James Harden And 4 Other NBA Injury Updates For Monday Night (Jan. 5)

These are five notable injuries that could affect fantasy basketball for the NBA's eight-game slate on Monday night.

Jan 1, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Intuit Dome. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Some notable stars were sidelined for Monday night’s slate of NBA action, forcing fantasy basketball lineups to make last-second adjustments. These potential absences could have significant short-term impact on fantasy lineups over the next few days, but shouldn’t have much long-term effect. Here are five notable injury statuses from the NBA’s eight-game slate on Monday night: 

James Harden - Los Angeles Clippers

Jan 1, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Intuit Dome. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden entered Monday night’s matchup with a questionable designation, but was ultimately unable to suit up against the Golden State Warriors. Harden was dealing with shoulder stiffness, forcing him to miss just his third game of the season thus far. Despite his absence, the Clippers pulled out a narrow 103-102 win over the Warriors behind a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double from Kawhi Leonard. 

Coby White - Chicago Bulls

Jan 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) shoots the ball during warmups prior to a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Coby White managed to suit up against the Boston Celtics on Monday night, despite coming into the matchup with a questionable tag. White was upgraded to probable shortly before tip-off, but was brought off the bench for Billy Donovan’s rotation. White was limited to five points, shooting 2-for-7 from the field, with six rebounds and three assists. Chicago ultimately fell 115-101 to the Boston Celtics, looking to bounce back against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. 

Trae Young - Atlanta Hawks

Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks injured player Trae Young (center in hoodie) on the bench during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at State Farm Arena. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Trae Young, arguably the hottest name on the trade block, was unable to suit up for the Atlanta Hawks’ matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Monday. The All-Star point guard was sidelined for the team’s 118-100 loss, as he works with the team’s front office to find a trade suitor. Young’s time in Atlanta appears to be coming to a close after eight years. His absence on Monday night marked his 27th to this point of the season. 

Alperen Sengun - Houston Rockets

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) lays injured during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Alperen Sengun exited the Houston Rockets’ matchup against the Dallas Mavericks with an ankle injury on Saturday, raising questions regarding his status for Monday night’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Sengun was ultimately sidelined for Monday’s contest and could miss additional time. Kevin Durant led the Rockets to a 100-97 win in Sengun’s absence behind 26 points and seven rebounds from the former MVP. 

Jamal Murray - Denver Nuggets

Jan 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets pulled off a massive upset over the Philadelphia 76ers despite the absence of Jamal Murray, who joined Nikola Jokic on the bench for Monday night’s game. The Nuggets rested Murray on the second leg of a back-to-back due to an ankle injury, though he isn’t expected to miss additional time. Denver sealed a 125-124 win behind a team-high 29 points from guard Jalen Pickett.