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Atlantic Notes: Fournier, Grimes, Robinson, Celtics, Melton

November 16th, 2022 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks used just nine players on Tuesday for the first time this season, removing Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes from their rotation entirely, says Zach Braziller of The New York Post. The trimmed-down rotation was effective, as the team picked up a nice road win in Utah, beating the Jazz 118-111.

“We wanted to see what it would look like and it gave us, I thought, better rhythm,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s why we did it.”

Fournier’s role has gradually diminished over the course of the season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he doesn’t get another shot at regular minutes right away. However, Grimes is considered a key part of the Knicks’ future and seems unlikely to be out of the rotation on a permanent basis.

Here are a few more items from around the Atlantic Division:

  • Thibodeau said on Tuesday that Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is “making good progress” in his recovery from a sprained right knee, but it remains unclear when he’ll be cleared to return, Braziller writes for The New York Post. According to Braziller, although Robinson is doing some work in practices, he’s not yet taking contact.
  • In the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that people around the NBA think Spurs center Jakob Poeltl may be a trade target that appeals to the Celtics, given the uncertainty surrounding Robert Williams‘ health. “The question is, ‘Does this team need to go out and get another big man who can defend?'” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “The name that has come up that people have speculated has been Jakob Poeltl from the Spurs. They did a deal with the Spurs last year, obviously, for Derrick White.” Poeltl is eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2023 and it’s unclear if San Antonio views him as part of the team’s long-term plan.
  • While his arrival in the offseason was somewhat overshadowed by James Harden‘s pay cut and the signing of P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton has proved invaluable to the Sixers due to his versatility and defensive ability, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry Named Players Of The Week

November 14th, 2022 at 2:47pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers center Joel Embiid and Warriors guard Stephen Curry have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced today (via Twitter). Embiid was the Eastern Conference winner, while Curry won for the West.

Embiid led Philadelphia to a 3-1 record last week, averaging 40.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.8 blocks on .543/.167/.864 shooting in 36.3 minutes per contest. The highlight was Sunday’s mesmerizing 59-point performance (19-of-28 shooting) against Utah, a career-high outburst that also included 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocks.

Golden State went 2-1 last week, with Curry averaging 38.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists on .641/.500/.842 shooting in 36.2 minutes. The highlight of the two-time MVP’s week was a 47-point showing (17-of-24 shooting) against the Kings last Monday that also included eight rebounds and eight assists.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the East were Jimmy Butler, Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum and Franz Wagner, while Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Jerami Grant and Zion Williamson were nominated out West.

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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Durant, Simmons, Trent

November 14th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

“Joel Embiid is very good at basketball” is how teammate Tyrese Maxey summed up the unprecedented stat line the Sixers center posted Sunday night, writes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. In addition to scoring a career-high 59 points, Embiid narrowly missed a quadruple-double with 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocks in a win over Utah.

“I’ve seen a guy score a lot of points. I haven’t seen a guy score a lot of points, rebound, and then the blocked shots. That was impressive. He was getting everything,” coach Doc Rivers said. “No, is the answer. I have never seen a more dominating performance when you combine defense and offense.”

Embiid has been forced to take on a greater share of the scoring with James Harden out for a month with a strained tendon in his left foot. He’s also the centerpiece of a defense that has improved to fifth in the league. Most importantly, according to Neubeck, he provides hope every night for a team that has often seemed in danger of fracturing amid its 7-7 start.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Sixers reached out to the Nets about Kevin Durant after his trade demand this summer and they’re likely to try again before the deadline, an Eastern Conference executive tells Sean Deveney of Heavy. However, the results of the last deal between the teams could make Brooklyn reluctant to consider Philadelphia as a trading partner. “There is no doubt the Sixers have asked on Durant, they did in the summer, and will keep asking about him,” the executive said. “But the Nets are going to be a little put off by them already because of the Ben Simmons thing because they feel like they were set up to give away James Harden all along. So the Sixers burned them once, do the Nets want to go back and say, OK, sure, we’ll do a KD deal, too.” The executive adds that Maxey would likely have to be included in the offer to get Brooklyn to consider it.
  • Simmons didn’t play Sunday night because of knee soreness, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. It hasn’t been determined if he will need another MRI, but Simmons sounded confident that it’s not a long-term issue, Friedell adds.
  • Gary Trent Jr. will miss tonight’s game with a sore right hip, leaving the Raptors without three starters, tweets Josh Lewenburg of TSN Sports. Pascal Siakam is sidelined with an adductor strain, and Fred VanVleet is recovering from a non-COVID illness.
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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Bassey, Hauser, Robinson

November 13th, 2022 at 4:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Sixers All-NBA center Joel Embiid is playing through multiple injuries as he strives to keep his 6-7 club afloat without injured co-star James Harden, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Embiid is dealing with a tweaked ankle and an injured right shoulder, the latter of which is so restrictive that the big man says he occasionally struggles to lift his arm.

