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Morant Hits Game-Winner In Return From Suspension

December 19th, 2023 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ja Morant made a spectacular return from his 25-game suspension, scoring 34 points — including a buzzer-beating, game-winning basket in the lane — as the Grizzlies rallied past the Pelicans on Tuesday night.

Morant was thrilled to be back in action and it showed, as The Associated Press’ Brett Martel relays.

“I’ve been putting work in, man,” Morant said. “I ain’t play a game in eight months. Had a lot of time to learn myself. A lot of hard days where I went through it. But you know, basketball is my life — what I love, therapeutic for me. And I’m just excited to be back.”

Morant’s point total was the most in NBA history by a player returning from an absence of at least 25 games. He heard a lot of boos from the New Orleans crowd, especially in the early going, but it didn’t faze him.

Morant lost approximately $7.6MM of his $34MM salary during the suspension. He’s in the first year of his five-year maximum-salary extension.

Whether Morant can carry Memphis back into the playoff picture remains to be seen. The Grizzlies dug themselves a deep hole, going 6-19 in his absence.

Morant will play in front of Memphis fans for the first time this season on Thursday when the team hosts the Pacers.

Pacific Notes: Vincent, Lakers’ Trip, Maledon, Beal, George

December 19th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are poised to get one of their top guards back in action. Gabe Vincent is listed as probable to play Wednesday against Chicago, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets.

Vincent, who has been sidelined since Oct. 30 due to left knee effusion, appeared in just four games before he was sidelined. He joined the Lakers in free agency on a three-year, $33MM contract after playing a key part in the Heat’s playoff run to the Finals.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers are 1-3 since winning the in-season tournament, and playing their next three games in four nights on the road won’t make things any easier, Anthony Davis admits. “It’s tough,” said Davis, as relayed by Price. “For the whole month of December, we’ve really been on the road – and are gonna be on the road for probably the rest of December. But there’s nothing we can really do about it. It’s the schedule. Just gotta take care of our bodies and get some guys back hopefully within the next couple of games. But it’s definitely a mental challenge going on the road as much as we are right now.”
Theo Maledon, who was claimed off waivers from Charlotte by the Suns on Sunday, has been on Phoenix’s radar for a while, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Maledon, who is on a two-way deal, worked out for the Suns during the offseason. “I want to say two months before training camp probably,” Maledon said. He’ll give the team another point guard option. “For sure, but I just want to do my role on what coach expects from me or the team expects me to do. Whatever they need, I feel like that’s the biggest priority,” he said.
Suns wing Bradley Beal, who is expected to miss at least the rest of this month with an ankle injury, was a spectator when Phoenix defeated his former team on Sunday. The ex-Wizards star says it’s “surreal” to be on the same team as Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. “It’s definitely surreal at times,” he told Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. “… That’s two guys I competed against for a long time in this league, and now we’re all sharing the opportunity to go compete for a title. It’s surreal in a lot of ways. But it kind of motivates you, too, to just continue to be the best version of yourself you can be.”
Clippers forward Paul George is listed as questionable to play against Dallas on Wednesday due to an illness, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk tweets.

Bulls Notes: Locker Room Vibe, Williams, White, LaVine

December 19th, 2023 at 9:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have gone 6-3 in their last nine games, including an impressive victory over Philadelphia on Monday, and the vibe around the team has changed dramatically since its 5-14 start, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.

“Our energy has been different,” center Nikola Vucevic said. “We’re playing with a much more aggressive mindset at both ends. We’re playing for each other, sharing the ball, playing at a faster pace. That has brought out the best in everybody. We’ve been enjoying playing. Each night it’s a different guy stepping up. All of us are supporting each other. You can just feel that.”

