How will the Cavs fare with King James on the sidelines
Riley Jones is a correspondent and NBA editor at FantasyPros. To read more from Riley, check out his archive and follow him @RyJones4.
LeBron James is the headliner, but his Olympic running mate may be in worse position. Read on for the latest injury updates from the NBA.
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Charlotte Hornets
Al Jefferson (PF, C): Unfortunately for the Hornets and his many fantasy owners, Jefferson’s groin injury will keep him off the court for a minimum of four weeks. (Rick Bonnell on Twitter) The injury was originally suffered last Monday during the Hornets’ victory over the Bucks.
As for his replacement, expect Bismack Biyombo to continue starting in place of ‘Big Al’. In the starting role on Wednesday against the Rockets, Biyombo scored nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks. He also shot 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Now, he’s probably still a long shot for most fantasy owners, but to those in need, he could be an option with Jefferson out for an extended period of time.
Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James (SF, PF): James will be out of action for possibly two-weeks after an MRI revealed that he’s got a strained right knee and lower back. (Marc J. Spears on Twitter) While news of the injury really isn’t all that surprising as he’s been sitting out for the past few games, with the current state of the Cavaliers, James’ absence will be missed incredibly.
So far, Mike Miller has been starting in place of James over the past two games. Problem is he’s only scored five points over that span, shooting .250 from the field and .167 from beyond the arc. Despite that, it is likely that he will continue to start, but you can bet Dion Waiters and Thompson continue to see their roles on the team increase.
Memphis Grizzlies
Zach Randolph (PF): It appears the timetable for Randolph is still hazy as the PF has missed 7 games due to a knee injury. The Grizzlies coach has said it is hard for them to tell when Randolph will be ready to go.
In the meantime, Jon Leuer has been starting in place of Randolph and has put up pedestrian numbers compared to Randolph. The wait for Randolph will just have to continue as it doesn’t look like there is a quality waiver claim to be had in his absence.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Ricky Rubio (PG): It would appear that Rubio could be back and running the Wolves’ offense sometime within the next few weeks. This comes as great news for the fantasy owners that have held on to the young assist machine. With Andrew Wiggins playing better and being considered as favorite to win the ROY, there is no question that the addition of Rubio helps Wiggins’ chances at locking that up.
As for now, Zach LaVine will continue to run the show until Rubio can return. Despite the fact that LaVine appears to have beat out veteran Mo Williams for the starting role, until Rubio returns, there really isn’t a point guard on Minnesota worth picking up.
New Orleans Pelicans
Eric Gordon (SG): With Anthony Davis playing out of his mind, it would probably help the Pelicans push for a playoff spot if Gordon was back and healthy. This makes the news that Gordon is looking to return to full practice that much sweeter. (Nakia Hogan on Twitter)
There is no question that once he returns, Gordon could be a solid pickup for fantasy owners looking for a boost at the two-spot – especially if you’re like me and made the mistake of drafting Stephenson.
New York Knicks
Carmelo Anthony (SF): Melo and the Knicks have been atrocious all season and things seem to only be getting worse as his knee continues to bother him. There are talks that if the Knicks continue to struggle and his knee continues to bother him, that Anthony could be shut down for the season.
Cleanthony Early will be one to watch, but unless he gets consistent minutes and proves he can contribute, it’s slim pickings in New York.
Utah Jazz
Alec Burks (PG, SG): After starting off the year playing quite well, the Utah Jazz will now be without the services of Alec Burks for the rest of the season after having surgery on his shoulder. (Marc J. Spears on Twitter)
With Burks out, youngster Rodney Hood has been inserted into the starting lineup. Although Hood has struggled over his first few starts, considering his versatility on the court, I’m sure he’ll increase his scoring and figure out his role in the lineup soon enough. It is also possible that Dante Exum’s minutes increase as well.
