Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (calf) has been tagged as questionable on the injury report ahead of Sunday's contest against the Sacramento Kings. This is a positive development, as Smith has been out for five games and was listed as doubtful for the prior contest. Guerschon Yabusele and Nick Richards have been key in the frontcourt during Smith's absence and will both lose minutes if he returns. Before suffering a left calf strain, Smith was a starter in six consecutive appearances, averaging 12.7 points and 6.8 rebounds in 21.2 minutes.

San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (ankle) won't be in the lineup for Sunday's meeting with the Houston Rockets, missing a fourth consecutive game. Incredibly, Barnes had made 364 straight appearances before an ankle problem sidelined him earlier this week. Barnes' absence has opened up around 20 minutes in the second unit. Carter Bryant has benefited the most in this situation, though the rookie can't yet be trusted in fantasy basketball.

Houston Rockets forward/center Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) is not on the injury report for Sunday's I-10 Rivalry matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Smith Jr. has played in only one of the last four games as he recovers from an ankle sprain. Reed Sheppard has been starting in Smith Jr.'s absence, producing some outstanding displays. On Sunday, Sheppard will likely be back in the second unit, but he will continue to have fantasy value as a spark plug off the bench.

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (wrist) is listed as probable for Sunday's action against the Portland Trail Blazers. He appears set for a third consecutive appearance despite dealing with a left wrist sprain. Siakam shoots with his right hand, so this isn't a major issue for him. The Pacers star has come out of the All-Star break on fire, averaging 28.3 points per game with 56.6 percent shooting. With Portland having a below-average defensive rating, the stage is set for Siakam to keep his hot streak going.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back, neck) is questionable to play on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The 26-year-old has recently played through back and neck issues and could now opt for some rest to aid his recovery. The Pacers aren't really interested in winning late in the season, so backup point guard T.J. McConnell is likely to log his usual minutes even if Nembhard doesn't play. Younger guards like Quenton Jackson and Kam Jones will benefit more from his absence.

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (ankle) could be absent for a second consecutive game on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings, as the team has listed him as questionable. Buzelis injured his right ankle in Tuesday's loss to Oklahoma City and missed his first game of the season on Thursday against Phoenix. Leonard Miller moved to the first unit on Thursday and could get another start against the Kings. In his first career start, Miller nearly bagged a double-double, finishing with eight points and nine rebounds. If only he hadn't gone 0-for-5 from three-point range, it might have been a very memorable night for Miller.

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey injured his right hand late in Saturday's 125-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. With only around 25 seconds left to play, Maxey was involved in a collision with teammate Adem Bona. He exited to the locker room clutching his right hand. This was a very unfortunate incident, considering the game was basically done and dusted. If Maxey's injury turns out to be serious, it would be a major blow for the 76ers. The star guard led his team with 31 points on Saturday, adding two rebounds, five assists, and four steals to his tally. Cameron Payne is likely to take over starting point guard duties if Maxey misses time.

Chicago Bulls point guard Josh Giddey (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Sacramento Kings. He rolled his right ankle earlier this week and has already missed one game. As a result of Giddey's absence, Collin Sexton got a chance to start on Thursday versus the Phoenix Suns, exploding for a season-high 30 points. This performance is likely to lead to Sexton earning a bigger role, even if Giddey returns on Sunday. Tre Jones, who tallied 21 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals against the Suns, also has additional fantasy value in Giddey's absence.

Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (toe) is considered questionable for Sunday's tilt against the Detroit Pistons. Wiggins sat out Friday's win over Charlotte with a knee issue and is in danger of missing further action due to left big toe inflammation. With Norman Powell (groin) still out, the Heat could really use Wiggins' scoring ability against the Eastern Conference leaders on Sunday. Myron Gardnerstarted in Wiggins' place on Friday, notching six points, five rebounds, and two assists in 16 minutes. Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel'el Ware also enjoy expanded roles without Wiggins.

