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Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Braun, Clingan, Randle, DiVincenzo

February 20th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook hasn’t played in February, having missed seven games before the All-Star break due to a hamstring injury. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes, that forced Christian Braun into the starting lineup, where he immediately played some of the best basketball of his career.

In Westbrook’s absence, Braun averaged 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 59% from the field. However, with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon unlikely to move to the second unit, it makes for a difficult decision with the starting lineup.

Westbrooks has started 27 of his 48 outings in 2024/25, averaging 13.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game in total. When Gordon missed time with injury earlier this season, Westbrook and Braun started together. However, that is seemingly not going to be the case going forward, as Braun started alongside Jokic, Murray, Porter and Gordon for Thursday’s game.

“All I’ll say is that it’s great to have options,” coach Michael Malone said. “We have a healthy team, and obviously, Russell Westbrook’s done great things for us. Christian Braun, this last eight-game stretch, is playing just incredible basketball. And so people say, ‘Oh, that’s a tough decision.’ I look at it the opposite way. I’m really fortunate to have a tough decision to make where you have quality players that have really impacted winning. And that’s what it comes down to. It’s never about one player. It’s about what’s best for our team.”

In a separate piece, The Denver Post’s Sean Keeler writes that Braun starting is the correct decision, pointing to his impressive net rating in trios alongside Jokic and Murray.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

The Nuggets have placed no restrictions on Porter, Gordon or Westbrook coming out of the All-Star break, Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette tweets. Porter had been dealing with a hamstring injury while Gordon was putting up with a calf issue.
With Deandre Ayton out for at least three more weeks due to a calf strain, Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan is slated for the starting job, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes. Clingan said he’s “definitely ready” for a larger role. “I think this is going to be a really awesome stretch for him just to grow up and learn and play against starting centers,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. “But more importantly, for him to continue to man that glass. Be a beast on the glass. Protect our rim. And he’s doing a much better job of catching and finishing and also play-making when he needs to.”
Timberwolves offseason acquisitions Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have both been dealing with injuries, but seem to be getting at least somewhat closer to a return. Randle has been dealing with a groin injury and missed the Wolves’ eight games leading into the break. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link), he was recently cleared for five-on-five practices. As for DiVincenzo, Bontemps adds that he’s now able to participate in non-basketball activities. DiVincenzo hasn’t played since Jan. 15 because of a toe injury.

Blazers Notes: First Half, Billups, Cissoko, Clingan

February 13th, 2025 at 8:34pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning just 21 games in 2023/24, the Trail Blazers have surpassed that total by the All-Star break this season. Their 23-33 record doesn’t put them in the mix for a playoff spot, but they’ve won 10 of 14 games since going 13-28 in the first half and are pleased with where they’re at heading into the break, writes Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Substack link).

“I’m very happy with where we are right now,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. “I’m happy with where we are as a group. Our young guys continue to take steps.”

“Happier than last year, for sure,” forward Toumani Camara added.

The Trail Blazers went 10-1 from January 19 to February 6 and have since lost three consecutive games as injuries sidelined multiple starters. Even in those losses, Billups likes the effort he has seen from his team.

“I’m so proud of these dudes,” Billups said after 132-121 defeat at the hands of the Nuggets on Wednesday. “This is a game that, in December or November, could be a 40-point loss. But our dudes fought their butts off. I was so happy for them.”

Here’s more on the Blazers:

Has Portland’s strong play over the past month – and positive player development over the course of the season – put Billups in position to earn a new contract with the team? Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian considers that question, noting that Billups is in the final guaranteed year of his current deal, with a team option for 2025/26. The Blazers’ coach said he wants to see the rebuild through and believes he’s made a strong case to stick around. “Me personally, I definitely think that I’ve done enough,” Billups said. “But I’m also not about to petition for that. I’m not gonna do that. I feel like I’ve done enough. I feel like I’ve developed a ton myself, which needed to happen.”
As Highkin writes for the Rose Garden Report (Substack link), the Blazers long had interest in Sidy Cissoko before signing him to a two-year, two-way contract last week. The team brought Cissoko in for a pre-draft workout in 2023 and assistant GM Mike Schmitz projected him the French wing a first-round pick during his previous job as a draft analyst for ESPN. “They were interested in me since I got to the league,” Cissoko said, adding that he’s excited to reunite with former G League Ignite teammate Scoot Henderson. “The Spurs drafted me, but we still had a good relationship. The day I was waived, my agent talked to them and they said they wanted me.”
On Wednesday, having returned to the starting lineup following Deandre Ayton‘s calf injury, first-year center Donovan Clingan became the first Blazers rookie since Sam Bowie in 1985 to grab 20 rebounds in a single game, Fentress writes. Ten of those 20 rebounds came on the offensive end. “I loved these couple games (in Denver) for DC,” Billups said. “I thought it was excellent. He’s gotten himself back to where he was when he was playing at a pretty high level early before he got injured.”

