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Russell Westbrook Expected To Return Next Week For Clippers

March 22nd, 2024 at 4:33pm CST by Rory Maher

Clippers guard Russell Westbrook is expected to return to action next week, possibly as soon as Monday against Indiana, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

The 2017 MVP sustained a left hand fracture on March 1 and underwent surgery a few days later. Potentially returning in under four weeks certainly seems like a quick recovery, and Wojnarowski suggests Westbrook is progressing ahead of schedule (Twitter link).

Westbrook has primarily come off the bench in 2023/24, averaging 11.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.1 SPG on .452/.268/.677 shooting in 58 games (22.6 MPG).

Los Angeles has gone 5-5 in 10 games thus far without Westbrook, and he will provide a jolt of energy, play-making and rebounding to the Clips’ backcourt once he returns.

The nine-time All-NBA member had appeared in every game for L.A. prior to the injury. Third-year guard Bones Hyland will likely be removed from the rotation again when Westbrook comes back.

The Clippers are currently 43-25, the No. 4 seed in the West.

Pistons’ Stanley Umude Out For Season With Fractured Ankle

March 22nd, 2024 at 3:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Pistons wing Stanley Umude will miss the remainder of the 2023/24 season after sustaining a hairline fracture of his right ankle on Wednesday vs. Indiana, the team announced in a press release.

Umude’s injury will not require surgery and he’s expected to make a full recovery, per the Pistons.

A second-year guard/forward, Umude spent most of this season on a two-way contract with Detroit before the team converted him to a standard deal last month. The Pistons hold a minimum-salary team option on the 24-year-old for ’24/25.

Umude appeared in 24 games in ’23/24, averaging 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds with a strong .440/.453/.906 shooting line in a small sample size (12.8 MPG). Amid injuries to several rotation players, including Ausar Thompson (blood clot) and Isaiah Stewart (right hamstring strain), who are also done for the season, Umude had started the past two games, playing a career-high 34 minutes on Monday vs. Boston.

Simone Fontecchio (left great toe contusion), Taj Gibson (right hamstring soreness) and Quentin Grimes (right knee contusion) are the other Pistons who have been ruled out for Friday’s rematch with the Celtics.

Tosan Evbuomwan, Evan Fournier and Troy Brown are among the players who could receive more playing time on the wing for a shorthanded Detroit squad.

Nuggets Notes: Caldwell-Pope, Murray, Porter, Jokic

March 22nd, 2024 at 1:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be the Nuggets‘ top priority this summer, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Caldwell-Pope has a $15.4MM player option for next season, and there will be a “robust” market awaiting him if he decides to opt out, league sources tell Durando.

“It gets hard not to think about it,” Caldwell-Pope said. “But right now to me, it’s just trying to get to the playoffs, trying to win another championship, whether I have a player option or not. That’s the least of my worries. It’s just trying to play high-level basketball, whoever that may be with.”

The 31-year-old shooting guard was a valuable component to last season’s championship team because of his ability to match up with elite wing scorers. He’s also shooting 40.9% from three-point range since coming to Denver, providing a needed floor spacer around Nikola Jokic.

Durando notes that the Nuggets will be motivated to keep Caldwell-Pope after losing Bruce Brown in free agency last year, but there are financial ramifications to a new contract. Denver is currently within $4.7MM of the second tax apron, and a hefty salary boost for KCP would likely subject them to those provisions next season.

There’s more from Denver:

Jamal Murray left Thursday’s game in the final minute after appearing to hurt his leg on an awkward landing, but it doesn’t seem to be serious, Durando adds in a separate story. “Just turned his ankle a little bit,” coach Michael Malone said.
Michael Porter Jr. set a franchise record for most three-pointers in a season Thursday night, topping the mark of 192 formerly held by Dale Ellis, per Ryan McFadden of The Denver Post. “Even when (Porter) is not hot, it seems like he is going to make every shot,” Caldwell-Pope said. “For him to continue to shoot with that confidence is great for him and us.”
Jokic remains a clear favorite for MVP honors, according to Michael C. Wright of NBA.com. Jokic tightened his grip on the top spot in the MVP race by following up Tuesday’s 35-point, 16-rebound performance at Minnesota with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists Thursday against New York.

