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Raptors Notes: Barnes, Brown, Walter, Olynyk, Poeltl, More

November 20th, 2024 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors star Scottie Barnes, who has been out since October due to an orbital bone fracture, appears to be nearing a return. The All-Star forward has been cleared for contact and was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link), who says it sounds like Barnes will be listed as questionable to play vs. Minnesota on Thursday.

Although Barnes’ right eye is still red, he told reporters that he’s no longer feeling pain in the eye like he was in the days after the injury. His plan is to wear protective goggles as a precaution, which he admitted is “going to take some getting used to” (Twitter link via Lewenberg).

Two more injured Raptors players fully participated in practice on Wednesday too, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link), though he says Bruce Brown (knee) and Ja’Kobe Walter (shoulder) will require longer ramp-up periods than Barnes. That’s especially true for Brown, who has been on the shelf since undergoing knee surgery in September.

Kelly Olynyk (back) and Immanuel Quickley (elbow) remain sidelined for Toronto, but Olynyk was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, Lewenberg adds.

We have more on the Raptors:

While Toronto’s decision to trade a lightly protected 2024 first-round pick in a package for Jakob Poeltl at the 2023 deadline looks like a mistake in retrospect, that’s certainly no fault of the veteran center, who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career as of late, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Poeltl is averaging career highs in points (17.1) and rebounds (11.9) per game this season and has been more of a threat on offense than he showed in his first eight NBA seasons. “I mean, maybe there’s a little bit of a mindset change with me personally, but I think, more than anything, the reason why I feel like I’m getting more opportunities is just within the flow of our offense, our guys are finding me,” he said. “There are situations when I’m catching in rhythm because I’m getting a couple of easy ones.”
Within the same Sportsnet.ca story, Grange notes that Poeltl’s strong play this fall could boost his value as a trade chip, but suggests the Raptors might be better off keeping the big man. As Grange explains, a healthy version of the current roster, perhaps with another prospect added via the 2025 draft lottery, has a chance to be competitive sooner rather than later.
Despite their 3-12 start, the Raptors can’t be too upset about how the first month of the season has played out, as Grange and Lewenberg detail in a pair of stories. The vibes in the locker room are still positive, individual players – including 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick – are making positive strides, the team has been competitive in most of its losses, and they seem to be buying into the way that head coach Darko Rajakovic wants to play.
While RJ Barrett‘s shooting percentages are down so far this season (.422 FG%, .338 3PT%), the forward’s passing ability has been a pleasant surprise, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. With primary play-makers Quickley and Barnes battling injuries, Barrett is averaging 6.5 assists, well above his career rate coming into this season (2.9 APG).
Eugene Omoruyi, who appeared in 87 total NBA games for four teams from 2021-24, has signed a G League contract and has been acquired off waivers by the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate. As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca tweets, Omoruyi – who grew up near Toronto – opted to join the G League in the hopes that he could land with his hometown team. The 6’7″ forward has averaged 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game with the Mavericks, Thunder, Pistons, and Wizards since going undrafted out of Oregon in 2021.

Pelicans Sign Elfrid Payton, Waive Jaylen Nowell

November 20th, 2024 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

12:34pm: The Pelicans have officially signed Payton and waived Nowell, the team confirmed in a press release. As expected, Payton’s deal is non-guaranteed, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

7:19am: The Pelicans and free agent guard Elfrid Payton have agreed to a deal, agent Darrell Comer tells Shams Charania of ESPN.

As Charania notes, the agreement will reunite Payton and Pelicans head coach Willie Green, who were teammates on the Magic during the 2014/15 season, Green’s last as a player — and Payton’s first.

The 10th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Payton has 500 regular season appearances under his belt across eight NBA seasons with the Magic, Suns, Pelicans, and Knicks. However, he hasn’t been on a regular season roster since suiting up for Phoenix during the 2021/22 season. The 30-year-old played in Puerto Rico in 2023 and then spent last season with the Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate.

A Louisiana native who played college ball for the Ragin’ Cajuns in Lafayette, Payton has never been a great shooter, with career averages of 44.7% from the floor and 28.7% from beyond the arc. However, he’s a talented ball-handler and play-maker who averaged 10.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game over the course of his NBA career.

Payton was briefly in camp with the Pelicans last month and joined their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, to start the season.

