NBA Player News

Richards (concussion) will not play in Sunday's game against the Magic.

Richards will miss his fourth game in a row for the Hornets. Charlotte has used some smaller lineups in Richards' absence, with JT Thor getting some extra reps with the second unit.

Porzingis (calf) won't play in Sunday's game versus the Hawks, Keith Smith of Spotrac.com reports.

The severity of Porzingis' calf injury is still uncertain, but he will be kept out of Sunday's contest. Al Horford will likely enter the starting lineup in his absence. Porzingis' next chance to suit up is Tuesday's matchup with Chicago.

Carter (finger) won't play in Sunday's game versus the Hornets.

Carter will miss his 12th straight game Sunday due to a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand. The Magic haven't provided word that Carter has resumed practicing yet, so he may be a long shot to make it back for the team's subsequent game next Wednesday versus Washington.

Embiid (hip) is available and in the starting five for Saturday's game versus the Thunder.

Embiid has been upgraded from probable to available Saturday after missing Philadelphia's previous game with a hip injury. The superstar center will reclaim his starting spot from Marcus Morris.

Kessler (elbow) is now listed as probable for Saturday's game versus the Pelicans, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Kessler has been upgraded from questionable to probable Saturday after missing the last seven games with a left elbow sprain. The second-year big man will likely replace Kelly Olynyk in the starting five against New Orleans.

Turner ended Friday's 136-113 victory over Detroit with 23 points (8-14 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists, five blocks and one steal over 27 minutes.

Turner posted his first double-double since Nov. 6, and the versatile big man continues to make his presence felt on both ends of the court. A steady scoring force who can also make an impact defensively as an elite shot blocker, Turner is averaging 16.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game over his last six contests. He has recorded multiple blocks five times in that stretch.

Adebayo will not play in Saturday's matchup with the Nets due to a hip injury.

Adebayo presumably aggravated his previous hip injury during Friday's loss to the Knicks. He supplied 21 points (8-16 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals across 35 minutes in the contest. In his absence Saturday, Kevin Love, Thomas Bryant and Nikola Jovic are candidates to fill in at center. The prized big man will have several days to recover, as the Heat do not play again until Tuesday's matchup with the Bucks.

Nurkic logged six points (2-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals across 33 minutes during Friday's 110-89 win over the Grizzlies.

Nurkic failed to score in double digits for the second straight contest, but the big man has adjusted his game enough to remain relevant even when holding a secondary role on offense. His underrated ability to fill the stat sheet has been massive for the Suns, and the numbers back that up. Over his last five games, Nurkic is averaging 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals per contest.

Wagner registered 27 points (9-13 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 8-9 FT) and three rebounds across 24 minutes during Friday's 113-96 win over the Celtics.

Wagner delivered a season-high scoring mark, and the big man continues to make an impact off the bench even on games where Wendell Carter (finger) is not available. Wagner has scored in double digits in his last five games and in all but one of his last 13 contests, so his role as a steady contributor for the Magic -- despite his bench role -- is all but settled. He's averaging 13.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in November.

Kornet closed with 12 points (5-6 FG, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, one assist, two blocks and two steals across 25 minutes during Friday's 113-96 loss to the Magic.

Kornet eclipsed the 20-minute plateau for the first time this season and responded by delivering his best scoring mark of the campaign. The uptick in minutes might have been related to the fact that Kristaps Porzingis departed the game in the second half and didn't return due to a left calf problem, so Kornet could experience a short-term uptick in his upside, beginning with Sunday's matchup against the Hawks.