We’ve made it to NBA Christmas Day! It doesn’t really feel like the same holiday cheer, however. There are so many question marks heading into the 5-game slate on Saturday throughout the day. Players continue to be placed in health and safety protocols. We’ll see if a few key players can clear in order to return for the festivities. Below is the full injury report for Christmas Day.
NBA injury report, Christmas Day
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks
Trae Young (protocols) OUT
Kevin Huerter (protocols) TBD
Clint Capela (protocols) TBD
Danilo Gallinari (protocols TBD
Cam Reddish (ankle) probable
The Hawks should get Reddish for this game and they’ll readily welcome him if he can go. Young, Huerter and Capela are sidelined with COVID issues, which is a huge dent in the team’s starting lineup. The two guards have been officially ruled out, and it doesn’t like Capela will be able to go either. The Hawks have a total of nine players in the league’s protocols.
Nerlens Noel (protocols) TBD
Miles McBride (protocols) TBD
Derrick Rose (ankle) OUT
RJ Barrett (conditioning) questionable
Rose is done for at least eight weeks. Noel and McBride look like they’ll be out Saturday but the Knicks did get some good news with RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin back in the mix. Barrett missed Thursday’s game due to rest, so his conditioning will be something to monitor for the Knicks. The Duke product is officially listed as questionable.
Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Josh Richardson (protocols) TBD
Grant Williams (protocols) TBD
Enes Freedom (protocols) TBD
Romeo Langford (protocols) questionable
Marcus Smart (hip) questionable
Aaron Nesmith (protocols) TBD
Al Horford (protocols) questionable
Boston has some COVID issues, but the players sidelined are rotation guys rather than the team’s superstars. Williams and Freedom do make the Celtics vulnerable in the frontcourt, while Richardson is a competent perimeter player on both ends of the floor. Smart would be a big loss if he doesn’t play through his hip injury, especially on defense.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (conditioning) Expected to play
Bobby Portis (protocols), expected to clear protocols
Wes Matthews (protocols) TBD
Donte DiVincenzo (protocols) questionable
The big question is whether Antetokounmpo will be able to play in this game. The Finals MVP is done with his quarantine period on Christmas Day and has cleared the league’s protocols, but his conditioning is now the question. Portis and Matthews are rotation players but the Bucks have dealt with absences well so far this season and should be okay for this game as well. The former is expected to clear protocols for Saturday’s game.
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns
Andrew Wiggins (protocols) TBD
Jordan Poole (protocols) TBD
Andre Iguodala (knee) questionable
Damion Lee (protocols) TBD
Moses Moody (protocos) OUT
Wiggins and Poole are starters in Golden State’s championship-caliber rotation, while Lee is a useful rotation guy. It doesn’t seem like any player will be ready for this game, which means the Warriors will be undermanned against a Suns team at full strength.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant (protocols) OUT
LaMarcus Aldridge (protocols) OUT
Cam Thomas (protocols) OUT
Kyrie Irving (protocols) OUT
The Nets did get James Harden back for Christmas Day, so that’s a positive. However, it doesn’t look like Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving will be back for the showcase game against the Lakers. The Nets have seen a huge chunk of their rotation out with the COVID outbreak but at least they get one star back out of three.
LeBron James (abdominal) probable
Malik Monk (protocols) TBD
Avery Bradley (protocols) TBD
Austin Reaves (protocols) TBD
Kent Bazemore (protocols) TBD
Trevor Ariza (protocols) TBD
James is going to play, as he’s suited up in every game since his return despite this designation. Monk, Reaves and Bradley are rotation players the Lakers would like to have but they can survive without them. The big loss will be Davis, who is out with a MCL injury.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz
Luka Doncic (protocols) OUT
Kristaps Porzingis (toe) questionable
Maxi Kleber (protocols) TBD
Tim Hardaway Jr. (protocols) TBD
Doncic is listed as out, which is a massive setback for the Mavericks. Porzingis is questionable to play with a toe injury and if he’s ruled out, Dallas will be severely shorthanded in this contest. This could be a rough showing against a strong Utah team if both stars sit out.
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