Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (elbow) will take the court against the Miami Heat. He sat out of the previous four games due to left elbow tendinitis but will return to the starting lineup for Friday's contest. While there are no reports of any limitations to his playing time, Ayton can usually be counted on for strong production, as he has averaged over 15 points and more than 11 rebounds this season. Duop Reath has been filling in but will return to a backup role.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) is available for Friday's game with the Brooklyn Nets. The 30-year-old has played in 14 consecutive contests and averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 31.1 minutes during that time. The 30-year-old has also registered double-scoring figures in six out of his last seven outings. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Caruso, as he could be helpful in fantasy play for the remainder of the regular season.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (wrist) won't be in the lineup on Friday versus Philadelphia. The team has downgraded LeVert from questionable to out as the 29-year-old battles a sore right wrist. LeVert has struggled badly in the most recent games and having some time off could even be good for him. Donovan Mitchell (nose) will be back on Friday, which will lessen the impact of LeVert's absence. Isaac Okoro and Sam Merrill could play bigger roles off the bench without LeVert, especially with Craig Porter Jr. (illness) also unavailable on Friday.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quadriceps) will miss a second consecutive contest on Friday versus Phoenix. He's been downgraded from doubtful to out, and the team considers Gilgeous-Alexander day-to-day. Cason Wallace picked up his 10th start of the season when Gilgeous-Alexander dropped out of the lineup on Wednesday versus Houston. The rookie had a quiet outing in the role, with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins playing much better off the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander's absence also boosts the fantasy value of Josh Giddey, who had one of the best performances of the season against the Rockets with 31 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

Charlotte Hornets forward/center Davis Bertans (nose) has been upgraded from probable to available for Friday's meeting with Golden State. He will make a 16th consecutive appearance for the struggling Hornets. Bertans had a strong start to the month, but his shot has abandoned him lately, and Bertans likely won't make a big impact off the bench against the Warriors, who typically don't give up a lot of scoring to opposing second units.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Yuta Watanabe (personal) will remain out of the lineup on Saturday against Orlando. He's been absent for personal reasons for quite a while and will miss a 14th consecutive game. Watanabe's absence hasn't had a big impact on Memphis, as the Japanese forward has averaged fewer than 14 minutes per game in 2023-24. His next chance to return comes on Monday in a matchup against the Pistons.

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (shoulder) is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Huerter is expected to be fully healthy and ready to go by the beginning of the 2024-25 season. The 25-year-old first suffered the injury on March 15 against the Memphis Grizzlies and hasn't played since then. Losing one of their better shooters right before the playoffs isn't ideal for the Kings, but Keon Ellis has been playing well in his absence. Ellis should be the top streaming option for the rest of this year.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Derrick Rose (groin) hasn't appeared in a game since February 28 and it looks as though he won't be returning for the rest of the season. According to Damichael Cole, since there are only two weeks remaining in the season and the Grizzlies are already eliminated from playoff contention, Rose is unlikely to take the court again this year. Since he's missed a lot of time, this won't affect that much of the rotation, and a lot of the younger players that have been seeing time will continue to do so. Desmond Bane, Scottie Pippen Jr., and Jake LaRavia should all continue to get more opportunities for the rest of this season.

New York Knicks guard Alec Burks (shoulder) is dealing with a sprained right shoulder and has received a questionable tag ahead of the Friday night game against the San Antonio Spurs. The veteran combo guard has been absent for the last two games and has also seen a very inconsistent role since re-joining the Knicks. His playing time seems to be both matchup-based and based on injuries. That hasn't been a bad thing for the team, but can make fantasy managers' lives difficult when trying to judge a streaming option decision. If he does play, he's not likely to receive as many minutes since most of the rotation is healthy minus OG Anunoby (elbow) and Julius Randle (shoulder).

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (elbow) has been ruled out for the contest against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, which pushes his missed-game streak to six in a row. Anunoby came back from his elbow injury for three games but has since gone back to the sidelines after a flare-up in his elbow. The Knicks threw Anunoby back on the court in a full starting role without limitations when he returned, so it seems he took on too much too early. While he's out, Miles McBride should continue to see more opportunities, while Donte DiVincenzo sees an uptick in value as well.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (knee) will not play in Friday's game against the Miami Heat. This will be the fourth consecutive game he will sit out because of left knee tendinitis. Portland could be very short-handed on Friday, as they have injuries to both their backcourt and frontcourt. His absence has led to increased opportunities for Rayan Rupert and Ashton Hagans. The most significant beneficiary of Simons being sidelined is Dalano Banton, who scored more than 28 points in consecutive games. Fantasy owners will have to monitor Simons' injury status moving forward. The next chance for him to suit up will be Monday when the Trail Blazers play against the Orlando Magic.

