Sunday NBA Injury Watch: Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Austin Reaves and Kawhi Leonard Are Out as Luka Doncic Is Cleared

Sunday's NBA slate opens at 1 p.m. ET with a stack of meaningful absences. Philadelphia ruled out Joel Embiid against Indiana with right foot plantar fascia management, the Pacers will again be without Tyrese Haliburton, the Lakers will play in Phoenix without Austin Reaves, and Toronto will host New York without Kawhi Leonard. The good news for Lakers managers is that Luka Doncic has been cleared to play through an ankle issue. Here is every fantasy-relevant designation and how to adjust.

The key statuses

Statuses below come from team injury reports released Saturday and Sunday morning. Questionable and day-to-day players should be confirmed closer to tip-off.

Pacers at 76ers (1 p.m. ET)

Embiid's absence leaves Philadelphia in an unusual spot: Adem Bona, Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti are also out, so the 76ers have no healthy traditional center. Expect small-ball lineups and more minutes for wings and forwards in the frontcourt. Tyrese Maxey becomes an even bigger focal point, and his usage should climb in a game Philadelphia will need to win with pace and perimeter shooting. LeBron James is not on the injury report and should see heavy creation duties as well.

For Indiana, Haliburton remains out with a hamstring strain, and Andrew Nembhard is day-to-day. If Nembhard sits too, the Pacers' ball-handling duties spread even thinner, which raises the floor for whichever guard starts. Indiana has struggled, going 3-7 over its last 10 and sitting at 5-8.

Pivots: Maxey is a must-start with a boosted ceiling. Indiana's frontcourt players get a matchup bump against a 76ers team without a true center, so start Pacers bigs with confidence. In DFS, the lack of Philadelphia size makes Pacers rebounders appealing.

Lakers at Suns (4 p.m. ET)

Reaves injured his heel in the Lakers' win over Milwaukee. X-rays were negative, and he is considered day-to-day with a contusion and bone bruise, but the team ruled him out for Sunday. JJ Redick said Friday the team opted against additional imaging.

Doncic turned his ankle in the same game but is cleared. With Reaves out, Doncic's usage should be enormous, and he is the top play on the slate for many DFS lineups. Collin Sexton (head) and Adou Thiero (ankle) are day-to-day, so check the final report: if both play, Sexton is the likely beneficiary of Reaves' minutes in the backcourt.

Phoenix is without center Mark Williams (shoulder), which opens frontcourt minutes and helps Lakers bigs on the glass.

Pivots: Start Doncic everywhere. Sexton is a streaming option if active. Lakers centers get a rebounding bump with Williams out.

Knicks at Raptors

Leonard remains out with knee injury management, and Barnes is questionable with a groin strain after missing four straight games. Toronto also lists Nate Bittle as out with a foot fracture.

If Barnes sits again, the Raptors' offense runs through Immanuel Quickley and their remaining wings, and New York's defense becomes a stronger play. If Barnes returns, expect a minutes limit in his first game back, which caps his ceiling for one night.

Pivots: Barnes is a risky start if he plays. Quickley is a safer option either way, with extra usage when Barnes and Leonard are out.

Rockets at Wizards and the late games

Houston is without Clint Capela but expects Steven Adams back from a calf strain after several weeks out. Adams is likely to be eased in, so do not expect a full workload. Washington's Jamir Watkins is out for the season after ACL surgery.

Later, Utah hosts San Antonio without Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes, a list that guts the Jazz frontcourt and makes Victor Wembanyama a top-tier play. The Spurs are without Tobias Harris. In Sacramento, the Kings are without Maxime Raynaud, with Keegan Murray and Precious Achiuwa day-to-day against Oklahoma City.

Pivots: Wembanyama is a DFS anchor against a depleted Utah frontcourt. Kings forwards get extra minutes if Murray sits.

The Verdexed view

Injury news shapes the market, and late scratches can swing totals. For the model's view of today's games, see NBA picks for November 15 and the live board on the NBA predictions page.

What to do now

Confirm every questionable and day-to-day designation 30 minutes before tip-off, especially Barnes, Nembhard and Sexton. The day's clearest fantasy edges are Maxey's usage with Embiid out, Doncic's workload with Reaves out and Wembanyama's matchup against a Jazz team missing four bigs.