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Sixers Notes: Beverley, Morris, Bamba, Embiid

December 2nd, 2023 at 8:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Patrick Beverley nearly led the Sixers to an unlikely win Friday night in Boston with three starters sidelined, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Playing without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who both missed the game due to illness, and Nicolas Batum, who was ruled out shortly before game time with a hyperextended right index finger, Philadelphia was able to hang around and almost pull out a road victory.

“Well, I think the biggest positive is I thought we outplayed them,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I thought we outplayed them. We gave ourselves a chance to win. We didn’t get many good bounces there the last two, three minutes of the game.”

The Sixers got a much-needed lift from Beverley, the veteran guard who was signed this summer to upgrade the defense and provide fiery leadership. Beverley did a little bit of everything on Friday, sinking 10 of 15 shots and delivering season highs with 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. He said he doesn’t alter his approach when his high-scoring teammates aren’t available.

“I don’t think my mindset really changes,” Beverley said. “I want to go out there and try to impact the game, impact winning.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

Marcus Morris is one of the few players who have been on both sides of the Celtics-Sixers rivalry, Pompey notes in a separate story. Morris is still a fan favorite in Boston, but the North Philadelphia native was thrilled to return home as part of the James Harden trade last month. “Philly is my hometown,” he said. “So playing for the Sixers is everything. My time here in Boston was great. The fans here were great. I loved playing here. But if there was a side I had to choose, it would be Philly.”
Embiid’s absence allowed third-string center Mohamed Bamba to play nearly 20 minutes and post season highs with 11 points and six rebounds, Pompey states in another piece. Bamba told reporters he feels like he has “a raw deal” in Philadelphia after signing as a free agent this summer, but he tries to be ready when opportunities arise. “It’s not easy to do,” he said of not playing regularly. “People think you’re not playing, you should be able to come in if you’re healthy and be ready to go. But a lot of basketball is having rhythm, having that continuity with the guys you’re out there with. I think being out there is a big part of it. But these guys make it easy for me to come in.”
Friday marked the first time this season the Sixers were able to remain competitive without Embiid, following blowouts in the previous two games he missed, Pompey adds. “The last couple of games without Embiid, we felt like we were really soft all together,” Morris said. “We were trying to make it a point with this game with Embiid on the court or without him on the court to come out and be aggressive and play aggressive, even if we are not making shots.”

Heat Notes: Jaquez, Adebayo, O. Robinson, Herro

December 2nd, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jaime Jaquez knew where he wanted to go in the draft, and he got his wish when Miami selected him with the 18th pick, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Projected as a mid-first rounder after spending four years at UCLA, Jaquez was aware that he might still be on the board for Miami’s selection and he was hoping for the chance to work with two legends.

“I think when it comes to basketball, just being under (team president) Pat Riley and coach Spo (Erik Spoelstra), I don’t think you could ask for two better guys when it comes to basketball to play under and learn from,” Jaquez said. “So that was a big reason. I also didn’t want to stay in L.A. for all my life. I wanted to get out and be somewhere new, kind of challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone. So coming to Miami was a spot that I always really loved. I had been here before a couple times and I just loved the city, loved everything about it. So I just really wanted to come here.”

The Heat are thrilled with the production they’ve gotten from Jaquez, who has been pressed into extra duty since an early-season injury to Tyler Herro. He has responded by averaging 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in his first 19 NBA games. Chiang also notes that his shooting touch has been excellent — 52.9% from the field, 39% from three-point range and 87.5% from the free throw line — and he’s an asset on defense as well.

“He’s playing winning basketball,” Spoelstra said. “He’s able to complement a lot of different lineups. He’s eating up everything right now and he’s a smart player. So he picks up things quickly. But the biggest thing is he’s a competitor, he’s a mature player and those type of characteristics can fit in with what we’re trying to do.”

