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Southwest Notes: Zion, Daniels, Pelicans, Rockets, Gabriel

March 18th, 2024 at 1:53pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans have been on a roll lately, going 6-1 since the start of March and 15-5 since January 31. Former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson has played his best basketball of the season of late, coinciding with the team’s surge up the standings — New Orleans is currently 41-26, the No. 5 seed in the West, one game back of the slumping Clippers.

On his Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said he’s heard from people around the team that Williamson has lost a considerable amount of weight since December, when the Pelicans were embarrassed by the Lakers in the semifinal of the in-season tournament.

“I’ve got people in New Orleans telling me that since December when the in-season tournament happened, that Zion Williamson has lost 25 or more pounds, and his performance has been excellent,” Windhorst said (hat tip to Doric Sam of Bleacher Report). “He’s playing fewer minutes and I think that helps as well, but I’ve got people telling me he’s lost 25 pounds. And I don’t mean like in the past where they say, ‘Oh, he’s added muscle’ and it’s like, ‘Has he?’”

Windhorst’s ESPN colleague Andrew Lopez has heard the same from his own sources, noting that Williamson “looks completely different,” both physically and as a player.

While Williamson has mostly been known for his offensive ability to this point in his career, he played impressive defense on Kawhi Leonard late in Friday’s victory over the Clippers, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Leonard finished with just two points on 1-of-3 shooting in seven minutes in the final period.

“At the end of the game, I was like, ‘I got Kawhi,’” Trey Murphy said. “He was like, ‘Nah, I got it.’ I was like, ‘You got it then. I’m not going to fight you then.’ That’s what you want out of your stars. You want them to take on the challenge.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels, who is recovering from a torn meniscus in his left knee, was a full participant in Monday’s practice, head coach Willie Green told reporters, including Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). Daniels was doing 3-on-3 work post-practice as well, Guillory relays (via Twitter), which is another positive sign for the second-year guard, though Green said the 21-year-old still has to check a few more boxes before being cleared to return. Herbert Jones (back) and Larry Nance Jr. (non-COVID illness) were also full practice participants after missing Saturday’s game, Guillory adds.
The Rockets have gone 7-1 over their last eight games and now trail the Warriors and Lakers by 3.5 games for the final spot in the play-in tournament. It’s a stark contrast from the past few seasons, when the team was stuck at the bottom of the standings. As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link) writes, the Rockets know playing in high-pressure games is the next step in their development. “I’ve been on teams myself where you knew you were done by December, January,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “That’s not the best feeling. To have something to play for, but also change the mindset and mentality around here, was one of the main objectives this year. I think we did that from the start. To have a chance to play for something still at this point in the season but also finish on a strong note, guys are continuing to grow. It’s year one with me, and I think we’ve seen the progress. Things are starting to round out a little bit here and there. We’d like to have that momentum going into next year regardless of where we land.”
Wenyen Gabriel‘s 10-day contract with the Grizzlies expired overnight, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (via Twitter). The Sudanese forward/center is now an NBA free agent, though Puerto Rico’s Vaqueros de Bayamon announced last week that Gabriel had signed a contract with the team for the coming season. The 26-year-old averaged 3.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in five games with Memphis.

New York Notes: DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Thomas, Nets’ Team Meeting

March 18th, 2024 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Donte DiVincenzo always feels like he has something to prove when he faces the Kings, and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t want that to dominate his shooting guard’s thoughts heading into Saturday’s game, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. DiVincenzo played for Sacramento at the end of the 2021/22 season, but his time with the organization ended when the Kings withdrew his qualifying offer a few days into free agency. Thibodeau talked with DiVincenzo before the game to make sure that wouldn’t affect his decision-making.

“Not like anything crazy. Just something quick,” DiVincenzo said. “Just a reminder, don’t get too locked in — because everyone knows you want to try so hard to beat your former team, stick it to them. But at the end of the day, when I’m at my best I’m focused on this locker room and making the right plays.”

Bondy notes that DiVincenzo will have a much friendlier reunion tonight with the Warriors, who helped him reestablish his market value last season. He spent one year with Golden State before landing a four-year, $46.9MM deal with the Knicks, and he still communicates with many of his ex-teammates.