Miami Heat guard/forward Norman Powell (groin) will miss Sunday's big clash against the Detroit Pistons. He continues to recover from a Grade 1 groin strain, sitting out a fifth consecutive game. Powell leads the Heat in scoring this season, and without him, there's more offensive responsibility on Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Meanwhile, Pelle Larsson has held a starting role for an extended period, recording averages of 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists since the All-Star break.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (back) remains on the injury report ahead of Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers. This time, he has been listed as questionable, giving fantasy managers hope that Avdija might finally be ready to return from a lingering back problem. He has been out for six games. With Kris Murray (illness) also sidelined, Scott Henderson has made back-to-back starts. He's had a very difficult time, posting 12 points on 4-for-20 shooting. The combination of Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday will keep leading Portland's offense if Avdija doesn't return on Sunday night.

Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (knee) is set to play on Sunday against the New York Knicks after the team removed him from the injury report. Ayton hurt his left knee in Thursday's loss to Denver and didn't play on Friday night against Indiana. But luckily for the Lakers, Ayton's absence will be limited to one game. With Ayton back in the lineup, Jaxson Hayes will return to the bench. Drew Timme's playing time also takes a hit, and it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't see any action in Sunday's contest. Having drawn criticism recently, Ayton might be motivated to make a statement against the Knicks, but he'll be up against a team that has limited centers to the fourth-fewest fantasy points this season.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Brandon Ingram (illness) is in danger of missing Sunday's meeting with the Dallas Mavericks. After dealing with a thumb injury, Ingram has come down with an illness, which might end his run of consecutive appearances at 22 games. If Ingram isn't available to play, the Raptors will likely turn to Ja'Kobe Walter to fill in for him in the first unit. Walter is an inconsistent performer and hasn't capitalized on previous chances to start this season. averaging 7.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 22.7 minutes.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (elbow, foot) has a questionable designation on the injury report for Sunday's clash against the New York Knicks. After sustaining an elbow contusion, James sat out the second game of a back-to-back on Friday against Indiana. Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters James will likely return to the lineup on Sunday, but the questionable tag leaves his status uncertain. James' absence from the lineup gave Rui Hachimura an opportunity to start on Friday night. Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia are also in line for more work if James doesn't return on Sunday.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Will Richard (ankle) will miss a third straight game on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Golden State's initial injury report listed Richard as questionable, leaving the possibility of his return open. His next chance for a comeback will be on Monday night against the Utah Jazz. Nate Williams has been part of the rotation during Richard's absence, and LJ Cryer may also get more action on Saturday. That said, the two aren't expected to make a significant fantasy impact.

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Darius Garland will join the starting lineup on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The two-time All-Star came off the bench in his first two appearances for the team. With him now in the first unit, it's possible Garland has been cleared to play more than the 23.5 minutes he has so far averaged in L.A. Kobe Sanders will make room for him in the starting lineup. Even as a starter, Sanders hasn't been particularly productive, and moving to the bench will only reduce his chances to contribute.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) has been removed from the injury report and will return to the lineup on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors. Gafford has been nursing a right ankle injury and didn't play on Friday against Boston as Dallas wrapped up a back-to-back set. With Gafford and Marvin Bagley (neck) out, Moussa Cisse entered the rotation on Friday, logging 26 minutes off the bench. He could be out of the lineup again on Sunday. Gafford produced a double-double in his last appearance and has averaged 9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.0 steals since the All-Star break.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) will be limited to around 15-20 minutes on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN's Anthony Slater reports. Golden State will ease the Latvian veteran back into action after he missed six games due to illness. Still, Porzingis could make a significant impact even with limited minutes. He has averaged only a little over 20 minutes per game this season (23.9), posting 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks.

Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Cooper Flagg (foot) has been tagged as questionable on the injury report ahead of Sunday's contest against the Toronto Raptors. The rookie phenom has just returned from a midfoot sprain and may need to take some time off after logging 56 minutes across a back-to-back set on Thursday and Friday. Dallas has several options to replace Flagg in the starting lineup, with Brandon Williams and Naji Marshall as the most likely candidates. Both have been impactful off the bench but would have additional fantasy value in the first unit.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (knee) will miss Sunday's tilt against the Boston Celtics. He has been ruled out due to right knee tendonitis. Allen hurt his knee on Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons. Thomas Bryant and Dean Wade (ankle) are the candidates to take Allen's spot in the starting lineup. Wade has missed three games with a sprained ankle but is listed as probable on the injury report. Allen's absence will also increase the pressure on Evan Mobley to perform well in the frontcourt.