Week 13 Injury Watch

TEAM INJURIES

Atlanta Hawks Markelle Fultz (Shoulder), Alexis Ajinca (Knee), Justin Patton (Toe), Isaiah Whitehead (G-League), DeAndre Bembry (G-League), Thabo Sefolosha (Knee), Greg Monroe (Waived in NBA),

The Hawks are doing what they can to stay afloat this season, however it now appears that their prized rookie Markelle Fultz will not appear in a game for them now. As the Brooklyn Nets push them out of the playoff race, the Hawks will really miss Greg Monroe, one of the 10 best players in the league, this week. With must-win games versus Toronto and Miami coming, the Hawks need to do something until Monroe returns.

Cameron Payne (Foot), A.J. Hammons (G-League), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Groin), Mason Plumlee (Calf),

Here come the Nets! Brookyln struggled much of the season so far, but it seems they have figured something out and now claim the 8th seed in the East. Having Hollis-Jefferson and Plumlee miss time will affect the bench and means that 2-way player Anthony Brown will get some minutes.

Boston Celtics Patrick Beverley (Knee), Tyreke Evans (Illness), Shane Larkin (Knee),

Boston has come back down to Earth a bit later and it seems that the loss of Tyreke Evans really hurts this squad. It is unclear when he will return. It will be interesting to see if the Durant-Melo experiment works in Beantown.

Charlotte Hornets Frank Jackson (Foot), Harry Giles (Knees), Ike Anigbogu (G-League),

Full steam ahead for the Hornets with the return of Myles Turner. We did learn, however, that Harry Giles will not be appearing in a game this season.

Chicago Bulls Mirza Teletovic (Knee), Joakim Noah (CD), Shaun Livingston (Personal),

As long as this column doesn't read Klay or Curry the Bulls are doing fine. It was only a matter of time, however, before Noah would be out for a long time. Livingston takes the week off to tend to a personal matter meaning guys like Isaiah Taylor may see some big minutes.

Cleveland Cavaliers Terrence Ross (Knee), Tony Allen (Knee), Andrew Bogut (Waived in NBA),

Status quo for the Cavs who have doing just fine without the presence of Ross and Allen. Let's fast forward though and find out if Lebron skips town this offseason.

Dallas Mavericks Lonzo Ball (Knee), Ivica Zubac (G-League), Alex Len (Ankle), Paul Millsap (Wrist)

Despite their poor record, Dallas is still sniffing distance from the playoffs. Missing Lonzo Ball and Alex Len will hurt, especially since it means Mudiay (who has been a total disappointment) will be called to log major minutes. The good news is that Millsap should return in a few weeks. The Mavs just need to hang on til then!

Denver Nuggets Chinanu Onuaku (G-League), Jonathan Isaac (Ankle), Nerlens Noel (Thumb), Andre Roberson (Knee), John Wall (Knee),

Adios, Nuggets? Rootsey is probably right about that pity party with Roberson lost for the year and John Wall missing 6-8 weeks following knee surgery. The Nuggets never really got it together this season and it's unlikely Wade, Kanter and Pau will be able to keep the hope alive. Time to trade the old guys for prospects?

Detroit Pistons Jon Leuer (Ankle), Alan Williams (Knee), Tyler Lydon (G-League), Derrick Jones Jr. (Waived in NBA), Bruno Caboclo (G-League), Rodney Hood (Leg),

Another week, another Hood on the IR. What is more important are the two names no longer on the list. Jabari Parker and Cody Zeller are back and the Pistons are looking to destroy the playoff dreams of some poor sucker teams.

Golden State Warriors Ramon Sessions (Waived in NBA), Jordan Bell (Ankle), Andre Iguodala (Rest),

Golden State's season is over it doesn't really matter who is on the IR. Iguodala takes the week to rest. Not like his presence will help too much.

Houston Rockets Dion Waiters (Ankle), Udonis Haslem (Personal), DeAndre Liggins (Waived in NBA), Ron Baker (Shoulder), Tobias Harris (Not with team),

Houston is another team hanging on for dear playoff life. Waiters is gone for the season. Baker is now facing a long time away following a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum. The week without Tobias Harris is also going to hurt.

Indiana Pacers Nicolas Brussino (CD), Damien Wilkins (Waived in NBA),

Someone will say Indiana. Except maybe these two guys.

LA Clippers Ante Zizic (G-League), Nikola Mirotic (Not with team), Aaron Gordon (Hip),

Clippers are another team who can't seem to catch a break. Gordon has been rolling lately and Mirotic has been fire off the bench. The team is also on the precipice of cracking the seeds. John Collins will get the start as the Clips dig deep, giving Deyonta Davis OG Anunoby rotational minutes.