While it appears that New Orleans could qualify for a hardship exception as a result of injuries to Dejounte Murray (hand), Herbert Jones (shoulder), Zion Williamson (hamstring), CJ McCollum (thigh), Jose Alvarado (hamstring), and Jordan Hawkins (back), Charania reports that the team is waiving Jaylen Nowell in order to create a spot on the 15-man roster for Payton.

That suggests that the Pelicans either expect some of their injured players to return within the next couple weeks or want to avoid pushing their payroll into luxury tax territory.

Nowell averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 21.0 minutes per game during eight outings with the Pelicans, posting a shooting line of just .356/.296/.636. He had been on a non-guaranteed contract, so the Pelicans will take on a modest cap hit for the time he spent on the roster. If he’s officially waived on Wednesday, Nowell’s cap charge will work out to $278,782.

The details of Payton’s deal have yet to be reported, but it will likely be a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract like Nowell’s.

Community Shootaround: 2024/25 NBA Rookie Class

November 20th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Leading up to the 2024 NBA draft, we heard over and over again that the class didn’t feature the type of star-level talent at the top that we’d seen in recent years, when No. 1 overall picks like Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero went on to earn Rookie of the Year awards. The common refrain was that some of 2024’s top prospects had the ability to eventually become impact players, but none were likely to be immediate difference-makers.

[RELATED: 2024 NBA Draft Results]

So far, that has certainly been the case for the players drafted with the top few picks in June.

Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick, is shooting just 38.6% from the field and 25.0% on three-pointers. Wizards center Alex Sarr is among the NBA’s leaders in blocked shots (2.1 per game), but the No. 2 overall pick has been ineffective on offense, with a 35.1% field goal percentage, including 20.3% from beyond the arc. No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard has found playing time hard to come by with the Rockets and has averaged a modest 3.7 points in 11.9 minutes per game.

Still, while the top 2024 picks aren’t exactly off to red-hot starts, there are a handful of rookies who have exceeded expectations this fall. A pair of non-lottery selections lead the way — Jared McCain of the Sixers and Dalton Knecht of the Lakers, who were drafted 16th and 17th respectively, are already making teams regret passing on them.

McCain has been one of the few bright spots for a 2-11 Sixers team, averaging 25.2 points per game on .482/.441/1.000 shooting in six appearances since becoming a regular rotation player. Knecht had a monster night on Tuesday to lead the Lakers over the Jazz, racking up 37 points and matching an NBA rookie record with nine three-pointers. He has now averaged 24.3 PPG on .673/.677/.857 shooting in his past four outings.

After Tuesday’s game, LeBron James was asked about Knecht and admitted that the Lakers drafting him at No. 17 was less about the scouting department finding a diamond in the rough and more about L.A. lucking out, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays.

“The other 16 teams f—ed it up,” James said. “Did anybody watch him? S–t. … You don’t ‘find’ an SEC player of the year.”

Besides McCain and Knecht, there are a few other rookies who have stood out in the early going. The Grizzlies have two of them, with lottery pick Zach Edey averaging 11.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as the team’s primary center and second-rounder Jaylen Wells chipping in 11.5 PPG with a .368 3PT% as a rotation mainstay.

Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (10.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, .389 3PT%), Jazz big man Kyle Filipowski (7.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.2 APG), and Suns defensive ace Ryan Dunn are among the other rookies who have made positive first impressions.

We want to know what you think. Have the results through the season’s first four weeks made your change your Rookie of the Year prediction? Are you concerned about any of the top picks in this year’s class or do you think it’s just a matter of time until they start making strides (and shots)? Do you expect McCain and Knecht to continue playing at – or even anywhere near – their current levels? Which player looks to you like the steal of the 2024 draft?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts on this year’s NBA rookie class!

Grizzlies Notes: Edey, Williams, Injuries, Draymond, Jenkins

November 20th, 2024 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

A left ankle sprain forced Grizzlies center Zach Edey to the inactive list for Tuesday’s game against Denver and will keep him sidelined for more time beyond that. Speaking to reporters ahead of Tuesday’s contest, head coach Taylor Jenkins said that Edey would be considered “week-to-week” as a result of his ankle injury (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).

That’s a somewhat vague timeline, but it suggests Edey will miss at least Wednesday’s game vs. Philadelphia and Saturday’s matchup with the Bulls. Memphis will be in action on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week, so we’ll see if the rookie big man is able to make it back for any of those contests.