There’s more from Miami:

Bam Adebayo will miss tonight’s game with a left hip contusion and he won’t travel with the team for Wednesday’s contest in Toronto, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Chiang points out that Miami has a lull in its schedule with just three games over nine days, so Adebayo will have a chance to heal (Twitter link).
Orlando Robinson‘s contract became guaranteed for $850K on Friday, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The second-year center will receive his full $1.8MM salary if he remains on the roster through the league-wide guarantee date of January 7.
The Heat’s rotation has changed since Herro was injured, and Spoelstra will have to make more adjustments when he returns, observes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Winderman notes that when Herro sprained his ankle on November 8, Caleb Martin wasn’t playing significant minutes, Josh Richardson was still adjusting to the team and Jaquez hadn’t scored more than 11 points in a game. There were also questions about whether Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith could handle starting roles.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Porzingis, Brown, Mazzulla

December 2nd, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t believe he should have been ejected from Friday’s game, and the league office appears to be in agreement, tweeting that the flagrant foul called against Tatum late in the third quarter has been downgraded to a common foul.

As Souichi Terada of MassLive recounts, Tatum was whistled for the flagrant foul while battling for a loose ball with Philadelphia’s Robert Covington. When Tatum protested to the officials, he was given his second technical of the night.

“I was extremely surprised,” Tatum said. “Y’all all saw what happened. You might not know what I said, but I mean, I guess whatever I said doesn’t matter at this point. I don’t agree with that. One of the assistant coaches who was there with me doesn’t agree. But it doesn’t really matter, right? It’s like the ref’s word against ours.”

In his pool report after the game, crew chief Bill Kennedy wrote that Tatum was T’d up on the play because “he continued to complain about the foul called on the floor and overtly gestures toward the officials.” Tatum claims he was trying to have a discussion with referees Nick Buchert and Phenizee Ransom when they tossed him out of the game.

“It was like, they was ready to throw me out,” Tatum said. “One of the magic words? Did I cuss? No, I didn’t. I didn’t have to say a cuss word. If you watch the clips, you probably can read my lips. No hand gestures. … I’ve been in the league long enough, I’ve seen a lot worse behavior and reactions get tolerated for a lot longer. So for those two to throw me out the game, I was shocked.”

There’s more from Boston:

The Celtics are hoping Kristaps Porzingis can be ready for Monday’s in-season tournament quarterfinal, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Porzingis has missed the past three games with a strained calf, but coach Joe Mazzulla said he was able to complete an on-court workout before Thursday’s practice.
Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both posting up more often this season, with a combined 4.5 post looks per game heading into Friday, Himmelsbach adds. “I just think that’s two of our skill sets, me and Jayson,” Brown said. “Love to play with our back to the basket as big wings, take advantage of matchups and you score more efficiently, especially in the playoffs when things get a little tougher.”
Mazzulla directed an effort this summer for the Celtics to keep in touch with their former players, Himmelsbach states in a separate story. Emails were sent to about 225 ex-players, and Mazzulla asked new assistant coach Sam Cassell, a backup on the 2007/08 title team, to serve as a conduit for members of that squad. “Joe wants this to be a huge family,” Cassell said. “The tradition is there, but he just wants this to be a huge family.”

Ben Simmons Given Epidural, Will Miss At Least Two More Weeks

December 2nd, 2023 at 4:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons received an epidural injection for his lower back and will be reevaluated in about two weeks, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. A statement from the Nets said Simmons’ condition is improving and he will “continue with treatment and strengthening exercises while gradually increasing his basketball activity.”

Coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters before tonight’s game that Simmons was given the epidural this week and he still isn’t able to run at full speed, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).

Simmons has been sidelined since November 6 due to a nerve impingement in his lower left back. He had been dealing with similar issues for the past three years, and back pain played a role in limiting him to 42 games last season.

Simmons proclaimed himself fully healthy this summer and he got off to a strong start before the injury flared up. In the six games he played, he averaged 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists while looking more mobile and explosive than he has for some time.

Brooklyn has managed to tread water without Simmons and currently sits in a tie for ninth in the East at 9-9. The Nets have six games scheduled over the next two weeks, including tonight’s contest with Orlando. The soonest Simmons might return is December 16 at Golden State.

Injury Notes: Haliburton, Bam, K. Murray, Nuggets, Suns, Hornets

December 2nd, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton is expected to be out for Saturday’s game against Miami, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Indiana’s best player is officially listed as questionable.

As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star tweets, Haliburton missed the team’s shootaround this morning due to a right knee bone bruise and an upper respiratory infection. The Pacers went just 6-20 without Haliburton last season, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter).

