This article is part of our NBA Injury Analysis series.
The top scorer in Oklahoma City's second unit is expected to miss a prolonged period of time after sustaining a self-inflicted injury. Kanter broke his right forearm after punching a folding chair in frustration. His right ulna caught the metal lip of the padded chair causing the break that ultimately required surgery to mend.
The exact surgery performed on Kanter wasn't revealed, although an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is commonly used for ulnar fractures. This technique involves the insertion of surgical hardware such as a plate or screws to stabilize the fracture site and assure proper union of the fragmented pieces. Ensuring correct alignment is particularly important in ulnar fractures, as these breaks can negatively impact both the elbow and wrist.
Kanter will be reevaluated in four weeks, though a six-week absence wouldn't be surprising. On the plus side, bone tissue generally heals nicely, and break's location should allow Kanter to maintain his conditioning. Joffrey Lauvergne appears to be the next man up for the Thunder, as he logged nearly 21 minutes of court time Sunday. The 25-year old Frenchman scored 13 points and had six rebounds in the loss to Cleveland.
The Cavaliers big man continues to battle issues with his lower back. On three separate occasions Love has reported soreness or spasms in his back, including Sunday when he didn't return for the second half of Cleveland's win over Oklahoma City. He will not travel with the Cavaliers to Dallas for Monday's game and is slated to undergo an MRI on the area.
As Love's teammate LeBron James noted following Sunday's win, back injuries can be very debilitating and can stem from a variety of ailments. The spasms and soreness Love is currently managing are likely symptoms of an underlying problem. Often spasms are linked to muscular injuries but can occur with a more serious disc-related problem. In both these situations the root of the problem causes the individual pain. As a result, the muscles in the back tighten and beginning spasming.
Unfortunately, spasms result in more pain that causes an increase in tension, which leads to more pain. This vicious sequence is known as the pain-spasm cycle and is difficult to break. Furthermore, simply treating the symptoms isn't enough. If the cause of the problem remains unaddressed, the player can easily aggravate the area and initiate the cycle again.
Fantasy owners will simply have to wait for the MRI results before knowing how to handle Love moving forward. In the short term, benching Love in weekly formats likely is the safest route with the Cavaliers limited to just three games over the next seven days, meaning Love will suit up twice at best.
Fast Breaks
Stephen Curry: Curry missed his first game of the season over the weekend. At first he was questionable to play due to left lateral quadriceps soreness. However, the two-time MVP managed to suit up anyway dropping 43 points on the Clippers. Unfortunately, he was unable to repeat that success and succumbed to a stomach virus one night later. The Warriors are off until Wednesday giving Curry ample time to recuperate. However, keep a close eye on other members of the Warriors to see if they pick up the bug that hampered Curry.
DeMar DeRozan: The Raptors welcomed DeRozan back from a three-game absence Sunday after the All-Star guard suffered a sprained ankle on January 22. DeRozan was a game-time decision but played 36 minutes in the loss to the Magic. He should be fine moving forward and the schedule sets up nicely for a productive return. Toronto has four games during the week ahead including fantasy friendly matchups with New Orleans, Orlando and Brooklyn.
Al Horford: The Celtics big man has missed back-to-back games with soreness in his groin. Imaging on the area failed to reveal a significant injury and he is considered day-to-day. Coach Brad Stevens hinted Horford's availability for Monday would be a gametime decision, so fantasy owners should keep a close eye on his participation in the morning shootaround before setting their upcoming week lineups.
Nikola Jokic: Nuggets fans held their collective breath after Jokic crumpled to the floor with a noncontact hip injury. Fortunately, further testing revealed Jokic's injury to be nothing more than a hip flexor strain and he isn't expected to miss an extended period of time. Denver has ruled him out through Tuesday, but consider him day-to-day. The Nuggets play a pair of back-to-backs this week, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him rested for one game of each of those pairs. Jusuf Nurkic replaced Jokic in the starting lineup on Saturday but played just 15 minutes. Instead, Kenneth Faried appears to be the biggest beneficiary of Jokic's absence as he played a season-high 37 minutes on Saturday, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks.
Derrick Rose: The former MVP suffered a sprained left ankle on Friday and is expected to miss multiple games. He didn't play Sunday against the Hawks and was in a walking boot before the loss. Walking boots prevent the ankle from moving and aid in weight bearing. They are often used in the place or in conjunction with crutches depending on the amount of weight the injury site can tolerate.
There is a bit of history here as Rose has sprained his left ankle multiple times throughout his career, including last season when he missed two games in mid-November. Additionally extra care should be given to Rose's leg muscles to ensure the period of immobilization doesn't lead to a muscle imbalance. Even the slightest alteration in the kinetic chain could prove to be detrimental for a player that has needed surgery on both his knees.
Brandon Jennings has replaced Rose in the starting five but scored just 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting Sunday despite playing 53 minutes. Still, Jennings has averaged a respectable 17.5 points as a starter and could be worth a look in daily leagues.
Deron Williams: The Mavericks point guard has endured a variety of ailments this season including groin and calf strains. Now the former All-Star is sidelined with a sprained toe on his left foot. He didn't play Thursday or Sunday, and will not be in uniform on Monday against the Cavaliers. Pierre Jackson replaced Williams in the lineup on Thursday but strained his left hamstring. The mounting injuries forced Dallas' hand and Jackson was waived and Yogi Ferrell was brought in on a 10-day contract. Before the ink could dry on the contract, Ferrell was in the starting lineup on Sunday, collecting nine points, seven assists and two steals in an upset win over the Spurs. Ferrell isn't a long-term solution but likely will remain a starter for the week ahead. Seth Curry continues to take advantage of the extra available minutes and is a must-add in all formats. Curry scored a career-high 24 points on Sunday and has averaged 16.8 points on 49 percent shooting, including 2.6 made three-pointers, in Dallas' last five games.
