Welcome to the first NBA What-If article of the NBA season. Now that the NFL is winding down, I will try to get the What-If article up every weekday when there are at least four games on the slate. We have a few players already ruled out for Monday’s eight-game slate.
This article will attempt to list all of the relevant injury situations to monitor for the day’s NBA slate and provide guidance on which players will benefit with either an increase in minutes or usage or both if that player is ruled out. I will also place a plus (+) by players that I think are worth DFS consideration if that player is ruled out. Players that have been out for at least five consecutive games I will not list as general playing time and usage patterns should be established.
This will NOT be an interactive article that is continually updated throughout the day as I hope to capture all of the potential relevant injury situations that could impact DFS lineups for the night and pre-determine what players benefit. Ideally, you monitor late-breaking news leading up to tipoff, find out a player is ruled out and come check the matrix below to see who the players are you should consider for your DFS lineups based on that news.
NBA What If – Monday, January 7
| Team | Player | Status | If OUT |
| Bucks | D.J. Wilson | Questionable | * Ersan Ilyasova (minutes) |
| Celtics | Kyrie Irving | Probable | * Terry Rozier (minutes/usage)+ * Marcus Smart (minutes/usage) * Marcus Morris (usage) * Gordon Hayward (usage) * Jaylen Brown (usage) |
| Celtics | Marcus Morris | Probable | * Daniel Theis (minutes) * Semi Ojeleye (minutes/usage) * Terry Rozier (usage) * Marcus Smart (usage) |
| Grizzlies | Dillon Brooks | Out | * Justin Holiday (minutes/usage)+ * Kyle Anderson (minutes)+ |
| Grizzlies | Javon Carter | Questionable | * Shelvin Mack (minutes) |
| Jazz | Dante Exum | Out | * Ricky Rubio (minutes)+ * Raul Neto (minutes) * Kyle Korver (usage) |
| Jazz | Thabo Sefolosha | Out | * Royce O’Neale (minutes) * Jae Crowder (minues)+ |
| Kings | Iman Shumpert | Questionable | * Bogdan Bogdanovic (minutes/usage)+ * Justin Jackson (minutes) * Ben McLemore (minutes) * De’Aaron Fox (usage)+ |
| Knicks | Frank Ntilikina | Out | * Trey Burke (minutes) |
| Lakers | Kyle Kuzma | Questionable | * Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (minutes/usage) * Lance Stephenson (minutes/usage) * Michael Beasley (minutes) * Brandon Ingram (usage) * JaVale McGee (usage) |
| Magic | None | ||
| Mavericks | J.J. Barea | Questionable | * Jalen Brunson (minutes/usage) * Dirk Nowitzki (usage) |
| Mavericks | Dirk Nowitzki | Questionable | * Maxi Kleber (minutes) |
| Nets | Allen Crabbe | Out | * Shabazz Napier (minutes)+ * Spencer Dinwiddie (usage)+ |
| Nets | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | Out | * Rodions Kurucs (minutes) * Treveon Graham (minutes) * Spencer Dinwiddie (usage)+ |
| Nets | DeMarre Carroll | Out | * Jared Dudley (minutes) * Rodions Kurucs (minutes) |
| Nets | Joe Harris | Out | * Shabazz Napier (minutes/usage)+ * Spencer Dinwiddie (usage)+ |
| Nuggets | None | ||
| Pelicans | E’Twaun Moore | Questionable | * Solomon Hill (minutes) * Darious Miller (minutes) * Tim Frazier (minutes) * Elfrid Payton (usage)+ * Jrue Holiday (usage) |
| Pistons | Zaza Pachulia | Questionable | * Jon Leuer (minutes) |
| Rockets | Eric Gordon | Out | * Austin Rivers (minutes) * Danuel House (minutes/usage) * Gerald Green (minutes/usage) |
| Spurs | Rudy Gay | Out | * David Bertens (minutes)+ * DeMar DeRozan (usage)+ * Derrick Whie (usage)+ |
| Trail Blazers | Evan Turner | Probable | * Moe Harkless (minutes/usage) |
| Trail Blazers | Moe Harkless | Probable | * Evan Turner (minutes) * Damian Lillard (usage)+ * Jusuf Nurkic (usage)+ |