“I watch a lot of their games because they’re on the West Coast, so we play our game and they’re usually on afterwards,” DiVincenzo said. “Keep in touch with a lot of those guys. That’s pretty much it. It’s just a personal relationship rather than — there’s no like extra motivation or anything like that.”

There’s more on the NBA’s New York teams:

The Knicks‘ stifling defense will get a significant test against the Warriors, Bondy states in a separate story. Helped by the return of OG Anunoby and a league-wide decision to permit more contact, New York has held teams to 94 or fewer points in five straight games. The Knicks will have to get by tonight without Anunoby, who will miss the game due to “injury management” for his right elbow, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
High-scoring guard Cam Thomas wasn’t on the court for a crucial possession when the Nets needed a basket late in Sunday’s loss at San Antonio, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. During a timeout prior to the play, interim coach Kevin Ollie replaced Dennis Smith Jr. with Cameron Johnson, who misfired on a three-point attempt. “I guess they thought that was the best lineup to get a three off. So, you know, it was a good look. He just missed it…” Thomas said. “I mean, it is what it is. I mean if he made it, we wouldn’t be here right now talking about if I was in the game or not. But you know, it is what it is. You can’t get it back; you just gotta move on to the next game.”
The Nets held a players-only meeting after Saturday’s loss in Indiana, but they couldn’t hold onto a late lead against the Spurs, Lewis adds in another piece. “We’ve just got to close out the last couple, six minutes better,” said Dennis Schroder, who Lewis hears was one of the leading voices at the meeting.

Marcus Morris Joins Cavaliers On 10-Day Contract

March 18th, 2024 at 11:42am CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 18: Morris’ signing is official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

MARCH 16: The Cavaliers will sign veteran forward Marcus Morris to a 10-day contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Morris is expected to be available when Cleveland travels to Indiana on Monday, Charania adds.

Morris, 34, has been a free agent since being waived by San Antonio on February 29. He didn’t appear in any games with the Spurs after being acquired in a trade at the deadline, and he hasn’t been on the court since February 5.

The Cavs will be the fourth team this season for Morris, who started off with the Clippers before being shipped to his hometown Sixers as part of the James Harden trade in early November. Morris mostly played a reserve role for Philadelphia, appearing in 37 games and averaging 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per night.

In Cleveland, Morris will provide frontcourt depth for a team playing without Evan Mobley, who is sidelined with a sprained left ankle. Morris will also add a heavy dose of veteran leadership and playoff experience to the locker room.

After Monday’s game, Cleveland will play five more times in the 10-day span. Morris will be eligible for a second 10-day deal, but he’ll have to be signed to a standard contract to be on the roster for the postseason.

The Cavaliers have been carrying a roster opening since Sharife Cooper‘s 10-day contract expired last week, so they won’t need another move before making Morris’ contract official.

Patrick Beverley first stated on Friday (via Twitter) that his former teammate was planning to sign with the Cavaliers.

Celtics Notes: Hauser, Pritchard, Tatum, Porzingis

March 18th, 2024 at 10:41am CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics forward Sam Hauser appears to have escaped serious injury after stepping on the foot of a Wizards player during Sunday’s game, a source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. X-rays on Hauser’s left ankle came back negative, according to Himmelsbach’s source. His status for tonight’s game against Detroit hasn’t been determined, but he isn’t expected to be out of action long.

Hauser was on the verge of a historic night when the injury occurred early in the third quarter. He was 10-of-13 from beyond the arc, leaving him one short of the franchise record for three-pointers in a game and four away from Klay Thompson‘s league mark. Coach Joe Mazzulla recognizes what a dangerous shooter he has in Hauser, who’s connecting at 43.2% from long distance this season and is typically one of the team’s most durable players, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.

“I loved his confidence, loved his aggressiveness, loved how guys look for him and I love how he got his shots within the flow of our execution,” Mazzulla said. “And that’s the weapon that he is, his ability to just put two on the ball, his ability to create open shots for himself and for other people, so it was fun to watch him shoot him. It was fun to watch his guys look for him.”

