Week 2 Injury Watch

TEAM INJURIES

Atlanta Hawks Greg Monroe (Calf), Markelle Fultz (Shoulder), DeAndre Bembry (Wrist), Alexis Ajinca (Knee), Justin Patton (Toe),

Still without the same cast of characters as last week, the notables are Monroe and Fultz. Based on the way the Sabonis has played in Week 1, it'll be interesting to see if the starting spot is there for Monroe when he returns. Fultz is due to be reevaluated in a week, but there's still no timetable for his return.

Brooklyn Nets Jabari Parker (Knee), Cameron Payne (Foot), A.J. Hammons (G-League), Larry Nance Jr. (Hand), Danilo Gallinari (Buttocks),

The Nets limped their way to a 1-3 start without the help of Bledsoe and Nance. This week, they'll be getting Bledsoe back which should give them a much needed boost. But now they've got Gallinari with a strained ass, so they're still working with a skeleton crew. And Danilo's absence hurts as he was the team's second leading scorer in week 1, despite coming off the bench.

Boston Celtics Kevin Durant (Thigh)

The Celtics went 3-1 last week and, as expected, Durant let the charge averaging 29 points/8 rebounds/6 assists/2.3 steals/1 block per game. They've got good depth and will slide Derrick Favors into the starting spot for week 2. With a week that includes the Sixers, Bucks, Nets, and the surprising Clippers, this could be a rough one for Boston.

Charlotte Hornets Frank Jackson (Foot), Trevor Booker (Back), Harry Giles (Knees), Kristaps Porzingis (Ankle),

They get Elfrid Payton back, but lose Porzingis, their biggest star. Charlotte went 3-1 in Week 1, primarily on the shoulders of Kristaps who has been outstanding thus far (22pts/10.5rebs/game). Thon Maker isn't a bad replacement as he's averaging over 12 points in 20 minutes of play. But they are definitely depleted at this spot with Porzingis Booker and the rookie Giles out. Things could be shaky for them when the second unit steps in.

Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah (Suspended), Damian Jones (CD),

No significant injuries for the Bulls and, they're actually getting a couple (inconsequential) guys back. Chicago has managed to avoid the fouling out bug that has affected a lot of big men on other teams, so hopefully that trend will continue. But this week may prove to be a challenge. They'll be facing Valanciunas (Orl) and Towns (Mil), who are #1 and 5, respectively, in free throw attempts, so they're getting to the line a lot. Not having Noah as a backup center could stretch the Bulls pretty thin this week.

Cleveland Cavaliers Malcolm Delaney (Ankle), Milos Teodosic (Foot),

The Cavs get MCW and Bogut back this week though, knowing Bogut, he should be going down for the season any day now. But while they've got him, Cleveland can look forward to a pretty healthy week. They'll be without Delaney for one more week and it's still unknown how long they'll be without Milos. With MCW back, Lebron will slide back to his usual spot at SF, but with them facing Kemba Walker, Ben Simmons and Damian Lillard next week, they may be wishing they had James covering those guys.

Dallas Mavericks The Mavs are completely healthy again. Thus far, they've been capitalizing on this with just one loss - a nailbiter with last year's finalist Knicks. But so far so good. This week, they'll be facing Utah, New Orleans, Brooklyn and Toronto. So they can probably count on another positive week.

Denver Nuggets Troy Williams (G-League), JaMychal Green (Ankle),

While Green is an important player off the bench, it would be a bit of a reach to claim that their disappointing first week is due to his absence alone. But this week has thrown a lot of teams off. The roster remains the same, but it wouldn't be surprising if the Nuggets decide to make some strategic changes this week that will hopefully turn things around.

Detroit Pistons Tyler Lydon (G-League), Bruno Caboclo (CD), Jerryd Bayless (Wrist),

Caboclo's a non-factor, but Bayless is a consistent contributor as a backup guard. This week, there will be a number of roster changes, however. New acquisition Ryan Anderson will step into the starting PF spot, and DeAaron Fox will now be getting the nod as starting PG. Simmons will then move from PG to SF. Where things may get a little shaky, particularly with Bayless out, is that the backup guard spots will be filled by Wesley Johnson and Kay Felder.

