NBA Injury News & Starting Lineups (December 2): RJ Barrett, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Out Thursday

Below are the projected starting lineups for each team playing on Tuesday'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

6:30 p.m. ET Update: RJ Barrett and Nerlens Noel have been ruled out for the New York Knicks Thursday. Ziare Williams and Kyle Anderson have been ruled out for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gary Trent Jr. is available to play for the Toronto Raptors. Doug McDermott and Devin Vassell are available to play for the San Antonio Spurs.

5:30 p.m. ET Update: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has entered the concussion protocols and has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Milwaukee Bucks have announced that Brook Lopez underwent back surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely. They have listed George Hill as probable on the second night of a back-to-back with a hyperextended knee.

The biggest piece of injury news that will impact Thursday night's games broke on Wednesday afternoon when the Portland Trail Blazers announced that Damian Lillard would be sidelined for at least 10 days due to lower abdominal tendinopathy.

Lillard has been dealing with the lingering injury since the summer during the Olympics and had already missed two games this season to rest. His absence will give Anfernee Simons a huge minutes boost through the next four games and possibly more.

The New York Knicks have listed RJ Barrett as questionable as he continues to deal with a non-Covid related illness. Barrett was questionable for their game on Tuesday as well and played nine minutes before leaving the game for good in the second quarter. Barrett has been a durable player in his short career — he hasn't missed a game since his February 2020 during his rookie season.

Gary Trent Jr. is listed as questionable ahead of the Toronto Raptors' game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Trent sat out the past two Raptors games with the injury — the only games he has missed this season — but practiced on Wednesday, which is a positive sign.

Projected Starting Lineups

Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET)

Bulls Projected Lineup

PG – Lonzo Ball
SG – DeMar DeRozan
SF – Zach LaVine
PF – Javonte Green
C – Nikola Vucevic

Injury news: Coby White (COVID Protocols) is out

Knicks Projected Lineup

PG – Alec Burks
SG – Immanuel Quickley
SF – Evan Fournier
PF – Julius Randle
C – Mitchell Robinson

Injury news: RJ Barrett (Illness) and Nerlens Noel (Knee) and Jericho Sims (Illness) are out

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m. ET)

Bucks Projected Lineup

PG – Jrue Holiday
SG – Grayson Allen
SF – Khris Middleton
PF – Giannis Antetokounmpo
C – Bobby Portis

Injury news: George Hill (Knee) is probable; DeMarcus Cousins (Conditioning) is out; Brook Lopez (Back) will have surgery and is out indefinitely

Raptors Projected Lineup

PG – Fred VanVleet
SG – Gary Trent Jr.
SF – Scottie Barnes
PF – Pascal Siakam
C – Precious Achiuwa

Injury news: Gary Trent Jr. (Calf) is available; Goran Dragic (Personal), OG Anunoby (Hip) and Khem Birch (Knee) are out

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8 p.m. ET)

Thunder Projected Lineup

PG – Tre Mann
SG – Lu Dort
SF – Aleksej Pokusevski
PF – Darius Bazley
C – Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

Injury news: Josh Giddey (Illness), Derrick Favors (Illness) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Concussion) are out

Grizzlies Projected Lineup

PG – Tyus Jones
SG – Desmond Bane
SF – Dillon Brooks
PF – Jaren Jackson Jr.
C – Steven Adams

Injury news: Kyle Anderson (Back) and Ziaire Williams (Knee) are out

Detroit Pistons vs. Phoenix Suns (9 p.m. ET)

Pistons Projected Lineup

PG – Killian Hayes
SG – Cade Cunningham
SF – Jerami Grant
PF – Saddiq Bey
C – Isaiah Stewart

Injury news: Killian Hayes (Thumb) is available; Frank Jackson (Tibia) is no longer listed on the injury report

Suns Projected Lineup

PG – Chris Paul
SG – Mikal Bridges
SF – Cam Johnson
PF – Jae Crowder
C – Deandre Ayton

Injury news: Devin Booker (Hamstring) and Abdel Nader (Knee) are out

San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers (10 p.m. ET)

Spurs Projected Lineup

PG – Dejounte Murray
SG – Derrick White
SF – Doug McDermott
PF – Keldon Johnson
C – Jakob Poeltl

Injury news: Doug McDermott (Knee) and Devin Vassell (Quad) are probable

Trail Blazers Projected Lineup

PG – Anfernee Simons
SG – CJ McCollum
SF – Norman Powell
PF – Robert Covington
C – Jusuf Nurkic

Injury news: Norman Powell (Quad) is questionable; Nassir Little (Ankle) and Damian Lillard (Abdominal) are out

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