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Patrick Williams has shown improvement during the recent stretch, Johnson notes, including a 25-point, seven-rebound, four-assist performance against Miami on Saturday. However, the Bulls’ staff is still looking for more consistency from Williams, who is headed to restricted free agency after the season. “He’s obviously had some great moments. I think it all starts with the force he plays with. And there’s so much he can get into the game on a nightly basis whether he’s making or missing shots,” coach Billy Donovan said. “For him, the offensive rebounding, running the floor, attacking the basket, deflections defensively, the consistency of that is what’s important. He’s capable.”
Coby White, a lottery pick in 2019, has finally established himself as a starter this season, averaging career highs in points (17.5) and assists (4.9) per game. He says he got through rough patches during his career via his work ethic. “I wouldn’t ever say I had a low point. I would say I had points where I thought I was better than how I was playing,” he told Johnson. “But I didn’t look at it as low points because the one thing that’s been consistent in my life is every time adversity hits, I just always tell myself I’m going to get through it by working. I’m the type of dude where if things aren’t going my way, I just go to the gym and work on it constantly. That makes me feel better and doesn’t allow me to get to any low points.”
Zach LaVine remains sidelined by inflammation in his right foot but he’s a steady presence around the team, according to Johnson. LaVine, the subject of trade rumors since early in the season, traveled with the team on its three-game road swing and has been in good spirits. He’s also been talking with Donovan on a daily basis. “He really, really misses the game,” Donovan said. “The other thing is he has really been great on the bench, in the locker room pulling for those guys. Whenever he’s able to get back with us, he’s always been a good team guy.”
Torrey Craig will be out at least eight weeks due to a foot injury. Get the details here.

Pistons Notes: Williams, Cunningham, Wiseman, Gores, Rebuild

December 19th, 2023 at 7:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

When Monty Williams signed a six-year contract to coach the Pistons, he couldn’t have possibly known that a franchise seemingly ready to turn the corner would approach an NBA record for most consecutive losses. Williams admits that it’s the most difficult test in his coaching career.

“It’s tough to even put it into words. Even with this losing streak, I’m around town, taking my kids to games, I still get an unbelievably great deal of support,” Williams told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “And it means the world to me. But we’re not done. I know it seems bad right now, and it is. This thing will turn and I just have to have faith and belief. This is the toughest challenge I’ve had in my coaching career. But I felt that way when I got to Phoenix and that thing turned. This one has taken a bit longer, but we’ve had way more obstacles.”

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Despite the 24-game losing streak, franchise player Cade Cunningham has shown progress this season, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes. Cunningham, who can sign a rookie scale extension next offseason, racked up a career-high 43 points and added seven assists and five rebounds with only three turnovers in Detroit’s loss at Atlanta on Monday. Over his last 10 games, Cunningham is averaging 22.0 PPG and 7.0 APG on 49% shooting and has cut back on his turnovers. Williams has also been impressed with Cunningham’s leadership. “Watching his leadership during which will probably be the toughest time in his career, I couldn’t be more proud of how he’s talked to the group, had a great spirit every single day,” Williams said.
James Wiseman‘s minutes have increased due to frontcourt injuries and he’s taking advantage, averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in the last four games, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. “It shows when you work and do the right things and you get the chance to play and you’re productive, you earn minutes,” Williams said. “There are times he looks like our best player on the floor on both ends and I’m happy for him.” Wiseman will be a restricted free agent after the season, if the Pistons extend a qualifying offer.
How much longer before owner Tom Gores declares the rebuild a failure and either pushes for a major trade or makes changes to the front office? Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required) explores that topic.
The way this Pistons season has unfolded should be a cautionary tale to fans who are rooting for their teams to go into rebuild mode, John Hollinger of The Athletic opines. The crux of the problem, Hollinger notes, is that the Pistons have made eight first-round draft picks since their reset in 2019 and have yet to land a star. Even Cunningham might be better off as a complementary player rather than a No. 1 option, according to Hollinger.

Bulls Forward Torrey Craig Sidelined For Extended Period

December 19th, 2023 at 5:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls forward Torrey Craig has been diagnosed with an acute sprain of his right plantar fascia and won’t return to action until sometime after the All-Star break, according to a team press release.

Craig will be immobilized for approximately four weeks, followed by a period of rehabilitation projected to require an additional four-to-six weeks. The injury, which he suffered in the second quarter at Miami on Saturday, was revealed following an MRI on Tuesday.

