John Wall WAS: left knee surgery
John Wall underwent a clean-up procedure on his left knee on Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined for the next 6-8 weeks. Wall’s left knee has been an issue since 2016, and a recurrence of soreness and swelling lead to a meeting with doctors in Cleveland last Monday. Our analytics showed that Wall was a High Injury Risk before the surgery. Wall met with the same doctor who performed his first knee surgery and also administered PRP injections earlier in the year. He has already missed 10 games this season to the injury. With an eight week Optimal Recovery Time, he shouldn’t return to the court until early April.
Eric Bledsoe MIL: left ankle injury
Bledsoe was listed with a left ankle sprain going into last Monday’s game but was shutdown after just three minutes of play. He didn’t look 100%, and the Bucks announced after the game that his ankle is what forced him from the game. He only missed one game last week before returning to action, but the Inside Injuries metrics had calculated a two week Optimal Recovery Time. Bledsoe shouldn’t be trusted as a fantasy start for at least the next week, and he shouldn’t even be considered for DFS lineups. Given his long history of lower body injuries, he is a High Injury Risk and has a Poor HPF (Health Performance Factor).
Mason Plumlee DEN: right calf strain
Mason Plumlee suffered a right calf strain in last Monday’s game and could end up missing 2-4 weeks. He was using crutches in the locker room after the game and has already missed two games. A return after the All-Star Break is in line with the Inside Injuries 3-4 week timetable for Plumlee. Calf strains can be tricky injuries, so it’s in Plumlee’s best interest to not return until he is completely healed.
Marvin Williams CHA: low left ankle sprain
Marvin Williams exited last Monday’s game with an ankle injury. X-rays were negative, and Williams was diagnosed with a low left ankle sprain. He has missed three games in a row so far to the injury, and he reportedly does not have a return date in mind. The Inside Injuries algorithm is calculating a 2-3 week Optimal Recovery Time, so we should not see him until after the All Star break. He shouldn’t be trusted in daily and season-long fantasy hoops until then.
Devin Booker PHO: ribs injury and left hip pointer
Devin Booker played 41 minutes in last Sunday’s game, but he didn’t come away unscathed. Booker didn’t look quite right after the game and had X-rays Monday evening to rule out a fracture in his ribs. Luckily, the scans came back negative and Booker was diagnosed with right rib contusion. It’s possible to play through a rib contusion, but it can be an extremely painful injury. Booker played through the pain last Wednesday, though he looked limited at times, which could have been a result of the pain or the extra padding he was wearing around his chest. Booker was a High Injury Risk as he continued to play through the injury, so it’s no surprise that he wound up back on the injury report. He took a hard fall on Sunday night and is now considered day-to-day with a left hip pointer.
Steph Curry GS: right shoulder soreness
We don’t think this is much more than coach Steve Kerr holding his promise to be more transparent, but it’s worth mentioning that Steph Curry was listed on the injury report last week with a sore right shoulder. Curry’s recent injury woes have been with his right ankle, so this is a new injury. He didn’t miss any time to the injury, but he has been in somewhat of a slump for the past three games. A sore shooting shoulder and Below Average HPF make him a less than dazzling streaming option this week and a high risk DFS play for someone at his price.
Chris Paul HOU: sore right groin
Chris Paul was held out of last Tuesday’s game against the Magic with a sore right groin. The Inside Injuries algorithm calculated a 1-2 week Optimal Recovery Time, but Paul was back on the court just three days later. Given his lengthy injury history, Paul is a High Injury Risk and Below Average HPF. He might be back in the lineup, but he should be considered a risky start for fantasy owners for the next few days.
Aaron Gordon ORL: strained left hip flexor
Aaron Gordon put up a nice 22 point, 11 rebound, and four assist stat-line in 40 minutes against the Pacers on Tuesday, but he also picked up a strained left hip flexor. He has missed three straight games to the injury and should miss the next two weeks according to the Inside Injuries analytics. He already withdrew from the Slam Dunk contest, which is the right move considering his High Injury Risk.
Kyrie Irving BOS: right quad contusion
It’s not clear when exactly he picked up the injury, but Irving has missed the past three straight games with a right quad contusion. The Celtics are calling him “day-to-day,” and coach Brad Stevens said Irving “feels a lot better.” The Inside Injuries algorithm calculated a 2-3 week Optimal Recovery Time, so he won’t be 100% for at least another week.
Giannis Antetokounmpo MIL: right ankle injury
Giannis Antetokounmpo admitted on Sunday that he has twisted his right ankle twice in the past five games, but he plans to continue playing through the injury. Playing through injuries is never a good idea, and given Antetokounmpo’s history with lower body injuries, he is already an Elevated Injury Risk. Fantasy owners should be sure to check the Greek Freak’s game status before each game this week, but it’s hard to say that you should sit him if he’s in the lineup. He won’t be worth his value in DFS this week.
Marcus Morris BOS: bruised left hip
Marcus Morris suffered a nasty fall on his left hip on Wednesday and has missed two straight games. He had to be helped off the court and into the locker room, so it’s no surprise he missed time. The Celtics are calling it a bruised left hip, and the Inside Injuries algorithm is calculating a two week Optimal Recovery Time. Morris has had trouble staying healthy this season. All of his small injuries are starting to add up.
Kevin Love CLE: left hand fracture
Kevin Love suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his left hand on Tuesday and is expected to miss up to eight weeks. Love met with doctors in New York to discuss possible surgery, but the team concluded that he would not need screws to stabilize the fracture. It’s possible that the team is cautious with oft-injured Love and hold him out until the postseason. With an Optimal Recovery Time of eight weeks, our analytics show he needs to be sidelined until at least early April.
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