Heat Notes: Martin, Rozier, Herro, Adebayo, Robinson, Mills

March 22nd, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat forward Caleb Martin understands that his high-energy approach to the game can be most effective in a sixth-man role, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. After a breakout performance in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, Martin has returned to a reserve spot this year, coming off the bench in 19 of the 52 games he has played. Amid numerous lineup changes due to injuries, coach Erik Spoelstra has tried to keep Martin’s role constant.

“I really don’t care. I really don’t,” Martin said. “Like I said, the biggest thing for me is getting minutes and finishing games. So it ultimately doesn’t matter if you come off the bench. If I’m playing 25, 30 minutes and I’m finishing games, I’m going to be able to produce.”

With a $7.1MM player option for next season, Martin is likely to test free agency this summer, Winderman adds. He’s also dealing with the distraction of a sprained left thumb that will probably need surgery after the season is over. He keeps it taped during games and wears a leather brace when he’s not playing.

“It’s something minor. It’s nothing crazy or I wouldn’t be able to still be playing on it,” Martin said. “So it would be different if it was a different kind of injury. So it’s one of those things that’s a pretty quick fix.”

There’s more from Miami:

Spoelstra will likely stagger the minutes between Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro whenever Herro returns from his right foot injury, Winderman states in a separate story. They have similar skills as shot creators, and Winderman notes that it could be valuable to have them on the court together late in close games.
Bam Adebayo is looking forward to returning after sitting out Wednesday’s game with a lower back contusion, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest with New Orleans, and he expressed hope that he’ll be ready to play. “I sat down and had a conversation with coach,” Adebayo said. “We got guys back, so he told me it was time to take (a night off).”
A scan of Duncan Robinson‘s back didn’t reveal any significant issues, league sources tell Chiang. Robinson was diagnosed with left facet syndrome after returning home early from the road trip to see a back specialist, but he’s not believed to be facing a lengthy absence.
Patty Mills has made a smooth transition since signing with Miami on March 6, Chiang observes in another piece. Injuries have opened up a rotation role, and the veteran guard has logged double-digit minutes in seven straight games. “The surprising part is how comfortable and quickly that I’ve been able to pick up on some stuff,” Mills said. “Then after that, what can you do to impact the team in a positive way. I think that’s been probably the most surprising part, if anything.”

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, White, Ball, Karnisovas

March 22nd, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls had to finish Thursday’s loss in Houston without their leading scorer after DeMar DeRozan was ejected along with Dillon Brooks for an incident midway through the third quarter (video link), writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. After DeRozan was whistled for a Flagrant 2 for a hard foul on Jalen Green, Brooks confronted him.

DeRozan blamed Brooks for escalating the conflict, saying “it’s an issue walking up on any man from behind.” He also claimed that he was off balance and didn’t intend to foul Green as hard as he did.

“I was surprised just from the simple fact that I was trying to hedge out and just be aggressive, obviously bumped him, but if you look at it, I kind of tripped into it,” DeRozan said. “I’m not dumb. These days it’s just so hard to tell when you go back and look at a review. It wasn’t anything I was trying to do intentionally.”

KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes that DeRozan thought a foul should have been called when Green blocked his shot on the previous trip down court. Coach Billy Donovan told reporters that his players have to do a better job of not being affected by missed calls.

“We have to control ourselves and adjust to the officials,” Donovan said. “The crew that was on the game is a good crew. They’re good guys. They work extremely hard.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