Charlotte Hornets forward Davis Bertans (nose) has been tagged as probable for Friday's game against Golden State due to a nose injury. The sharpshooting forward has played in 34 games, averaging 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 steals. He's been playing 13.9 minutes per contest, so it will be fine if he's unable to suit up for the Hornets. Fantasy managers should avoid the 31-year-old across all fantasy formats.

Washington Wizards center Richaun Holmes (toe) will miss Friday's matchup with Detroit. Holmes left Wednesday's contest against the Nets due to a left toe contusion. With Holmes sidelined, Marvin Bagley III will likely be the starting center. In Holmes's absence, forwards Anthony Gill, Patrick Baldwin, and Tristan Vukcevic should see an uptick in minutes on the court. However, these three players will make little of an impact in DFS on Friday.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (Achilles) is questionable for Friday's rematch with the Sacramento Kings. It's common to see Doncic on the injury report. However, his latest ailment, Achilles soreness, has bothered him for weeks. He logged 32 minutes when these clubs met on Tuesday, finishing with 28 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and two steals. The Mavs would love another win over the Kings to widen the gap in the Western Conference standings, meaning Doncic should be in the lineup. But if he doesn't suit up, Kyrie Irving would be a lock for all DFS contests. There would also be room for Dante Exum, P.J. Washington, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to get more involved on the scoring end.

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (elbow) is listed as questionable for Friday's game against the Miami Heat. He continues to battle left elbow tendinitis, so he could potentially miss another game. The 25-year-old last took the court on March 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers. He has sat out the previous four games, which has led to Duop Reath earning more playing time. The Trail Blazers sit near the bottom of the standings and do not have much incentive to rush Ayton back to the court. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday for more information about his playing status.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quadriceps) is doubtful ahead of Friday's showdown with the Suns. He injured his right quad during a recent game against the Utah Jazz but played through it. However, he finally missed a game, sitting out Wednesday's overtime loss to the Houston Rockets. Cason Wallace got the start in his place. Yet, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, combining for 33 points against Houston, will remain popular DFS options if Gilgeous-Alexander is ruled out. OKC is currently the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, so SGH might also sit out a portion of the Thunder's upcoming five-game road trip, which starts on Sunday in New York.

Chicago Bulls guards Alex Caruso (ankle) and Ayo Dosunmu (illness) are probable for Friday's tilt against the Brooklyn Nets. Caruso continues to deal with a sprained left ankle, and Dosunmu is managing an upper respiratory illness, but they are likely to suit up for the Bulls on Friday. Both guards are offering top-50 value in nine-category leagues over the past two weeks of action, with Caruso notching double scoring figures as well as multiple triples and steals in six of his past seven showings and Dosunmu averaging 22.3 points, 5.3 assists, 1.2 swipes, and 2.7 triples across his last six games. They will both be worth deploying against a Nets squad permitting the most three-pointers (3.6) to opposing point guards this season.

Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson (back) has been ruled out for Friday's meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers. Left facet syndrome will cost Robinson a fifth game in a row, with the catch-and-shoot wing's next chance to return coming in Sunday's clash with the Washington Wizards. 2022 first-rounder Nikola Jovic has seen the most noticeable increase in playing time during Robinson's absence, logging 25.4 minutes per contest over his past four games (all starts) with averages of 10.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.5 threes. He's a barely-there streamer during the fantasy semifinals against a Portland squad yielding the fifth-fewest treys per game (11.7).

Brooklyn Nets forward Keita Bates-Diop (shin) will be out for the rest of the year, the team has announced. He has undergone a procedure to address a stress fracture in his right tibia and will need to recover for a month before resuming on-court activities. The Nets finish their regular-season schedule on April 14 against Philadelphia. Bates-Diop has averaged only a handful of minutes across 14 appearances with the Nets since being acquired from Phoenix in February. He missed a second straight game on Wednesday versus Washington.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White isn't listed on the league's official injury report heading toward Thursday's rematch with the Hawks. White wasn't in the lineup when these clubs met on Monday because of a hand issue. Yet, this injury isn't new, so he likely just got the night off to take a breather. Sam Hauser got the start, although he finished with just six points. With Al Horford (toe) and Jrue Holiday (shoulder) questionable for Thursday, there could still be room for Hauser to remain with the first five. Considering Hauser had double-digit scoring performances in five of his previous seven games means he has an excellent chance to bounce back.