Daily NBA Injury Report and Analysis for Today, January 9
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
The biggest NBA injury storyline on Friday’s slate is the cluster of star-level absences and true game-time decisions that can swing both sides and totals. The Oklahoma City Thunder are listed without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren; the Denver Nuggets remain without Nikola Jokic; and the Los Angeles Clippers have Kawhi Leonard as day-to-day, with a massive on-off team split.
Across the ten games provided, the most impactful situations are concentrated in a handful of matchups: Clippers-Nets (Leonard), Thunder-Grizzlies (multiple Oklahoma City starters out), Hawks-Nuggets (Denver’s Jokic absence plus multiple day-to-day starters), and Rockets-Trail Blazers (Houston without Alperen Sengun). Bettors should be prepared for late movement tied to day-to-day tags.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic
Orlando is shorthanded on the perimeter with Jalen Suggs out and Franz Wagner out, which matters against a Philadelphia team that can pressure the point of attack through Tyrese Maxey’s usage. The Magic are 13-9 this season with Suggs (59.1%) versus 7-8 without him (46.7%), a meaningful drop that shows up in net rating as well (2.7 with, -3.3 without).
Philadelphia’s key variable is Joel Embiid (day-to-day). The 76ers are 10-8 with Embiid (55.6%) and 10-6 without him (62.5%) this season, so the market should be careful about overreacting to his tag from a pure win-rate standpoint. The bigger impact is stylistic: if Embiid sits, Philadelphia’s offense is even more Maxey-centric, which can raise volatility and increase Orlando’s chances to keep pace if Paolo Banchero controls the half-court.
Toronto Raptors @ Boston Celtics
Boston continues without Jayson Tatum, and the Celtics have still held a 23-13 record overall with a 7.0 net rating. Toronto’s side is where the market sensitivity sits: Brandon Ingram is day-to-day with a HIGH impact level, and Jakob Poeltl is out. Poeltl’s absence has been a clear downgrade this season, with Toronto 13-8 with him (61.9%) versus 10-7 without him (58.8%), plus a net rating drop from 3.0 to 1.1.
If Ingram also sits, Toronto’s shot creation burden shifts heavily to RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and the Raptors’ margin for error shrinks against Boston’s defense (110.6 opponent points per game). With Tatum already out, this game can become a pricing battle between Toronto’s potential missing primary scorer and Boston’s ability to generate enough offense through Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
New Orleans Pelicans @ Washington Wizards
This game has a major news hook with reports that Trae Young was traded to the Wizards, and he is listed out in Washington’s injury section. With no usable Wizards splits for Young in this dataset, the actionable angle is New Orleans’ availability: Jose Alvarado is out (HIGH), Dejounte Murray is out, and both Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III are day-to-day with HIGH impact.
New Orleans has been in free fall (8-31, 0-5 in the last five), and the on-off splits for Jones and Murphy are extreme over the previous five: the Pelicans are 4-1 with Jones versus 0-5 without, and 0-5 without Murphy as well. If either sits again, New Orleans’ perimeter defense and spacing take another hit, which is precisely what Washington needs to stabilize an offense that has struggled overall (113.5 points per game, 124.2 allowed).
Los Angeles Clippers @ Brooklyn Nets
Kawhi Leonard is the slate’s most crucial day-to-day tag. The Clippers are 11-14 with Leonard (44.0%) versus 2-8 without him (20.0%) this season, with a net rating swing from 0.2 to -7.2. That is the kind of split that can move a spread multiple points, especially against a Brooklyn team that is already thin if Michael Porter Jr. (day-to-day, HIGH) cannot go.
If Leonard plays, the Clippers’ half-court offense has a reliable release valve next to James Harden, and the defense is more stable at the point of attack. If he sits, the Clippers’ scoring burden concentrates on Harden and Ivica Zubac, and Brooklyn’s path to an upset improves even if Porter is limited.
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies
Oklahoma City is listed without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, and Jaylin Williams, which is an enormous chunk of creation, rim protection, and frontcourt depth. The Thunder’s season splits in this dataset show 30-7 with Gilgeous-Alexander (81.1%) and 1-0 without, and 27-6 with Holmgren (81.8%) versus 4-1 without. The one-game and five-game samples without these players are not enough to treat as predictive, but the sheer volume of absences forces a different team identity.
Memphis is also missing its lead guard with Ja Morant out, and the Grizzlies are 6-12 with Morant (33.3%) versus 10-9 without him (52.6%) this season. That split suggests Memphis has been more functional in its current structure without Morant, but the matchup question is whether the Grizzlies can punish Oklahoma City’s depleted interior. With Zach Edey also out for Memphis, the Grizzlies’ ability to dominate the glass is less certain, which could keep Oklahoma City’s patchwork frontcourt from being overwhelmed.
