The LA Clippers frontcourt has some help on the way. Mason Plumlee is nearing a return after nearly a two-month absence. Plumlee could play as soon as Monday, as he's nearly fully recovered from a sprained MCL in his left knee.

Plumlee was injured during the Clippers loss at the New York Knicks on November 6. He's missed LA's last 25 games.

During Plumlee's absence, the Clippers signed Daniel Theis. The veteran center worked a buyout with the Indiana Pacers before joining LA. Plumlee will pair with Theis to give Ty Lue additional depth behind starting center Ivica Zubac.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon said there was no one to blame but himself for his dog biting him on Christmas. Gordon explained what happened in the unfortunate incident.

“I guess it’s a little bit embarrassing, but not too embarrassing to where I can’t talk about it,” he said. “I don’t drink a lot during the season. I probably had a little bit too much eggnog. I was kind of roughhousing with my dog, and I think my dog got a little excited and just basically chomped down. Gave me a bite. And I was basically wrestling him off of me, and then he bit my hand.

“For lack of better words, I was (messing) around with my dog, and when you (mess) around, you find out.”

Gordon has 21 stitches after the bit, most of them in his right hand. Gordon said those are the ones he's concerned about, because that's his shooting hand. The veteran forward said he's played with stitches in the hand before, and as soon as he can handle the pain, he'll return.

“I’ve played with stitches in my hand before, so that’s not new to me,” Gordon said. “I don’t really care about the stitches on my face. We’re not running a pageant here.”

The Nuggets forward also said he doesn't blame his dog for what happened either.

“He’s a good boy. He’s a good dog,” Gordon said. “Very attached. Very sweet. Very strong. Great dog.”

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup on Saturday after a four-game absence due to a strained left calf. Unfortunately, Butler's return was short-lived.

After playing 23 minutes, Butler left Miami's loss to the Utah Jazz due to a right foot injury. Postgame x-rays were negative. Butler's status is unknown at this point. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he had no update when asked postgame.

Prior to the calf injury, Butler had played in 19 of Miami's first 23 games.

LA Clippers coach Ty Lue said that Kawhi Leonard's timeline to return from a hip injury remains unknown. Part of the uncertainty is that Leonard hasn't been cleared to practice yet.

Lue said Leonard's hip contusion was a reaggravation of a previous injury. Leonard originally hurt the hip against the Utah Jazz on December 8, but played through the injury. He reaggravated it in a fall against the Dallas Mavericks.

Prior to this injury, the Clippers star had played in the team's first 27 games. That included four back-to-back sets. Leonard has now missed four straight games with this current hip contusion.

Isaiah Stewart will miss the next 10-14 days due to a sprained big toe, the Detroit Pistons announced.

Stewart, who originally suffered the injury two weeks ago, will be out to "allow for rest and rehabilitation."

The 22-year-old is averaging 10.4 points and 7.0 rebounds this season. 

Victor Wembanyama will sit out back-to-back games for the next couple of weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury, according to Gregg Popovich.

Popovich added that Wembanyama is still on a minutes restriction.

"When we sat him in Dallas, he wasn't happy, but I'm glad he wasn't happy. He's a competitor. All these guys at this level, they didn't get here by being noncompetitive. So, he'd rather be playing. It frustrates him more than anything," said Popovich.

Wembanyama hurt his ankle after landing on a ball boy's foot during warm-ups last week. 

The San Antonio Spurs waived Charles Bediako from his two-way contract on Friday.

Bediako will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a torn left meniscus. 

Lonzo Ball is expected to begin running again in January as he begins his next step in a nearly two-year-long rehab process from a knee injury.

Ball underwent a cartilage transplant in March. No player have undergone the procedure and ever returned to the NBA.

Ball is not expected to return to game action until the 24-25 season and even that is a major uncertainty. 

“Everything they’ve done in terms of progressing him he’s handled very well,” Billy Donovan said. “The pain that he was experiencing that was causing the setback I think has been eliminated in terms of what he’s doing now — but he hasn’t run. The next progression for him will be to start running and that will be here in January.”

Ball tore his meniscus on January 14, 2022. Ball underwent surgery and was expected back in time for the playoffs. 

Gordon Hayward will be out at least two weeks with a calf strain. Hayward suffered the injury in Tuesday's game for the Charlotte Hornets against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Hayward is averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 31.9 minutes over 25 games this season.

Hayward will be a free agent in 2024.

Bradley Beal could return as early as Friday's game for the Phoenix Suns against the Charlotte Hornets.

Beal has bene out since December 15th with a sprained ankle. Beal was initially expected to be out until early January. 

Beal has appeared in six games with the Suns, averaging 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 25.2 minutes.