Damian Lillard

And-Ones: IST, Load Management, Collier, 2024 Draft, All-Star Votes

January 12th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

Unsurprisingly, NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed this week during a news conference in Paris that the in-season tournament will “no doubt be back” next season, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

According to Silver, the league will probably make “a couple tweaks” to the way the tournament works, but it’s not likely to undergo a significant overhaul. The commissioner mentioned the tiebreaker rules, the appearance of the courts, and the name of the tournament itself as some things worth looking at.

“Beyond that, as we’re talking to television partners and maybe figuring out exactly when the best time of year is to (hold the tournament), maybe it will make sense to make some other modifications to the format,” Silver said.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

After announcing in October that its data doesn’t support the idea that load management reduces a player’s injury risk, the NBA sent out a more in-depth report supporting that thesis to teams and select media members this week, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Bontemps, who outlines the findings in more detail, notes that the study doesn’t suggest load management increases a player’s injury risk — it simply concludes there’s no discernible correlation one way or the other.
USC point guard Isaiah Collier, a candidate to be a top-five or top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, will miss the next four-to-six weeks due to a hand injury, the school announced on Thursday night (Twitter link). As Chris Mannix of SI.com observes (via Twitter), Collier’s absence could open up more minutes for another one of the Trojans’ NBA prospects: Bronny James.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com (Insider link) polled 20 NBA executives and scouts to get their thoughts on the 2024 draft class and the idea of a two-day draft. According to Woo, 12 of his 20 respondents expect Alexandre Sarr to be the No. 1 overall pick this June, while 13 respondents predicted that the 2013 draft class – considered one of the worst in the couple decades – will end up with more All-Stars (three) than the 2024 class.
The NBA issued an update on All-Star voting on Thursday, announcing that Lakers forward LeBron James and Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo are the leading vote-getters to date. The tightest race is in the Eastern Conference backcourt, where Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has a comfortable lead, with Trae Young (Hawks) narrowly edging Damian Lillard (Bucks) and Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) for the No. 2 spot.

Central Notes: Haliburton, Mathurin, White, LaVine, Vucevic, Lillard

January 10th, 2024 at 6:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton for at least two weeks, but the diagnosis of a Grade 1 left hamstring strain was a huge relief for the team, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. In a pregame session with reporters tonight, coach Rick Carlisle said there were concerns that the star guard would be out much longer when he slipped on the court Monday night.

“The news that we got on Tyrese yesterday was the best possible news that we could’ve gotten given what everybody saw,” Carlisle said. “The way he fell, the way his legs contorted and all that.”

Haliburton underwent an MRI on Tuesday that was attended by Carlisle and Haliburton’s agent, Dave Spahn. Carlisle told reporters that hamstring injuries can be tricky and indicated that the length of the guard’s absence will depend on how he responds to treatment. Haliburton will travel with the Pacers while he’s sidelined, Carlisle added, explaining that it’s beneficial to keep him close to the team.

“There are things he can do being with our training staff full time on the road that couldn’t be done here unless we left one of our therapists here and we got a whole team,” Carlisle said. “It’s the best scenario, really, to have him travel and have him work on his body and the situation and just keep going. Twelve days is going to go by fast and we’ll see where we are then. This is a 23-year-old world class athlete.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Pacers should consider moving Bennedict Mathurin into the starting lineup while Haliburton is sidelined, Dopirak contends in a separate story. Although the team could opt to replace him with another point guard such as Andrew Nembhard or T.J. McConnell, Dopirak notes that Mathurin is best equipped to take over Haliburton’s role as a perimeter scorer.
Bulls guard Coby White took a major step forward with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic injured, and he believes can continue to be just as successful now that they’ve returned, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “Nothing’s really changed. Obviously, we’re returning Zach and Vooch. But including those guys, everybody is telling me to keep doing what I’m doing, be myself and keep playing the way I’m playing,” White said. “They told me to stay aggressive, make the right play and be who I am and who I have been. It’s not going to happen like that every night. We have so many talented players on this team. I just want to stay aggressive and in attack mode.”
Minutes restrictions for LaVine and Vucevic have been removed, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said in tonight’s pregame press conference (Twitter link from Johnson).
Bucks guard Damian Lillard will be available for Thursday’s matchup with Boston after missing Tuesday’s game for personal reasons, according to an Associated Press report.

