NBA Injury News & Starting Lineups (December 27): Damian Lillard Questionable, Trae Young Cleared to Return, Marcus Smart Out Monday

Below are the projected starting lineups for each team playing on Monday's NBA slate, along with notable injury news for each squad. For real-time injury updates, check out our FantasyLabs NBA news page. 

NBA Injury News

7 p.m. ET Update: Trae Young has cleared health and safety protocols and can return to the court Monday for the Atlanta Hawks.

Marcus Smart has been ruled out Monday with a hand injury. Grant Williams has been cleared to play after re-conditioning.

Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green are available but unlikely to play for the Houston Rockets.

Josh Okogie has been cleared to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Patrick Beverly has been ruled out.

Deandre Ayton has entered health and safety protocols and has been ruled out for the Phoenix Suns.

Jalen Green is questionable to suit up on Monday after returning to the court from a 14-game absence. Kevin Porter Jr. is also questionable after missing 11 games. The Houston Rockets close out a five-game road trip in Charlotte, which also serves as the front end of a back-to-back, so both could end up sitting until Tuesday's game.

Jayson Tatum has entered health and safety protocols Monday. He is one of eight players on the Boston Celtics' roster who is out due to COVID. Grant Williams cleared health and safety protocols and is questionable to play Monday. Marcus Smart is also questionable to play with a right hand injury.

Patrick Beverley and Josh Okogie have cleared health and safety protocols and are questionable to play as they ramp up their conditioning.

The Portland Trail Blazers added Jusuf Nurkic to their growing list of players in health and safety protocols on Sunday. Damian Lillard is questionable to play Monday against the Dallas Mavericks for personal reasons.

Donovan Mitchell has been ruled out Monday and will be sidelined for at least two games with a lower back injury.

Projected Starting Lineups

Houston Rockets vs. Charlotte Hornets (7 p.m. ET)

Rockets Projected Lineup

PG – Armoni Brooks
SG – Josh Christopher
SF – Eric Gordon
PF – Daniel Theis
C – Christian Wood

Injury news: Kevin Porter Jr. (Thigh) and Jalen Green (Hamstring) are available; Kenyon Martin Jr., Jae'Sean Tate, DJ Augustin and Garrison Mathews are out due to health and safety protocols

Hornets Projected Lineup

PG – LaMelo Ball
SG – Terry Rozier
SF – Gordon Hayward
PF – Jalen McDaniels
C – Mason Plumlee

Injury news: Cody Martin has cleared health and safety protocols; PJ Washington and Miles Bridges are out due to health and safety protocols

Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks (7:30 p.m. ET)

Bulls Projected Lineup

PG – Coby White
SG – DeMar DeRozan
SF – Zach LaVine
PF – Javonte Green
C – Nikola Vucevic

Injury news: Derrick Jones Jr. (Hamstring) and Alex Caruso (Foot) are out; Alfonzo McKinnie, Lonzo Ball and Tony Bradley are out due to health and safety protocols

Hawks Projected Lineup

PG – Trae Young
SG – Bogdan Bogdanovic
SF – Cam Reddish
PF – Lance Stephenson
C – Clint Capela

Injury news: Trae Young has cleared heath and safety protocols; Cam Reddish (Ankle) is available; Delon Wright, Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, John Collins, Wes Iwundu, Kevin Huerter, Onyeka Okongwu, Sharife Cooper and Jalen Johnson are out due to health and safety protocols

Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (8 p.m. ET)

Celtics Projected Lineup

PG – Payton Pritchard
SG – Romeo Langford
SF – Jaylen Brown
PF – Al Horford
C – Robert Williams

Injury news: Grant Williams (Health and Safety) is questionable; Marcus Smart (Hand) is out; CJ Miles, Josh Richardson, Enes Freedom, Dennis Schroder, Justin Jackson, Bruno Fernando, and Aaron Nesmith are out due to health and safety protocols

Timberwolves Projected Lineup

PG – Jaylen Nowell
SG – Leandro Bolmaro
SF – Malik Beasley
PF – Jaden McDaniels
C – Nathan Knight

Injury news: Josh Okogie (Conditioning) is questionable; Patrick Beverley (Conditioning) is out; D'Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, McKinley Wright, Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards are out due to health and safety protocols

Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs (8:30 p.m. ET)

Jazz Projected Lineup

PG – Mike Conley
SG – Bojan Bogdanovic
SF – Joe Ingles
PF – Royce O'Neale
C – Rudy Gobert

Injury news: Donovan Mitchell (Back) and Udoka Azubuike (Ankle) are out

Spurs Projected Lineup

PG – Derrick White
SG – Doug McDermott
SF – Doug McDermott
PF – Keita Bates-Diop
C – Jakob Poeltl

Injury news: Dejounte Murray (Health and Safety) is out

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Phoenix Suns (9 p.m. ET)

Grizzlies Projected Lineup

PG – Ja Morant
SG – Desmond Bane
SF – John Konchar
PF – Jaren Jackson Jr.
C – Steven Adams

Injury news: Dillon Brooks, Yves Pons, Jarrett Culver, De'Anthony Melton and Ziaire Williams are out due to health and safety protocols

Suns Projected Lineup

PG – Chris Paul
SG – Devin Booker
SF – Mikal Bridges
PF – Cam Johnson
C – JaVale McGee

Injury news: Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder and Elfrid Payton are out due to health and safety protocols

Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers (10 p.m. ET)

Mavericks Projected Lineup

PG – Jalen Brunson
SG – Sterling Brown
SF – Dorian Finney-Smith
PF – Kristaps Porzingis
C – Dwight Powell

Injury news: Willie Cauley-Stein (Personal) is out; Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, Maxi Kleber, Jaquori McLaughlin and Luka Doncic are out due to health and safety protocols

Trail Blazers Projected Lineup

PG – Damian Lillard
SG – Norman Powell
SF – Tony Snell
PF – Nassir Little
C – Larry Nance Jr.

Injury news: Damian Lillard (Personal) is questionable; CJ McCollum (Ribs) is out; Ben McLemore, Cody Zeller, Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic, Dennis Smith Jr., Keljin Blevins and Trendon Watford are out due to health and safety protocols

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET)

Nets Projected Lineup

PG – James Harden
SG – Patty Mills
SF – DeAndre Bembry
PF – Bruce Brown
C – Nic Claxton

Injury news: LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, David Duke, Kessler Edwards, Day'Ron Sharpe and Cameron Thomas are out due to health and safety protocols

Clippers Projected Lineup

PG – Eric Bledsoe
SG – Luke Kennard
SF – Terance Mann
PF – Marcus Morris
C – Ivica Zubac

Injury news: Paul George (Elbow) and Nicolas Batum (Ankle) are out; Marcus Morris (Conditioning) is questionable; Reggie Jackson and Jay Scrubb are out due to health and safety protocols

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