It’s a significant blow to the team’s frontcourt. Craig was signed during free agency to a two-year contract that included a player option for next season. He’s been a major part of Billy Donovan‘s rotation.

Craig, noted for his defense, is averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per night through 27 games, including seven starts. Craig, who turned 33 on Tuesday, played the last two-and-a-half seasons with Phoenix.

Craig had been backing up Patrick Williams at power forward. Terry Taylor, who has only appeared in six games, and second-round pick Julian Phillips could see a significant rise in playing time. The Bulls could also go with a number of smaller lineups to make up for Craig’s absence.

Atlantic Notes: Finney-Smith, Claxton, Sixers’ Bench, Batum

December 19th, 2023 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dorian Finney-Smith has been replaced in the Nets’ starting lineup by high-scoring Cam Thomas but the veteran forward isn’t pouting about it, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“Oh, it wasn’t difficult at all, man. If that’s what they think is going to help us be successful, then I’m with it,” Finney-Smith said. “As long as I’m on the (floor), I can get on the court and play, and play my minutes hard. That’s all I can focus on. If (the Nets) win, everybody’s happy.”

Finney-Smith, who is signed through the 2025/26 season with a player option in the final year, is considered a trade candidate who could fetch draft capital if the Nets make him available.

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When HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto asked Nets center Nic Claxton about a Spencer Dinwiddie comment that Claxton could be worth $100MM in free agency, Claxton didn’t shy away from that notion. “I think he’s definitely telling the truth, but I can’t get caught up in all that,” said Claxton, an unrestricted free agent after the season. “I’ve got to go out and continue to do what I do. I know that financially, I’ll be taken care of at the end of the day.” Claxton added that he loves it in Brooklyn and hopes he can work out a deal with the Nets.
The Sixers have been involved in a number of blowouts in recent games and that’s given the end-of-the-bench players a chance to shed their warmups for extended action. They’ve been taking those minutes seriously, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “Obviously, the third unit doesn’t have Joel Embiid,” Mohamed Bamba said. “But we definitely still practice the same plays. We still preach the same spacing and concepts and everything. It’s a matter of — I guess, if you want to say ‘show’ anything — showing the coaches that you know the plays, you know the coverages and you’re really dialed in.”
Sixers forward Nicolas Batum sat out Tuesday’s practice after leaving Monday’s game against Chicago with right hamstring tightness, Mizell tweets. Coach Nick Nurse said Batum will be out for “a couple days.” Marcus Morris and Robert Covington also missed practice due to illness.

Knicks Notes: Sims, Centers, Reddish, Hart

December 19th, 2023 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks center Jericho Sims sprained his right ankle after just three minutes of action in Monday’s win over the Lakers. Head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t have an update after the game about the severity of the injury, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), but Sims was in a walking boot, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.

Still, it sounds like the injury may not be significant. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), the Knicks are listing Sims as questionable to play in Wednesday’s contest vs. Brooklyn, which suggests he may not have to miss any time at all.

If Sims is forced to the sidelines, his absence figures to result in a significant role for reserve center Isaiah Hartenstein, who had already been getting the majority of playing time at the five since Mitchell Robinson went down.