Atlanta Hawks @ Denver Nuggets
Denver remains without Nikola Jokic (HIGH) and Jonas Valanciunas (CRITICAL), and the Nuggets also have multiple day-to-day starters: Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun. Jokic’s absence has not cratered Denver’s record in this dataset (22-10 with him, 3-2 without), but the net rating does dip from 7.2 to -1.8, which is the more important signal for spread and total pricing.
If Murray and Gordon are limited or sit, Denver’s offense becomes far more dependent on secondary creation and transition, and Atlanta can keep the game in a higher-variance band. The Hawks’ injury list here is light, but note the dataset includes non-Hawks entries in Atlanta’s injury section, so bettors should focus on what is clearly tied to Atlanta: N’Faly Dante is out and does not project as a major driver.
New York Knicks @ Phoenix Suns
New York is without Josh Hart (HIGH), a key connector who impacts rebounding and transition defense. The Knicks are 19-9 with Hart (67.9%) versus 5-4 without him (55.6%) this season, with a net rating drop from 7.1 to -3.0. That is a significant swing for a role player and can show up in second-chance points and lineup stability.
Phoenix is without Jalen Green, but the dataset does not provide meaningful with- and without-splits for him due to limited games. The practical impact is that Devin Booker’s on-ball workload stays elevated, and Phoenix’s rotation leans more heavily on Collin Gillespie and wing defense to contain Jalen Brunson.
Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors
Sacramento is without Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray, and the Kings have been one of the league’s weakest teams overall (8-29, -11.7 net rating). With Sabonis out, Sacramento loses its primary hub and a significant rebounding edge, which is challenging to replace against Golden State’s switching and pace control.
Golden State’s only notable tag is Gary Payton II (day-to-day, HIGH). The Warriors are 16-12 with Payton (57.1%) versus 4-6 without him (40.0%) this season, and his availability matters most for perimeter defense against Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
Houston Rockets @ Portland Trail Blazers
Houston is without Alperen Sengun, and the Rockets are still strong in the standings (22-12) with an 8.1 net rating. The split provided is modest: 18-9 with Sengun (66.7%) versus 4-3 without (57.1%), with net rating moving from 9.3 to 3.7. That is still a meaningful downgrade, especially for half-court offense and playmaking from the center spot.
Portland is missing multiple guards and wings, including Jrue Holiday (out) and Jerami Grant (out). The Blazers have been competitive recently (4-1 over the last five), but their absences have reduced their lineup flexibility against a Houston team that can switch and pressure ball-handlers.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Milwaukee Bucks
Los Angeles has LeBron James listed day-to-day, with Austin Reaves out and Rui Hachimura out. The Lakers’ record with James is 11-6, and the record without him is also 11-6 in this dataset, so the betting impact is less about win rate and more about how the offense is organized. If James sits, Luka Doncic’s creation load rises even further, and the Lakers can become more three-point dependent around him.
Milwaukee’s only listed absence is Taurean Prince (HIGH), and the Bucks are 5-3 with him versus 11-18 without him this season. That split suggests his role has mattered for lineup balance. However, the matchup still centers on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ability to pressure the rim against Deandre Ayton and the Lakers’ help defense.
Statistical Impact Analysis
The largest season-long win-rate splits on the slate belong to Kawhi Leonard (Clippers 44.0% with, 20.0% without) and Josh Hart (Knicks 67.9% with, 55.6% without, plus a net rating swing from 7.1 to -3.0). Orlando’s drop without Jalen Suggs (59.1% with, 46.7% without) is also notable because it directly affects their ability to defend elite guards.
For totals, keep an eye on games where the missing player changes team identity more than raw scoring, especially Knicks-Suns (Hart’s rebounding and transition impact) and Thunder-Grizzlies (Oklahoma City’s missing frontcourt and primary creator).
Betting and Fantasy Implications
The market’s biggest late-move candidates are Clippers-Nets (Kawhi Leonard) and Raptors-Celtics (Brandon Ingram). In fantasy, the cleanest opportunity is usage consolidation: if Leonard sits, James Harden’s assist and scoring volume becomes more bankable; if Hart is out, New York’s wing minutes and rebounding responsibilities concentrate among the remaining starters.
Players to Monitor (Day-To-Day)
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- Jase Richardson, Orlando Magic
- Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
- Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
- Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans
- Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
- Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
- Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Bruce Brown, Denver Nuggets
- Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets
- Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
- Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
- Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Friday’s slate is defined by a few high-leverage tags that can reshape spreads and totals in minutes, not hours, especially Leonard and Ingram. The most crucial pregame work is confirming who actually suits up in Clippers-Nets and Raptors-Celtics, then reacting quickly before the market fully resets.
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