NBA Player News

Embiid has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against the Timberwolves due to left hip soreness, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Wednesday's matchup is the second night of a back-to-back set, so Embiid's first absence of the season may just be precautionary, though it's certainly something to keep an eye on moving forward. Embiid's next chance to suit up will come Saturday in Oklahoma City. In his absence, Paul Reed and Mo Bamba are candidates for increased minutes, but Robert Covington and Nicolas Batum may spend more time at center in small-ball lineups. However, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris will presumably have to lead Philadelphia's offense without the MVP candidate.

Duren (ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reports.

As expected, Duren, who's missed five straight games due to right ankle soreness, was able to log a full practice ahead of Friday's matchup in Indiana. However, his official status for that contest won't be released until Thursday afternoon. If available, Duren would presumably slide right back into the starting center spot, but he may face restrictions at first.

Turner ended Tuesday's 157-152 win over the Hawks with 11 points (4-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and four blocks in 25 minutes.

Turner didn't have many touches on offense despite the fact the Pacers scored a whopping 157 points, but he was efficient when called upon duty while also doing what he does best -- blocking shots at will. Turner, who also finished one rebound shy of recording his fourth double-double of the season, has now swatted at least three shots in three of his last four contests.

Embiid chipped in 32 points (9-21 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 13-16 FT), 13 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and two steals in 41 minutes before fouling out of Tuesday's 122-119 overtime loss to the Cavaliers.

Embiid was massive on both ends of the court for the Sixers despite the team suffering a heartbreaking overtime loss. The star big man is enjoying an excellent season but has been on a tear of late, racking up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in four of his last six appearances. He's averaging 32.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in November.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said Bryant will play in place of Kevin Love (personal) during Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Kevin Love hasn't started since Oct. 30, so Bryant isn't expected to slide into the starting lineup, but the latter should be able to crack the rotation. After playing double-digit minutes in eight straight games to start the year, averaging 6.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 14.8 minutes during that stretch, Bryant has totaled just eight minutes over Miami's last six games.

Koloko (illness) will not play Wednesday against Indiana, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Koloko has yet to take the floor this season while he recovers from a respiratory condition that first surfaced ahead of the Las Vegas Summer League. He's without a clear timeline to make his 2023-24 debut and should be viewed as out indefinitely.

Allen racked up 26 points (12-20 FG, 2-2 FT), 13 rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes during Tuesday's 122-119 overtime win over the 76ers.

The big man has been a consistent two-way threat for the Cavaliers this season and has made his presence felt on both ends of the court, but this was the first time he recorded a double-double. He achieved that feat 32 times during the 2022-23 campaign, and he should remain a valuable asset in most formats, particularly in category-based leagues.

Ayton amassed 18 points (9-14 FG), eight rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal over 31 minutes during Tuesday's 120-107 loss to the Suns.

Ayton received unwarranted boos every time he touched the ball Tuesday evening. Although the machinations of the front office are to blame for his departure, a chilly reception was expected for Ayton's return to the Footprint Center. Ayton finished with an adequate total, although he was slightly outplayed in the paint by Jusuf Nurkic. Ayton isn't receiving as many scoring opportunities with his new team, as his current average of 12.6 points per game is on pace for a career low.

Nurkic produced 18 points (7-11 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, four blocks and one steal across 29 minutes during Tuesday's 120-107 win over the Trail Blazers.

Nurkic and Deandre Ayton faced off against their former teams Tuesday evening, and they fought to a virtual stalemate. Nurkic ended the evening with a slight rebound advantage over Ayton while logging his fifth double-double of the season. Nurkic also posted a season high with four blocked shots.

Bitadze chipped in five points (2-6 FG, 1-4 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, five blocks and two steals over 31 minutes during Tuesday's 126-107 win over Toronto.

Bitadze racked up seven combined steals and blocks while sneakily handing out a season-high six assists. Although his offensive game is limited, he has been able to do just enough in the other categories to maintain 12-team relevance. However, Wendell Carter (hand) is due back shortly, something that will eliminate any value for Bitadze. For now, Bitadze should be viewed as a defensive streamer who can provide decent numbers in the rebounds column.