran guard logged 12 minutes, collecting five assists, two rebounds, and one steal. However, he was held scoreless in the contest.

Cameron Johnson Wed Dec 4 6:00pm

Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (ankle) is available for Wednesday's meeting with the Indiana Pacers. The former Phoenix Sun has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. However, his absence in Monday's loss to Chicago was only his first of the 2024-25 campaign. Johnson has also averaged a career-high 18.1 points while shooting 42.2% from deep. With Cam Thomas (hamstring) sidelined, Johnson should continue to get more scoring opportunities than usual against an Indiana team that has allowed 119.1 points per game this season, the third-worst mark in the National Basketball Association.

Kevin Love Wed Dec 4 5:40pm

Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (back) will suit up for Wednesday's contest against the Lakers. Battling back spasms, Love sat out the second leg of a back-to-back on Monday versus Boston. Love's contributions have been limited to 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds this season. He only plays around 12 minutes per game, so Love remains a good per-minute performer, but the veteran doesn't have a big enough role on the team to be relevant in fantasy basketball on most nights.

Dorian Finney-Smith Wed Dec 4 5:40pm

Brooklyn Nets forwardDorian Finney-Smith(ankle) is unavailable for Tuesday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers due to a sprained left ankle. The 31-year-old will miss his fourth consecutive game. This season, he has been a key rotational piece for the Nets, averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists across 29 minutes per contest. With Finney-Smith sidelined, Jalen Wilsonis expected to remain in the starting lineup.

Joel Embiid Wed Dec 4 5:40pm

According to Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, the team isn't planning on keeping center Joel Embiid (knee) out beyond what is necessary. The 30-year-old has appeared in only four games this season. However, there hasn't been much update regarding his health, so fantasy managers remain in the dark regarding when they can expect to see him back on the court. With Andre Drummond (ankle) sidelined, Philadelphia will likely continue to rely on Guerschon Yabusele, who has averaged 10.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in six starts during the 2024-25 campaign. Adem Bona should also continue to see more minutes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Wed Dec 4 5:40pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is good to go for Wednesday's clash against Atlanta. Per Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Bucks head coach Doc River has confirmed Antetokounmpo will be available for the contest after the team listed him as probable on the injury report. The former MVP is coming off a 28-point performance against Detroit on Tuesday night, which included seven rebounds, eight assists, and one block in 28 minutes. Antetokounmpo didn't play his full minutes against the Pistons and, thus, should be fresh for Wednesday's contest. Last season, the Hawks had no idea what to do against Antetokounmpo, who averaged 31.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 2.0 steals in the matchup.

Jimmy Butler Wed Dec 4 5:30pm

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (knee) will play against the Lakers on Wednesday. Miami gets its veteran star back after Butler sat out Monday's clash against Boston. He started to feel soreness in his right knee during Sunday's meeting with Toronto and was rested for the second night of a back-to-back. Butler's recent performances have been inconsistent, but there are two 30-point efforts among his most recent five appearances. The Lakers are ranked 24th in defensive efficiency, giving Butler another opportunity to fill it up on Wednesday.

Nikola Jovic Wed Dec 4 5:30pm

Miami Heat forward/center Nikola Jovic (ankle) will rejoin the lineup for Wednesday's clash against the Lakers. He's missed five games with an ankle sprain and was also ruled out for Wednesday's contest on the initial injury report, but Jovic has apparently made big progress in his recovery over the last 24 hours. The 21-year-old has an inconsistent role with the Heat, averaging 18.2 minutes with eight starts in 14 appearances this season. He has notched 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds.


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