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Stephen Curry Named 2023/24 Clutch Player Of The Year

April 25th, 2024 at 6:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry has won the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season, according to an announcement from the league (Twitter link). The Clutch Player of the Year is defined as the player who “best comes through for his teammates in the clutch” during the regular season.

Curry beat out Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan for the honor. In his age-35 season, Curry averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 74 games while shooting 45.0% from the field and 40.8% from beyond the arc on 11.8 attempts per game.

According to Warriors PR, Curry ranked first in points (189), field goals (59) and three-pointers (32) in the clutch this season. Clutch time is defined by the league as the last five minutes of a game in which the score is within five points. He shot 45.7% on three-pointers in clutch scenarios this year and the Warriors went 24-24 in clutch games this season.

Curry received 45 of 99 possible first-place votes and tallied 298 points, with DeRozan finishing as a close runner-up (34 first-place votes; 272 points), per the NBA (Twitter link). Gilgeous-Alexander received 11 first-place votes and 160 points.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic each received first-place votes and rounded out the top six finishers. A total of 15 players showed up on at least one ballot, with Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum also earning one first-place vote apiece.

Curry helped lead the Warriors to the No. 10 seed and a play-in berth before they were eliminated by the Kings.

De’Anthony Melton Active For Sixers In Game 3

April 25th, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Sixers guard De’Anthony Melton is active and available for the team ahead of Game 3 against the Knicks (Twitter link via PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck).

Melton went through shootaround earlier today, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link), but it’s unlikely he’ll have a big role after barely playing this calendar year. We noted earlier today that Melton was trending toward a Game 3 return.

“He’s always an impactful player when he’s out there,” teammate Tyrese Maxey said of Melton in a story from Neubeck. “One thing I can say as a co-worker and friend, he really works. There’s never been a moment that he’s been down, he’s worked every single day to try to come back. He hasn’t given up. As a teammate, all you can do is appreciate something like that. And if he’s able to come back, I think he can change the series.”

In 38 games (33 starts) with the Sixers this season, Melton averaged 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 36.0% from deep. He has only appeared in seven games since the start of 2024 and he hasn’t played 20 or more minutes in a game since Jan. 12 while dealing with a back injury.

Melton has missed 22 of the past 24 games for the Sixers, not including either of their playoff games. Down 0-2 to the Knicks, the Sixers are banking on getting a boost in their backcourt from the veteran guard, even if he plays sparingly. In the 2023 playoffs, Melton averaged 7.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 38.8% from three across two series.

Neubeck suggests that Melton could help get trade deadline acquisition Buddy Hield, who has struggled offensively, off the floor. Melton would be better suited to help in a series defined by physicality, athleticism, rebounding and versatility.

“[I can do] the little things,” Melton said. “Rebounding, boxing out, getting deflections, getting steals, I feel like in the playoffs every possession matters. Holding them to one possession is important.”

The Sixers have lost their two playoff games to the Knicks by a combined 10 points, including a three-point defeat on Monday that featured a controversial ending.

New York center Mitchell Robinson, who was listed as questionable, is active.

Heat Notes: Martin, Highsmith, Shooting, Adjustments, Butler

April 25th, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Last postseason, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent helped propel the Heat to a Finals appearance and priced themselves out of the team’s range in the offseason. Strus went on to sign a four-year, $62.3MM contract in a sign-and-trade with Cleveland while Vincent departed for the Lakers on a three-year, $33MM deal.

A similar situation may be happening this year with Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Martin was instrumental in the Heat’s Eastern Conference Finals win over Boston last year, averaging 19.3 points per game and shooting 48.9% from three in that seven-game series. He had an up-and-down regular season in 2023/24 but just scored 21 points while making five threes against the Celtics in Game 2 of their current series.

Highsmith had a career year with Miami, averaging 6.1 PPG while shooting 39.6% on three-pointers and emerging as a key rotation player in 26 starts. He had nine points, three rebounds and one steal on Wednesday against Boston while continuing to display his impressive defense.