Golden State Warriors Jon Leuer (Ankle), Nicolas Batum (Elbow), Joffrey Lauvergne (Ankle), Al-Farouq Aminu (Ankle),

The same group remains out this week which, on the surface, would seem pretty discouraging. Except for the fact that Warriors are currently tied atop the Western conference despite missing four fairly important players. They will, however, have to face the Thunder, Knicks, Lakers, and the surprising Heat this week. So it seems unlikely that they'll be able to have another 3-1 week. But they way the first week has gone, anything's possible.

Houston Rockets Isaiah Thomas (Hip)

The Rockets get Kuzminskas back, but Isaiah Thomas remains out. No longer the subject of trade rumors, Thomas can continue to watch from the sidelines without having to worry about whether he'll need to be packing up his locker. Houston will be trying a number of tweaks to their roster to hopefully get a few more games into the win column. It remains to be seen whether Mindaugas will be factoring in to their current plans, though.

Indiana Pacers Carrick Felix (Waived in NBA), Sheldon Mac (Achilles), Tony Parker (Quadriceps), Steven Adams (Calf)

Adams is a big addition to the injury list. He's their 3rd leading scorer and second leading rebounder. Without Adams at Center, they're going to have a couple particularly tough challenges with Orlando (the aforementioned Valanciunas) and Oklahoma City (Jokic). With Portland as the only sub-.500 team on their schedule for week 2, it seems possible that the Pacers may face another 1-3 week.

LA Clippers Tristan Thompson (Calf)

The Clippers get MKG back but may not even need him, based on how well they've performed in week 1. With Aaron Gordon starting and rookie Josh Jackson backing him up, they're pretty well stocked at SF. And after a 3-1 week, no sense in shaking things up now.

LA Lakers Ersan Ilyasova (Knee), Rodney McGruder (Leg), Meyers Leonard (Ankle)

The same group is out for another week, but the Lakers went 2-2 without them. They do have a tough week ahead of them, facing two powerhouses in the champion Spurs and the Thunder. They also will match up against Golden State, who's been looking very strong, and Atlanta who is no longer the pushover they once were.

Memphis Grizzlies Dante Exum (Shoulder), Georgios Papagiannis (CD)

Tyus Jones has filed in pretty well in Exum's absence. He's averaging 12 points and 4 assists per game in 28 minutes of play. They've also been rotating in the rookie, Frank Ntilikina. He's putting up better assist number than Jones, but his shooting thus far has been atrocious. But whatever they're doing, they're doing it right. They had a monster schedule in week 1 - facing San Antonio, Philly, New Orleans, and Brooklyn - and came out 2-2.

Miami Heat Isaiah Canaan (Waived in NBA), D.J. Augustin (Hamstring)

The Heat are again without Augustin, but based on how they performed in Week 1, who cares? Miami is 3-1 and flying high. Redick has been justifying his ungodly salary, leading the team with 21.5 points per game, and currently shooting 49% from 3.

Milwaukee Bucks Zach LaVine (Knee), Jarrett Allen (Foot)

Milwaukee with be getting Miles and Shumpert back this week, which will be a big relief. It's still a while before LaVine will be back on the court but the Bucks still have so much talent, they can easily manage without him.

Minnesota Timberwolves Glenn Robinson III (Ankle), Wayne Selden Jr. (Quadriceps),

The Wolves had a surprisingly challenging first week, playing five games and losing three of them. Is it because GR III was out that they stumbled against Golden State, Boston and Utah? Unlikely, but he did provide them with some depth at the SG spot that they are currently struggling to fill. With him not expected back until possibly the all-star break, we'll see if they decide to make a move to fill that hole.

New Orleans Pelicans Khem Birch (G-League), Chinanu Onuaku (G-League), Miles Plumlee (Quadriceps), Wesley Iwundu (G-League)

One more guy added to the G-League list as Iwundu also makes his way down. None of these guys are very consequential, obviously. But it is limiting their bench options. If they lose more guys to the G-League, they'll need to start making some moves to replenish their roster.