Here’s more out of Memphis:

In just his third game back after missing the start of the season due to a left tibial stress reaction, Grizzlies wing Vince Williams exited Tuesday’s loss in the second quarter due to a right ankle injury, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. It’s not yet clear if the injury will cause Williams to miss additional games, but I’d be a little surprised if he suits up for Wednesday’s contest vs. the Sixers.
Injuries to Edey, Williams, and star point guard Ja Morant have been setbacks for a Grizzlies team that was finally on the verge of getting healthier, but Memphis players remain confident in their ability to withstand the plague of injuries and remain firmly in the playoff mix, Cole writes for The Commercial Appeal. “I feel like that’s been one of our stronger assets to our group — just staying together and weathering the storm,” Desmond Bane said. “And they will be back. It takes time. … When they’re back, everything gonna be clicking.”
Scotty Pippen Jr. added that he believes the Grizzlies’ unfortunate run of injuries since the start of the 2023/24 season has just been a matter of bad luck. “I have been other places before, and over here, we are definitely taking care of our bodies,” Pippen said. “The trainers, everyone is on top of it. … A lot of these are just freak injuries. I don’t want to say it’s anything we are doing because everyone is in the weight room and everyone is taking care of their bodies — cold tub, hot tub, all of that.”
In the latest episode of the Draymond Green Show (YouTube link), Warriors forward Draymond Green took aim at the Grizzlies, their head coach, and their rookie center, as Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. Green referred to Jenkins as “too emotional” and claimed he sets a bad example for his team, criticizing the Grizzlies’ head coach for his post-game comments about a foul Green committed on Edey that was later upgraded to a flagrant 1. “(Jenkins was) crying about a little take foul on the big man (Edey), so what he’s going to do in turn is cry,” Green said. “He’s supposed to protect Ja Morant. You’re setting him up to where Ja Morant’s going to be protecting him. He’s a big man. If (Jenkins) didn’t come out crying for his big man, who then came out crying, he’s big enough to possibly have fooled people that he could be a little tough. And now nobody believes him.”

Pacers Sign Center Moses Brown

November 20th, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Dana Gauruder

NOVEMBER 20: The Pacers have officially signed Brown, per NBA.com’s transaction log. The expectation is that he’ll be active in Houston vs. the Rockets on Wednesday, tweets Dopirak.

NOVEMBER 18: The Pacers are filling their roster opening by signing center Moses Brown, Shams Charania of ESPN tweets.

Indiana has essentially been going with a 12-man roster, not including two-way players, after centers James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson suffered season-ending Achilles tears. Brown will provide much-needed depth in that area. Starting center Myles Turner is currently dealing with calf soreness.

Brown is expected to join Indiana on Wednesday, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. The big man’s contract will be non-guaranteed, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, meaning he’ll make $13,939 every day he’s on the roster.

Brown had been on the roster of the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate. Brown was signed and waived by the Knicks in October on an Exhibit 10 deal.

Brown hasn’t stuck with an NBA team for more than a single season since making his debut in 2019, but he has racked up 150 regular season appearances in stints with the Trail Blazers (twice), Thunder, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Clippers, and Nets. He holds career averages of 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game.

Brown spent the 2023/24 campaign under contract with the Trail Blazers, appearing in 22 games and posting averages of 3.4 PPG and 3.9 RPG in 9.1 MPG.

Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Westbrook, Cancar, Murray

November 20th, 2024 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

After a pair of dismal performances in New Orleans and Memphis during the first two games of a Nikola Jokic-less road trip, the Nuggets bounced back on Tuesday, securing a 12-point victory in a rematch with the Grizzlies. It was a group effort, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, with Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, and Russell Westbrook among those who had strong showings and made up for the absence of the three-time MVP, who has been out for personal reasons.

“We’re not always going to have the luxury of being able to rely on one person,” Nuggets forward Peyton Watson said prior to the game. “… Without him, our mindset should change. I don’t think that it should stay the same. I think we should all take it upon ourselves that we have more responsibility. … I think that’s something that’s a privilege, being able to be in these situations and be counted on and have the pressure on us.”

Head coach Michael Malone, who said before the game that he wasn’t sure whether or not Jokic would be available when the Nuggets return home on Friday to host the Mavericks, also stressed the importance of learning to win when the superstar center isn’t available.