There’s more from Boston:

Payton Pritchard registered his first double-double of the season, posting 14 points and 13 assists in the win over Washington, notes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Pritchard was vocal about his lack of playing time last season, but he has settled into a regular reserve role after signing a four-year extension last summer. “I think Payton really, amongst our season, has been kind of underrated and the growth that he’s had as a player,” Mazzulla said. “His ability to play with the ball, his ability to play without the ball. He’s finding ways without scoring to highly impact the game, whether it’s his assists or with his defense or his rebounding.”
With the top seed in the East all but wrapped up, the Celtics will likely rest their stars a little over the last month of the season, but it won’t be easy to convince Jayson Tatum to go along with that plan, per Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (video link). “I’ve been here seven years. They understand kind of what they’re dealing with,” Tatum said. “I don’t like to sit out. I understand if I was injured or whatever, but I said it before, I just love to play the game.”
Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe is impressed by the development of Kristaps Porzingis, Himmelsbach adds in a separate piece. Keefe was with the Knicks when they drafted Porzingis in 2014 and was tasked with helping him get ready for the NBA. Keefe also coached him last season as an assistant in Washington. “He’s grown tremendously,” Keefe said. “This is kind of what we probably all envisioned when we first had him. The guy was so versatile, could play multiple different positions inside and outside. I’m thrilled that he’s having a great year this year.” Porzingis missed his fifth straight game Sunday due to hamstring soreness, but he worked out on the court prior to the game and may return to action tonight.

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Davis, LeBron, Green, Kuminga, Suns

March 18th, 2024 at 9:20am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers have fallen back to Earth after rampaging through the league earlier this winter and doubt is starting to creep in, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. There are legitimate reasons for Sunday’s loss to the short-handed Hawks, Youngmisuk notes. It was L.A.’s sixth game in nine days and the team has injury concerns of its own, but some players are pointing toward bigger issues.

“We want to be a team that’s consistent and we want to establish an identity,” Paul George said. “I’ve always spoken about having an identity and I think it’s extremely important. Right now, I don’t think we have an identity.”

The Clippers have dropped four of their last five games and are 8-10 since peaking at 34-15 on February 5. Russell Westbrook has been sidelined since the end of January with a broken left hand, and Norman Powell is dealing with a lower left leg contusion that had him on crutches Sunday night.

Tyronn Lue said the coaching staff continues to emphasize positive habits, such as protecting the ball, getting back on transition, hitting the offensive boards and spacing the court. However, the effort to do those things hasn’t been consistent.

“When they do it, it works,” Lue said. “When you have so much talent and you have guys that can do it so easily, they don’t understand that your talent is great, but the talent’s got to be for the team as well. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I got to do something a little different to make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. … [But] I’ll never really overreact because I know we’re a good team … If you want to win, I know what it looks like. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Lakers center Anthony Davis has shown improvement since suffering a left corneal abrasion on Saturday and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game with Atlanta, according to an ESPN report. Davis had to leave Saturday’s contest after being inadvertently hit in the face on a layup. His vision was impaired and his eye was swollen shut, but a source tells ESPN that his condition improved Saturday night and Sunday. L.A. is also listing LeBron James as questionable due to ongoing issues with his left ankle, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
While Draymond Green was away from the Warriors on his most recent suspension, he sent regular critiques to Jonathan Kuminga on his performance, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Those communications helped the pair form a partnership that has played an important role in Golden State’s surge in the second half of the season. Kuminga also credits Green for pushing the front office to select him in the 2021 draft. “He is one of the reasons I even ended up here,” Kuminga said. “Before they drafted me, he called [former Warriors general manager] Bob [Myers] and told him to bring me here. I think that was one of the greatest things to have ever happened.”
The Suns were unhappy with their defensive effort in Sunday’s loss at Milwaukee, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined by a hamstring injury, Phoenix allowed the Bucks to score 82 points in the first half and 140 for the game.

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Vassell, K. Johnson, Wesley, Paris

March 18th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

As Victor Wembanyama‘s rookie season nears its end, his teammates are still learning how to unlock all the elements to his game, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Wembanyama turned in another remarkable performance Sunday night, posting 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and seven assists while leading a late rally in an overtime win over Brooklyn. He put the Spurs ahead to stay on an alley-oop dunk with 38.5 seconds left to play and then preserved the victory by blocking a shot off the backboard.