Coby White came off the bench Thursday after missing the previous three games with a right hip injury, Cowley adds in a separate story. White has continued to serve as a vocal leader even when he hasn’t been able to play. “Because he has been on the bench, that’s helped in timeouts,” Donovan said. “He’s still stayed pretty active and pretty vocal, but I think he’s at a point and time in his career where he’s not afraid to speak up. It’s always about the team. It’s not about criticizing guys on what they should be doing. It’s more a good, positive vibe, but he’s even tried to do that while he’s been out these three games. But on the court that’s where you miss some of that, where he can talk some.”
Lonzo Ball, who hasn’t played since January 2022, posted a video of himself dunking twice in a row this week, tweets Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. The Bulls are optimistic that Ball can be ready for the start of next season if his injured left knee continues to improve, Poe adds in a full story.
There will be a market for DeRozan if the Bulls let him reach free agency, Johnson states in a mailbag column. DeRozan is eligible for a three-year extension worth $130MM through June 30, but Johnson suggests he might be willing to take roughly $70-74MM for two seasons, possibly with a team option for a third year.
There’s no reason to expect president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas or the rest of the front office to be replaced this summer, Johnson adds. He hears that management has given Karnisovas the freedom to proceed however he sees fit, even if that means a full rebuild, and says an active summer is likely upcoming.

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, DiVincenzo, Robinson, Anunoby

March 22nd, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Tom Thibodeau‘s reputation as a no-nonsense, old-school coach isn’t entirely deserved, Donte DiVincenzo tells Sam Amick of The Athletic. DiVincenzo was aware that Thibodeau topped an anonymous player poll of the coaches they’d least like to play for, but that didn’t affect his decision to sign a four-year, $47MM deal with New York last summer.

“From the outside world, there’s always (a different view),” DiVincenzo said. “But in our house — in-house — we have a good dynamic and we enjoy it and everybody enjoys being around each other. To the outside world, you don’t really know. All you know is perception. All you know is the history from other teams (Thibodeau has coached) and his years with different organizations. But we’ve had plenty of rest days, plenty of off days.”

Thibodeau has a reputation for giving heavy minutes to his rotation players, especially his starters, and causing them to wear down throughout the season. But he also inspires intense loyalty in players who approach the game the same way that he does. DiVincenzo said working with Thibodeau hasn’t been much different from his other NBA stops.

“I played for (the Warriors’ Steve) Kerr and played for Coach Bud (former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer). It’s not like you come here and all of a sudden you’re just running track every day (in practice),” DiVincenzo said. “I think what he does by far better than anybody I’ve been around is he’s the most prepared. So it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go for two hours on your feet and running. But when you’re in there, you’re gonna lock in and you’re gonna get the stuff done and we’re gonna get out of there.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

Thibodeau has one season left on his contract and he’s hoping to land a long-term extension this summer, league sources tell Amick. Thibodeau currently makes about $7MM per year, Amick’s sources say, and he’s in line for a major raise considering the huge deals recently landed by Monty Williams, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Doc Rivers and Kerr.
Mitchell Robinson talked about the frustration of having another season disrupted by injuries, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Robinson, who’s hoping to return soon from ankle surgery, was off to the best start of his career when he felt discomfort in his left ankle during a December 8 game against Boston. He was cleared to keep playing following an X-ray, but was later diagnosed with a stress fracture. “I’m like, man, I’m trying to figure out ways to stop it from happening, the best ways that I can,” Robinson said. “And it’s like one thing after one thing. I felt like I was finally getting in shape to the top of my career right there and the next thing you know.”
When Robinson does return, he’ll be joining a much different version of the team, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The Knicks have shaken up their roster since early December, and Robinson is looking forward to playing alongside OG Anunoby. “He’s active. He’s not afraid to take a chance,” Robinson said. “He might miss one (steal) here or there, but that’s all right. He’ll get most of them.”

Brandon Ingram To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Knee Contusion

March 22nd, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Arthur Hill

Brandon Ingram has been diagnosed with a left knee bone contusion, the Pelicans announced (via Twitter). The injury was revealed in an MRI conducted this morning after Ingram hyperextended his knee during Thursday’s game against Orlando. He will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the team.

Ingram suffered the injury while planting his left foot early in the third quarter, per Christian Clark of NOLA. He fell to the court in pain and could only put minimal pressure on the knee as he was helped to the locker room.

With just three and a half weeks remaining, there’s no guarantee that New Orleans will have Ingram back before the end of the regular season. If the reevaluation takes place in exactly two weeks, that would be April 5, leaving the team with just five games remaining before the season wraps up April 14.