LA Lakers Rodney McGruder (Leg), Nikola Vucevic (Hand), Malcolm Brogdon (Calf), Marvin Williams (Ankle), Marcus Morris (Hip),

This is likely the week the Lakers slide out of contention. Missing Vucevic, who is out for another few weeks, has killed this team. They on a multi-game slide and missing Marcus Morris and Marvin Williams will hurt. Brogdon out 6-8 weeks now too.

Memphis Grizzlies Dante Exum (Shoulder),

Griz at full capacity while permanent IR-denizen Exum stays in a suit.

Miami Heat Okaro White (Foot), Dorian Finney-Smith (Knee), Avery Bradley (Not with team), Tyler Cavanaugh (G-League),

Bradley gets the week off for the sinking Heat. However, the team does get JJ Redick back. Was his missing three point touch what the team needs to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Milwaukee Bucks CJ Miles (Knee), Skal Labissiere (Shoulder),

One day or two after being declared the Bucks' secret weapon, CJ Miles goes down with a sore knee, but he won't be out long most likely. Meanwhile, Skal Labissiere is out for a few weeks with a shoulder strain. This won't really affect the streaking Bucks.

Minnesota Timberwolves Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Illness), DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles), Kevin Love (Finger),

And down go the Wolves. Cousins is gone for the season with a ruptured Achilles. Love is going to miss up to 8 weeks with a broken finger. The team dumped Isaiah Canaan when he ruined his ankle. The Wolves were looking really good. No longer.

New Orleans Pelicans Mike Conley (Achilles), Brice Johnson (G-League), Reggie Jackson (Ankle), Caleb Swanigan (G-League),

Though Mike Conley's name is on this list, he is a nice pickup for the finished Pelicans. Conley, like the Pels, are done for the season, but he will be back next season. Another fun fact: the Pelicans are one of the few cellar-dwellers that still have their pick.

New York Knicks Kyrie Irving (Quadriceps),

The Knicks aren't dominating like they should. Part of the problem is it seems like Harden and Irving can't stay on the court the same time. Irving is dealing with a quad contusion, which shouldn't keep him out long. Unless it's the same sort of quad injury Kawhi Leonard is dealing with.

Oklahoma City Thunder Zhou Qi (G),

Thunder are ready to kick your ass next week.

Orlando Magic Tony Bradley (G-League), Derrick White (G-League), Malachi Richardson (Ankle), Lauri Markkanen (Personal),

The Magic are still in the playoff hunt and no one has surprised the league more than Lauri Markkanen. Slated to be a bust by many pundits, Markkanen has helped keep the Magic aloft. He will be tending to a personal matter but should be back soon.

Philadelphia 76ers Kawhi Leonard (Quad), Mario Chalmers (Hamstring), Eric Gordon (Back), Jose Barea (Oblique),

Another week, another injury train for the Sixers. Kawhi has only played in 13 games and no one knows when he will back. The newly acquired Gordon tweaked his back and will miss this week. With Barea and Chalmers also out, Malik Beasley will get the starting nod. Ouch.

Phoenix Suns Glenn Robinson III (Ankle), Gordon Hayward (Ankle),

Suns almost at full health, not counting Hayward. Robinson is playing in the G-League and should be back soon. Penny has playoff aspirations. We'll see if that happens.

Portland Trail Blazers Brandon Knight (Knee), Furkan Korkmaz (G-League), Rudy Gay (Heel), Chandler Parsons (Knee), Austin Rivers (Achilles), Jawun Evans (Abdominal),

The dream is over. Half the Blazers roster is out. They also just picked up the perpetually injured Parsons. We hear Gay is leaving town soon. Hopefully not for more injured players. Blazers were good. Not now.

San Antonio Spurs Marcus Smart (Hand), Quincy Pondexter (Waived in NBA), David West (Rest),

I laughed really hard at San Antonio's "Marcus Dumb" ticker. Leeroy doesn't want to blow up his season, so he moved the done for the year Mike Conley out for George Hill. West needs to rest.

Sacramento Kings Boban Marjanovic (Not with team),

In small news, the only missing player here is Marjanovic. In big news, Marjanovic is out for the week and the Kings will never be the same.

Toronto Raptors Solomon Hill (Hamstring), Kris Dunn (Concussion),

Kris Dunn is finally doing well in the NLL but he went down hard on his head, giving himself a concussion. The Raptors are just fine with Rajon Rondo filling in. In other news, MVP-candidate Solomon Hill is out for the season. If Darrell Arthur is a top 100 guy, so could Hill be!

Utah Jazz Trevor Ariza (Hamstring),

Ariza is an important player for the Jazz but with the rise of Davis Bertans, his injury isn't make or break. However, the Jazz could use his shooting.

