Philadelphia 76ers point guard Kyle Lowry (knee) is considered questionable for Friday's battle with the Magic. He's in danger of missing a third consecutive game due to a left knee effusion. The veteran has logged 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 28.8 minutes since joining his hometown team. The trio of Cameron Payne, Buddy Hield, and De'Anthony Melton should take care of his minutes on Friday if Lowry can't return. Hield has the most fantasy upside of the three, but he's blown hot and cold in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) carries a questionable tag ahead of Friday's clash with Orlando. The reigning MVP has sat out one game since his return to the lineup, but that was in a back-to-back situation, so it appears likely that Embiid will take the court against the Magic. The big guy has been limited to 30.0 minutes a night since his return, but Embiid has still crushed it by averaging 30.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks. The Magic boast some of the strongest defensive numbers in the league versus centers, but Embiid still went for 36 points the last time he was let loose against them.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (calf) has been added to the injury report with a questionable tag a few hours before tipoff against Portland on Thursday. He's experiencing tightness in his left calf and might have to sit out Thursday's action after playing in 16 consecutive games. Draymond Green (knee) and Klay Thompson (knee) have already been ruled out, so we should see plenty of Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga on Thursday. Moses Moody will also have a chance to step up from the second unit if Payton II can't go.

New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (personal) won't be available on Thursday versus Sacramento. He comes out of the lineup for personal reasons after playing in each of the last 12 games. Nance Jr.'s absence should mean a busy night for Jonas Valanciunas against his fellow Lithuanian big man Domantas Sabonis. In four previous head-to-head battles this season, Valanciunas has logged 14.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in 25.0 minutes.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) has received the all-clear for Thursday's matchup against Detroit. The team has upgraded him from probable to available. Caruso has slowed down offensively as of late, averaging only 8.0 points in April, but he typically fills up the box score in all areas and shouldn't have any trouble producing fantasy value on a night where his squad faces the NBA's worst team. He could even get some extra action due to Ayo Dosunmu's (quadriceps) absence.

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (knee) will play against the Knicks on Thursday. A problem with his left patella initially left Holiday questionable for the game, but he's been upgraded to available. With Boston bringing all of its guns out on Thursday, Holiday will likely have to play second fiddle. However, he must be in high spirits after just securing a four-year, $135 million contract extension for himself, and this should help his performance. The 33-year-old is averaging 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists for the month.

Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) will be back in the lineup on Thursday against the Knicks. After being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Porzingis sat out Tuesday's big matchup against Milwaukee. He was also initially regarded as questionable for Thursday, but the team has upgraded him to available. Porzingis will be eager to perform well against his former team. He's done a lot of damage against the Knicks across four games this season, averaging 23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks with 56 percent three-point shooting.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Klay Thompson (knee) won't play against Portland on Thursday. He's dealing with right knee tendonitis, and the team has downgraded Thompson from questionable to out. The five-time All-Star will get his first chance to return to the lineup on Friday against New Orleans. Brandin Podziemski will likely start in Thompson's place on Thursday. The 21-year-old rookie has notched 9.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 28 previous starts this season.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's meeting with the Trail Blazers. The team has downgraded him from questionable to out as Green is dealing with a right knee contusion. He shouldn't miss a lot of time and could be back on Friday as Golden State completes a back-to-back against New Orleans. With Green out on Thursday, Jonathan Kuminga has a chance to go berserk against a weak frontcourt, with extra minutes also available for Trayce Jackson-Davis and Andrew Wiggins.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (groin) is listed as doubtful for Friday's tilt against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lillard missed three games due to a strained right groin last week, and he's now dealing with soreness in his left adductor. With Giannis Antetokounmpo's (calf) regular season finished, the Bucks should have a ton of vacated usage on Friday. Patrick Beverley figures to steer the offense in the starting lineup against the Thunder, with Khris Middleton (ankle), who is off the injury report, likely handling more ball-handling responsibilities. Beverley is averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.3 three-pointers in six games as a starter for Milwaukee in 2023-24, and Middleton is averaging an efficient 17.2 points, 5.3 dimes, 3.8 boards, 1.0 swipes, and 2.3 threes in 24.8 minutes through six games without Lillard this year.

Boston Celtics center Al Horford (toe) is available to play in Thursday's game against the New York Knicks. The first-place Celtics tend to list Horford with a sprained left big toe on back-to-back sets, so look for the veteran big man to be unavailable for Friday's tilt against the dismal Charlotte Hornets. With Kristaps Porzingis' (hamstring) status remaining uncertain for Thursday's contest, Horford could be in for start at center in Boston's first unit and a considerable bump in DFS rostership if KP is inactive. In 19 games without Porzingis this season, Horford is logging 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.4 three-pointers, and 1.8 combined steals plus blocks per contest. With that said, the Knicks are giving up the second-fewest DraftKings points to opposing centers this year.