Central Notes: LaVine, Ball, Lillard, Beasley, Cunningham

January 8th, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls continue to make Zach LaVine available but they’re not looking to ship out multiple veterans and enter into a full-fledged rebuild, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post.

In fact, the Bulls haven’t ruled out using Lonzo Ball‘s insurance-covered contract as part of a trade package to be buyers on the market. LaVine holds a $21,395,348 player option on his contract for next season. However, 80% of Ball’s contract is covered by league-provided insurance because he’s been sidelined so long. A potential trade partner could lower its payroll by acquiring Ball and inheriting the Bulls’ insurance payments.

We have more from the Central Division:

Speaking of LaVine, who returned from a foot injury on Friday, he’s now dealing with right shoulder soreness, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. LaVine is available for tonight’s game against Charlotte after being listed as questionable.
Damian Lillard will miss the Bucks’ game on Monday for personal reasons, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Lillard, averaging 25.1 points and 6.9 assists in his first season with Milwaukee, has played in 34 of the Bucks’ first 36 games.
Malik Beasley wasn’t upset that Bucks coach Adrian Griffin benched him at the beginning of the second half against Houston on Saturday, Nehm adds in another tweet. “It was just coach’s decision. And like I said, I could play better. And on to the next one,” he said.
The Pistons are listing Cade Cunningham as out for Tuesday’s game against the Kings due to a left knee strain, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. Cunningham didn’t play in the second half of their loss at Denver on Sunday night

Central Notes: Cunningham, Pistons, Giannis, Lillard, Bucks, Pacers

December 31st, 2023 at 5:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

If there’s a bright side to the Pistons‘ 28-game losing streak, it’s that Cade Cunningham has firmly established himself as the team’s leader, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft delivered another outstanding performance as Detroit snapped the streak Saturday night, with 26 of his 30 points and seven of his 12 assists coming in the second half. He managed to play 38 minutes without a single turnover.

“I’ve always liked when everyone is tuned in,” Cunningham said. “It’s not that I change my approach or feel any different. (Having people watch) does something to me. The stakes were getting higher and higher. I know I had to up my play. I just had to figure out what else my team needed from me. I needed to elevate my game (to end this losing streak). This is where it took me.”

Cunningham did some soul searching during the losing streak, Edwards adds, as his play during the first 14 games of the slide wasn’t up to the standards he set for himself. That changed about a month ago, and he’s averaging 25.6 PPG since November 30 while shooting 50% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Cunningham no longer seems rusty after missing most of last season, Edwards notes, and he’s determined to help the Pistons win more often.

“It wasn’t that I questioned myself if I was ‘the guy’ (to help turn a franchise around) because my faith has been strong and has gotten stronger with this,” Cunningham said. “I know God put me in this position for a reason. However, I knew I wasn’t doing enough. My game wasn’t at the level it needed to be to help turn this franchise around. As much as it sucked, this streak, I feel like I learned a ton about myself, which is something I want to live with forever. I did a lot of reflecting every night.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The relief of finally getting a victory after two months of losing led to an emotional post-game scene for the Pistons, according to an ESPN report. “I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life, but that’s a first for me,” coach Monty Williams said. “Guys were screaming. I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys and for everyone in the locker room.”
Bucks coach Adrian Griffin credits the chemistry between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard for helping the team overcome a 15-point deficit Friday night at Cleveland, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. A little more than two months into their partnership, the two All-Stars have figured out the best way to attack opposing defenses. “You could see Giannis started to trust Dame and they go into the two-man game and it’s hard to stop,” Griffin said. “They went into our pitch action and that was beautiful and we need more of that from those two guys. And I had nothing to do with that. They took it upon themselves. There’s times where I’m trying to manufacture that type of action, where I can call a play or whatnot, but in the flow of the game, for them to just take the initiative amongst themselves, I mean, that shows our growth.”
The Bucks will host the Pacers on Monday in their first meeting since the game ball incident on December 13, Nehm tweets. Bobby Portis gave a lighthearted answer when asked if he expects any bitterness to carry over. “Nah, man. It’s a new year. It’s 2024,” Portis said before laughing.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Season Start, Lillard