Martin has a player option for next season at $7.1MM that he’s likely to decline, while Highsmith will be an unrestricted free agent. As Jackson observes, the Heat project to have a payroll of $172.9MM next year if Kevin Love, Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant pick up their small player options, which is expected, and if Martin opts out.

Jackson notes that while the Heat own the Bird rights for both players, re-signing both, or either, would put them over or extremely close to the restrictive second tax apron. Miami might be able to re-sign Highsmith without going over the second apron, but that’s a less likely scenario with Martin, who is expected to demand at least the full projected $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Marks expects Highsmith to get between $8-10MM annually.

Miami didn’t offer Strus a contract last year but offered Vincent a four-year, $34MM deal before he signed with L.A.

We have more notes on the Heat:

The Heat shocked the Celtics in Game 2 on Boston’s home floor (where they lost just four games in the regular season) behind a historic three-point shooting display, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Miami, without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, bounced back from a 20-point loss in Game 1 to defeat the Celtics and steal home court advantage by evening the series 1-1. The Heat set a franchise record for threes in a playoff game by connecting on 23 of their 43 attempts. It is tied for the second-most three-pointers Miami has ever made in a game in franchise history. “It was a very good response just from the connectivity, the efforts, all of that,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. As observed by Heat.com’s Couper Moorhead (Twitter link), Miami now has four playoff games in the past two seasons with 50% shooting from three, all of which came against Boston. No other team has more than one such game against any opponent.
Spoelstra made it a point of emphasis to get better looks and a higher volume of shots from beyond the arc after the Heat were out-shot 22-12 from deep in Game 1, ESPN’s Chris Herring points out. By beating Boston in Game 2, Miami became the first playoff team in the past 30 years to win by double-digits after being an underdog of 14 points or more.
As Herring details, the Heat made it an emphasis to get Tyler Herro involved as a play-maker — he had 14 assists — and to limit Kristaps Porzingis, who finished with six points on 1-of-9 shooting. “We’ve been doubted a lot through our playoff runs, people saying we couldn’t do a lot of stuff that we did,” Bam Adebayo said. “So for me and my team, why lose belief now? Our backs are against the wall. Everybody’s against us. So just use that as fuel.“
Despite the expectation that he’ll miss multiple weeks with his MCL injury, Butler is staying involved in the Heat’s postseason. In an Instagram post, he poked fun at the Celtics after Miami took Game 2. As Ira Winderman of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel writes, Butler has been involved in other ways too, and sent teammate Herro a more serious message ahead of Game 1. “Just before the series, [Butler] texted me to take the team and lead these guys, just make every right play,” Herro said.

Draft Notes: PIT Standouts, Dates, Ajinca, Diarra, Watkins

April 25th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament wrapped up last week. The event, which showcases college seniors trying to boost their stock in front of NBA teams, saw two participants — Hunter Tyson and Toumani Camara — get drafted last year, notes Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link).

Washington State forward/center Isaac Jones was “the most productive player” at the 2024 PIT, Givony writes, and he’ll likely be invited to next month’s draft combine in Chicago as a result. The 23-year-old big man was a first-team All-Pac-12 member for the Cougars in 2023/24 and could be a second-round pick, Givony adds.

Morehead State forward Riley Minix and Illiniois guard Marcus Domask were among the other standouts from the tournament, according to Givony.

Here’s more on the upcoming draft:

In the same story, Givony highlights several upcoming draft-related dates and deadlines to monitor, including Saturday’s early-entrant deadline.
French wing Melvin Ajinca, who is ranked No. 42 on ESPN’s big board, is entering the 2024 NBA Draft, agent Bouna Ndiaye told Givony (Twitter link). The 19-year-old has been playing professionally for Saint-Quentin in France’s top basketball league, LNB Pro A. Givony refers to Ajinca as a possible first-rounder.
North Carolina State senior forward Mohamed Diarra, who averaged 6.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 40 games this past season for the Wolfpack (22.1 MPG), announced on Twitter that he’s entering the draft. Another French player, Diarra didn’t say anything about maintaining his college eligibility, so we’re assuming he’s going pro.
Wing Jamir Watkins, who is ranked No. 81 on ESPN’s board, is also entering the draft (Instagram link). After spending his first two college seasons at VCU, Watkins transferred to Florida State for his junior campaign and averaged 15.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.9 SPG on .457/.344/.795 shooting in 33 games for the Seminoles (28.1 MPG). As with Diarra, Watkins didn’t say anything about maintaining his remaining eligibility.