Haliburton, who signed a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension in the offseason, is off to an All-NBA-caliber start to 2023/24, averaging career highs of 27.0 points and a league-leading 11.8 assists per game while posting an elite .519/.447/.880 shooting line. The Pacers host the Celtics on Monday for the quarterfinal of the league’s inaugural in-season tournament, so hopefully he’ll be back in time for that contest.

Heat center Bam Adebayo has also been ruled out of Saturday’s contest due to a left hip contusion, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link) wouldn’t be surprised to see Orlando Robinson get the starting nod in his place, with Kevin Love continuing to come off the bench due to the synergy he’s developing with the second unit.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Kings forward Keegan Murray, the No. 4 overall pick of last year’s draft, will return on Saturday against Denver after missing four games due to lower back soreness, sources tell Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 KTXL (Twitter link). As for the Nuggets, Jamal Murray (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (heel) are questionable after missing Friday’s game against Phoenix, according to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (Twitter link).
Suns star Devin Booker is questionable for Saturday’s contest vs. Memphis, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Booker, who is dealing with an ankle sprain, missed Friday’s game against Denver. Eric Gordon is also questionable due to a right knee contusion.
Hornets backup center Nick Richards will return to action on Saturday after missing the previous six games while in the league’s concussion protocol, the team announced (via Twitter). No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller will also be available after missing Charlotte’s last game with a left ankle injury.

Davon Reed To Join Grizzlies’ G League Affiliate

December 2nd, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard/forward Davon Reed is signing an NBA G League contract to play with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies‘ affiliate, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

The 32nd overall pick of the 2017 draft, Reed spent his first two seasons with the Suns and Pacers before spending time in the NBAGL and playing professionally in Taiwan. He returned to the NBA in 2021/22 with the Nuggets and re-signed with Denver as a free agent last summer.

Reed was traded to the Lakers in February in a multi-team deal that sent Thomas Bryant to the Nuggets. The 28-year-old wing was waived by Los Angeles on the last day of the regular season to create roster space.

Reed, who averaged 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game while shooting 40.9% from deep over the past two seasons (91 games, 11.1 minutes), signed with Ukrainian team Prometey BC as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

His stint with Prometey — which is currently in the EuroCup tournament and competes in the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League due to the ongoing war in Ukraine — was short-lived, however, as he’ll reportedly be returning stateside in an effort to make it back to the NBA.

It’s worth noting that Reed holds four seasons of NBA experience and is thus ineligible for a two-way contract. In order to return to the league, he’ll have to be offered a standard deal.

It’s possible Reed could be competing for a chance at a 10-day contract with Memphis — the Grizzlies currently have guards Shaquille Harrison and Jaylen Nowell on 10-day deals after qualifying for a couple extra roster spots via the hardship provision. Those contracts expire on December 3.

Latest On Knicks’ Lawsuit Against Raptors

December 2nd, 2023 at 2:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Since resigning from his Board of Governors committee positions, owner James Dolan and the Knicks launched a lawsuit against the Raptors seeking more than $10MM in damages over an issue that would typically be arbitrated by the NBA.

The suit, which alleges that a former team employee illegally took “confidential” files with him to his new position in Toronto, accused commissioner Adam Silver of bias due to his friendship with Raptors chairman Larry Tanenbaum and Tanenbaum’s position as chairman of the Board of Governors.

As Baxter Holmes writes in an in-depth story for ESPN, Dolan also has a lengthy history with Raptors president Masai Ujiri. Back in 2011, when Ujiri was Denver’s lead basketball executive, he traded Carmelo Anthony to New York — a deal in which Dolan was later criticized for giving up too much on a player who wanted to sign with the Knicks in free agency.

Ujiri had another famous trade with the Knicks a couple years later while he was running the Raptors, Holmes notes, sending Andrea Bargnani to New York for Marcus Camby, Steve Novak and multiple first-round picks. Bargnani only played 71 games over two seasons with New York.

Dolan reportedly nixed a deal between Toronto and New York that same year — 2013 — that would have sent Kyle Lowry to the Knicks because he “didn’t want to get fleeced again by Masai,” a source told The New York Daily News.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported a few years ago that Ujiri was Dolan’s “dream candidate” to run the Knicks, but he wound up returning to the Raptors on a long-term deal in 2021.

