Category: Basketball

Victor Wembanyama missed his first game of the season on Sunday due to a sore calf, a condition the Spurs had been playing down (he was wearing a sleeve over his calf postgame, but no walking boot), and the team went out and earned a win over Sacramento without him. San Antonio will need more of that in the next couple of weeks.

An MRI determined that Wembanyama has a strained left calf and the team has listed him as out. Multiple reports have said he is expected to be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks.

Wembanyama has been a force this season on both ends of the court, playing at a level that gets him mentioned in the early MVP conversation. Wembanyama is averaging 26.2 points a game while shooting 34.5% from beyond the arc (but he has lowered his number of attempted 3s and is getting closer to the basket), plus grabbing 12.9 rebounds and dishing out four assists a night. His 3.6 blocked shots a night leads the league.

When Wembanyama is off the court, the Spurs' defense is 10.8 points per 100 possessions worse. Still, thanks to strong guard play, the Spurs still outscore teams by 1.5 per 100 without him.

Expect just returned De'Aaron Fox to have a couple of big weeks carrying the San Antonio offense, he had 28 points and 11 assists on Sunday. Luke Kornet will move into the starting center slot (he had a solid game against the Kings Sunday with 13 points and 11 boards), and veteran big man Kelly Olynyk also should see more run off the bench.

Wembanyama joins No. 2 pick Dylan Harper in street clothes for the Spurs due to a calf strain. In the wake of what happened with Tyrese Haliburton in the Finals last season — when he tried to play through a sore calf and tore his Achilles — and similar injuries, teams are being far more cautious this season with calf strains.

LeBron James went through his first full practice with the Lakers, coming off a couple of practices with the franchise's G-League team, but his status for the Lakers' game Tuesday against the Utah Jazz remains "TBD," as Lakers coach J.J. Redick put it.

"Just trying to get back to where I feel like myself again," LeBron said after practice, via the Associated Press. "Got to see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus."

The Lakers have the front end of a home-and-home with the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. After that, the Lakers are off until Sunday, when they face the Jazz in Salt Lake City, before returning home to face the Clippers in a critical West Group B NBA Cup game, which you can watch on Nov. 25 on NBC and Peacock.

LeBron said he's feeling good.

"My lungs feel like a newborn baby," LeBron said. "That's the most important thing: I've got to get my lungs back up to a grown man. My voice is already gone (from) one day back barking out calls and assignments and stuff. Got to get my voice working again. Be a lot of tea and rest tonight. Feels good to be out here with the guys. Missed them."

LeBron missed all of training camp as well as the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica on his right side. This started back in August, and from the first days, the plan has been for him to take his time and return to the court in mid-November. This week fits that timeline.

Whenever he does set foot on an NBA court this season, LeBron will set a record as the first player ever to reach 23 seasons in the league. Even without LeBron, the Lakers are 10-4 to start the season, led by a top-10 offense sparked by Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level.

San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama missed the team's most recent game with a left calf injury, and he will reportedly miss additional time. On Monday, the team announced that the 7-foot-4 center has been diagnosed with a left calf strain and is expected to be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.

To say that this is a critical blow to the Spurs and to fantasy basketball teams would be an understatement. From a value standpoint, only Denver's Nikola Jokić has been better thus far, with Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander next in line. Where will the Spurs turn to fill the resulting void? And where else can fantasy managers look for reliable value? Let's look at the impact of Wembanyama's absence on fantasy basketball.

Who will replace Wembanyama in the starting lineup?

The answer to this question is straightforward: Luke Kornet (nine percent rostered, Yahoo!). Signed as a free agent this past summer, the 7-foot-2 center started Sunday's win over the Kings and finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and three blocked shots. Kornet won't provide the three-point or assist value that Wemby brings to the table, but he's worth a look for managers needing a high field-goal percentage, rebounds and blocked shots.

Kelly Olynyk (one percent) played 18 minutes off the bench on Sunday but is only worth a look in the off chance the Spurs were to lose Kornet. Bismack Biyombo (less than one percent) is a non-starter in fantasy; he played the final two minutes of Sunday's game due to the result no longer in question.

Who else will Wembanyama’s absence impact?

The entire Spurs rotation will be impacted, albeit to varying degrees. De'Aaron Fox, who made his season debut on November 8 after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injury, is the player who may see his fantasy value increase the most. Over his last two games, Fox has totaled 52 points and 21 assists, shooting 21-of-42 from the field. In his first three appearances, the point guard attempted 14 shots in each.

The key for fantasy managers who have Fox rostered is that his efficiency remains the same as it has been in the last two games. After totaling 10 assists and 12 turnovers in the two games prior, he only committed six turnovers in the next two.