“And when I go block shots, I really feel it,” Embiid said. “I don’t know what’s going on. But it’s whatever.”

Despite the various ailments, Embiid is still having a big on-court impact. Through his nine healthy games this year, the seven-footer is averaging 29.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.2 BPG.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Spurs two-way player Charles Bassey has impressed with San Antonio thus far, so much so that Pompey wonders in another piece if the Sixers erred in letting him go. He is averaging 6.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 2.0 BPG as a reserve in just 15.5 MPG. “He knows his role,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said. “He rebounds, blocks shots, runs the floor, and he does it with a lot of energy. He and [starting center Jakob Poeltl] have been a good pair in that regard.” Pompey notes that the 6’11” Bassey has the size to be more of a “true center” than the team’s current backups behind Embiid — 6’9″ Paul Reed and 6’7″ Montrezl Harrell are more combo power forward/centers.
  • Celtics reserve forward Sam Hauser has been given a larger role in his second year with Boston, and has responded well, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “He’s a guy that can create separation, and so usually guys who can shoot the ball are also really good screeners,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “So I think putting him in the action is another guy that they have to worry about, along with Jayson [Tatum] and Jaylen [Brown] and whether it’s [Marcus] Smart or Al [Horford], so when you have him involved, it just adds another layer to how they’re going to guard.”
  • Knicks starting center Mitchell Robinson continues to make progress from his right knee sprain. New York head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Saturday that Robinson’s availability has been upgraded to day-to-day, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). Robinson has played a somewhat reduced role with New York this season, averaging a career-low 19.3 MPG during his eight healthy games with the club. In those minutes, the seven-footer out of Western Kentucky is posting averages of 5.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 2.0 BPG. Reserves Jericho Sims and Isaiah Hartenstein have stepped up in his absence.
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Atlantic Notes: Harris, Udoka, Irving, Vaughn, Achiuwa

November 9th, 2022 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers forward Tobias Harris is seeing his role change again after a recent injury to James Harden, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. With Harden sidelined for about a month, Harris is being asked to carry more of the scoring load.

“Evolving into what the situation is when presented,” Harris said. “Sometimes that is going to be a space on the floor. And obviously at times, it’s limited play calls. But you just find other ways to adapt.”

Harris is averaging 15.0 PPG through 11 games this season, but that number has risen to 22.0 in the two games without Harden. He’s also taking on more play-making duties, setting up teammates for open three-point shots with drives to the basket.

“I’ve always prided myself on being a very good team basketball player in the half-court offense,” Harris said. “That’s something I was always able to do and be a part of.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Nets general manager Sean Marks refused to provide details when asked before tonight’s game why the team didn’t hire Ime Udoka, tweets Alex Schiffer of The Athletic. Marks also said there’s no update on Kyrie Irving‘s suspension, adding that he hasn’t talked directly with Irving, only to his representatives. Jacque Vaughn also said he hasn’t spoken to Irving (Twitter link). Vaughn explained that he wasn’t sure about his role in the Irving scenario while he was an interim coach, but that could change now that he’s been officially hired.
  • Because he’s only signed through the 2023/24 season, Vaughn is effectively undergoing an “audition” for a longer-term role with the Nets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link). Wojnarowski adds that if management is happy with the job Vaughn does, he could get an extension at the end of the season. Woj also addresses Irving’s suspension, saying “there’s still a lot in play” regarding when he might return.
  • Raptors coach Nick Nurse is emphasizing defense to Precious Achiuwa, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Nurse had a one-on-one film session with Achiuwa today, showing him defensive mistakes that he made. Nurse projected Achiuwa to play 25 to 30 minutes per night before the season began, but said he has to become more reliable defensively for that to happen.
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Doc Shouldn't Take Fall For Slow Start

November 8th, 2022 at 6:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder
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Joel Embiid May Be Ready To Return From Illness

November 7th, 2022 at 8:03am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Sixers coach Doc Rivers believes there’s a “75% chance” Joel Embiid will return tonight after missing three straight games with an illness, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He looked good,” Rivers said after watching Embiid at Sunday’s practice. “I mean listen, he had the flu and it’s hard. Your lungs are burning and he [still] looked pretty good.” Rivers plans to run the offense through Embiid while James Harden is sidelined with a strained tendon in his right foot. Harden is wearing a walking boot, and the foot is currently non-weight-bearing, tweets Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Williams, Hauser, Randle, Toppin

November 6th, 2022 at 3:44pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Sixers are striving to balance their need to win now with their focus on keeping All-NBA center Joel Embiid, currently dealing with an illness, healthy deeper into the season, writes Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.