Injury Notes: Middleton, Giannis, Kawhi, THJ, Gafford

April 25th, 2024 at 2:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks wing Khris Middleton sustained a right ankle sprain in the first quarter of Tuesday’s Game 2 loss to Indiana. He wound up playing 36 minutes, but he didn’t practice on Thursday and head coach Doc Rivers said “there’s a little” concern about Middleton’s availability for Game 3 on Friday, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“It’s another holding our breath situation, so honestly, I don’t know,” Rivers said (Twitter link via Nehm).

Middleton has averaged 19.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 5.0 APG while shooting 53.6% from the field through two games (35.5 MPG). Milwaukee would certainly miss the three-time All-Star if he’s unable to go on Friday, particularly with Giannis Antetokounmpo still out.

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

Speaking of Antetokounmpo, Rivers said the Bucks‘ two-time MVP was doing quite a bit of “shooting and moving” at Thursday’s practice. However, he was unable to go through live drills, as Nehm relays (via Twitter). Antetokoutnmpo was listed as doubtful before being ruled out prior to the first two games of the first-round series vs. the Pacers. The 29-year-old has been sidelined since April 9 due to a left calf strain.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed that Kawhi Leonard‘s knee responded well following Tuesday’s loss to Dallas, which was his first game back in three-plus weeks, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter links). Lue said Leonard will go through a non-contact practice on Thursday, Townsend adds. It’s unclear if the six-time All-Star will see even more minutes in Friday’s Game 3 after playing 35 a couple days ago.
Mavericks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. will be sidelined for Friday’s Game 3, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “He’ll be evaluated in a few days,” head coach Jason Kidd said. Hardaway sprained his right ankle in Game 2 and didn’t play the entire second half. Starting center Daniel Gafford (back) did not practice on Thursday and is questionable for Friday’s game, Kidd added.
In case you missed it, the Lakers will still be without Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) and Christian Wood (knee) for Thursday’s Game 3 vs. Denver. Both players had reportedly been aiming to return tonight.

Western Notes: Thunder, Pelicans, Loucks, Christie, Kings

April 25th, 2024 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Maher

The Thunder demolished the Pelicans by 32 points on Wednesday, led by 80 combined points from Rookie of the Year finalist Chet Holmgren (26), MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33) and rising second-year forward Jalen Williams (21), per Andrew Lopez of ESPN. The trio was extremely efficient, going 32-of-49 from the field (.653%).

After Pels center Jonas Valanciunas opened by scoring the first 11 points for New Orleans, Oklahoma City countered by giving Holmgren looks from the perimeter, Lopez writes. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick responded with 15 points in the opening frame en route to a double-digit lead.

“He was great to start,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of Holmgren. “He was aggressive, he was assertive, made quick decisions and obviously was a big reason why we got out to that lead. He just played to his strengths and didn’t try to stray from them. We all know when he does that, he’s really good.”

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Perhaps more concerning than the loss itself was the way the Pelicans lost. As William Guillory of The Athletic details, New Orleans came away from Game 1’s two-point loss somewhat encouraged and responded with an absolute dud of a performance in Game 2. The Pelicans allowed OKC to score 124 points on a shooting line of .590/.483/.900. They had 18 turnovers, including eight offensive fouls. And they only finished with 92 points for the second straight game. Yes, the Pelicans are playing without Zion Williamson, but an ugly early exit could lead to major changes in the offseason, Guillory writes.
Kings head coach Mike Brown told reporters, including Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 KTXL (Twitter link), that assistant coach Luke Loucks will move to a front-of-bench role after Jordi Fernandez‘s departure to Brooklyn. Brown added that assistant Doug Christie will likely coach Sacramento’s Summer League team, though that isn’t set in stone.
After winning a tiebreaker with Golden State, there’s now a 92.9% chance the Kings will end up with the No. 13 overall pick in June’s draft. GM Monte McNair said Sacramento is “excited” about the prospects who could be available at that spot, but the team will explore its options with the lottery pick, including potentially trading it, tweets James Ham of ESPN 1320 and TheKingsBeat.com.

