Most of the injury news is already known for Thursday’s small four-game slate but we still need to watch the injury updates in Boston before finalizing our DFS lineups for tonight.
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 an asterisk (*) 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 tip off, 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.
This article series will be a work in progress and I welcome any and all feedback on its usefulness and format either in the Comments below or directly to me on Twitter @Rotopilot.
NBA What If – Thursday, January 18
| Team | Player | Status | If OUT |
| Celtics | Marcus Smart | Questionable | Terry Rozier (minutes)* Jaylen Brown (minutes) Jayson Tatum (usage) |
| Celtics | Kyrie Irving | Questionable | Terry Rozier (minutes/usage)* Shane Larkin (minutes/usage) Al Horford (usage)* Marcus Morris (usage) Marcus Smart (usage) Jayson Tatum (usage) |
| Cavaliers | Derrick Rose | Probable | Jose Calderon (minutes) |
| Rockets | Gerald Green | Out | Eric Gordon (minutes) Luc Mbah a Moute (minutes)* |
| Rockets | Trevor Ariza | Out | PJ Tucker (minutes/usage)* Luc Mbah a Moute (minutes)* James Harden (usage) Chris Paul (usage)* |
| Rockets | James Harden | Probable | Eric Gordon (minutes/usage)* Chris Paul (usage)* |
| Rockets | Nene Hilario | Probable | Clint Capela (minutes) Tarik Black (minutes) |
| Pacers | Myles Turner | Out | Domantas Sabonis (minutes) Al Jefferson (minutes) Lance Stephenson (usage) |
| Timberwolves | None | ||
| Magic | Arron Afflalo | Suspension? | Mario Hezonja (minutes)* Jonathan Simmons (minutes) |
| Magic | Marreese Speights | Questionable | Khem Birch (minutes)* |
| Sixers | Richaun Holmes | Out | Trevor Booker (minutes) Amir Johnson (minutes) |
| Sixers | JJ Redick | Out | TJ McConnell (minutes)* Jeryyd Bayless (minutes)* Timothe Lawuwa-Cabarrot (minutes/usage)* Joel Embiid (usage)* Ben Simmons (usage) Dario Saric (usage)* |
| Trail Blazers | None |