“All we talked about all day long is: ‘We’ve lost two in a row, and don’t waste on energy on who’s not here; we have enough talent in the room to get the job done,'” Malone said, per Durando.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Westbrook finished Tuesday’s win with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, making him the first player in NBA history to reach 200 career triple-doubles (story via ESPN.com). “It’s hard to put into words,” teammate Julian Strawther said of the accomplishment. “Two-hundred triple-doubles is a lot. I don’t even know if I’ve got 200 career games.” It’s possible Westbrook’s record will eventually be broken by a current teammate — Jokic ranks fourth on the league’s all-time triple-double list with 136.
Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar exited Tuesday’s game in the second quarter due to a left knee sprain and didn’t return, as Durando details for The Denver Post. It’s the same knee in which he tore his ACL last summer. Asked after the game if there’s any fear of another tear, Malone said he had yet to speak to the medical staff. “I would hate to be premature with any speculation in terms of what happened,” the Nuggets’ coach said. “When I spoke to him at halftime, he was in good spirits. He seemed to be fairly pain-free. It just felt a little uncomfortable when he came down. So we’ll get with our training staff, and we’ll kind of get a better idea of what’s going on with that. And hopefully it’s nothing major and we can get him back out there, because I thought Vlatko with that second unit was really, really effective.” Prior to the injury, Cancar had scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 11 minutes of action.
Murray, who signed a four-year, maximum-salary extension this offseason, had struggled entering Tuesday’s game, averaging 17.3 points per game on 39.9% shooting (30.2% on three-pointers). The standout guard enjoyed one of his best nights of the season in Memphis on Tuesday, pouring in 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting. Speaking to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Murray said he’s fully healthy and just needs to be more assertive offensively. “I take full accountability,” Murray said of his recent slump. “It’s not easy when you aren’t playing well. It hasn’t been easy with guys like Nikola and Aaron (Gordon) out. We were fully capable of winning these last games. But, for me, I have to play better. I have to take account for that. It starts with me.”

Southeast Notes: Wizards Losing Streak, Johnson, Carter Jr., Butler

November 19th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards have lost eight straight and their last two outings were particularly ugly. They were blown out by Detroit and New York by a combined 48 points. Head coach Brian Keefe took ownership for the poor performances.

“I’m the leader of this team. I’m the head coach of this team,” Keefe said, per Varun Shankar of the Washington Post. “So I’ll take the responsibility for the last two nights, not playing up to the competitive disposition that we should be playing with, especially defensively. That will be addressed as a group, and we will get better. But that wasn’t … what our standards were, and we have to own that and we have to look at ourselves and we have to get better.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable to play against Golden State on Wednesday due to left lateral lower leg inflammation, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. Johnson missed the Hawks’ win at Sacramento on Monday. He’s averaging 19.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season after signing a five-year, $150MM extension prior to the season.
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for the team’s road game against the Clippers on Wednesday, beat reporter Dan Savage tweets. Carter, who signed a three-year extension last month, hasn’t played since Nov. 3 due to left foot plantar fasciitis.
Heat forward Jimmy Butler missed four consecutive games due to a sprained right ankle. He was dominant in his return against Philadelphia on Monday, pouring in 30 points while adding 10 rebounds and five assists, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. “We know what the expectation is when he’s healthy,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “… He really set the tone by imposing his physical will on the game.” Staying on the court has been the issue for Butler. He has missed 20 or more regular-season games in three of the last four seasons, which is why the front office showed reluctance during the offseason to discuss a maximum-salary extension with him.

Pacific Notes: Ishbia, Durant, Ellis, James, Knecht

November 19th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns owner Mat Ishbia told ESPN’s Shams Charania (video link) that he anticipates his team will be able to lock up Kevin Durant beyond his current contract, which expires in 2026.

“We expect Kevin to sign an extension and be with us for the long-term,” Ishbia said. “We hope he finishes his career here in Phoenix. That’s what we expect.”

Durant, 36, is currently sidelined by a left calf strain, but was averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game prior to the injury. Durant has a $57.4MM salary next season, the final year of his current contract. He declined to sign a one-year extension before the regular season but can sign a two-year deal during the 2025 offseason.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Keon Ellis came off the bench and scored a career-high 33 points in a controversial one-point loss to Atlanta on Monday. The Kings guard made nine 3-pointers for shorthanded Sacramento. “The way he shot the ball tonight was definitely incredible and kept us in the game,” De’Aaron Fox told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “He had big moments for us, and then getting to the line down the stretch, he was big for us.”
LeBron James‘ increased play-making is one of five takeaways from the Lakers’ current five-game winning streak that Jovan Buha of The Athletic details. James is averaging 9.2 assists per game, the second-highest mark of his career. Another of Buha’s takeaways is the improved play of Max Christie, though he may not hold onto his rotation spot once injured players return to action.
Dalton Knecht has scored 60 points in the last three games and The Athletic’s John Hollinger describes the rookie’s impact on the Lakers in his latest column. The 17th pick of the draft has made 40.4% of his 3-point attempts. He has filled a role for a much-needed shooter to balance the offense.