Atlantic Notes: Melton, Brunson, Sixers Comeback, Tatum

April 25th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers may have another rotation player available for Game 3 of their first-round series with the Knicks tonight. De’Anthony Melton practiced on Wednesday and could suit up on Thursday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

“I’m feeling good,” Melton said after the practice. “I’m ready for the game tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes.”

Melton averaged a career-high 11.1 points per game this season and is a strong perimeter defender. He has played only seven games since Dec. 30 due to a spinal injury.

“I think for me, the little things, rebounding, boxing out, getting deflections, getting steals,” Melton said of the impact he could make.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Despite his team being up 2-0 in the series, Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson isn’t happy with his production. He’s shooting 29.1% from the field during the first two contests, with the Sixers sending extra bodies to force tougher shots. “The easy answer is I need to adjust and I need to be more poised, just understand what they’re doing and just flat-out be better,” Brunson said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “There’s no gimmicks to it. It’s just, ‘Jalen, you need to be better.’ And it’s that plain and simple.”
Their ability to keep Brunson in check with Kelly Oubre Jr. as the primary defender is one of the reasons why the Sixers should be optimistic about rallying in the series, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes. The fact that Joel Embiid has been able to effectively play through a sore knee is another reason to believe a turnaround is coming.
Following their 111-101 home loss to the Heat on Wednesday night, Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum said it’s his team’s turn to counter Miami’s adjustments, Brian Robb of MassLive.com relays. “I think we’ve gotta be more creative,” Tatum said. “The playoffs are about making adjustments game to game, and they did that. They’re not just going to let us catch the ball, they’re not just going to let us throw it to (Kristaps Porzingis) easy. They’re supposed to try to mess things a little up, and make it a little bit tougher. So it’s our job to react in real time, as well as make our adjustments going from game to game.”

Potential Lottery Pick Tidjane Salaun Entering Draft

April 25th, 2024 at 9:10am CST by Dana Gauruder

Potential lottery pick Tidjane Salaun has submitted paperwork to the NBA office, making him eligible for the draft, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

The French forward is currently ranked No. 15 on ESPN’s Best Available list. His shooting ability has made him an intriguing prospect for NBA teams.

Salaun has made 75 three-pointers in his 54 games with Cholet Basket in the FIBA Champions League and Pro A. The 6’10” forward is also an 80% free throw shooter.

Overall, the 18-year-old is averaging 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 23 minutes per game.

“The NBA has always been a dream of mine, but recently it’s become a goal,” Salaun said. “It’s just the logical next step for me. I learned a lot of things on and off the court this season. I’m ready to make a big step now for the next level.”

Defensively, Salaun can cover a lot of ground and possesses a 7’2” wingspan.

“I am an energizer for my team,” Salaun said. “I always give 100% bringing a lot of intensity and hustle. There is a fire in me that pushes me to be my best on every play.”

Salaun’s ability to participate in pre-draft workouts could be delayed until late May or June since his team is in playoff contention, Givony notes. Salaun was not considered a top prospect until recent months. He was cut from the French junior national team as a 17-year old.

“I had to work and hustle for everything,” Salaun said. “A lot of people doubted me. Some people who didn’t trust me before, I want to make them pay.”

L.A. Notes: Vanderbilt, Wood, George, Leonard

April 25th, 2024 at 7:56am CST by Luke Adams

Injured Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (right midfoot sprain) and big man Christian Wood (left knee surgery) had both been aiming to return to action for Game 3 on Thursday, but it appears they’ll remain sidelined for at least one more game. Los Angeles has listed Vanderbilt and Wood as out on the official injury report.

As we noted on Tuesday, it’s unclear how much the Lakers would actually use Vanderbilt and/or Wood if they were available. Vanderbilt hasn’t played since February 1, while Wood has been on the shelf since February 14, so both players would likely have some rust to shake off in their first game back.

