NBA Player News

Kornet (thigh) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Magic, Jared Weiss of The Athletic reports.

Kornet was a late scratch for Thursday's game against Cleveland, and he'll remain sidelined for the second half of the back-to-back set. His next opportunity to suit up will be in a rematch with Orlando on Sunday.

Porzingis is doubtful for Friday's game against the Magic due to left calf tightness, Jared Weiss of The Athletic reports.

Porzingis missed a four-game stretch from Nov. 26-Dec. 4 due to a calf injury but has appeared in three straight contests since then. However, he'll likely take a seat for the second night of a back-to-back set to manage the lingering injury. Porzingis should be able to return for Sunday's rematch against Orlando. Al Horford (rest) and Luke Kornet (hip) are both out, so if Porzingis joins them on the sidelines, Boston will have to play a lot of smaller lineups, making Lamar Stevens, Oshae Brissett, Neemias Queta and Sam Hauser candidates for increased playing time.

Jokic provided 26 points (8-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 10-12 FT), 15 rebounds, 10 assists and one steal over 30 minutes during Thursday's 124-101 victory over the Nets.

After being ejected from Tuesday's game against the Bulls, Jokic bounced back Thursday with his third triple-double over his first seven appearances in December. While the 28-year-old has been tossed from two games to begin the 2023-24 campaign, he's been consistently dominant for the Nuggets. Over his seven appearances this month, he's averaged 22.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 10.0 assists in 32.3 minutes per game.

Sharpe provided eight points (4-9 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 13 rebounds, five assists and one block over 26 minutes during Thursday's 124-101 loss to the Nuggets.

Sharpe saw an uptick in playing time Thursday after playing just eight minutes during Wednesday's win over Phoenix. He made the most of his increased minutes and came within two points of a double-double while securing double-digit boards for the third time in his last five appearances. Across those five outings, the 22-year-old has averaged 7.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 17.4 minutes per game.

Claxton racked up 10 points (5-9 FG), nine rebounds and two assists over 17 minutes during Thursday's 124-101 loss to the Nuggets.

Claxton got into some foul trouble Thursday and was limited to a season-low 17 minutes of playing time, but he still managed to come within one rebound of a double-double. Across his last eight appearances, he's averaged 11.3 points and 10.0 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game despite posting just two double-doubles during that time.

Kessler finished with 10 points (5-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 10 rebounds, four assists, seven blocks and one steal across 26 minutes during Thursday's 122-114 win over the Trail Blazers.

The double-double was just Kessler's fourth of the season. The second-year big man has struggled to stay healthy and match his form from his rookie season, but he remains an elite rim protector. Since returning from an elbow injury in late November, he's recorded multiple blocks in eight of nine games, averaging 9.6 points, 8.7 boards, 3.3 blocks and 1.7 assists over that stretch while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor.

Horford (rest) provided seven points (3-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt), 10 rebounds, three assists and one block in 24 minutes during Thursday's 116-107 victory over the Cavaliers.

Horford came off the bench for a third consecutive matchup Thursday, but he's still managed to record double-digit rebounds in two of his last three appearances. He didn't have enough shot volume to log a double-double despite an efficient showing from the floor, and he's been held below five field-goal attempts in three of the last four matchups. Across five appearances in December, Horford has averaged 9.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per game. It's unclear whether he'll play in the second half of a back-to-back set Friday against the Magic.

Allen ended Thursday's 116-107 loss to the Celtics with eight points (4-7 FG), 10 rebounds and three assists over 39 minutes.

While Allen hauled in double-digit rebounds during Thursday's defeat, he was held below 10 points for the fourth time in his last five outings and was unable to add another double-double to his resume. Across his last five appearances, the center has averaged 8.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 26.8 minutes per game.

Vucevic closed Thursday's 124-116 victory over the Heat with 24 points (10-21 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, seven assists and three steals over 36 minutes.

Vucevic led the Bulls in boards during the win and finished tied for second on the team in scoring. The big man also dished a season-high seven assists and tallied a pair of thefts to round out a strong stat line. Vucevic went through a rough stretch at the end of November and into the beginning of December, scoring under 10 points and posting single-digit rebounds in four of five games. However, he's bounced back in a big way, averaging 21.0 points and 13.2 boards over his past five contests.

Kessler is in the starting lineup to face the Trail Blazers on Thursday, Jazz radio announcer David Locke reports.

Kessler will make just his second start since Nov. 6, a span that included a seven-game absence and a new role off the bench. The big man is averaging 8.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game when deployed as a starter this season.