Northwest Notes: Jokic, Wallace, Conley, Clingan

January 25th, 2025 at 9:29am CST by Tristan Tucker

Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic helped bolster his MVP case with a monster performance on Thursday against the Kings, recording 35 points along with season highs of 22 rebounds and 17 assists. His 22 rebounds matched a career high while his 17 assists were one shy of tying his best-ever mark. Everything seemed to be going right for the three-time MVP in Thursday’s game, which included him making a full-court heave, writes The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.

“I think this is the best basketball of my life, that I have ever played. I’m feeling good out there,” Jokic said. “I’m in shape. The ball is going in. I’m feeling good. I think I can influence the game on different levels.”

The Nuggets have won 10 of their last 11 games and Jokic has put up a triple-double in each of his last five appearances. He’s now averaging a triple-double on the season, putting up 30.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game on a .564/.479/.814 shooting line.

“If no one’s ever done it … I’m just gonna say ‘historical,’” coach Michael Malone said, per The Sacramento Bee’s David Caraccio. “You think about his 10 years here, you think about the three MVPs, you think about the championship, the finals MVP — and this is the best season he’s ever had. And that’s saying a lot.”

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Thunder second-year guard Cason Wallace is known for his tremendous defensive intensity, but as Rylan Stiles of Thunder on SI writes, he has a second elite trait. Wallace is an effective cutter, ranking in the 94th percentile in the league while shooting 63% at the rim. “He has done a great job of embracing the system,” head coach Mark Daigneault said. “Early on it was a pretty narrow role offensively, it was dunker work, it was rolling, it was cutting. Now he is starting to find a little bit more with the ball in his hands.“
The Timberwolves haven’t hit the same highs as last season after trading Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the fall. In an interview with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, point guard Mike Conley spoke about the team’s budding chemistry and what it might take for Minnesota to turn it around, among other topics. “I think it took them probably a better part of half a season to figure out KAT and [Rudy Gobert] before I got here,” Conley said. “They went through growing pains, and we’re in that same scenario now with adding new people into our lineups. It takes a minute. It doesn’t happen overnight. We added Julius and Donte literally in training camp. It led to a lot of ripples through who we are, offensively and defensively. I think we’re making a lot of progress.“
Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan made his return to the lineup on Friday against Charlotte (originally announced via the team on Twitter) after missing five games with an ankle sprain. He recorded four points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in his return.

Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan Sprains Ankle

January 15th, 2025 at 6:41pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan exited Portland’s matchup with Brooklyn early on Tuesday night, hobbling to the locker room with just over a minute left in the game.

Now, Portland has announced (Twitter link) that the 7’2″ big man has been diagnosed with a mild sprained left ankle. The two-time NCAA champ will have the injury reevaluated in a week, the Blazers add.

During his first season for the 13-26 Trail Blazers, the 20-year-old has averaged 5.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 0.6 assists and 0.5 steals per game in his 31 healthy outings.

Another Portland reserve center, former All-Defensive Teamer Robert Williams III, missed Tuesday’s clash with an illness. Depending on Williams’ availability, Portland will have to lean on starter Deandre Ayton and perhaps fourth-string center Duop Reath for its next few games.

Clingan has already impressed defensively in his first year as a pro, though he remains fairly raw on the other end of the floor. With veterans Ayton and Williams both looking like potential trade chips, a healthy Clingan could get more minutes and touches soon enough.

The Trail Blazers selected Clingan with the No. 7 overall pick in this past summer’s draft following a run as an All-American Honorable Mention during his second and final college season with the Huskies.

Trail Blazers Notes: Clingan, Sharpe, Thybulle, Grant

January 11th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rookie Donovan Clingan posted his first double-double in nearly two months during the Trail Blazers‘ loss at Dallas Thursday night, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. With Robert Williams resting, Clingan served as Portland’s primary backup center and played more than 24 minutes off the bench.

“I thought DC played great,” coach Chauncey Billups said. “I really did. His minutes were good. … He had some big finishes around the basket and he played really tough.”

Fentress notes that Clingan hasn’t put up those type of numbers since November 13 when he had 17 points and 12 rebounds while starting in place of an injured Deandre Ayton. He suffered a knee strain later that month that sidelined him for seven games and affected his conditioning, but he appears to be fully back in game shape.

“It was good to see him back to being DC again,” Billups added. “That was extremely positive.”