Still, the Lakers are already facing a 2-0 deficit against the defending-champion Nuggets, who have beaten them 10 times in a row dating back to the 2022/23 season. If Vanderbilt and Wood are available, it’s worth seeing if they can provide some sort of spark. However, it seems L.A. won’t get that chance until at least Game 4.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two L.A. teams:

As discouraging as their blown 20-point lead on Monday was, the Lakers were able to take some positives from their Game 2 performance during a Wednesday film session, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “We generated some great shots. We missed a lot of shots at the rim that we’ve been making throughout the course of this season,” said LeBron James, who went just 4-of-11 at the rim, per ESPN. Head coach Darvin Ham added that he likes film sessions because they remove “post-game emotions” and allow the team to zero in on specific areas to improve: “It’s not just, ‘We failed, let’s scrap the whole plan and go this way.’ No. You have to understand why things went the way they went.”
Three-and-a-half months after Kawhi Leonard signed an extension to remain with the Clippers, the team still doesn’t have a new deal in place with Paul George. However, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report says that multiple sources still expect George to re-sign with L.A., either via an extension or free agent contract.
Leonard and the Clippers struggled to find a rhythm on Tuesday in the star forward’s first game in April, but George is confident that it won’t take long for the club to get more comfortable, as Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times relays. “I mean, y’all know this: Kawhi is one of the best in the world. He’s going to find his rhythm. We’re going to find our rhythm around him,” George said. “We feel good about it despite … I don’t ever like to take or look at the moral victories. We lost (Game 2), which is frustrating and upsetting, but it is great having … (Leonard) back out there with us and we’ll all adjust. We’ll get our timing back, our rhythm back and getting a better flow.”

Nets Notes: Fernandez, Marks, Simmons, Whitehead, B. Johnson

April 24th, 2024 at 10:52pm CST by Rory Maher

At his introductory press conference on Wednesday, new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez was optimistic about a quick turnaround following a disappointing 2023/24 season, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“We will see results right away,” Fernandez said. “This industry is about getting results and getting better. So how much are you gonna get better? It’s how we believe the process is important.

“We know that there’s proper steps to take and we’ll see improvement right away. But the most important thing to me is to believe in team success over personal success.”

Fernandez added that he was enthusiastic about the young talent on Brooklyn’s roster, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“The youth excites me,” Fernandez said. “When you have a young roster — and talented — that means you’re going to have those guys for a long time. So you can develop them, and then they can perform at their best, and they’re here with you. So that’s extremely exciting.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

General manager Sean Marks said one of the reasons Fernandez stood out in the Nets’ head coaching search was his ability to coach players at various stages of their careers, according to Lewis. “Something that separates Jordi from a lot of the candidates (is), we found that he could look at a developmental roster, he could do various different pathways,” Marks said. “He’s coached stars before, he’s been the head director of development before so he’s worn many hats and there’s no roster that he’s not going to be able to get the respect of those guys.” Marks noted that as a big market, Brooklyn has an inherent ability to attract stars, which could accelerate the team’s timeline.
Marks said the team expects Ben Simmons to be ready for training camp in the fall, as Adam Zagoria of NJ.com relays (subscription required). “There should be no reason not to,” Marks said. “I mean, the doctors and therapists and so forth have told us that he should be ready to go next season. Again, it’s going to be on Ben’s timeline. We’re going to have to see how he progresses through the summer.” Simmons was limited to 15 games in ’23/24 and underwent his second back surgery in two years last month.
Another injured Net, Dariq Whitehead, should be ready to go for Summer League in a few months, Marks told reporters, including Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. The 2023 first-round pick had season-ending surgery for a stress reaction in his left shin back in January.
They don’t currently control a draft pick in 2024, but Marks said the Nets could look to move into the draft if a player they like is available, Kaplan writes. Marks also suggested BJ Johnson, who is the team’s director of player evaluation, could be in line for a promotion after former front office executives Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel left to join the Hornets. “I think some of our guys have done a terrific job,” Marks said, per Kaplan. “In terms of just simply drafting, I mean, you want to take BJ Johnson. BJ runs our draft and has done so for the last several years. So, there’ll be more pressure and more responsibility placed on several of the guys in-house here.”