Coach Gregg Popovich singled out guard Devin Vassell, who had eight assists, two of which resulted in Wembanyama slams. Because Vassell frequently initiates the offense, developing chemistry with Wembanyama will be vital for the team’s future.

“Every one of them is always aware of where he might be on the court and trying to figure out where he’s got to go, and be more efficient in getting it to him here or there,” Popovich said. “It’s an experience where they’ve got to be in those situations. But Devin’s going to have the ball a lot for us, so him understanding how to play with Victor is really important.”

There’s more on the Spurs:

San Antonio also got a huge performance from Keldon Johnson, who was back at full strength after dealing with a stomach virus earlier in the week, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Johnson came off the bench to score 24 points in 34 minutes and contributed several clutch baskets. “He’s a big energy guy,” Popovich said. “He knocks down some threes here and there, takes big shots. He might not be shooting 40% on the year, but he takes shots that are important because of time and score and that kind of thing. And he’s an aggressive young man. He puts some meat on people.”
After Friday’s game against Denver, Popovich talked about his efforts to develop Blake Wesley into a defensive stopper, Orsborn adds in a separate story. The second-year guard has embraced the role and enjoys challenges like matching up with Jamal Murray. “The more you do it, the more consistent you will be,” Wesley said. “Me getting stops and then running out in transition, that’s my game. When I do that, I play better, I play free. It’s all about being aggressive.”
The NBA hasn’t selected the teams for its international games next season, but it’s expected that the Spurs and Pacers will play in Paris, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Wembanyama is thrilled about the prospect of returning home. “I’m looking forward to it very much,” he said. “Obviously it’s going to be probably the game or the games that are going to be very important for me because of course it’s me coming back from where I come from, especially might be in my city or around the city. So it’s going to be very special. Also, it is going to allow me to see maybe my family in the middle of the season, which doesn’t happen often. So it’s great.”

Northwest Notes: Conley, Ayton, Giddey, Nuggets

March 17th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Conley had 25 points in the Timberwolves 119-100 win over the Jazz on Saturday. The former Utah point guard admits he took extra satisfaction in the outcome, according to Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The Jazz played a video tribute to the current Timberwolves floor leader prior to the contest. “There was a little bit [of extra motivation]. Not gonna lie,” Conley said. “But at the same time, man, I was trying to have fun. … Just trying to soak up the moment. You get a video played and that doesn’t happen very often and it just shows so much gratitude.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Deandre Ayton said he had some personal struggles adjusting to playing in Portland after getting traded by Phoenix, he told Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Ayton feels much more comfortable now and it’s showing in his production. The Trail Blazers center has averaged 27.2 points and 15.0 rebounds over his last five games. “I felt like I adjusted quickly. But at the same time, it’s good to acknowledge that we are human and things like that do have to take into place where you have to adjust to certain cities and teammates and things like that,” Ayton said.
Opponents are sagging off Josh Giddey and the Thunder guard is learning how to adjust to that strategy, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. Giddey is a 30.4% three-point shooter during his three-year career. He’s averaging 14.4 points on 11.6 shot attempts this month. “Sometimes it can be a confidence killer. Seeing a big guard gap you and daring you to shoot the ball,” he said. “But you have to stay confident. You have to trust it because the second you don’t, they win and it falls into their hands.”
The Nuggets lost for just the second time in 13 games since the All-Star break on Sunday. Dallas’ Kyrie Irving hit an improbable hook shot at the buzzer. “You look at the wins, bro,” Jamal Murray told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “We’ve been winning, and two losses, trying to find a common denominator, like, bro hit a left-handed floater from the top of the key going away from the basket. It’s an amazing shot. And we played terrible up until the last couple minutes, so we’re fighting and we were just happy to be in that position, the way we played throughout the game.”

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Hartenstein, Outlook

March 17th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

OG Anunoby has averaged 32.7 minutes per night in three games since returning from elbow surgery. That’s down from the 35.7 MPG he logged for the Knicks prior to the surgery.