The efficiency is also key for Stephon Castle, who began the season as the starting point guard and continued to serve as a primary playmaker once Fox was cleared to play. However, the reigning Rookie of the Year exited Sunday's game before halftime with a hip injury and did not return. As long as he isn't out for an extended period, Castle (70 percent) stands to receive a bump to his fantasy value with Wembanyama out.

2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Top 200 Rankings: Wemby injured, Jalen Johnson providing value in Atlanta

The Hawks forward has exceeded the expectations of many fantasy managers this season, especially after Trae Young went down.

• Raphielle Johnson,

Suppose Castle were to join Wembanyama on the sideline for an extended period. In that case, Julian Champagnie (three percent) is the most likely replacement, as he filled the resulting void to begin the second half on Sunday. Also, he started the season as a starter due to Fox's absence, averaging 10.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in that role.

Devin Vassell, who has started all 14 games for the Spurs, is another player who could have the ball in his hands a bit more while the team looks to compensate for Wembanyama's absence. He dished out seven assists in Sunday's victory, but the wing's start to the season has been underwhelming from a fantasy standpoint. Injuries are never good, but Vassell's role becoming more critical could serve as a catalyst for him.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced Monday that All-Star point guard Ja Morant will be sidelined for the next two weeks with a Grade 1 calf strain.

Morant suffered the injury in the first quarter of Saturday night's road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had scored seven points in six minutes before being subbed out of the game at the 6:01 mark with Memphis up 18-14 and not re-entering. The team will re-evaluate him in two weeks to determine how quickly he can return to the court.

The injury is another roadblock in what has been a tough start to the season for Morant and the Grizzlies.

Memphis is sitting at 4-10 on the season and has been without forward Brandon Clarke, guard Ty Jerome, guard Scotty Pippen Jr., and center Zach Edey for the entirety of the season up until this weekend. Edey returned for the first time this season in that same Cavaliers game in which Morant got hurt. Morant himself also missed one game with an ankle injury and was suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the teamafter a loss to the Lakers on Halloween.

On one hand, this injury is another misstep in a season that is seeing the two-time All-Star post career lows in field goal percentage (35.9%), three-point shooting percentage (16.7%), effective field goal rate (38.5%), three-pointers made per game (0.8), and rebounds (3.0). He's also posting the lowest scoring mark since his rookie season at just 17.9 points per game.

However, on the other hand, this continues a concerning injury track record for the 26-year-old. He has never played 70 games or more in any of his six NBA seasons coming into this year. Last year, he was limited to 50 games, and the year before that, he played in just nine, in part due to a suspension for gun-related gestures and off-field behavior.

Despite Memphis insisting that they have no interest in trading Morant, the suspension and mounting injuries may force it to behave otherwise. Of course, a mounting injury toll for a player in the third year of a five-year, $197.2 million contract also could dampen any value on the trade market.

For now, the Grizzlies will move forward without Morant for the next two weeks. That should mean additional playing time for Vince Williams Jr., who started for Morant when he was forced to sit last week against the Celtics with an ankle injury. Williams had 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists in that game, and the 25-year-old is averaging 8.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 39.7% from the field in 19.3 minutes per game this season. We should also see a minutes increase for Cam Spencer off the bench and perhaps more of a scoring burden placed on starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and starting small forward Cedric Coward, who has been a lone bright spot for the Grizzlies in his rookie season.

We'll get out first look at how the Grizzlies approach these next two weeks without Morant when they face off against the Spurs on Tuesday at 8 pm ET on NBC and Peacock.

After missing all of training camp and the first dozen games of the season following offseason knee surgery, Paul George is expected to make his return to the court Monday night when the 76ers host the Clippers.

George is officially listed as questionable, however, he is expected to take the court, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. George has been working out on the court for a month and looked good in post-practice work, according to reports, but the 76ers were cautious with the return of the 35-year-old.

George played 41 games in his first season with Philadelphia, largely due to a knee issue, which is why he underwent arthroscopic surgery this past summer. Last season, the six-time All-NBA player averaged 16.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game when he did play. However, the season before, in Los Angeles, he was an All-Star, averaging 22.6 points per game and shooting 41.3% from 3-point range.

While George is set to return, the 76ers are listing Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Adem Bona as out. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal (out for the season), and Derrick Jones Jr. against the 76ers.

For the first time all season, there is a new favorite for MVP! Nikola Jokic has overtaken Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after scoring 32, 35, 55, and 27 points over his last four games. However, Jokic isn't my No. 1 for MVP.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Vaughn Dalzell‘s Week 5 MVP Rankings

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+225)

Points Per Game: 32.6 (3rd)
Assists Per Game: 6.6 (16th)
Rebounds Per Game: 5.1 RPG (T-92nd)

Despite not being the favorite at DraftKings, I still rank Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the top dog in the MVP race. SGA has played 30 or fewer minutes in four of his last five games and seven of the past nine games. Despite playing fewer minutes due to blowing out opponents, SGA has scored 30 or more points in eight of those nine games.