On Monday, Hartenstein logged an impressive 39 minutes off the bench and played a key role in the victory — he grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds and the Knicks outscored the Lakers by 15 points when he was on the court. Recently added big man Taj Gibson was a minus-8 in his six minutes of action.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Prior to Monday’s win and Sims’ ankle injury, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post questioned whether Hartenstein should simply be moved into the starting lineup, since the groups with Sims at center haven’t been particularly effective, especially defensively. Since Robinson’s injury, New York has a +11.5 net rating with Hartenstein on the court and a -16.9 mark (including a 131.1 defensive rating) when Sims is playing.
Facing his former Knicks team for the first time this season on Monday, Lakers forward Cam Reddish wasn’t willing to revisit the past, Bondy writes in another New York Post story. “I’ve got nothing for you,” Reddish said on his way out of the locker room. “My time in New York is over.” Asked about the former Knicks forward, who fell out of favor in New York and reportedly sought a trade, Thibodeau lauded the 24-year-old for being willing to accept his role in Los Angeles: “I think the first thing is to embrace the role, and I think he’s done a really good job of that.”
Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Josh Hart attributed his bumpy start to this season to adjusting to a new role and to not being in his usual rhythm after spending a long summer with Team USA. Still, Hart suggested he’d happily accept an invitation to the 2024 Olympic team — though he’s not necessarily holding his breath for that invite. “I’d be very pleasantly surprised if I get a call. If I do, I’ll go cheerlead LeBron (James), KD (Kevin Durant) and all of them and I would love every minute of it,” he said with a laugh.
After seven straight lottery seasons from 2014-20, the Knicks are now a “fully functional” franchise and a solid playoff team, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who considers what it will take for the club to become more than that.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Smart, Cuban, Rockets, More

December 19th, 2023 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

With Ja Morant poised to return from his 25-game suspension on Tuesday night vs. New Orleans, the Grizzlies‘ season is on the brink, as Morant’s absence and a plethora of injuries have created what Derrick Rose referred to as a “quagmire situation,” according to Baxter Holmes and Tim MacMahon of ESPN. As Holmes and MacMahon detail, “frustration has simmered” within the organization about the direction of the season, which has opened with 19 losses in 25 games.

But Morant’s teammates were all smiles on Monday as they discussed the point guard’s impending return, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. The club’s top two scorers this season, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., have faced a level of defensive attention they’re not accustomed to, and they’re looking forward to sharing the court with a player like Morant, who will be able to divert much of that attention.

“(Morant) is going to have to deal with that,” Jackson said. “He’s going to have to turn left and turn right and see three dudes so that I can do what I do. He’s an All-NBA, Hall of Fame-type player, so you’re going to have to pay attention and if you do that, we’re going to punish you.”

Although Morant hasn’t suited up for the Grizzlies since April, the club has been ramping up his workload in practice and doesn’t anticipate imposing any real limitations on his playing time in his return, Cole notes.

“He’s going to play pretty significant minutes,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said. “… I won’t anticipate going crazy with his minutes, but I don’t think it’s any kind of restriction.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, who hasn’t played since November 14 due to a left foot sprain, is getting very close to returning to action, Cole writes in another Commercial Appeal story. “Marcus is really close,” Jenkins said. “… Somewhere in that Indiana (Thursday) and Atlanta (Saturday) time frame, we’re hopeful that he’ll be back in the lineup then.”
Following up on the Mavericks‘ sale ahead of the Board of Governors vote, Marc Stein says on Substack that Mark Cuban will retain a 27% stake in the franchise. Stein indicates that the new owners – the Miriam Adelson/Patrick Dumont group – will therefore have a 73% controlling interest, but there have been conflicting reports on whether every single one of the minority stakeholders are being bought out.
The Rockets‘ closing lineup has been far less predictable than its starting group, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required), who examines head coach Ime Udoka‘s tendency to go with the hot hands down the stretch of games. “That’s what I believe in,” Udoka said. “I pretty much said that the day I was hired. Minutes and roles are not going to be handed out. The guys that are playing well and units that are playing well are going to get those minutes. I think everybody knows that across the board.”
William Guillory of The Athletic takes a look at the similarities between Pelicans forward Zion Williamson and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, two No. 1 picks who were expected to be saviors for their respective Southwest clubs as soon as they entered the NBA, exploring how they’ve dealt with those expectations.

Rick Carlisle: Pacers’ Defensive Performance “Not Acceptable”

December 19th, 2023 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers lost their fourth consecutive game on Monday, giving up 151 points to the Clippers in a performance that head coach Rick Carlisle referred to as “ugly” and “not acceptable,” per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

While Indiana’s high-powered, fast-paced offense had led the NBA in scoring, Carlisle isn’t happy with what he has seen from his club on the other end of the court. No team has given up more points per game (127.0) or has a worse defensive rating (121.4) than the Pacers, and Carlisle believes that his top players need to do a better job setting an example on defense.