The Pelicans are currently fifth in the West at 42-27, but they’re only two games ahead in the loss column of the Mavericks, Suns and Kings in a tight race to avoid the play-in tournament. New Orleans will travel to Phoenix on April 7 and Sacramento on April 11, so it would be beneficial to have Ingram back on the court by then.

Ingram is the Pelicans’ second-leading scorer at 20.9 PPG, along with 5.1 rebounds and a team-high 5.8 assists per night. Trey Murphy is expected to take on a bigger role until Ingram can return.

Sixers Notes: Reed, Bamba, Embiid, Jones

March 22nd, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul Reed is helping the Sixers battle to avoid the play-in tournament while Joel Embiid recovers from meniscus surgery, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. At 6’9″, Reed isn’t an imposing physical force like Embiid, but he has learned how to be effective against larger opponents.

“I understand what the team needs from me,” Reed said. “And I understand where my shots can come from. And what shots are cool for me to take within our offense.”

Reed is trying to shake a slump that has seen him average just 5.5 PPG over the last four games while shooting 24.8% from the field. But offense isn’t Reed’s primary contribution, and he’s managed to deliver 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks per game during that time while sharing center duties with Mohamed Bamba.

Reed was inserted into the starting lineup when Embiid was injured in late January. He was eventually moved back into his traditional reserve spot, with Bamba taking over as the starter, and both players are more comfortable in their current roles.

“He plays so much bigger than his size,” Bamba said of Reed. “His ability to rebound, his ability to just kind of make plays off of broken plays. It looks pretty unique out there, at times. But when the ball goes through the net, it’s all right. The crazy part is … he works a lot on the stuff he does.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

Embiid has entered the “ramp up” phase of his recovery process, coach Nick Nurse said this week (Twitter video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). He will start with 1-on-1 work, eventually move to 5-on-5, and then must be cleared for contact before attempting to play in an actual game.
In a mailbag column, Pompey examines when Embiid might be able to return to the lineup. He states that the ideal time would be an April 2 home game against Oklahoma City, which would provide nearly two weeks to prepare for the playoffs. Philadelphia has a three-game road trip after that with stops in Miami, Memphis and San Antonio before concluding the season at home against Detroit, Orlando and Brooklyn. The Sixers are a half-game out of the sixth spot in the East, and the number of games they get from Embiid could go a long way in determining where they finish.
Kai Jones suffered a hamstring injury in his second G League game after signing a 10-day contract last week, Pompey adds in the same piece. Jones’ deal will expire on Sunday, and the injury may prevent him from getting another 10-day opportunity. The team signed Jones with the intention of keeping him in the G League to monitor his game, according to Pompey.

Rockets Notes: Sengun, Play-In, Landale, Brooks

March 21st, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Rockets center Alperen Sengun‘s breakout campaign was cut short after he suffered a right ankle injury in March, but he firmly established himself as Houston’s star, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes. Not only is he Houston’s best player, but Iko asserts he may just be the most important as the Rockets continue to transition into a contender.

“The talent level is real,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “It’s what you see on film and play against, and he’s taken a step as far as that. Competitiveness and going up against specific matchups right from day one. I think he’s improved defensively across the board, some of the things and challenges we’ve presented him with. He’s not even close to reaching his ceiling and has a ways to go, but he’s had a great year, and his future is bright.”

Iko talked to 11 of Sengun’s teammates and all of them spoke highly of the All-Star caliber player.

“Just being around him, he’s a good guy,” two-way guard Nate Hinton said. “He wants to win. He plays hard every night and tries to give it his all. That’s one thing I learned about him, going out there and taking the game seriously. Trying to dominate every night. He has a lot of game and can be one of the premier guys in this league if he takes care of his body. Just keep developing, lot of potential. Can also be a potential threat from 3 because he’s always open, they don’t guard him out there. If he hits a couple of those moving forward in his career, it will up his game some more.”

