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Welcome to RotoBaller's weekly injury room report. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, but we have you covered when the injury bug bites.
We'll discuss who is on the mend and who will benefit from the player's absence. The next up-and-coming gem could be waiting on the waiver wire ready for your claim.
Let's look at some of the important injuries around the league right now as we head into Week 5 of the fantasy basketball season.
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Short-Term NBA Injuries
Malcolm Brogdon, PG, Indiana Pacers - back spasms
Brogdon (back) left Friday's game with the back issue and has missed two games since. Aaron Holiday filled in the next night and struggled with 11 points on 5-for-18 shooting. Holiday did accrue five assists, four rebounds and three steals. He doesn't have the kind of ceiling that is worth the waiver claim for what should be a short absence. The Pacers don't play again until Saturday, and Brogdon could be back by then.
Brandon Ingram, SF, New Orleans Pelicans - right knee soreness
Ingram's (knee) breakout season has been interrupted by knee soreness, and he has missed four straight games. He's iffy for Tuesday's game, and the team hits the road for games Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It's unlikely he'd play in the back-to-back, but it's possible he could return sometime this week. Rookie guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker broke out over the weekend averaging 23 points, 4.5 boards and 3.5 dimes while knocking down 11 three-pointers in two games. He deserves the pickup because the team has so many injuries, and the 2019 first-round pick could continue to flourish.
Kyrie Irving, PG, Brooklyn Nets - right shoulder impingement
The Nets are thin in the backcourt with Irving (shoulder) missing his second straight game Monday, and guard Caris Levert (thumb) is also out a month. Shooting guard Joe Harris has become the second option on offense with Irving out, and he dropped 22 points, eight dimes and four boards against the Chicago Bulls over the weekend. Harris is a fringe guard to own for points and threes, but he is worth streaming until Irving gets back. The team has gotten off to a poor start, and they may not rush him back.
D'Angelo Russell, PG, Golden State Warriors - sprained right thumb
The Warriors have been snakebitten by injuries, and "D'Lo" is the latest victim. He'll be out at least two weeks with a sprained thumb. Alec Burks moved into the starting lineup, but rookie Ky Bowman showed out with 19 points in 28 minutes off the bench Sunday. With fellow rookie Jordan Poole shooting a horrific 26 percent from the floor, Bowman will see ample opportunities in the offense. Bowman should be picked up everywhere.
Mid-Term NBA Injuries
Justise Winslow, SF, Miami Heat - concussion
Winslow (concussion) was unable to practice Monday and remains in the concussion protocol. Rookie Duncan Robinson has been starting in his place, and he has scored in double figures in three straight games. Robinson is shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range, and he can contribute there and in points, but he doesn't do much else. If you're in need of a short-term sniper, he could serve you well. However, three-pointers aren't that hard to find anymore.
Long-Term NBA Injuries
De'Aaron Fox, PG, Sacramento Kings - left ankle sprain
The third-year man was averaging a career-high 18.2 points per game before he went down with a Grade 3 ankle sprain, which essentially means torn ligaments. He'll be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, but he's likely to miss at least six weeks. Cory Joseph has supplanted Fox in the starting lineup, but shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has benefitted the most. He's averaging 18.3 points, 8.3 assists, three boards and 2.7 steals in three games since Fox went down. If he's lingering on waivers, he needs to be owned immediately.