As far as the ongoing lawsuit, legal experts, analytics staffers and rival executives alike are skeptical and “generally dismissive” of the Knicks’ claims, according to Holmes.

“If you were concerned about privacy and the loss of proprietary information, the last place you would be pursuing that is in a court proceeding seeking only monetary damages — because whether it’s actually proprietary is going to be an issue,” said Robert Boland, a professor of sports law at Seton Hall University Law School who also maintains a practice focused on sports labor and governance issues.

“You have to prove your damages in this circumstance and you’re going to have to tell the court, and by extension the public, what they took from you and what its value was. So more of that becomes public, which likely means the Knicks don’t care about it. I’m assuming by the time we get through the court hearings, all this information will be out of date. I’m not sure the subject matter is proprietary or that it’s even timely anymore.”

Executives in particular cited Dolan’s “litigious reputation,” Holmes adds.

“I think this is a complete middle finger from Dolan to Larry Tanenbaum — and I think it’s nothing more than that,” one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN.

According to Holmes, the Raptors are expected to file a response to the Knicks’ latest filing on December 11. Boland — one of the legal experts Holmes spoke to — is unsure what will happen next.

“I don’t see a settlement in this case, but I don’t know if the Knicks are going to win,” said Boland, an admitted Knicks fan. “I don’t really see a clear strategy. I think the attention is the desired outcome.”

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic is also named in the lawsuit. He once again defended himself amid the allegations and said he’s looking forward to the case being resolved, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

“Support from the beginning was just fine because we talked about it, we explained what happened or what did not happen. I know who I am, I know my integrity, I know who I represent,” Rajakovic said. “I represent one amazing organization and people in the front office and the players. I’m really looking forward for all of this to be solved and for everybody to find out the truth. I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Southwest Notes: Murphy, Williamson, Brooks, Tillman

December 2nd, 2023 at 12:05pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pelicans wing Trey Murphy tore the meniscus in his left knee in September, missing the first 19 games of New Orleans’ season. The injury was a major setback for a player who had increased his scoring average from 5.4 points per game in 2021/22 to 14.5 last season, establishing himself as one of the Pelicans’ key rotation pieces.

Murphy made his 2023 season debut on Friday, immediately picking back up where he left off. He scored 18 points in his return and helped the Pels to a 15-point victory over the Spurs.

“He’s been a big part of our success the last two seasons,” coach Willie Green said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “We all were rallying for him to get on the floor and get back. It was like he didn’t miss a beat. Now it’s about building that chemistry with everyone on the team.”

The Pelicans, who have dealt with a litany of injuries over the past few seasons, are getting healthier and healthier. The only rotation player currently dealing with a long-term injury is Larry Nance Jr., who is out four-to-six weeks, a far cry from what the injury report has looked like in season’s past.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson is expected to play in the team’s Saturday matchup against the Bulls, according to Green (Twitter link via ESPN’s Andrew Lopez). Lopez notes that this would be the first back-to-back Williamson has played this season. The two-time All-Star is averaging 23.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season.
The Rockets entered Friday tied for the fourth-best defense in the league, in large part to wing Dillon Brooks‘ contributions on the floor, according to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko. Iko breaks down Brooks’ unique approach to defense, including the fact that he guards players in an unconventional way — by clapping in their face. “I feel like everyone in the league knows I slap people’s hands on jump shots after the ball’s released,” Brooks told The Athletic. “So it puts a thought in their mind that when I close out, you’re not getting a free shot. When they work out, they’re so used to following through. But when I close out, I like to mix in different things like that.“
Grizzlies center Xavier Tillman played in Memphis’ Friday matchup with the Mavericks (Twitter link via team), playing 21 minutes and helping the Grizzlies to a 14-point win. Tillman had appeared in just one game since Nov. 3, so his return to the lineup is welcome for a Memphis team that won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Atlantic Notes: Barnes, Maxey, Embiid, Thomas, Porzingis

December 2nd, 2023 at 10:48am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Raptors still appear to be figuring out their identity, trying to navigate their path through player development while simultaneously attempting to win now, according to The Athletic’s Eric Koreen. In order to fully develop budding star Scottie Barnes, Toronto needs to better optimize the lineups it is running, Koreen writes.