We have more from the Rockets:

A month ago, the Rockets were out of the postseason picture and Udoka was questioning the team’s focus. At the end of February, Houston was 25-34, lost Sengun and Cam Whitmore due to injuries, and shut down injured forward Tari Eason. But now, as Iko explores in another story, Houston has won seven games in a row, as well as nine of its past 10. The Rockets are playing faster, shooting better and are playing aggressive defense. Now, at 34-35, they’re just 2.5 games out of the play-in tournament. The improved play of the likes of Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and Jock Landale is helping propel the team.
Landale’s improvement over the course of the season was on full display in Thursday’s win over the Bulls. As The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen observes (Twitter link), Landale finished that game with a season-high 14 points and season-high 10 rebounds, along with three blocks. He also matched his career high of five assists. Entering Thursday, Landale had been averaging 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in his past 10 games after averaging just 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds before that.
Dillon Brooks and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan were ejected after being involved in a scrum on Thursday, ESPN details. DeRozan came off a screen and hip-checked Green, who was bringing the ball up the court, sending the Rockets guard down in pain. The initial foul by DeRozan was declared a flagrant 2 and Brooks was given a technical for responding and getting physical with DeRozan. After the game, Iko asked Udoka about the number of scuffles Houston’s been involved in this season (Twitter link). “Not a bad thing to have chippy games,” Udoka said. “I don’t mind that part of it at all. If a guy takes a hit, teammates gotta stand up for each other.“

Pacific Notes: Green, Ellis, Clippers, Lakers

March 21st, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Warriors forward Draymond Green is getting banged up while playing the center position for the team, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. On Tuesday, Green dealt with lower back soreness and was listed as questionable against the Grizzlies but managed to come in and play well. He had a three-and-a-half-hour treatment session before that game.

Green is taking a proactive approach to his injury management so that he can stay on the floor as much as possible. Golden State is leaning heavily on the former Defensive Player of the Year as the team moves away from lineups featuring two non-shooters. Green doesn’t take the floor with Kevon Looney anymore and only plays alongside Trayce Jackson-Davis in short stretches.

Green being able to play center is helping the Warriors play Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga together, with that trio being a plus-70 in 377 minutes. Still, it doesn’t come without its toll.

“It’s definitely more taxing because at the five you are involved in every possession,” Green said. “At the four, fours don’t crash every time. You may not have to box out every possession. At the five, you got to box out every play. Fives are trying to get the ball every play. Even something as simple as that, let’s call it 20 more box outs a game. That’s contact. That’s a battle. So it’s definitely more taxing. But I’m cut out for it.”

Given Green’s injuries, Slater ponders whether it’s sustainable to have him keep playing the five or whether it’s something that could be avoided.

“I can do it. I’m cut out for it,” Green said. “I don’t overly worry about it because I know we have fives that are perfectly capable of taking over and doing what we need them to do. It’s not something I think about.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Kings guard Keon Ellis began the year on a two-way contract but saw it converted to a standard deal. He’s impressing in an expanded role, with the Kings now 7-1 with Ellis in the starting lineup. Entering Thursday, the Kings were undefeated with Ellis in the starting five (before losing to the Wizards), and were outscoring opponents by 84 points when he was on the floor, according to FOX 40 Sacramento’s Sean Cunningham (Twitter link).
The Clippers seemed to lose their way in recent games after winning 25 of 30 games in the middle of the season, the Los Angeles Times’ Broderick Turner writes. However, they found themselves again in a win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, winning 116-103. “We just happen to be going through a tough stretch,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “But we know who we are. You’re not going to win every game. We understand that. We understand that we can play better. We understand that. But let’s start with executing on both sides of the basketball. We know what our identity is and who we are.” The team’s defense, in particular, stood out as Los Angeles continues to develop its competitive identity, Turner writes.
The round of 64 of the men’s NCAA Tournament kicked off Thursday, and Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times identified 10 prospects the Lakers should be scouting. Baylor’s Yves Missi and Ja’Kobe Walter, Duke’s Jared McCain and Kansas’s Johnny Furphy are among some of the more likely names to be available where L.A’s pick currently sits (No. 14). However, it’s crucial to note that the Lakers don’t have the rights to their own pick this season. As part of the Anthony Davis trade, the Lakers owe this pick to the Pelicans. As Woike points out, though, the Pelicans have the option to defer this pick to 2025 in what is considered to be a stronger class. It’s possible New Orleans takes its chances on next year’s class and lets L.A. keep its own ’24 pick.