Anunoby was listed as questionable to play against Sacramento on Saturday. He wound up playing 33 minutes, though he only scored two points. He contributed in other ways with six rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal in the 98-91 win, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes. Anunoby is still experiencing some soreness in the elbow.

“OG’s a basketball player,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He does a bit of everything.”

We have more on the Knicks:

The team’s 40th victory of the season triggered a bonus in Isaiah Hartenstein‘s contract, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Hartenstein earned $350K as the Knicks improved their record to 40-27 on Saturday. Hartenstein already achieved another bonus in his contract by exceeding 1,350 minutes played and will clinch a third bonus when the team qualifies for the postseason. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Hartenstein played 28 minutes against the Kings, the most he’s logged since returning from a sore left Achilles that cost him two weeks of action last month. He had seven points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. “The good thing is I feel good,” Hartenstein told Bondy, “so I feel they’re doing a great job of building it up.”
In a subscriber-protected story, Newsday’s Steve Popper discusses the Knicks’ potential when they return to full strength.

Los Angeles Notes: Powell, Westbrook, Lue, Davis

March 17th, 2024 at 7:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers are a little banged up going into the game against Atlanta tonight, according to Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.

Norman Powell left Friday’s game against New Orleans on crutches and won’t play due tonight due to a left leg contusion. Terance Mann limped into the locker room during the first half on Friday but is in the starting lineup. Russell Westbrook is still out with a fractured left hand.

James Harden was listed as questionable but will play despite with a strained left shoulder. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are also showing signs of wear after a rugged stretch of the schedule.

We have more on the Los Angeles teams:

The Clippers have lost four of their last seven games and their margin for error is shrinking, Law Murray of The Athletic notes. They have fallen to fourth place in the Western Conference standings and the oldest team in the league is now forced to rely on their depth.
Coach Tyronn Lue showed signs of frustration with his team after the eight-point loss to the Pelicans, Murray tweets. He expressed that some of his players may not be as competitive as he is. “What do you mean, falls on my shoulders? I’m competitive. I’m ready to compete right now. … I don’t play, they know what we’re supposed to do. So they got to do it,” he said.
Anthony Davis suffered an eye injury during the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors. The Lakers’ struggles after he left the game proved they can’t win any meaningful games without him, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times opines. They were outscored by 13 points after he left the game, Plaschke notes, and were outscored by 18 in the paint.

Central Notes: Dosunmu, White, Siakam, Middleton

March 17th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu erupted for 34 points and nine assists against Washington on Saturday, as he continues to raise his potential ceiling of what he can do in his career, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. Dosunmu, a third-year guard, is in the first season of a three-year, $21MM contract.

“I always try to be in attack mode,” he said after the Bulls’ 29-point victory. “That’s the growth in my game. Not playing timid, always attacking, whether it’s attacking and keeping my dribble and kicking it out or attacking to score or attacking to get Vooch a shot. I think the most dangerous player to guard is someone who is always in attack mode.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Dosunmu got extended playing time with Coby White sidelined. White missed his second straight game due to a hip injury but Bulls coach Billy Donovan expects to get his starting point guard back later this week, Johnson tweets. Chicago plays Houston on Thursday and Boston on Saturday.
Pascal Siakam delivered the type of performance on Saturday that the Pacers have been looking for since they acquired him from Toronto, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files notes. Siakam had 10 points in the second and fourth quarters of a victory over Brooklyn, finishing with 28 points and 11 rebounds. “He played a great overall game and defensively, he had his best game. It wasn’t even close,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “And this is what the top players have to do. These guys have to set the tone.”
Bucks forward Khris Middleton returned to action on Sunday after missing 16 games with an ankle injury. Middleton had 22 points and seven assists in Milwaukee’s 140-129 win over Phoenix. Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out the contest but coach Doc Rivers is looking forward to having his big three back on the court together. “I know having the other offensive guy really allows us to play both sides of the floor,” he said of Middleton. “I thought at times with Dame (Lillard) and Giannis, we got one-side oriented and didn’t move it. We’d swing it and it’d go back to the same side. With Khris on the other side at times, we can now develop going from a two-man game to a three-man game.”