December 24th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bucks star small forward Khris Middleton has had to adjust to his new role in Milwaukee’s offensive hierarchy, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.

With the arrival of All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, Middleton is now a distant third when it comes to receiving touches, behind the ex-Trail Blazer and two-time MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Middleton is also still dealing with effects from a lingering right knee injury and Achilles tendinitis.

“That’s part of my role now,” Middleton said. “Figuring out when to be aggressive, when to be a play-maker and when just to fit in.”

“Dame has the ball, I have the ball and maybe [Middleton] has the ball a little bit less,” Antetokounmpo said. “Throughout this whole season, he’s been playing his role perfectly. You could not ask for more. The minutes that he’s been given, and those are going up slowly, slowly, slowly. Maybe one day he can play back-to-backs. But right now I think Khris is doing an unbelievable job, being mature, being OK with his role and playing the game the right way.”

There’s more out of Milwaukee:

Although the Bucks are now 22-7 and the second seed in the East, the team is well aware growth is still possible and important, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Milwaukee’s defense without Jrue Holiday along the perimeter has been a huge problem this season. “We gotta get better,” Antetokounmpo said. “We are good, but we have to get better. There’s things that have to happen offensively and defensively. Like, it has to be automatic. Everybody has to be working on a string. Everyone has to be on the same page. We are on the same page at times, but at times, we’re not on the same page. And our talent helps us, obviously. And it’s good to be able to be talented and still play an ugly game and still win.”
The Bucks with Lillard in fold got off to a mildly underwhelming start to the season, but they’re beginning to turn things around, Collier writes in a separate piece. “You put a lot of really good players together, it takes time to jell, get to know each other and make things work for everybody,” Lillard said. “We’re getting more comfortable… It’s different when you can communicate a little differently. You know what somebody likes. You know what somebody wants. You know how to make it work.” The club has now gone 8-1 in December. This month, the team has the top offense in the NBA (125.9 points per 100 possessions). The Bucks are a middle-of-the-road 19th in defense on the year, a huge leap from being the No. 29-ranked defense through the season’s first five games.
In case you missed it, Antetokounmpo is the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Last week, he averaged 36 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 4.5 APG and 1.8 SPG.

Central Notes: Lillard, A. Jackson, Smith, Merrill, Jerome

December 20th, 2023 at 6:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks guard Damian Lillard became the 51st player in NBA history to surpass 20,000 career points in Tuesday’s victory over San Antonio, writes Steve Megargee of The Associated Press. Lillard scored a season-high 40 points, shooting 14-of-22 from the floor, 7-of-12 from long distance, and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

“I don’t want to fake downplay it like it’s nothing,” Lillard said. “I know it’s a big deal. It’s a great accomplishment. It’s a rare space to be in.”

According to Megargee, Lillard is the eighth active player to reach the milestone, joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Chris Paul. Lillard, James, Harden and Curry are the only players in league history to record at least 20,000 points, 5,000 assists and 2,000 three-pointers, Megargee adds.