Washington Wizards Seth Curry (Leg), Jeremy Lin (Knee), Frank Mason (Heel), Jason Terry (Personal),

The Wizards have been missing Lin and Curry all season. Frank Mason isn't a major player and Jason Terry is 40. And the Wizards are still one of the worst teams in the league.

TEAM	INJURIES
	Markelle Fultz (Shoulder), Alexis Ajinca (Knee), Justin Patton (Toe), Isaiah Whitehead (G-League), DeAndre Bembry (G-League), Thabo Sefolosha (Knee), Greg Monroe (Waived in NBA), The Hawks are doing what they can to stay afloat this season, however it now appears that their prized rookie Markelle Fultz will not appear in a game for them now. As the Brooklyn Nets push them out of the playoff race, the Hawks will really miss Greg Monroe, one of the 10 best players in the league, this week. With must-win games versus Toronto and Miami coming, the Hawks need to do something until Monroe returns.
	Cameron Payne (Foot), A.J. Hammons (G-League), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Groin), Mason Plumlee (Calf), Here come the Nets! Brookyln struggled much of the season so far, but it seems they have figured something out and now claim the 8th seed in the East. Having Hollis-Jefferson and Plumlee miss time will affect the bench and means that 2-way player Anthony Brown will get some minutes.
	Patrick Beverley (Knee), Tyreke Evans (Illness), Shane Larkin (Knee), Boston has come back down to Earth a bit later and it seems that the loss of Tyreke Evans really hurts this squad. It is unclear when he will return. It will be interesting to see if the Durant-Melo experiment works in Beantown.
	Frank Jackson (Foot), Harry Giles (Knees), Ike Anigbogu (G-League), Full steam ahead for the Hornets with the return of Myles Turner. We did learn, however, that Harry Giles will not be appearing in a game this season.
	Mirza Teletovic (Knee), Joakim Noah (CD), Shaun Livingston (Personal), As long as this column doesn't read Klay or Curry the Bulls are doing fine. It was only a matter of time, however, before Noah would be out for a long time. Livingston takes the week off to tend to a personal matter meaning guys like Isaiah Taylor may see some big minutes.
	Terrence Ross (Knee), Tony Allen (Knee), Andrew Bogut (Waived in NBA), Status quo for the Cavs who have doing just fine without the presence of Ross and Allen. Let's fast forward though and find out if Lebron skips town this offseason.
	Lonzo Ball (Knee), Ivica Zubac (G-League), Alex Len (Ankle), Paul Millsap (Wrist) Despite their poor record, Dallas is still sniffing distance from the playoffs. Missing Lonzo Ball and Alex Len will hurt, especially since it means Mudiay (who has been a total disappointment) will be called to log major minutes. The good news is that Millsap should return in a few weeks. The Mavs just need to hang on til then!
	Chinanu Onuaku (G-League), Jonathan Isaac (Ankle), Nerlens Noel (Thumb), Andre Roberson (Knee), John Wall (Knee), Adios, Nuggets? Rootsey is probably right about that pity party with Roberson lost for the year and John Wall missing 6-8 weeks following knee surgery. The Nuggets never really got it together this season and it's unlikely Wade, Kanter and Pau will be able to keep the hope alive. Time to trade the old guys for prospects?
	Jon Leuer (Ankle), Alan Williams (Knee), Tyler Lydon (G-League), Derrick Jones Jr. (Waived in NBA), Bruno Caboclo (G-League), Rodney Hood (Leg), Another week, another Hood on the IR. What is more important are the two names no longer on the list. Jabari Parker and Cody Zeller are back and the Pistons are looking to destroy the playoff dreams of some poor sucker teams.
	Ramon Sessions (Waived in NBA), Jordan Bell (Ankle), Andre Iguodala (Rest), Golden State's season is over it doesn't really matter who is on the IR. Iguodala takes the week to rest. Not like his presence will help too much.
	Dion Waiters (Ankle), Udonis Haslem (Personal), DeAndre Liggins (Waived in NBA), Ron Baker (Shoulder), Tobias Harris (Not with team), Houston is another team hanging on for dear playoff life. Waiters is gone for the season. Baker is now facing a long time away following a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum. The week without Tobias Harris is also going to hurt.
	Nicolas Brussino (CD), Damien Wilkins (Waived in NBA), Someone will say Indiana. Except maybe these two guys.
	Ante Zizic (G-League), Nikola Mirotic (Not with team), Aaron Gordon (Hip), Clippers are another team who can't seem to catch a break. Gordon has been rolling lately and Mirotic has been fire off the bench. The team is also on the precipice of cracking the seeds. John Collins will get the start as the Clips dig deep, giving Deyonta Davis OG Anunoby rotational minutes.
