Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (back) won't be available for Saturday's clash with Orlando. The team has ruled him out for the contest with back soreness. Bane has averaged 18.6 points and 6.8 assists in 33.3 minutes across five games since returning from an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for nearly two months. With Bane unavailable, Scotty Pippen Jr. has a good chance to keep his recent momentum going. He's posted 13.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals over his last four appearances.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard (personal) appears ready to rejoin the lineup on Saturday versus Orlando, as the team has removed him from the injury report. Kennard has been absent for the past five games for personal reasons. The 27-year-old has averaged 12.4 points and 5.1 assists for the month and should continue to fill a big role on offense, with Desmond Bane (back) ruled out for Saturday and Vince Williams Jr. (knee) remaining on the shelf.

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (ankle) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Bucks. The 22-year-old has averaged 16.1 points and 8.6 rebounds this season, a significant upgrade from the 2022-23 campaign. He's missed the Hawks' previous five games because of a sprained ankle, and while he could still miss the meeting with Milwaukee, he's at least moving in a positive direction. At any rate, until Johnson is back in the lineup, De'Andre Hunter, coming off a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double in Thursday's win over the Celtics, should continue to benefit. Vit Krejci should remain with the first five until Johnson is healthy enough to play, although he's averaged only 6.7 points in 11 starts this season.

Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (knee) has been downgraded to out for Friday's matchup against the Clippers. He was listed as questionable on the initial injury report. Orlando continues to manage Fultz's left knee injury, and we should see him back in the lineup on Saturday as the team completes a back-to-back against Memphis. Fultz started the last game against Golden State, and Gary Harris, who is available again after missing two games with a foot injury, will be his replacement in the first unit. Harris doesn't offer a lot of fantasy value, averaging 8.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in a starting role.

Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) won't play on Friday night against the Bulls. He has missed the Nets' previous two games because of a hip issue but was probable heading into Friday's contest. But surprisingly, he was downgraded, meaning his next chance to suit up will be Sunday versus the Los Angeles Lakers. With that said, Brooklyn is rapidly falling out of Play-In contention, so there's a chance Smith won't be back this season. In the meantime, Dennis Schroder will get all the work he can handle, with Jacob Gilyard possibly getting a few minutes here or there.