New York Knicks Ben McLemore (Toe), Josh Smith (Waived in NBA), Luc Mbah a Moute (Knee),

New York was one of the big surprises in week 1, going 1-3, and dropping games to Miami, Sacramento and Detroit. They do get Portis back, but they lose Luc Mbah a Moute and Josh Smith. Neither of those guys move the needle much. But the Knicks are probably frantically testing every possible roster combination to see what will get them back on top of the Eastern Conference where they belong.

Oklahoma City Thunder Nikola Mirotic (Face), Juan Hernangomez (Illness), Nik Stauskas (Ankle)

One more addition to the injury list for the Thunder. Stauskas will be sitting out, though his absence won't likely be missed. Patrick McCaw will instead fill the floor time for the few minutes that Paul George rests.

Orlando Magic Sterling Brown (G-League), Derrick White (Wrist)

Currently, the Magic sit atop the Eastern Conference as the only undefeated team in the entire league. But with Derrick White out, look for the wheels to fall off completely. Just kidding. If the wheels fall off, it won't be due to White's absence. As long as Valanciunas continues to dominate everyone that gets in his way, the Magic should be a tough contender for anyone.

Philadelphia 76ers Julyan Stone (Hamstring), Kawhi Leonard (Quadriceps), Mike Muscala (Ankle),

In his absence, Kawhi has made a very strong case for league MVP. Going back to last season when he went down in the playoffs, the Sixers are a shell of their normal selves without him. They are (shockingly) 1-3 after week 1, and they may not fare much better in week two as they'll be matching up against, Boston (again), Chicago, Cleveland, and Houston. Conventional wisdom suggests they will turn it around, but the new 2k is leaving many teams scratching their heads and struggling to adjust.

Phoenix Suns Davon Reed (Knee), Gordon Hayward (Ankle), Treveon Graham (Thigh), Al Horford (Concussion)

Phoenix had a rough week, and it's about to get rougher. The preseason blow of losing Hayward hurt a lot. Davon Reed and Treveon Graham aren't much to worry about, but having to make due without Horford will be a tough blow to overcome. They don't have a win yet and, without Horford and Hayward, it would be remarkable if they can get one in week 2.

Portland Trail Blazers Brandon Knight (Knee), Thomas Bryant (G-League)

Nothing new for Portland, as they continue to make their climb out of the league's cellar. They got a couple good wins last week against Houston and Chicago and may have a shot at a win or two next week.

San Antonio Spurs Alan Williams (Knee), Stanley Johnson (Hip), Patrick Beverley (Knee)

The Spurs get Conley back after a week out and had to start Patrick Beverley in his place. And now in week 2, Beverley will be the one to sit. The Spurs are probably happy to take that trade, but they'd undoubtedly like to see them both healthy to continue their quest for a repeat. It doesn't look like they're struggling too much, after going 3-1 in the first week and have a chance to sweep week 2, though they do have an exciting rematch of the finals this week, and having a healthy backup PG would come in handy for that.

Sacramento Kings David Nwaba (Ankle), Tyler Zeller (Illness),

They were injury-free in week 1 and are effectively injury-free in week 2. Nwaba didn't see any minutes in week 1 and Zeller got to step on the court for 3 minutes of garbage time. They won't be missed and Sacramento should have another good week. Though watch out for OKC and Orlando.

Toronto Raptors Rajon Rondo (Hernia), Solomon Hill (Hamstring), Tyson Chandler (Back), Ivan Rabb (CD),

The Raptors struggled last week with a healthy Tyson Chandler. So don't expect this week to be much different until Rondo is back on the court, which still looks to be a couple weeks away. Now this gives Toronto an opportunity to see how Hernangomez does as a starter.

Utah Jazz Chris Paul (Knee), Derrick Rose (Ankle), Vince Carter (Illness),

We all knew we'd see Derrick Rose here. It was just a matter of when, and for how long. But this is a tough blow for the Jazz who were already without Chris Paul. In addition, Vince Carter will also be recuperating from kidney stones. Carter was starting last week, so the Jazz are going to have to get by with 3 core players sidelined. Fortunately for Utah, they've got a bit of a lighter schedule than the brutal lineup they faced in week one.