Embiid most recently tried to play on Friday against the Knicks, but ultimately left the floor about 15 minutes ahead of tip-off. The club lost to New York and fell to 4-6 on the season.

“Watching him in shootaround, I thought he was really struggling,” head coach Doc Rivers said of Embiid. “Showed up, went out on the floor, got shots, and just felt bad… Obviously, we want to win the game, and putting him on the floor would obviously help us. But we got to also think of the long game as well, and so I thought it was the right decision not to play him.” 

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Celtics center Robert Williams III, ruled out for eight-to-12 weeks while he recovers from left knee surgery, is inching closer to a return for Boston, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “It feels great just getting back on the court, to be honest, man,” Williams said. “I need them just like they need me.” Last year for Boston, Williams was looking like a possible Defensive Player of the Year candidate before being waylaid by his knee.
  • Celtics star wing Jaylen Brown applauded the on-court development of sharpshooting reserve forward Sam Hauser, writes Jay King of The Athletic. Hauser has proven himself to be a key floor-spacing option. In lineups where All-Star forward Jayson Tatum is surrounded by reserve shooters Hauser, Malcolm Brogdon and Grant Williams, Boston’s offense has scored 131.9 points per 100 possessions, writes King. “Sam is lights out,” Brown said. “You can’t leave him. We’re looking for him. Once he hit a couple, we’re looking for him, and Sam is always ready. He works hard, and he’s developing a nice role for himself in this league.” Through nine games for Boston so far, Hauser is averaging 6.4 PPG on .571/.548/.500 shooting splits in 13.1 MPG.
  • Though the Knicks‘ attempt to pair power forwards Julius Randle and Obi Toppin in select minutes during a recent loss to the Celtics didn’t work out particularly well, the duo remains optimistic that it can be effective, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “I think we played good,” Toppin opined. “We’ve just got to come back with a lot more energy and a lot more fight next game.” Randle also spoke positively about the grouping: “I love it. Play fast, spacing on the floor, obviously, on the offensive end. Being able to switch. The biggest thing is with that group is we just have to rebound. I think that’s the one thing, even when he’s not out there, it’s not a 4 and 5. I think we clean up our rebounding and we’ll be fine.”
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Nets Notes: Simmons, Clifford, Irving, NBPA, Durant

November 5th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons missed the Nets‘ last four games with a knee problem, but the mental health issues that contributed to his 16-month absence appear to be under control. In an interview with Konrad Marshall of The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia, Simmons said being traded to Brooklyn in February gave him a much-needed fresh start.

“I had a terrible year,” he said, “so I know how to handle my emotions and what I need to be doing to get on track. If I’m worried or sad or frustrated or angry, I feel like I’m better able to deal with that now. It took time, but I’m at peace with who I am and what’s going on around me. I know what my priorities are, and what I need to do every day. Besides that, I just want to be me.”

Simmons admits a degree of responsibility for everything that went wrong when he was with the Sixers, but he feels like he didn’t have the support of team leaders. He refers to coach Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid and their failure to defend him after losing a series to the Hawks in 2021.

“I definitely didn’t handle it the right way after the season, but there’s two sides,” Simmons said. “Your teammates are supposed to have your back. Your coaches are supposed to have your back. And I didn’t have that at all.”

There’s more on the Nets:

  • Hornets head coach Steve Clifford, who spent last season as a consultant with the Nets, defended Steve Nash‘s performance in the face of difficult circumstances, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. Clifford pointed to the high number of missed games by key players last season and said he hopes Nash will visit Charlotte later this season to offer advice. “There’s always things you can do better as a coach, but the problem there was not coaching,” Clifford said. “Nor receptiveness to the way we did things. I totally disagree with any of that and sometimes it’s just health.” (Twitter link)
  • The players’ union plans to meet with Kyrie Irving to address his latest controversy, the Celtics’ Grant Williams, an NBPA vice president like Irving, told Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Lewis also talked to Wizards forward Deni Avdija, who’s believed to be the league’s only Jewish player, about Irving’s decision to promote an antisemitic film. “I think he [made] a mistake. But you need to understand that he gives [an] example to people. People look up to him,” Avdija said. “You can think whatever you want, you can do whatever you want. I don’t think it’s right to go out in public and publish it, and let little kids that follow you see it, and the generation to come after to think like that.”
  • The Nets have back-to-back road wins since Irving’s suspension was announced, and Kevin Durant suggested that sometimes the games can be a relief from other distractions, Lewis tweets. “Everybody was just waiting to get back to playing,” Durant said. “We also lost three or four games before that, so we just felt some pride and wanted to come out here and get some W’s. So it’s good for our character.”
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How Will Sixers Get By Without Harden?

November 5th, 2022 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams
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