Here’s more from the Central:

Rookie Bucks wing Andre Jackson Jr. recently started two games in place of Malik Beasley, who was out with an illness. Beasley reclaimed his starting job on Tuesday, but Jackson will continue to receive rotation minutes, head coach Adrian Griffin told reporters, including Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “He did a tremendous job the past couple games. … We’re all extremely pleased with his progress so far,” Griffin said as part of a larger quote. Jackson, 22, was the No. 36 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
After missing the past nine games with a left knee bone bruise, Pacers big man Jalen Smith will be active for Wednesday’s contest vs. Charlotte, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Smith had been one of the more productive reserves in the league on a per-minute basis prior to the injury, averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds on .707/.667/.741 shooting through 14 games (15.4 MPG).
Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill hasn’t played much this season, averaging just 8.4 MPG in his 13 appearances prior to Monday’s game. But he was instrumental in the Cavs’ overtime victory over Houston on Monday night, scoring a career-high 19 points while also chipping in four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 24 minutes, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Merrill, whose contract is non-guaranteed, converted 5-of-10 from behind the arc in an expanded role with Darius Garland and Evan Mobley out for the next several weeks.
In a subscriber-only story for Cleveland.com, a source tells Fedor that Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome‘s recovery from a high ankle sprain has reached a “plateau,” and his progress (or lack thereof) has “confounded” the team’s medical staff. Jerome, who signed a two-year deal with the Cavs as a free agent over the summer, remains in a walking boot and is out indefinitely, Fedor writes.

Bucks, Pacers Have Postgame “Fracas” Over Game Ball

December 14th, 2023 at 7:49am CST by Luke Adams

A shootout between the Bucks and Pacers in Milwaukee on Wednesday night featured several milestones: Giannis Antetokounmpo set a new franchise record with 64 points, Damian Lillard surpassed Kyle Korver for the fifth-most total three-pointers in NBA history, and Pacers rookie Oscar Tshiebwe scored his first career point.

After the final buzzer sounded, fans in Milwaukee were treated to another unique moment: a frantic bid to track down and claim the game ball (Twitter video link).

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic and Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star detail, although there was video showing a Bucks staffer grabbing the game ball at the end of the fourth quarter, Antetokounmpo was certain that the Pacers had taken it with them to their locker room. Following a brief on-court argument, Giannis and a few of his Bucks teammates ran down the tunnel toward Indiana’s locker room in search of the ball.

“It was Oscar Tshiebwe’s first official NBA point,” Carlisle later told reporters. “We always get the game ball. We were not thinking about Giannis’ franchise record. So we grabbed the ball and a couple of minutes later some of their players ended up in our hallway. There was a big, I don’t know what to call it, a fracas, a melee, whatever. I don’t think any punches were landed, but my general manager (Chad Buchanan) got elbowed in the ribs by one of their players. He certainly has a bruised rib and who knows if it’s anything more than that.

“Unfortunate situation. We don’t need the official game ball. There’s two game balls there. We could have taken the other one. It didn’t need to escalate to that. Really just unfortunate.”

After subsequently watching the video that shows a member of the Bucks’ security team taking the game ball from the referee, Carlisle added: “Turns out that their security guy had grabbed the real game ball used in the game initially. They already had it.”

As Carlisle notes, the Pacers did end up with one ball to commemorate Tshiebwe’s night, but they believe they have a reserve ball, rather than the game ball itself. As for Giannis, while he also ended up with a basketball once things calmed down, he’s not convinced it was the one used in the game.

“I have a ball, but I don’t know if it’s the game ball. It doesn’t feel like the game ball to me. It feels like a brand new ball,” Antetokounmpo said. “I can tell, I played, what, 35 minutes today? I know how the game ball felt. The ball that I have, which I will take and I’ll give it to my mom, for sure, but I don’t know if it’s actually the game ball.”

Giannis also said that his original goal was to get the game ball for Lillard rather than for himself.