Washington Wizards Seth Curry (Leg), Joe Johnson (Wrist), Jeremy Lin (Knee)

Unfortunately, it was only Kyle Singler that the Wizards will be getting back for week two. Curry and Johnson both have at least another week out though there isn't a definitive timetable for either of their returns. Projections suggest they could be back in a week, but it may be more. The Wizards desperately need both of them back as they're struggling to get into the win column, and they need all the help they can get.

TEAM	INJURIES
	Greg Monroe (Calf), Markelle Fultz (Shoulder), DeAndre Bembry (Wrist), Alexis Ajinca (Knee), Justin Patton (Toe), Still without the same cast of characters as last week, the notables are Monroe and Fultz. Based on the way the Sabonis has played in Week 1, it'll be interesting to see if the starting spot is there for Monroe when he returns. Fultz is due to be reevaluated in a week, but there's still no timetable for his return.
	Jabari Parker (Knee), Cameron Payne (Foot), A.J. Hammons (G-League), Larry Nance Jr. (Hand), Danilo Gallinari (Buttocks), The Nets limped their way to a 1-3 start without the help of Bledsoe and Nance. This week, they'll be getting Bledsoe back which should give them a much needed boost. But now they've got Gallinari with a strained ass, so they're still working with a skeleton crew. And Danilo's absence hurts as he was the team's second leading scorer in week 1, despite coming off the bench.
	Kevin Durant (Thigh) The Celtics went 3-1 last week and, as expected, Durant let the charge averaging 29 points/8 rebounds/6 assists/2.3 steals/1 block per game. They've got good depth and will slide Derrick Favors into the starting spot for week 2. With a week that includes the Sixers, Bucks, Nets, and the surprising Clippers, this could be a rough one for Boston.
	Frank Jackson (Foot), Trevor Booker (Back), Harry Giles (Knees), Kristaps Porzingis (Ankle), They get Elfrid Payton back, but lose Porzingis, their biggest star. Charlotte went 3-1 in Week 1, primarily on the shoulders of Kristaps who has been outstanding thus far (22pts/10.5rebs/game). Thon Maker isn't a bad replacement as he's averaging over 12 points in 20 minutes of play. But they are definitely depleted at this spot with Porzingis Booker and the rookie Giles out. Things could be shaky for them when the second unit steps in.
	Joakim Noah (Suspended), Damian Jones (CD), No significant injuries for the Bulls and, they're actually getting a couple (inconsequential) guys back. Chicago has managed to avoid the fouling out bug that has affected a lot of big men on other teams, so hopefully that trend will continue. But this week may prove to be a challenge. They'll be facing Valanciunas (Orl) and Towns (Mil), who are #1 and 5, respectively, in free throw attempts, so they're getting to the line a lot. Not having Noah as a backup center could stretch the Bulls pretty thin this week.
	Malcolm Delaney (Ankle), Milos Teodosic (Foot), The Cavs get MCW and Bogut back this week though, knowing Bogut, he should be going down for the season any day now. But while they've got him, Cleveland can look forward to a pretty healthy week. They'll be without Delaney for one more week and it's still unknown how long they'll be without Milos. With MCW back, Lebron will slide back to his usual spot at SF, but with them facing Kemba Walker, Ben Simmons and Damian Lillard next week, they may be wishing they had James covering those guys.
	The Mavs are completely healthy again. Thus far, they've been capitalizing on this with just one loss - a nailbiter with last year's finalist Knicks. But so far so good. This week, they'll be facing Utah, New Orleans, Brooklyn and Toronto. So they can probably count on another positive week.
	Troy Williams (G-League), JaMychal Green (Ankle), While Green is an important player off the bench, it would be a bit of a reach to claim that their disappointing first week is due to his absence alone. But this week has thrown a lot of teams off. The roster remains the same, but it wouldn't be surprising if the Nuggets decide to make some strategic changes this week that will hopefully turn things around.
	Tyler Lydon (G-League), Bruno Caboclo (CD), Jerryd Bayless (Wrist), Caboclo's a non-factor, but Bayless is a consistent contributor as a backup guard. This week, there will be a number of roster changes, however. New acquisition Ryan Anderson will step into the starting PF spot, and DeAaron Fox will now be getting the nod as starting PG. Simmons will then move from PG to SF. Where things may get a little shaky, particularly with Bayless out, is that the backup guard spots will be filled by Wesley Johnson and Kay Felder.
