Dallas Mavericks guard Brandon Williams (quad) is available to play ahead of Friday's contest versus the Boston Celtics. Williams is back in action after sitting out Thursday's loss due to a quad issue. Luckily, it seems like a minor issue, so Williams will return to the court for the second leg of this back-to-back set. Since the All-Star break, Williams is averaging 15.9 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game across seven contests. Williams has been a sneaky solid fantasy option lately, but his value figures to drop with Cooper Flagg back in the mix. Fantasy managers who have Williams rostered can get him active in their lineups ahead of tip-off.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (back) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Houston Rockets. As expected, Avdija will miss this game after being listed as doubtful on the injury report. He'll miss his seventh game in a row due to a lingering back issue. His next chance to play will come on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers. Fantasy managers will need to check back this weekend for another update on his status. Scoot Henderson should continue to see increased playing time with Avdija banged up. Henderson is worth a look in deep leagues, but he doesn't have a ton of upside outside of that.

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (groin) is available to play ahead of Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. As expected, Thompson will suit up after being listed as probable on the injury report. Since the All-Star break, Thompson is averaging 12.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.5 three-pointers in 21.2 minutes per game in six contests. The veteran guard has been inconsistent in terms of fantasy value this season. Thompson has been playing better lately and could be worth a look as a streaming option for Friday's slate. He knocked down seven three-pointers on Thursday, so hopefully he can keep it going here.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. As expected, Gafford will head to the sideline after being listed as doubtful for this game due to an ankle injury. This is likely the Mavs being cautious with Gafford after he played 25 minutes during Thursday's contest. The expectation is that Gafford will be back for Sunday's game, but fantasy managers should check back for an update this weekend. The Mavs are thin at the center spot, which means Dwight Powell and Moussa Cisse could play heavy minutes. Powell could be worth a look as a deep league streaming option on Friday.

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (ankle) is available to play ahead of Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Thompson has been upgraded to available after coming into this game with a questionable tag. He tweaked his ankle during Thursday's game, but it won't be enough to keep him off the court. He played 44 minutes during Thursday's overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Rockets monitor Thompson on Friday. Regardless, fantasy managers should feel comfortable plugging him into their lineups ahead of tip-off.

Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Wiggins has been playing through knee tendinitis, so it's not shocking to see him sitting out the second leg of this back-to-back set. His next chance to play will come on Sunday versus the Detroit Pistons. The Heat are expected to use a committee approach to fill the void left by Wiggins on Friday. Kel'el Ware, Pelle Larsson, and Myron Gardner all figure to see increased roles here. Among the three, Ware is the best fantasy option, but he's also rostered in most leagues. Otherwise, Larsson could be another option to look at in deep leagues with Wiggins unavailable.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (elbow) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. James was forced to sit out during the fourth quarter of Thursday's game due to a left elbow injury. It appears to be significant enough to keep him out of the second leg of this back-to-back set. The severity of the injury is unknown right now, but his next chance to play will come on Sunday. The Lakers are expected to use a committee approach to fill the void left by James. That means Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia, and Jarred Vanderbilt should all see increased playing time. Among the three, LaRavia is probably the most consistent option for fantasy managers seeking a streaming option on Friday.

Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (knee) is ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Ayton won't play after exiting during the first half of Thursday's contest due to a left knee injury. The severity is unknown, but the Lakers are likely just being cautious in the second leg of this back-to-back set. His absence will mean increased roles for Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes on Friday. Hayes finished with 19 points and five rebounds across 27 minutes of action on Thursday. He figures to be a safe streaming choice with Ayton and LeBron James (elbow) both out on Friday.

