NBA Player News

Embiid (illness) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Celtics, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com reports.

Embiid will miss a second straight game due to an illness. Tyrese Maxey (illness) may also be sidelined Friday, so Philadelphia is at risk of being extremely shorthanded versus Boston. Marcus Morris started in Embiid's absence Wednesday, but Paul Reed and Robert Covington each played around 30 minutes. Embiid's next chance to suit up will come Wednesday in Washington.

Richards (concussion) is questionable for Saturday's game against Minnesota.

Richards has missed the last six matchups due to a concussion, but it's encouraging that he's labeled as questionable for Saturday's game rather than being immediately ruled out. If he's cleared to suit up against the Timberwolves, Richards could face a minutes restriction.

Adebayo (hip) has been ruled out for Saturday's matchup against the Pacers, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Adebayo left Thursday's win over the Pacers after playing just 12 minutes due to a hip injury. The issue plagued the big man for a few days before Thursday, so it's not surprising to see Miami exercise caution and keep him sidelined for a game. Adebayo's next chance to suit up will come Wednesday in Toronto, while Thomas Bryant, Orlando Robinson and Kevin Love are candidates for increased roles in the frontcourt during a rematch versus Indiana.

Sanogo recorded 21 points (7-14 FG, 4-4 FT), 18 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 34 minutes during Tuesday's 131-97 loss to the Mad Ants.

Sanogo notched season highs in rebounds and blocks. He also scored at least 20 points for a second straight game en route to his fourth double-double.

Looney racked up two points (0-4 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and two assists across 13 minutes during Thursday's 120-114 win over the Clippers.

Looney played his second-fewest minutes of the season and failed to deliver meaningful production again. Over his last five appearances (all starts), Looney has averaged just 4.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 21.0 minutes per game. At this point, Dario Saric is the more attractive fantasy option in Golden State's frontcourt, regardless of who's in the starting lineup.

Theis provided 10 points (4-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists over 15 minutes during Thursday's 120-114 loss to the Warriors.

Theis scored in double figures for the second time this season. With Mason Plumlee (knee) sidelined, Theis has garnered a solid role as the primary backup to Ivica Zubac, averaging 7.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.9 blocks in 17.4 minutes over his last seven appearances.

Zubac produced 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-5 FT), 13 rebounds and one block across 27 minutes during Thursday's 120-114 loss to the Warriors.

Zubac appears to be finding his niche with the new-look Clippers, as the big man has recorded three double-doubles over his last four games. During that stretch, he has averaged 16.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in 28.0 minutes.

Duren posted 10 points (5-7 FG), 12 rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes during Thursday's 118-112 loss to the Knicks.

Duren was efficient from the field and made his presence felt on both ends of the court Thursday en route to his third double-double over his last four appearances. Duren has slowed down a bit following an impressive start to the campaign, but he remains a must-roster player across all formats due to his two-way play and sky-high potential.

Allen amassed 12 points (6-9 FG), 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 38 minutes during Thursday's 103-95 loss to the Trail Blazers.

The 25-year-old center has just three double-doubles on the season, but they've all come in the last six contests as Allen finally appears back in form after an ankle injury cost him the first five games of 2023-24. Over that six-game stretch, he's averaging 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 71.2 percent from the floor and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Reath provided 13 points (4-5 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 18 minutes during Thursday's 103-95 win over the Cavaliers.

The 27-year-old rookie seems to enjoy playing against Cleveland -- the two biggest scoring performances of his NBA career have come versus the Cavs, as he dropped 16 points on them back on Nov. 15. Reath has seen consistent minutes in the Blazers' frontcourt rotation since Robert Williams (knee) was lost for the season, but Reath hasn't yet supplied much fantasy value beyond his three-point shooting.