	Rodney McGruder (Leg), Nikola Vucevic (Hand), Malcolm Brogdon (Calf), Marvin Williams (Ankle), Marcus Morris (Hip), This is likely the week the Lakers slide out of contention. Missing Vucevic, who is out for another few weeks, has killed this team. They on a multi-game slide and missing Marcus Morris and Marvin Williams will hurt. Brogdon out 6-8 weeks now too.
	Dante Exum (Shoulder), Griz at full capacity while permanent IR-denizen Exum stays in a suit.
	Okaro White (Foot), Dorian Finney-Smith (Knee), Avery Bradley (Not with team), Tyler Cavanaugh (G-League), Bradley gets the week off for the sinking Heat. However, the team does get JJ Redick back. Was his missing three point touch what the team needs to keep their playoff hopes alive.
	CJ Miles (Knee), Skal Labissiere (Shoulder), One day or two after being declared the Bucks' secret weapon, CJ Miles goes down with a sore knee, but he won't be out long most likely. Meanwhile, Skal Labissiere is out for a few weeks with a shoulder strain. This won't really affect the streaking Bucks.
	Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Illness), DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles), Kevin Love (Finger), And down go the Wolves. Cousins is gone for the season with a ruptured Achilles. Love is going to miss up to 8 weeks with a broken finger. The team dumped Isaiah Canaan when he ruined his ankle. The Wolves were looking really good. No longer.
	Mike Conley (Achilles), Brice Johnson (G-League), Reggie Jackson (Ankle), Caleb Swanigan (G-League), Though Mike Conley's name is on this list, he is a nice pickup for the finished Pelicans. Conley, like the Pels, are done for the season, but he will be back next season. Another fun fact: the Pelicans are one of the few cellar-dwellers that still have their pick.
	Kyrie Irving (Quadriceps), The Knicks aren't dominating like they should. Part of the problem is it seems like Harden and Irving can't stay on the court the same time. Irving is dealing with a quad contusion, which shouldn't keep him out long. Unless it's the same sort of quad injury Kawhi Leonard is dealing with.
	Zhou Qi (G), Thunder are ready to kick your ass next week.
	Tony Bradley (G-League), Derrick White (G-League), Malachi Richardson (Ankle), Lauri Markkanen (Personal), The Magic are still in the playoff hunt and no one has surprised the league more than Lauri Markkanen. Slated to be a bust by many pundits, Markkanen has helped keep the Magic aloft. He will be tending to a personal matter but should be back soon.
	Kawhi Leonard (Quad), Mario Chalmers (Hamstring), Eric Gordon (Back), Jose Barea (Oblique), Another week, another injury train for the Sixers. Kawhi has only played in 13 games and no one knows when he will back. The newly acquired Gordon tweaked his back and will miss this week. With Barea and Chalmers also out, Malik Beasley will get the starting nod. Ouch.
	Glenn Robinson III (Ankle), Gordon Hayward (Ankle), Suns almost at full health, not counting Hayward. Robinson is playing in the G-League and should be back soon. Penny has playoff aspirations. We'll see if that happens.
	Brandon Knight (Knee), Furkan Korkmaz (G-League), Rudy Gay (Heel), Chandler Parsons (Knee), Austin Rivers (Achilles), Jawun Evans (Abdominal), The dream is over. Half the Blazers roster is out. They also just picked up the perpetually injured Parsons. We hear Gay is leaving town soon. Hopefully not for more injured players. Blazers were good. Not now.
	Marcus Smart (Hand), Quincy Pondexter (Waived in NBA), David West (Rest), I laughed really hard at San Antonio's "Marcus Dumb" ticker. Leeroy doesn't want to blow up his season, so he moved the done for the year Mike Conley out for George Hill. West needs to rest.
	Boban Marjanovic (Not with team), In small news, the only missing player here is Marjanovic. In big news, Marjanovic is out for the week and the Kings will never be the same.
	Solomon Hill (Hamstring), Kris Dunn (Concussion), Kris Dunn is finally doing well in the NLL but he went down hard on his head, giving himself a concussion. The Raptors are just fine with Rajon Rondo filling in. In other news, MVP-candidate Solomon Hill is out for the season. If Darrell Arthur is a top 100 guy, so could Hill be!
	Trevor Ariza (Hamstring), Ariza is an important player for the Jazz but with the rise of Davis Bertans, his injury isn't make or break. However, the Jazz could use his shooting.
	Seth Curry (Leg), Jeremy Lin (Knee), Frank Mason (Heel), Jason Terry (Personal), The Wizards have been missing Lin and Curry all season. Frank Mason isn't a major player and Jason Terry is 40. And the Wizards are still one of the worst teams in the league.