New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (knee) is a game-time decision for Thursday's matchup against Portland. He sat out the first leg of a back-to-back Wednesday against Chicago and it remains to be seen if Nance Jr. is feeling well enough to play against his former team. Pelicans head coach Willie Green has at least been optimistic about Nance Jr.'s chances to take the court. Naji Marshall and Willy Hernangomez logged extended minutes with Nance Jr. unavailable Wednesday. They will benefit if Nance Jr. ends up sitting out the game.

New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (knee) is questionable to play Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. Nance has been playing very well in a reserve role this year, but suffered a hyperextended knee on Monday. The fact that Nance is listed as questionable bodes well for his status moving forward as it is likely not a long-term injury. If Nance is unable to go, Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas will likely see the bulk of the frontcourt minutes. Trey Murphy III should also see a sizable role off the bench.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. agreed to a two-year, $21.6 million extension with the team on Saturday. C.J. McCollum recently received a two-year extension of his own, so it's apparent the Pels are making the necessary moves to be relevant for years to come. Nance was traded to New Orleans before the deadline but played only nine regular season games due to injury. However, he averaged 9.2 points and 5.8 rebounds throughout the postseason, although he shot a rough 22.2% from deep. If the 29-year-old can stay healthy in 2022-23, he'll have a chance to establish a meaningful role off the bench, possibly even getting some starts here and there. Either way, Nance should provide value for fantasy managers in deep formats.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. (knee) has been cleared to suit up for Thursday's game against the Chicago Bulls. He will make his team debut for New Orleans, but is expected to be limited. It's unlikely that Nance normally has a big enough role to warrant rostering in most formats. Possibly, he could have some deep league value, assuming Brandon Ingram (hamstring) continues missing time. Herbert Jones and Jaxson Hayes could lose a few minutes with Nance returning to the court on Thursday.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Larry Nance Jr. (knee) has suffered a setback in his recovery, according to head coach Chauncey Billups. Nance has not appeared in a game since early January and doesn't have a timetable for his return. Billups announced recently that Nance suffered a setback and will be re-evaluated at some point. That is not an encouraging sign from a team that is short on forwards. Justise Winslow, Trendon Watford, and Greg Brown III should get plenty of chances in the second half of the season. Winslow has the highest upside of the three, but none of them are trustworthy fantasy assets right now.

Portland Trail Blazers power forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Bucks as he continues to battle inflammation in his right knee. Nance has been unavailable since Jan. 5, with Portland missing his frontcourt contributions. Without him in the mix for the time being, CJ Elleby and Tony Snell should see sizable workloads with their respective DFS appeals being elevated by Milwaukee's status as a top 10 team in the league in terms of pace. The recent trade of Robert Covington to the Clippers means that Nance should hold down a starting spot upon being cleared, although when that will be is unclear. He can remain on the waiver wire until he returns to action.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Larry Nance Jr. (knee) will remain out for Saturday's game against the Washington Wizards. He was expected to be re-evaluated, but it appears the team isn't ready to clear him to play yet. Possibly, something changes closer to game time, but fantasy managers should expect to be without Nance for at least one more game. In the meantime, Robert Covington and Nassir Little will be asked to pick up the slack. Covington is the much better option between the two players. He is looking like a strong streaming option and has been a consistent DFS option lately.

Portland Trail Blazers power forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (knee) has been ruled out for the next week after departing Wednesday's contest early due to a knee ailment. Nance underwent an MRI that showed no significant damage, but his knee issue will keep him sidelined for at least the team's next four contests. Robert Covington stands to either reclaim his starting spot or, at minimum, see an uptick in usage in the frontcourt. With Damian Lillard (abdominal) and C.J. McCollum (lung) also sidelined for the time being, Norman Powell, Anfernee Simons, and Jusuf Nurkic have enormous offensive upsides, beginning with Friday's contest vs. Cleveland.