Boston Celtics forwards Jayson Tatum (knee) and Jaylen Brown (hand) have been upgraded to available to play in Thursday's matchup with the New York Knicks. Thursday is the first leg of Boston's back-to-back, so expect the first-place Celtics to hand out some maintenance days for Friday's game against the lowly Charlotte Hornets. Tatum is piling up 27.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.2 three-pointers per game over his last 14 appearances, while Brown is racking up 26.1 points, 6.2 boards, 3.1 dimes, and 2.3 threes per contest across his latest 13 showings. The two-way superstars have a tough test against a Knicks defense allowing the second-fewest points per game (108.1) in the Association this season, but they could be in for more usage if Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) sits out on Thursday.

Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond (ankle) is considered doubtful to play against the Pistons on Thursday. He hurt his left ankle on Tuesday in a matchup against the Knicks and might be done for the rest of the regular season, with only three games remaining on the Bulls' calendar. Adama Sanogo grabbed a few extra minutes following Drummond's exit on Tuesday, but he's not somebody fantasy managers should target. Nikola Vucevic will likely get a busy night without a proper backup. This is a favorable matchup for him against an inexperienced squad that gives up the 10th-most rebounds in the league to centers and allows opposing fives to shoot nearly 60 percent from the field.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (ankle) is probable for Thursday's game against Detroit. Chicago's jack of all trades recently missed a game due to an ankle contusion but is expected to be in the lineup as the Bulls begin a back-to-back against the Pistons. Caruso logged 37 minutes against the Knicks on Tuesday when he returned to the lineup, so his injury doesn't appear to be serious, and fantasy managers can count on him to produce his usual numbers. The 30-year-old has tallied 10.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists,1.0 blocks, and 1.6 steals across the campaign.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Klay Thompson (knee) is on the injury report as questionable ahead of Thursday's encounter with the Trail Blazers. The veteran has played in 29 of the last 30 games but could come out of the lineup for the first leg of a back-to-back due to right knee tendonitis. If that's the case, Chris Paul and Brandin Podziemski will be counted on to make a bigger contribution on Thursday. The rest of the Warriors bench might get extended playing time as well, as the matchup is projected to be a very one-sided affair. Vegas has Golden State as a 14-point favorite on the road.

Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (knee) has been listed as questionable for Thursday's matchup against Portland. The four-time All-Star made an early exit on Sunday against Utah due to an apparent back problem, and he's now on the injury report with a knee contusion. Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis have the most to gain from a fantasy perspective if Green can't play on Thursday. This is a favorable matchup for Golden State's big men against a bad rebounding team that struggles on the defensive end.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (knee) is ruled out for Thursday's game against the Sacramento Kings. There is optimism for Ingram returning soon after doing more in practice, but he will miss his 11th consecutive game. Ingram has two more regular season games after this to return before the postseason and play-in games start. Trey Murphy III has stepped up most with averages of 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over those 11 games in Ingram's absence. Larry Nance Jr. and Herbert Jones also get extra frontcourt minutes that come without Ingram to boost their value.

Golden State Warriors power forward/center Dario Saric (knee) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game versus the Portland Trail Blazers. Saric has been a solid bench player for Golden State, but he has missed the last 11 games while dealing with right-knee soreness. The Warriors would benefit from Saric's return since Draymond Green is also questionable for the game, and depth may be weakened. However, it is unlikely Saric will have much of an impact when he does return. Names like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jonathan Kuminga will have more fantasy value than Saric, and that only increases if Saric misses another game.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) will miss the rest of the regular season. The multi-time All-Star suffered a calf injury during Tuesday's win over the Boston Celtics and underwent an MRI, revealing a strained Soleus. He'll undergo daily treatment and receive routine evaluations moving ahead. However, it appears there's a chance Antetokounmpo may also miss the postseason or at least part of it. But until he's back in the lineup, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton should see a surge in offensive opportunities. Bobby Portis, who plays well when Antetokounmpo isn't available, could also continue to benefit.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (hand) won't play on Wednesday in the rematch with Phoenix. The 35-year-old had a triple-double when these clubs met on Tuesday night. However, Westbrook will join Paul George (knee), James Harden (foot), and Kawhi Leonard (knee) on the shelf for this one. As a result, Ivica Zubac, Amir Coffey, Terance Mann, Bones Hyland, and Norman Powell could easily surpass their usual DFS expectations.