“Dame is fifth of all-time,” he said. “I scored 60. At the end of the day, the ball they gave us, I offered it to Dame. I scored 60, he’s scored multiple times 60, he’s scored 70. He should have the ball. At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s fair. I understand when you score your first point in the NBA, you want to have the ball or whatever the case may be. But the end of the day, you’re talking about the guy who just jumped over Kyle Korver on the list. I feel like we should all stop what we’re doing and appreciate greatness.”

It’s hard to believe that this incident, which was essentially a misunderstanding over a piece of memorabilia, will become a source of genuine bad blood between the two teams. But the Bucks weren’t happy about their loss to the Pacers in the in-season tournament semifinal, and things got a little chippy in the fourth quarter on Wednesday following a hard foul by Aaron Nesmith on Antetokounmpo (video link).

It’s also worth noting that Antetokounmpo – who broke the team’s single-game scoring mark with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter – remained in the game until the final buzzer, despite the Bucks’ double-digit lead. He sealed the 140-126 victory with a dunk with 26 seconds remaining. Carlisle was asked after the game if he was surprised the Bucks star didn’t check out earlier.

“No point commenting on it,” Carlisle said. “I think it’s pretty obvious what the answer is.”

At the very least, the division rivalry between the Bucks and Pacers is getting more interesting than it has been in years. The two teams will face one another again on January 1 in Milwaukee and Jan. 3 in Indiana.

Central Notes: Bucks, Giannis, LaVine, Wade

December 6th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard thought the Bucks should have scored more points Tuesday night, but 146 was enough to get past the Knicks and earn a spot in the in-season tournament semifinals, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Milwaukee’s offense was finally clicking the way most league observers expected when Lillard was acquired from Portland. He contributed 28 points and seven assists in the outburst against one of the league’s top-rated defensive teams.

“I thought this was probably our best offensive game (of the season),” Lillard said. “This could have easily been a 160, 165-point game. That doesn’t mean we’re going to turn into a team that does that every night, but I do think we’ve got that type of explosiveness. We can’t depend on having these types of nights all the time, but it’s … a look at the kind of nights we can have offensively sometimes.”

The Bucks set season highs by hitting 23 three-pointers and shooting 60.5% from beyond the arc. It wasn’t just a hot shooting night, as Nehm points out that many of the three-point attempts were wide-open shots that were set up by drives into the lane.

“I know in training camp, we just kept smiling because it was so easy with our spacing and you’re starting to see it now,” Malik Beasley said. “A lot of guys are getting open shots.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Giannis Antetokounmpo sprained his left ankle on a tip-in try early in the game, but he was able to keep playing. He doesn’t seem worried that it might affect his status for the Bucks‘ semifinal game, Nehm tweets. “It feels good,” Antetokounmpo said Wednesday. “Obviously, a little bit sore today, but it is what it is. You get some treatment, you sleep a little bit, ice it, elevate it, hopefully it feels better tomorrow.”
There’s no guarantee that Bulls guard Zach LaVine will be traded during the season, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago states in a mailbag column. Johnson notes that LaVine’s contract makes an in-season deal difficult, and even though the Lakers have shown some interest, he would be a very expensive third option in L.A. Johnson believes the Bulls are “motivated” to move on from LaVine but might have to wait until the offseason unless the offers improve. The front office is “hesitant” to part with Alex Caruso, Johnson adds.
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade was cleared to return tonight after missing six games with an injured ankle, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Wade is expected to play in a “limited capacity” off the bench.

Northwest Notes: Simons, Lillard, Milton, Jokic

November 26th, 2023 at 10:25pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Longtime Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard faced his former team for the first time with the Bucks on Sunday. Milwaukee won at home, 108-102. Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes that, ahead of the game at least, Lillard wasn’t sweating the meeting.