	Jon Leuer (Ankle), Nicolas Batum (Elbow), Joffrey Lauvergne (Ankle), Al-Farouq Aminu (Ankle), The same group remains out this week which, on the surface, would seem pretty discouraging. Except for the fact that Warriors are currently tied atop the Western conference despite missing four fairly important players. They will, however, have to face the Thunder, Knicks, Lakers, and the surprising Heat this week. So it seems unlikely that they'll be able to have another 3-1 week. But they way the first week has gone, anything's possible.
	Isaiah Thomas (Hip) The Rockets get Kuzminskas back, but Isaiah Thomas remains out. No longer the subject of trade rumors, Thomas can continue to watch from the sidelines without having to worry about whether he'll need to be packing up his locker. Houston will be trying a number of tweaks to their roster to hopefully get a few more games into the win column. It remains to be seen whether Mindaugas will be factoring in to their current plans, though.
	Carrick Felix (Waived in NBA), Sheldon Mac (Achilles), Tony Parker (Quadriceps), Steven Adams (Calf) Adams is a big addition to the injury list. He's their 3rd leading scorer and second leading rebounder. Without Adams at Center, they're going to have a couple particularly tough challenges with Orlando (the aforementioned Valanciunas) and Oklahoma City (Jokic). With Portland as the only sub-.500 team on their schedule for week 2, it seems possible that the Pacers may face another 1-3 week.
	Tristan Thompson (Calf) The Clippers get MKG back but may not even need him, based on how well they've performed in week 1. With Aaron Gordon starting and rookie Josh Jackson backing him up, they're pretty well stocked at SF. And after a 3-1 week, no sense in shaking things up now.
	Ersan Ilyasova (Knee), Rodney McGruder (Leg), Meyers Leonard (Ankle) The same group is out for another week, but the Lakers went 2-2 without them. They do have a tough week ahead of them, facing two powerhouses in the champion Spurs and the Thunder. They also will match up against Golden State, who's been looking very strong, and Atlanta who is no longer the pushover they once were.
	Dante Exum (Shoulder), Georgios Papagiannis (CD) Tyus Jones has filed in pretty well in Exum's absence. He's averaging 12 points and 4 assists per game in 28 minutes of play. They've also been rotating in the rookie, Frank Ntilikina. He's putting up better assist number than Jones, but his shooting thus far has been atrocious. But whatever they're doing, they're doing it right. They had a monster schedule in week 1 - facing San Antonio, Philly, New Orleans, and Brooklyn - and came out 2-2.
	Isaiah Canaan (Waived in NBA), D.J. Augustin (Hamstring) The Heat are again without Augustin, but based on how they performed in Week 1, who cares? Miami is 3-1 and flying high. Redick has been justifying his ungodly salary, leading the team with 21.5 points per game, and currently shooting 49% from 3.
	Zach LaVine (Knee), Jarrett Allen (Foot) Milwaukee with be getting Miles and Shumpert back this week, which will be a big relief. It's still a while before LaVine will be back on the court but the Bucks still have so much talent, they can easily manage without him.
	Glenn Robinson III (Ankle), Wayne Selden Jr. (Quadriceps), The Wolves had a surprisingly challenging first week, playing five games and losing three of them. Is it because GR III was out that they stumbled against Golden State, Boston and Utah? Unlikely, but he did provide them with some depth at the SG spot that they are currently struggling to fill. With him not expected back until possibly the all-star break, we'll see if they decide to make a move to fill that hole.
	Khem Birch (G-League), Chinanu Onuaku (G-League), Miles Plumlee (Quadriceps), Wesley Iwundu (G-League) One more guy added to the G-League list as Iwundu also makes his way down. None of these guys are very consequential, obviously. But it is limiting their bench options. If they lose more guys to the G-League, they'll need to start making some moves to replenish their roster.
