Washington Wizards DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (foot) has been ruled out for a sixth consecutive game ahead of Thursday's matchup against Phoenix. He has landed on the shelf with a plantar fascia contusion on his right foot. Jared Butler had an impressive spell during the first few games Brogdon missed but has logged just 15 minutes over the past two contests. Corey Kispert, Kyshawn George, and Justin Champagnie have shared most of the available minutes among Washington's bench players. However, none of the trio appears to be good fantasy options due to inconsistency.

Milwaukee Bucks small forward Khris Middleton (ankle) will rejoin the action against Orlando on Wednesday. He is available again after sitting out the first leg of a back-to-back on Tuesday versus Sacramento. Middleton will remain a member of the second unit on Wednesday. He has averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 22.7 minutes since being relegated to the bench. Orlando allows the fewest bench points in the league, making this a potentially tricky matchup for Middleton. However, he did reasonably well against the same opponent last week, scoring 11 points on 5-for-10 shooting and posting three rebounds with four assists.

Milwaukee Bucks small forward Khris Middleton (ankle) will not play in Tuesday's game against Sacramento. He has been ruled out for bilateral ankle injury management purposes. Tuesday's matchup marks the start of a back-to-back for the NBA Cup champions, so Middleton will likely be active again on Wednesday against Orlando. Bobby Portis, AJ Green, and Gary Trent Jr. (hip) will play larger roles off the bench with Middleton out, although the latter might also miss the contest.

Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (foot) will miss a fifth straight game on Monday when the Wizards finish their back-to-back with a home game against the Timberwolves. Brogdon doesn't have a specific timetable to return, and while he has been absent, the Wizards have been able to give their younger options more work. Jared Butler has been stepping up as a key contributor in the second unit, while Jordan Poole and Bub Carrington play plenty of minutes as the starters in the backcourt.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (finger) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Houston Rockets while he continues to deal with a right index finger injury. The 30-year-old hasn't played since December 21, and there hasn't been an official word on when he'll return to the floor. Scottie Pippen Jr. remains a great streaming option, especially in deeper leagues. The third-year guard is averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 threes across 22.4 minutes per game while starting in 16 of his 39 appearances.