San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The usually reliable Barnes is set to miss his third straight game due to a lingering ankle issue. His next chance to play will come on Sunday, so fantasy managers should check back later this weekend. In the meantime, Carter Bryant and Julian Champagnie (knee) should see increased roles in the rotation. Champagnie is currently considered questionable with a knee injury, so Bryant could be looking at a bigger role, assuming he sits out as well.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (rest) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Murray is set to return after sitting out the front end of the back-to-back set for rest purposes. The Pelicans will continue to be cautious with Murray, who recently returned from an Achilles injury. When healthy, Murray has been solid, so fantasy managers should get him active in their lineups on Friday. He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists across 28 minutes of action during Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. He figures to have a similar workload during Friday's contest.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (oblique) isn't quite ready to return yet. According to Noah Levick, Embiid will be shut down and re-evaluated in one week. The Sixers were hopeful that Embiid could potentially return on Saturday, but that won't be the case. He has missed three straight games and eight of the last 10 games. During that span, the Sixers have only won two games, so they desperately need their superstar center back on the court. In the meantime, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona should continue to split up the playing time at center. Between the two big men, Bona has been the more consistent fantasy option while Embiid has been out.

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (back) was unable to practice on Friday, according to Noah Levick. Instead, Edgecombe went through an individual workout session following Friday's practice. The rookie guard is in danger of missing a second straight game after suffering a lumbar contusion during Tuesday's contest. The Sixers are likely going to wait and see how Edgecombe feels on Saturday before deciding if he'll suit up against the Atlanta Hawks. If he's unavailable, Quentin Grimes and Cameron Payne are expected to help fill the void. Between the two, Grimes is the better streaming choice after dropping 16 points with five rebounds during Wednesday's game.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (Achilles) is officially making his season debut against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Tatum is off the injury report and will return to the court after missing 10 months of action. Tatum had surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon in May of last year. He has made incredible progress to get back on the court this quickly. Given the circumstances, the Celtics are likely going to be extremely cautious with Tatum. He probably won't handle a full workload until closer to the postseason. Despite the limitations, Tatum should still be worth rostering in basically all fantasy formats. The superstar forward should still be able to make a solid contribution even with a monitored workload.

Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in a 120-113 win over the Lakers on Thursday, Mar. 5.

Bulls' G Collin Sexton scored 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting in a 105-103 win over Phoenix on Thursday, Mar. 5. Sexton is owned in only 35.3% leagues.

Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Before Wednesday's loss to the Clippers, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that Zubac would definitely play this season. However, his Pacers debut won't happen on Friday night. The Croatian big man has been on the shelf since Feb. 2 due to a left ankle sprain. Jay Huff and Micah Potter will continue to do the heavy lifting at the No. 5 spot until Zubac is ready to play.

Charlotte Hornets forward/center Grant Williams (knee) will rejoin the lineup on Friday against the Miami Heat. He hasn't been listed on the injury report after sitting out the second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday against Boston. Williams has contributed 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 19.9 minutes per game since recovering from a bad knee injury and making his season debut on Jan. 10. On Friday, Williams might be slightly more productive on the offensive end, as Miami allows the sixth-most bench points in the Association.

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle, back) is listed as probable for Friday's meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 26-year-old is a bit banged up, dealing with ankle and lower back injuries, but he is expected to make a second straight appearance. Nesmith ended a five-game absence on Wednesday against the Clippers but clearly wasn't himself, notching two points, three rebounds, and two assists with 1-for-8 shooting. Indiana limited Nesmith to 20 minutes on Wednesday night and may continue to monitor his minutes against the Lakers.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III (neck) will make a third consecutive appearance on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings. He was listed as questionable on the initial injury report due to neck spasms. The team upgraded Murphy III to probable earlier in the day, and he has now been officially cleared to play. Even with the Pelicans struggling, Murphy III has had a fantastic campaign. He is averaging career-high numbers in several categories, posting 22.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The Kings are horrible defensively, giving Murphy III a chance to do something special on Thursday night.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back, neck) is considered probable for Friday's contest against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 26-year-old is dealing with soreness in his lower back and neck area, but the probable designation indicates that Nembhard is expected to make a second consecutive appearance. However, Nembhard's ongoing health issues appeared to impact him during Wednesday's game against the Clippers, where he managed only five points on 1-for-5 shooting. It was a major disappointment for fantasy managers who had seen Nembhard produce at least 20 points in each of his previous three games.