Central Notes: Beasley, Bell, Vucevic, Lillard

November 19th, 2024 at 7:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

If the Pistons decide to deal Malik Beasley this season, he’s done nothing but enhance his value with his sharp start. Playing on a one-year, $6MM contract he signed as a free agent, Beasley is averaging 15.4 points in 28.8 minutes per game while shooting 39.3% beyond the arc.

“He’s made everybody’s job easier,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press. “When he provides that space and guys have to account for him, defenses have to shift. He’s been tremendous not just in his shot making, I don’t want to just limit him to that. His spirit, his energy, his leadership and then his commitment on the defensive end has been great as well. He’s one of those guys that’s been invaluable to this group because he helps them in so many different ways.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Jordan Bell, who was playing for the Pacers’ G League team, will miss the rest of the season due to a left knee injury that will require surgery, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Bell was injured on Friday while playing for the Indiana Mad Ants. Bell, who also spent part of the last two seasons with the Mad Ants, was the 38th overall pick in the 2017 draft, playing the first two seasons of his career with the Warriors and winning a championship with the team in 2018.
Nikola Vucevic has gotten off to a strong start. The Bulls center is averaging 20.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per night, including a season-high 29 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a win at Detroit on Monday. “He looks like an All-Star,” point guard Josh Giddey told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s been playing unbelievable for us. He’s carrying such a heavy load offensively, and he’s being asked to do a lot. He’s doing that at a very high level, night in and night out. There aren’t many off-nights for Vooch. He’s a true professional and he’s been doing this for a long time. He understands the right way to play. Very fun guy to play with for me. He’s a threat from behind the arc, plays in the pocket, very cerebral player.” Vucevic is in the second season of a three-year, $60MM contract, which could make him a target at the trade deadline.
Damian Lillard missed three games after entering concussion protocol. The Bucks star guard struggled in his return on Monday but made the game-winning layup against the Rockets, Eric Nehm of The Athletic notes. Lillard made just 6-of-18 shots for 18 points, but he still managed to dish out 10 assists. “I think he’s one of the best to ever do it — like finishing the game — and as a leader, you gotta give (him the ball),” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “It’s easy for me to say I have the ball and go all the way, but at the end of the day, I’m a leader that wants to win. … Dame is a great closer. So you gotta find Dame and you gotta put the ball in his hand for him to make a decision.”

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Bridges, Trades, McCullar

November 19th, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks forward OG Anunoby isn’t satisfied with his reputation as a lockdown defender. He’s more versatile than that, he told James Edwards III of The Athletic.

“I always prided myself on being a two-way player, not just a defender,” he said.

He’s backing up those words by averaging a career-best 17.4 points through 14 games this season. He’s shooting 50% from the field overall and 36.7% from deep. Fewer than half of his field goal attempts have come beyond the arc, so he’s not just a spot-up shooter.

“OG is a really good player,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He can shoot the ball, he can move without the ball and he’s good in transition. If you put a small guy on him, he can take him inside. He reads the game well. The awareness of where he is because of the shooting, but when he sees the back of his man’s head, he cuts and relocates extremely well. The constant movement by him is extremely good for us.”

We have more on the Knicks:

Mikal Bridges has begun to show why the Knicks were willing to give up a package of players and five future first-round picks to the Nets to acquire him. Bridges has scored 20 or more points in three of last four games. His contributions go far beyond that, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post points out. He blocked a potential game-tying shot by Brooklyn’s Dennis Schröder on Friday, then showed his stamina by playing 45 minutes in the rematch on Sunday and 35 more against Washington on Monday.
Given their financial constraints, it’s unlikely the Knicks will make a significant trade this season, Edwards opines in a mailbag for The Athletic. Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa seem to be the most likely trade candidates but both are injured right now and they’re probably the two best interior defenders on the roster, Edwards notes. A trade is more likely if they don’t start distancing themselves from most of the other teams in the East.
In the same story, Edwards reports that rookie two-way player Kevin McCullar is still rehabbing the knee injury he sustained at Kansas prior to the draft and will likely be out several months. McCullar, a 6’5” wing, was a late second-round selection and the Knicks took him with the knowledge that he probably wouldn’t contribute this season.

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