Hawks' John Collins: Won't return Wednesday

The starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game have been announced. In the Western Conference, Steph Curry, Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Zion Williamson and Nikola Jokić earned the honors. In the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving received the nods.

During a full slate of NBA games Wednesday night, there was only one matchup that had the potential to feature two players who have both won back-to-back MVPs. It was neither of the nationally televised games, though both of those matchups had their own built-in storylines as part of the league's "Rivals Week." It was the Denver Nuggets against the Milwaukee Bucks, where the two players who have combined to win the last four MVP awards were set to face off. But with the Nuggets on the second night of a back-to-back, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic didn't play, neither did Jamal Murray or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a 107-99 loss against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee.

Doncic (ankle) will not return to Thursday's contest against the Suns, NBA writer Marc Stein reports. Doncic picked up a left ankle sprain three minutes into Thursday's matchup with Phoenix and he won't return, finishing with only one rebound. Expect Josh Green, Spencer Dinwiddie and Tim Hardaway to all see an uptick in minutes for the remainder of Thursday's contest. The severity of Doncic's ankle injury is uncertain at this point.

The Brooklyn Nets suffered a surprising 130-122 loss to the lowly Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, and have now lost six of their last eight games to fall to 29-19 on the season, which puts them in a tie with the Cleveland Cavaliers for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Love (back) won't play Thursday against the Rockets, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. After getting added to the injury report late Thursday, Love will ultimately sit out against the Rockets, putting Dean Wade and Cedi Osman in line for more minutes. The veteran's next chance to return to the court will be Friday against the Thunder.

Jordan Poole had himself an eventful 80 seconds to close the Warriors' wild win over Memphis on Wednesday night. After attempting a somewhat ill-advised 3-pointer that irked Stephen Curry to the point the Warriors star hurled his mouthpiece into the stands, which led to his being ejected, Poole redeemed himself by producing the game-winning layup off a baseline out-of-bounds play as Golden State escaped with a 122-120 victory.

Nurkic (calf) is questionable for Saturday's matchup against the Raptors. Nurkic left Wednesday's matchup against Utah in the third quarter due to left calf soreness and is considered a question mark for Portland's next game. If Nurkic is ultimately ruled out Saturday, Drew Eubanks would be a candidate for increased playing time.

With the NBA trade deadline rapidly approaching, the rumors continue to come fast and furious. This season's Feb. 9 deadline could be especially intriguing given the parity in the league this season. A lot of teams feel like they have a chance to make a real run, and thus could be looking to make moves. It can be a lot to stay on top of, but we'll do our best to keep you covered. Here's a look at a few fresh rumblings from across the league's landscape.

Turner is questionable for Friday's game against Milwaukee due to a right ankle sprain. Turner has appeared in the Pacers' last six matchups and has averaged 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 30.0 minutes per game during that time. If he's unavailable against the Bucks, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor would be candidates to see increased minutes.

Rubio has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Thunder due to left knee injury management. Rubio played 17 minutes off the bench and totaled five points (2-7 FG), seven assists, three rebounds and one steal during Thursday's win over the Rockets. However, the veteran forward is coming off a lengthy rehab following ACL surgery and will take the second night of Cleveland's back-to-back set off to rest his left knee. Donovan Mitchell (groin) is doubtful for Friday's contest, so it looks like Darius Garland and Caris LeVert will operate as the Cavaliers' starting backcourt, while Raul Neto and Cedi Osman could see increased roles off the bench.

Rubio chipped in five points (2-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt), three rebounds, seven assists and one steal over 17 minutes during Thursday's 113-95 victory over the Rockets. Rubio continues to play a limited role off the bench and has not scored more than nine points in any of his games. However, he was able to dish out a season-high seven assists in the win. The fact he remains limited even with Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) sidelined tells you everything you need to know about his role moving forward. The Cavaliers want to have him up and running come the playoffs, meaning he could be locked in at no more than 20 minutes per night, at least for the foreseeable future.

Middleton chipped in 10 points (3-8 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, three assists and one steal across 15 minutes during Wednesday's 107-99 victory over the Nuggets. Middleton has played exactly 15 minutes in his two games since returning to action, scoring a combined 18 points while going 6-for-15 from the field in that span. He's going to be eased back into action, and his fantasy value should begin to increase when -- and not if -- he returns to the starting unit, as Pat Connaughton has been starting at small forward over him.

Beal provided 17 points (7-17 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes during Wednesday's 108-103 win over the Rockets. Beal had a rough shooting performance, but his contributions still lifted Washington to victory. He's been remarkably consistent of late, putting up at least 17 points in each of his four outings since returning from injury and shooting 47.5 percent from the field in that span.

Another day, another set of trade rumors as the NBA's deadline approaches. We are now less than two weeks away from the final buzzer, and we're still waiting on the sort of moves that tend to define a deadline. That hasn't been for lack of trying. There has been plenty of news surrounding what teams are trying to accomplish over the past several days, and on Friday, we have a whole new batch to sift through.

Wilson (lower body) will be a game-time decision for Thursday's showdown with the Penguins, Samantha Pell of The Washington Post reports. Wilson exited in the second period of Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Avalanche and did not partake in Thursday's morning skate, but is officially a game-time call. The 28-year-old winger has two goals and three points in eight games -- alongside a paltry minus-7 rating.

The Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies battled Wednesday in the latest chapter of one of the NBA's growing rivalries, but Stephen Curry wasn't allowed to take part in the final 74 seconds of the nail-biting win due to one of the more bizarre ejections you'll ever see. With...