“I thought I would be anticipating more but I’m not really caught up into it,” Lillard said. “I think it’ll be something that I think about more when we go back to Portland. But them coming here, it just feels like another game where I’m gonna see people that I used to spend a lot of time with. The team is really different.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Trail Blazers starting shooting guard Anfernee Simons has been sidelined with a thumb injury for all but one game this year, but he remains an active leader with Portland even while not playing, writes Fentress in a separate piece. “It was definitely frustrating, obviously, seeing your team struggle a little bit and not being able to pull out close games,” Simons said. “Those are the times where you kind of get, you know, I wouldn’t say frustrated, but you wish you could be out there for sure, especially in those tough games.” Head coach Chauncey Billups elaborated on how Simons continues to help the struggling team: “He’s leading still and talking still and helping guys still. He’s just itching to get back out here and help.”
The Timberwolves are hoping their bench can find an offensive spark, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Minnesota’s reserves are struggling to score consistently. “I don’t think we’ve had enough punch off the bench in general,” head coach Chris Finch said. “Something that’s been kind of up and down for us is our bench production… Right now we’re struggling a little bit with it.” Backup combo guard Shake Milton – who is shooting a career-worst 37.8% from the field and 24.1% on three-pointers – has been particularly disappointing, Krawczynski notes.
Nuggets All-NBA center Nikola Jokic seems to be relatively at peace with what he sees as some generous refereeing with regard to his physical defenders, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “That’s normal,” Jokic told Durando. “Seems like some guys are getting more beneficial calls. Some guys are not. And that’s normal. And some guys can say a little bit more. Some guys can’t. And that’s normal. I accept it.”

Central Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Cavs, Bickerstaff, Phillips

November 25th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The new partnership between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard didn’t look the way that many imagined when the season began, but the Bucks‘ duo has been improving over time, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Milwaukee is near the top of the East standings after winning five of its last six games, and its stars are figuring out how to help each other maximize their scoring opportunities.

“We’re still learning each other,” Lillard said. “If it would’ve been flipped and him coming to Portland to play with me, I would’ve already been comfortable because I’ve been here. He would have been trying to adapt and get comfortable and figure out how he fits in and maybe would have been a bit more passive in trying to learn the way. That’s me right now.”

Antetokounmpo and Lillard were expected to form an unstoppable pick-and-roll combination, but Collier notes that they haven’t used those actions very often in their first few weeks together. Antetokounmpo is setting about 9.0 on-ball screens per game for Lillard, according to Collier, which is outside the top 40 among the league’s most frequent combinations.

“There’s many ways to get them involved with each other, it’s not always pick-and-roll,” coach Adrian Griffin explained. “We run actions where it’s a two-man game — it doesn’t necessarily have to be pick-and-roll. You’ve got to keep in mind most teams put their best two defenders on Dame and Giannis, so a lot of them have been switching and whatnot. We’ve been able to counter that with different actions to get them involved with each other.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Donovan Mitchell and Isaac Okoro were cleared to return tonight for the Cavaliers, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Mitchell has missed the past four games with a strained hamstring, while Okoro has been sidelined since November 3 with soreness in his left knee. Both players were able to practice Friday afternoon without issue. They are on a minutes restriction in Saturday’s contest, a source tells Fedor (Twitter link).
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff responded to accusations from Heat coach Erik Spoelstra that the court at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse was responsible for Dru Smith‘s season-ending ACL injury, Fedor tweets. “Our guys are comfortable playing here,” Bickerstaff said. “We haven’t had any incidents because of how our floor is built. I could see how opponents who aren’t used to it could see it as a distraction, but we haven’t had any problems with it.”
Bulls coach Billy Donovan turned to rookie forward Julian Phillips to try to spark the team in Friday’s loss at Toronto, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The second-round pick has appeared in seven games so far, mostly in short bursts, giving him a chance to show off his 43-inch vertical leap along with his other skills. “It was fun for me to get out there with the guys. Those are big games for me early in my career,” Phillips said. “It’s definitely still a moment for me when I go in. But I wouldn’t so much say I’m nervous. It’s more of an excitement. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team.”

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