Despite a small four-game slate on Thursday night there are quite a few injury statuses to keep an eye on leading up to tipoff. So, be sure to watch your favorite NBA late-breaking news provider and reference the What If matrix below for who steps into DFS consideration if a player is ruled out.
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 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.
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 25
| Team | Player | Status | If OUT |
| Heat | Tyler Johnson | Out | Wayne Ellington (minutes/usage)* |
| Heat | Goran Dragic | Probable | Derrick Jones Jr. (minutes) Josh Richardson (usage)* Wayne Ellington (usage)* James Johnson (usage)* |
| Kings | De’Aaron Fox | Probable | George Hill (minutes)* Garrett Temple (minutes/usage)* |
| Kings | Zach Randolph | Probable | Skal Labissiere (minutes)* Garrett Temple (usage) Bogdan Bogdanovic (usage) Willie Cauley-Stein (usage) De’Aaron Fox (usage) |
| Kings | Kosta Koufos | Questionable | Skal Labissiere (minutes)* Garrett Temple (usage) Bogdan Bogdanovic (usage) Willie Cauley-Stein (usage) De’Aaron Fox (usage) |
| Kings | George Hill | Questionable | De’Aaron Fox (minutes/usage)* Garrett Temple (minutes)* |
| Knicks | Kyle O’Quinn | Questionable | Willy Hernangomez (minutes/usage)* |
| Knicks | Kristaps Porzingis | Questionable | Michael Beasley (minutes/usage)* Tim Hardaway Jr. (usage)* Enes Kanter (usage)* Courtney Lee (usage)* |
| Nuggets | Garry Harris | Questionable | Will Barton (minutes/usage)* Torrrey Craig (minutes) Malik Beasley (minutes) Trey Lyles (usage) Jamal Murray (usage)* |
| Thunder | Patrick Patterson | Questionable | Jerami Grant (minutes) |
| Timberwolves | Jimmy Butler | Questionable | Nemanja Bjelica (minutes)* Andrew Wiggins (usage)* Jeff Teague (usage)* Karl-Anthony Towns (usage)* |
| Warriors | Jordan Bell | Out | Kevon Looney (minutes) |
| Warriors | Klay Thompson | Probable | Nick Young (minutes/usage) Kevin Durant (usage)* Draymond Green (usage)* Steph Curry (usage)* Andre Iguodala (usage) |
| Warriors | Patrick McCaw | Questionable | Nick Young (minutes) |
| Wizards | Otto Porter | Questionable | Kelly Oubre (minutes/usage)* Bradley Beal (usage)* |