Koreen observes Toronto’s lineups with cramped spacing aren’t doing much to advance Barnes’ development. Instead of having the opportunity to kick the ball out to shooters, Barnes is sometimes featured in lineups with multiple players who are not feared from beyond the arc.

Barnes also isn’t yet confident enough to singlehandedly run the floor and lineups that feature him and OG Anunoby as the only starters have struggled, per Koreen. Koreen acknowledges this is more of a roster construction issue than a minute-distribution issue, but suggests changes. Otto Porter Jr. is a player mentioned who could help alleviate spacing issues.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Tyrese Maxey continues to play at a superstar level for the Sixers, averaging 27.0 points and 6.7 assists through his first 18 games. Appearing on NBA Today (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Maxey’s development is one of the biggest storylines of the season and speculates that it may just keep Joel Embiid in Philadelphia for the long run. Windhorst says Maxey’s play is keeping the Sixers in title contention despite trading James Harden and because of their play, the chatter from fans and media surrounding Embiid potentially wanting out is dying down.
The Nets are faced with a difficult decision regarding their starting lineup after a strong 26-point return from injury from Cam Thomas, writes the New York Post’s Mark W. Sanchez. Thomas began the season on the bench but was quickly inserted into the starting lineup due to his impressive scoring (26.8 PPG). After missing nine straight games due to injury, he was brought off the bench. But because the Nets’ offense runs through him, they’ll likely look to move him into the starting lineup again, meaning Cameron Johnson, Spencer Dinwiddie or Dorian Finney-Smith are candidates to be benched moving forward, according to Sanchez.
Celtics forward Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t played since Nov. 24 and while he still isn’t practicing, he’s been out on the court, tweets The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. Porzingis’s status remains up in the air for Boston’s in-season tournament quarterfinal on Monday against the Pacers. In 15 games this season, Porzingis has averaged 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Central Notes: Rales, Cavs, LeVert, Wade, Bogdanovic

December 2nd, 2023 at 9:23am CST by Tristan Tucker

Businessman Steven Rales is expected to become the minority owner of the Pacers, according to a statement from Pacers Sports and Entertainment chairman and owner Herb Simon (Twitter link).

“After considerable discussion, Steven is going to become a minority owner of 20 percent of the franchise pending league approval,” Simon said. “The Simon family is as committed to Indiana today as we have been since we moved here from New York in the 1960s.”

A story from The Athletic’s James Boyd provides background on Rales, a 72-year-old founder of Danaher Corporation, a life sciences organization. Rales is a DePauw University graduate and has “strong Indiana connections.”

Simon originally purchased the Pacers for $10.5MM in 1983 alongside his brother, Mel. According to Forbes estimates, the Pacers are now worth $2.9 billion, ranking 27th of 30 NBA teams. Simon will remain the controlling owner and, according to The Athletic, many believe his son Stephen will succeed him in that role in the future.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers lost to the rebuilding Trail Blazers on Thursday, continuing a disappointing start to the season for Cleveland — the team is hovering just above .500 through 19 games at 10-9. According to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, the Cavs held a lengthy team meeting after the loss. “We’ve said this since the beginning, we want to be a championship-caliber team. We’re not playing like it,” star guard Donovan Mitchell said. “This is the worst loss of the season. That’s it. Let’s go. We’ll be fine. We’ll fix it.“
The Cavaliers will be shorthanded against the Pistons when the two division rivals square off on Saturday, as guard Caris LeVert has been ruled out with a left knee injury, Fedor reports. There’s no definitive timeline for how long LeVert will be out, but he missed back-to-back games with the same injury in November, Fedor observes. Cleveland also remains without Dean Wade, who is missing his sixth straight game with an ankle injury.
The Pistons listed Bojan Bogdanovic as probable on Friday, meaning he remains on track to make his season debut against the Cavaliers on Saturday, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski. It was previously assumed that Bogdanovic would indeed play on Saturday, but the official status designation all but confirms it. Detroit didn’t win a game in November and is currently amid a 16-game losing streak.