NBA Player News

Kessler (elbow) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Pelicans, according to Jazz radio host David Locke.

Kessler was cleared for basketball activities Monday, but he wasn't expected to be re-evaluated until after the weekend. If Kessler gets the green light for an early return, he would provide a huge lift to Utah and his fantasy managers. John Collins, Kelly Olynyk and Omer Yurtseven all took on larger roles in Kessler's absence.

Embiid (hip) is probable for Saturday's game against the Thunder.

This is great news for the 76ers after Embiid was held out of Wednesday's game against the Timberwolves. Paul Reed and Marcus Morris each stepped up for the 76ers in Embiid's absence and combined for 26 points and 13 rebounds. Look for their fantasy value to trend down again with Embiid on the mend.

Porzingis told reporters following Friday's 113-96 loss to the Magic that he will undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the severity of his left calf injury, but he doesn't think it's a long-term issue, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe reports.

Porzingis said he felt a tweak in his calf running up the floor in the third quarter, and the Celtics opted to be cautious, shutting him down for the remainder of the game. He finished the contest with nine points (4-9 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 0-1 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 22 minutes. If Porzingis is sidelined for a few games, Al Horford would presumably be the primary beneficiary, while Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet could get additional minutes off the bench.

Lively (back) will not play in Saturday's game against the Clippers, NBA writer Marc Stein reports.

The Mavericks are still calling Lively's injury a contusion, so this may just be a day-to-day issue. Lively's next chance to play will be Tuesday against Houston, as the Mavericks are fortunate to have a couple of days off after Saturday's game. With Lively sidelined, the Mavericks could turn to Dwight Powell and Richaun Holmes to pick up the slack.

Ayton (back) participated in practice Friday and expects to play Sunday versus the Bucks, Sean Highkin of RoseGardenReport.com reports.

Ayton has not officially been cleared for Sunday's contest, but he appears to be trending in that direction. The big man was a late scratch in Wednesday's game versus the Jazz due to back soreness. More clarity should come when Portland releases its injury report for the contest.

Adebayo (hip) is available for Friday's game against the Knicks.

As expected, Adebayo has been upgraded from probable to available and will return to the starting lineup after missing Wednesday's win over the Cavaliers. Over his last 10 appearances, Adebayo has averaged 22.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.6 minutes per game.

Porzingis will not return to Friday's matchup with the Magic due to left calf tightness, John Karalis of BostonSportsJournal.com reports.

Porzingis went to the locker room early in the third quarter, and the Celtics will opt to err on the side of caution. The big man produced nine points (4-9 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-1 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals across 22 minutes before exiting the contest. It remains to be seen what his status will be for Sunday's contest with the Hawks.

Adebayo (hip) has been upgraded to probable for Friday's game against the Knicks and said he expects to play, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.

Adebayo was surprisingly ruled out for Wednesday's win over the Cavaliers after initially being listed as probable, but it appears he'll return to action after just a one-game absence. Over his last 10 appearances, Adebayo has averaged 22.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.6 minutes per game.

Horford will start Friday's game against the Magic, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe reports.

Horford will slide into the starting lineup due to Jrue Holiday (ankle) being unavailable. This will be Horford's fourth start of the year. He's averaged 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 blocks in 31.7 minutes per game across his previous three starts.

Carter (finger) is out for Friday's game against the Celtics.

Not much of a surprise here, as Carter is getting closer to the three-week timeline to be reevaluated after suffering a fractured third metacarpal on his left hand earlier this month. His next chance to feature will come against the Hornets on Sunday, but his chances of actually featuring in that matchup are slim.