“Our best players have to understand, and they have to believe, that the little things are important,” Carlisle said. “That concentration and focus are extremely important. … That creates the culture that we need to have here and obviously, we’re not there yet.”

As exciting as the Pacers’ offense, led by dark-horse MVP candidate Tyrese Haliburton, has been so far this season, Carlisle suggested after Monday’s game that he’s willing to alter the team’s style of play if it will help Indiana improve defensively, Dopirak writes.

“The Pacers aren’t sneaking up on anybody, and if our mindset has shifted to just simply trying to outscore teams and away from any kind of emphasis defensively, that’s got to stop,” Carlisle said. “If it means massive lineup changes, then that’s what will happen. If it means playing a slowdown game, that’s what will happen. At some point, there aren’t any excuses.”

Haliburton is enjoying a career year offensively, putting up 24.9 points and 11.9 assists per game while posting a scorching-hot shooting line of .507/.429/.869, but he’s aware the club needs to improve on the defensive end.

“Something has to be figured out, I don’t know what it is,” Haliburton said. “It’s pretty obvious it’s been awful for 25 games. That starts with our first unit.”

As Dopirak observes, there’s not necessarily one obvious change the Pacers could make to their starting lineup. Haliburton almost certainly won’t be moved to the bench; Myles Turner (who missed Monday’s loss) and Bruce Brown are solid defensive players; Buddy Hield provides crucial floor-spacing; and Obi Toppin has made a league-best 76.9% of his two-point shots this fall (and is hitting 38.3% of his threes too).

It’s possible Carlisle will make a move involving Hield or Toppin. During his media session on Monday, he didn’t specify his plans or guarantee that a lineup change is coming, though he did single out a pair of reserves whose defensive effort he appreciates.

“We had two guys tonight who have a reputation for always competing at a high level,” Carlisle said. “(Aaron Nesmith) was a flat zero in a plus-minus and (T.J. McConnell) was a +16. So there you go. Those guys are setting the kind of example that we’re gonna stand for here.”

As Dopirak observes, while players like Brown and Nesmith are solid wing defenders, neither one has the size to match up with bigger scoring forwards. That’s presumably one key reason why the Pacers have been linked to potential trade targets such as Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby as of late. But with no guarantee of acquiring an impact forward in a trade by the February 8 trade deadline, the team will focus for now on internal improvement.

“We’re gonna practice (on Tuesday), we’re gonna tape up and we’re gonna go,” Carlisle said, referring to players taping up their ankles. “We’re gonna go hard. We’re gonna get back in the gym and compete. We haven’t had a taped practice in, I don’t remember the last time. And we desperately need it.”

Rockets’ Dillon Brooks, Ime Udoka Fined By NBA

December 19th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets forward Dillon Brooks and head coach Ime Udoka were each fined by the NBA for directing inappropriate language toward a game official, the NBA announced on Tuesday (Twitter link).

Brooks, whose infractions also included publicly criticizing the officiating, was hit with a $35K penalty, while Udoka was fined $25K.

The incident in question occurred near the end of Houston’s loss to Milwaukee on Sunday, when Brooks and Udoka were ejected in quick succession for taking exception to a flopping call on Brooks (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).

After the game, Udoka referred to it as a “blatant” missed call and said the same referee (Suyash Mehta) was missing calls throughout the game, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Brooks was also critical of Mehta.

“I’m sick of refs being right in front of the play and not making calls and then compiling it with a bailout call like a flop,” Brooks said. “I ran full speed to get the ball after I made a great play on trying to get a steal. Two hands are on me. After that, I’m throwing the ball and trying to protect myself and not falling into whatever that was — into the fans or the bottom of the floor.

“I’m trying to protect myself, and then on top that, he wants to call a flop with a minute left. That doesn’t make sense. Make calls during the game while the game is going on, but not trying to get something off. It’s unacceptable for me. That ref shouldn’t even be reffing our games, for real.”