Oklahoma City has the best record in the NBA at 13-1 with a two-point loss as the only blemish. The Thunder are on their second five-game winning streak and play three consecutive opponents that are below .500, so I think there is some value on SGA at +225 to win MVP. His odds will likely go below +200 over the next week and when Jalen Williams comes back, Oklahoma City and SGA can be even better.

2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+200)

Points Per Game: 28.7 (7th)
Rebounds Per Game: 13.0 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 10.9 (1st)

The newest odds leader is on fire in November. Nikola Jokic has torn through the last seven opponents for a 7-0 record as he's averaged 34.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 11.0 assists, and 33.7 minutes per game. Jokic lit up the scoreboard for 55 points in a win over the Clippers, which vaulted Jokic into the top spot for MVP odds.

In November, Jokic is shooting 71.4% from the field, 54.5% from three, and 88% from the free-throw line. In October, Jokic was hitting 59.1% of his field goal attempts, 23.8% of his threes, and 86.4% of his free-throws. Clearly, Jokic has found his shooting form and while the triple-doubles have slowed up (3 in last 10 games), he is dominating on every level.

3. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers (+400)

Points Per Game: 34.4 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 8.9 (19th)
Rebounds Per Game: 8.9 (5th)

Luka Doncic is coming off another monster night of 41 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Bucks (119-95 win). The Lakers are 10-4 and won eight of the past 10 games as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 34.4 points per game, along with top 15 ranks in rebounds (8.9) and assists (8.9).

Doncic has six double-doubles and one triple-double of the season over the second-most minutes per game oh his career (37.1). If Doncic can exceed his career-high minutes pee game of 37.5, there is an avenue to MVP, especially if he leads the league in scoring.

4. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (+750)

Points Per Game: 26.2 (14th)
Rebounds Per Game: 12.9 (2nd)
Blocks Per Game: 3.6 (1st)

Victor Wembanyama moves back up a spot for me after erupting for 38, 31, and 26 points over the last three games. In that span, Wemby recorded two double-doubles, and one triple-double to extend his double-double streak to four games.

Wemby posted a 31-point triple-double with 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a loss to the Warriors. That was his first triple-double of the season and his ninth double-double on the year as the Spurs fell to 9-4 with two consecutive losses to the Warriors. Five of the Spurs next six opponents have winning records, so San Antonio will be put to the test since six of their nine wins have come against teams .500 or below.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (+900)

Points Per Game: 32.6 (2nd)
Rebounds Per Game: 11.3 (6th)
Assists Per Game: 7.1 (13th)

The Giannis Antetokounmpo MVP chatter has started to cool off a bit as his odds have decreased each of the past two weeks, but that's because Milwaukee is 5-5 over the last 10 games. After a 4-1 start, the Bucks have alternated wins and losses over the past 10 games, failing to put together a winning streak or losing streak in that span.

At 8-6, there is no need for urgency, but with the next opponents on the schedule all likely playoff or play-in teams: Cleveland, Philadelphia, Detroit, Portland, Miami, and New York — that time to panic may come sooner than later for the Bucks.

Stock Up

Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets (+8000)

Points Per Game: 23.0 (23rd)
Rebounds Per Game: 10.3 (9th)
Assists Per Game: 7.4 (12th)

Last week it was Cade Cunningham (+3500) who was the biggest riser, the week prior was Tyrese Maxey (+5000) — this week it is Alperen Sengun.

Cunningham and Maxey still have the same odds, while Sengun moved from +15000 to +8000, nearly cutting his odds in half. Sengun has double-doubled in four consecutive games and seven out of the past eight to go along with 20 or more points in six of those games.

The Rockets are 9-1 in the past 10 games, and that is likely the largest reason to why Sengun's odds are on the move. Another would just be his stellar play putting up baby-Jokic numbers of 23.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists, ranking top 25 across the board. Sengun is playing over five more minutes per game this season and it's resulting in his assists jumping from 4.9 to 7.4 and points from 19.1 to 23.0 over 12 games.

Stock Down

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves (+10000)

Points Per Game: 27.3
Rebounds Per Game: 4.6
Assists Per Game: 3.7

Anthony Edwards came back and played six games for Minnesota posting a 4-2 record. Yet, his odds moved from +8000 to +10000 mostly because the four wins came against Utah and Sacramento — two teams combined for 8-19 record.

The two losses came against the Nuggets and Knicks, and he combined for 41 points in those games, so I agree with the movement. In wins this season, Edwards averages 33.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, but in losses, his points drastically drop to 24.0 points, while posting similar assists (5.3) and rebounding (4.7) numbers. Minnesota will need more consistency from Edwards night in and night out if they want to be a top-four seed and if he wants MVP votes.

Follow my plays for the season on X @VmoneySports, Instagram @VmoneySports_ and Action App @vaughndalzell.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.