NBA fans and fantasy managers got some news this week about Luka Dončić. The Mavericks star is listed as questionable. This is according to the NBA’s official injury report, issued early on December 25, 2025. It shows he has a lower left leg contusion. This is a bit of a bummer, really.
Luka’s Status: What We Know Officially
So, the official word is Luka is “Questionable — Lower Left Leg; Contusion” for the Mavericks’ game(s) today. That report came out at 7:45 AM ET on Christmas Day. The NBA is pretty strict with these things. They don’t give out return dates or surgical status on these reports, just the game status. So, no long-term outlook from the primary source, which is the official NBA injury report.
He suffered this leg contusion on Saturday. That was during a loss to the Clippers. And he didn’t play in Tuesday’s game against the Suns, for the Lakers actually, the Yahoo article mistakenly attributed him to the Lakers here. But it should be Dallas Mavericks.
Anyway, some media items were saying he was expected to play on Christmas, which is a bit different from the official “questionable” tag. It’s always good to check the verified sources, you know?
Other Key Injuries Around the League
But Luka isn’t the only one dealing with stuff. Week 10 is seeing a bunch of injuries. It’s really affecting teams and fantasy rosters.
- Ivica Zubac (Clippers): He’s out for at least three weeks. A Grade 2 ankle sprain, apparently. That’s a big blow for LA. Brook Lopez is stepping up, playing more minutes for the Clippers now.
- Cam Thomas (Nets): Good news here. He’s progressing from his hamstring strain. He’s even doing 5-on-5 activities now. No return timeline yet, but it’s a positive step.
- Cameron Johnson (Nuggets): Got a bone bruise in his knee. He’s expected to miss some time. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown will likely fill in.
- P.J. Washington (Mavericks): He missed Tuesday’s game with right midfoot soreness. That opened up a starting spot for Jaden Hardy. Naji Marshall is also getting more popular in fantasy because of this. Marshall is playing pretty well, actually. He’s been putting up solid production.
- Jakob Poeltl (Raptors): His back issues are flaring up again. He didn’t play Tuesday. Sandro Mamukelashvili is getting a big boost in minutes because of it. Mamu had a great game, too.
- Keegan Murray (Kings): He picked up a calf injury in Tuesday’s game. This means more minutes for rookie Nique Clifford. And Zach LaVine is still sidelined, so the Kings frontcourt is getting thin.
- Rui Hachimura (Lakers): Missed a couple of games with a groin injury. Jake LaRavia has been starting in his place. LaRavia had a nice game with 12 points, 11 boards, 6 assists, and two steals against the Clippers. He’s probably worth a look in deeper leagues if Rui is still out.
- Lauri Markkanen & Jusuf Nurkić (Jazz): The Jazz are starting to get into “injury management” mode. Both missed Tuesday’s game. Kyle Filipowski is really benefiting from this. He had a huge game with 25 points and 13 rebounds. He’s a good add, honestly.
Navigating the Holiday Week Schedule
This Week 10 is a bit weird with the holidays. Christmas Eve was a full day off for the league. But Christmas Day has five games. And then nine-game slates on Friday and Saturday. NBC Sports noted that only the Nets play twice this week, so you might want to avoid their players in fantasy. A lot of teams have four games, though, like the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Pacers. Some teams also have back-to-backs. The Lakers, for instance, don’t have a back-to-back in Week 10. That’s good for their injured guys.
Waiver Wire Opportunities for Fantasy Managers
With all these injuries and strange schedules, there are definitely some players to grab. RotoBaller highlighted a few.
- Sandro Mamukelashvili (Raptors): Since Poeltl’s back is an issue, Mamu could be a starter. He’s a strong add for points, rebounds, and threes.
- Brook Lopez (Clippers): With Zubac out, Lopez is getting more minutes. He can still give you threes, boards, and blocks.
- Jake LaRavia (Lakers): Like we said, with Rui Hachimura out, LaRavia is getting good run. He can put up solid all-around numbers.
- Isaiah Collier (Jazz): He’s been dishing out tons of assists lately. He’s a great pickup if you need dimes. Plus, he’s shooting well.
- Cam Spencer (Grizzlies): He’s really emerged as a must-roster player, according to CBS Sports. Memphis has a lot of injuries, and Spencer is playing a lot and producing.
It’s a chaotic week with the holidays and injuries. Fantasy managers really gotta stay on their toes. But also, it’s Christmas. Enjoy the games!
Soureesh Datta 
Priyanjan Paul 
Ishaan Singh