The Trail Blazers acquired Larry Nance Jr. from the Cavaliers. The deal also includes the Bulls and Lauri Markkanen, who will head to Cleveland, and Derrick Jones Jr. moving to Chicago. Nance has been an inconsistent fantasy option throughout the years but has made most of his noise on the fantasy end when getting a more prominent role in the lineup, recently averaging 10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals while shooting 40 percent from deep throughout 27 starts last season. Nonetheless, his outlook is a bit cloudy heading into the 2021-22 campaign, although it is much brighter than it would have been if he remained in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. broke his right thumb in Sunday's loss at Washington and likely will miss the remainder of the season. Nance's injury was one of several suffered by Cleveland players and will leave the Cavaliers short-handed for Monday night’s game against Toronto in Florida. Guard Matthew Dellavedova is out with a neck strain and after receiving four stitches when he was accidentally head-butted. Also, center Isaiah Hartenstein and forward Lamar Stevens suffered concussions against the Wizards. Leading scorer Collin Sexton missed the game with a concussion he got last week in Charlotte. He also has been ruled out again, and there's no timeline on a return. The broken thumb is the latest medical setback for Nance, who missed seven games recently with an undisclosed illness and more than a month with a broken left hand. The 28-year-old Nance is averaging 9.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 35 games. Cleveland has 12 games left in a season that has been marred by injuries. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Duncan Robinson scored 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers and the Miami Heat continued their home dominance over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 115-101 victory Saturday night. Bam Adebayo finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Trevor Ariza scored 15 points and Jimmy Butler added 15 points and 11 assists as the Heat won their 20th straight against the Cavaliers in Miami. The Heat finished with 35 assists, including 13 in the first quarter. Robinson hit his first four 3-pointers as Miami shot 10 for 21 from long range in the first half and led 67-54 at halftime. “Everybody has pure intentions about it — just to play off each other, share the game and enjoy each other's success,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You play to your strengths but you do it with the intention to play together, to try to create something better.” Collin Sexton scored 26 points and Taurean Prince finished with a season high 19 points for the Cavaliers, who lost their fifth straight and have... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Duncan Robinson scored 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers and the Miami Heat continued their home dominance over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 1105-101 victory Saturday night. Bam Adebayo finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Trevor Ariza scored 15 points and Jimmy Butler added 15 points and 11 assists as the Heat won their 20th straight against the Cavaliers in Miami. Collin Sexton scored 26 points and Taurean Prince finished with a season high 19 points for the Cavaliers, who lost their fifth straight and have not win in Miami since Jan. 25, 2010. The Heat finished with 35 assists, including 13 in the first quarter. Robinson hit his first four 3-pointers as Miami shot 10 for 21 from long range in the first half and led 67-54 at halftime. Cleveland pulled to 75-70 on Prince’s layup with 4:05 remaining in the third quarter before Miami scored five consecutive points and regained its double-digit advantage. TIP INS Cavaliers: Larry Nance Jr. (illness), Jarrett Allen... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers star center Kevin Love will play in just his fifth game this season after being sidelined by a severe calf strain. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Love — and guard Matthew Dellavedova, who hasn't played in more than a year — are available Thursday night as the short-handed Cavs face the Philadelphia 76ers. It's Love's first action since March 14, when he came back after missing 32 games. Dellavedova is making his season debut after being out with a concussion and appendectomy. Bickertstaff said Love and Dellavedova, the only players left from the Cavs' 2016 NBA title team, will be on a minutes restriction as they ease their way back into game shape. Love played 45 total minutes in Cleveland's first two games before missing more than two months with the injury, which he initially sustained during the exhibition opener and was only supposed to keep him out for a month. The injury lingered, and the five-time All-Star struggled to gain enough confidence to play at less... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Center Kevin Love and power forward Larry Nance Jr. are both slated to play against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. Love played in just two games early this season and has missed 33 games since injuring his right calf in late December. “His role tonight is going to be limited. Want to put him in position to where he can build upwards," Bickerstaff said before the game. "We want him to play as many games as possible.” Nance has been out since breaking his left hand on Feb. 6 and has missed Cleveland's past 12 games. “He’s one of those guys that helps us tick on both ends of the floor," Bickerstaff said. "You don’t have to call plays for him and he can go out and get you double figures. ... My expectation for him is just to be himself.” Nance has averaged 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 19 games this season. Love, who has career averages of 18.2 points and 11.1 assists, averaged 9.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in his two games in December. The Cavaliers also have signed guard Quin Cook to a 10-day contract. He played in 16 games for Los Angeles Lakers this season before being waived on Feb. 24. Those players join a squad that has won four of its last five games, all before the All-Star break, and which is resuming its season after eight days off. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DENVER (AP) — Paul Millsap scored a season-high 22 points on his 36th birthday, Michael Porter Jr. added 19 and the Denver Nuggets routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 133-95 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid. The Nuggets opened a 23-point lead in the first half, saw it increase to 34 in the third — notoriously a problem quarter for them this season — and coasted from there as Nikola Jokic and his fellow starters got the fourth quarter off. Jokic finished with 12 points and 12 assists. “When we play the right way, we’re a really good team,” Millsap said. It was the fifth straight loss for the Cavaliers. It's also tied for their most lopsided loss of the season. They were beaten 141-103 on Jan. 24 at Boston. “To me, the Nuggets sent a clear message from the jump ball to the end of the game,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The message was, there was an intent to embarrass us, whether it was through physicality, whether it was showboating after plays, whether it was the shot... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Paul Millsap scored a season-high 22 points on his 36th birthday, Michael Porter Jr. added 19 and the Denver Nuggets routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 133-95 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid. The Nuggets opened a 23-point lead in the first half, saw it increase to 34 in the third — notoriously a problem quarter for them this season — and coasted from there as Nikola Jokic and his fellow starters got the fourth quarter off. Jokic finished with 12 points and 12 assists. “When we play the right way, we’re a really good team,” Millsap said. It was the fifth straight loss for the Cavaliers. It's also tied for their most lopsided loss of the season. They were beaten 141-103 on Jan. 24 at Boston. “To me, the Nuggets sent a clear message from the jump ball to the end of the game,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The message was, there was an intent to embarrass us, whether it was through physicality, whether it was showboating after plays, whether it was the shot... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Paul Millsap scored a season-high 22 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 19 and the Denver Nuggets routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 133-95 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid. The Nuggets opened a 23-point lead in the first half, saw it increase to 34 in the third — notoriously a problem quarter for them this season — and coasted from there as Nikola Jokic and his fellow starters got the fourth quarter off. Jokic finished with 12 points and 12 assists. It was the fifth straight loss for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who are 0-2 on their five-game trip out West. Cleveland swept the season series with Denver last season. Denver's season-high 133 points meant a lot of eating for injured Cleveland forward Larry Nance Jr., who posted on social media a playful vow to consume as many McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets as the Nuggets scored points. Nance, sidelined with a broken left hand and not with the team, had 12 boxes of 10-piece... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — A tough stretch for the Cavaliers just got a lot tougher. Cleveland will be without versatile forward Larry Nance for six weeks after he broke his left hand during Saturday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Nance, who has missed several recent games with a sprained right wrist, broke the fourth metacarpal in his hand during the first quarter of the 124-99 loss as the Cavaliers dropped back-to-back games against one of the NBA's best teams. It's not yet known if Nance will have surgery. Nance's loss comes at a challenging juncture for the Cavs. They won only 19 games in 2020 but have been one of the league's biggest surprises so far this season. However, Cleveland has lost three straight, five of six and will begin a five-game road trip — all against playoff contenders — on Monday in Phoenix. The 28-year-old Nance is perhaps the team's best all-around player. He can play down low and on the perimeter and Nance, who is in his fourth season with Cleveland, ranks second in the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers versatile forward Larry Nance Jr. could miss six weeks with a broken left hand, a tough blow for a Cleveland team sliding after a strong start. Nance, who has missed recent games with a sprained right wrist, broke the fourth metacarpal in his hand during the first quarter of Saturday night's 124-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The team did not say if Nance will need surgery. Nance's loss is a setback for the Cavaliers, who have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises this season but are in the midst of a challenging stretch. Cleveland has lost three straight, five of six and will begin a five-game road trip — all against playoff contenders — on Monday in Phoenix. The 28-year-old Nance is perhaps the team's best all-around player. He can play down low and on the perimeter and Nance, who is in his fourth season with Cleveland, ranks second in the league with 1.9 steals per game. Nance is averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 19 games. The Cavs had had more than their share of injuries already this season. Five-time All-Star Kevin Love hasn't played since Dec. 27 due to a severely strained calf. He began doing on-court work earlier this week and said Saturday he's getting close to playing. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kevin Love could miss more than a month with a right calf injury he aggravated Sunday night in a game against Philadelphia. The team said Tuesday that an MRI confirmed a calf strain and that Love will begin treatment and rehab and will not be reassessed for three to four more weeks. The 32-year-old’s injury is a setback for the Cavs, who are off to their first 3-0 start since 2016. They host the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. Love initially got hurt in Cleveland's first exhibition game on Dec. 12 and sat out the opener against Charlotte last week to give it more rest. The five-time All-Star made his season debut and played 38 minutes in the Cavaliers' double-overtime win at Detroit on Saturday. He started and scored four points in nine minutes against the 76ers before leaving in the second quarter. Before the game against the Pistons, Love said he had gotten kicked in the leg earlier this month in a preseason game against Indiana and that the injury... [More]