	Ben McLemore (Toe), Josh Smith (Waived in NBA), Luc Mbah a Moute (Knee), New York was one of the big surprises in week 1, going 1-3, and dropping games to Miami, Sacramento and Detroit. They do get Portis back, but they lose Luc Mbah a Moute and Josh Smith. Neither of those guys move the needle much. But the Knicks are probably frantically testing every possible roster combination to see what will get them back on top of the Eastern Conference where they belong.
	Nikola Mirotic (Face), Juan Hernangomez (Illness), Nik Stauskas (Ankle) One more addition to the injury list for the Thunder. Stauskas will be sitting out, though his absence won't likely be missed. Patrick McCaw will instead fill the floor time for the few minutes that Paul George rests.
	Sterling Brown (G-League), Derrick White (Wrist) Currently, the Magic sit atop the Eastern Conference as the only undefeated team in the entire league. But with Derrick White out, look for the wheels to fall off completely. Just kidding. If the wheels fall off, it won't be due to White's absence. As long as Valanciunas continues to dominate everyone that gets in his way, the Magic should be a tough contender for anyone.
	Julyan Stone (Hamstring), Kawhi Leonard (Quadriceps), Mike Muscala (Ankle), In his absence, Kawhi has made a very strong case for league MVP. Going back to last season when he went down in the playoffs, the Sixers are a shell of their normal selves without him. They are (shockingly) 1-3 after week 1, and they may not fare much better in week two as they'll be matching up against, Boston (again), Chicago, Cleveland, and Houston. Conventional wisdom suggests they will turn it around, but the new 2k is leaving many teams scratching their heads and struggling to adjust.
	Davon Reed (Knee), Gordon Hayward (Ankle), Treveon Graham (Thigh), Al Horford (Concussion) Phoenix had a rough week, and it's about to get rougher. The preseason blow of losing Hayward hurt a lot. Davon Reed and Treveon Graham aren't much to worry about, but having to make due without Horford will be a tough blow to overcome. They don't have a win yet and, without Horford and Hayward, it would be remarkable if they can get one in week 2.
	Brandon Knight (Knee), Thomas Bryant (G-League) Nothing new for Portland, as they continue to make their climb out of the league's cellar. They got a couple good wins last week against Houston and Chicago and may have a shot at a win or two next week.
	Alan Williams (Knee), Stanley Johnson (Hip), Patrick Beverley (Knee) The Spurs get Conley back after a week out and had to start Patrick Beverley in his place. And now in week 2, Beverley will be the one to sit. The Spurs are probably happy to take that trade, but they'd undoubtedly like to see them both healthy to continue their quest for a repeat. It doesn't look like they're struggling too much, after going 3-1 in the first week and have a chance to sweep week 2, though they do have an exciting rematch of the finals this week, and having a healthy backup PG would come in handy for that.
	David Nwaba (Ankle), Tyler Zeller (Illness), They were injury-free in week 1 and are effectively injury-free in week 2. Nwaba didn't see any minutes in week 1 and Zeller got to step on the court for 3 minutes of garbage time. They won't be missed and Sacramento should have another good week. Though watch out for OKC and Orlando.
	Rajon Rondo (Hernia), Solomon Hill (Hamstring), Tyson Chandler (Back), Ivan Rabb (CD), The Raptors struggled last week with a healthy Tyson Chandler. So don't expect this week to be much different until Rondo is back on the court, which still looks to be a couple weeks away. Now this gives Toronto an opportunity to see how Hernangomez does as a starter.
	Chris Paul (Knee), Derrick Rose (Ankle), Vince Carter (Illness), We all knew we'd see Derrick Rose here. It was just a matter of when, and for how long. But this is a tough blow for the Jazz who were already without Chris Paul. In addition, Vince Carter will also be recuperating from kidney stones. Carter was starting last week, so the Jazz are going to have to get by with 3 core players sidelined. Fortunately for Utah, they've got a bit of a lighter schedule than the brutal lineup they faced in week one.
	Seth Curry (Leg), Joe Johnson (Wrist), Jeremy Lin (Knee) Unfortunately, it was only Kyle Singler that the Wizards will be getting back for week two. Curry and Johnson both have at least another week out though there isn't a definitive timetable for either of their returns. Projections suggest they could be back in a week, but it may be more. The Wizards desperately need both of them back as they're struggling to get into the win column, and they need all the help they can get.