There’s more from Portland:

Even though the Blazers remain near the bottom of the West at 13-24, they’re coming off a promising five-game road trip, Fentress adds in a separate story. Portland went 2-3, but could have been 4-1 if two big leads hadn’t slipped away. “Learning how to play down the stretch of games,” Billups said. “What’s important. How to take care of the ball. How to get the right shots. Getting the ball in the right guy’s hands. We can preach it until they’re blue in the face, but until you’re actually in the hit, in the moment, is when you actually learn it.”
A potential rookie-scale extension for Shaedon Sharpe will be one of the most important decisions facing Blazers management this summer, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report states in a mailbag column. Current projections have the max for Sharpe’s 2022 draft class at nearly $247MM over five years. Highkin expects a new deal for Sharpe to be more in line with the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy at $112MM over four years or the Magic’s Jalen Suggs and the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson, who each got $150MM over five years. Sharpe would become a restricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn’t reach an extension before the start of next season.
Swingman Matisse Thybulle will be reevaluated in two weeks as he works his way back from a sprained right ankle, the Trail Blazers announced (via Twitter). Thybulle, who appeared in 65 games last year, has yet to play this season.
Jerami Grant will miss his sixth straight game tonight with a face contusion. Billups said Grant continues to experience jaw and neck soreness, but he will start ramping up soon in preparation for a return, Highkin tweets.

Northwest Notes: Finch, DiVincenzo, Wolves, Clingan, Jazz

January 7th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After Saturday’s loss to the Pistons, the Timberwolves‘ third consecutive defeat, head coach Chris Finch insisted that he was not going to make any changes to his starting lineup, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

“You guys ask me this question all the time,” Finch said. “If I felt that the magic bullet was changing the starting lineup, I would’ve done that already. I don’t think I’m being particularly stubborn. There’s a chain reaction to everything you do. There are other combinations and things that go on on the floor that are just as important if not more so than the starting lineup.”

Finch’s starting five for most of the season was made up of guards Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards, forwards Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle, and center Rudy Gobert. As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details, Finch defended the group’s struggles in the opening frame against the Pistons. In the eventual 119-105 Minnesota loss, the Pistons managed to overcome a 53-point effort out of Edwards.

“In fact, our starters didn’t get us off to a poor start tonight, except they had some low energy,” Finch said. “I didn’t like their defense, particularly… But I thought that, offensively, they looked OK.”

Apparently they didn’t look OK enough, as Finch opted to swap in combo guard Donte DiVincenzo for Conley ahead of a 108-106 victory over the Clippers on Monday, Krawczynski writes in a separate story for The Athletic. Minnesota used the new-look starting lineup again on Tuesday in New Orleans.

“I just read all the papers, and what everybody was telling me and said, ‘You know what, s–t, I should change the starting lineup,’” Finch joked on Monday.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

The 2024/25 iteration of the Timberwolves are still seeking an identity, contends Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. “Every game matters, especially in the West,” Gobert said. “We have confidence in who we are and who we can be as a team, but it has to show on the court. We have to focus on the things we can control, and everything else will follow.” Goodwill writes that the club’s on-court dynamic ahead of the Clippers clash was looking remarkably shaky, adding that the team has struggled to mesh with new additions Randle and DiVincenzo. Although Randle’s shooting from long range has improved significantly from his last season with New York, Goodwill notes that he has been a defensive liability.
Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan has impressed defensively, but remains very raw on the other end, notes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report in a reader mailbag (Substack link). Highkin projects that Clingan will be a long-term pro thanks to his already high-level defense, but notes he has a ways to go as a scorer. Highkin also predicts a long-term futures for general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups and unpacks the upside of his squad’s young core.
As the Jazz‘s youth movement begins to find its footing, Utah has started winning occasional games — entering Tuesday’s action, the team was 4-5 in its last nine games after starting the season 5-20. Those on-court improvements could prove detrimental to the club’s clear goal of maximizing its draft position this summer, observes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Utah currently has only the fifth-best lottery odds. “The messaging doesn’t change,” head coach Will Hardy told Jones. “The players deserve all of the credit. They have dug in, and they have bought into the little things that it takes to win. This has become a cohesive group that’s committed to helping each other.

Northwest Notes: Edwards, Hartenstein, Clingan, Jokic

January 4th, 2025 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With Karl-Anthony Towns no longer in Minnesota, rising Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is going through some growing pains this year, expressing frustration about receiving so much attention from opposing defenses, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

Edwards admitted that he’s sometimes not sure how to handle traps and double-teams and admitted that it’s “not fun” to have his scoring opportunities limited and the ball taken out of his hands. As Krawczynski details, Edwards’ “trademark spirit” seems to be lacking as of late, and it didn’t help matters that fellow stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum has big games in wins over Minnesota this week.

“He’s doing a really good job. It’s tough,” teammate Julius Randle said. “I know it’s frustrating. But that’s just the player that he is. He’s that special that nobody is going to guard him straight up. We gotta continue to try to help him out.”

As Krawczynski points out, players like Gilgeous-Alexander and Tatum are a few years ahead of Edwards on the developmental curve, so there’s plenty of optimism that the Timberwolves guard will eventually figure out how best to attack defenses by balancing his scoring and play-making.

“I think everybody has been playing good on my team besides me,” Edwards said. “I got to figure it out, figure out ways to help them. They have been hitting shots lately. I got to figure out a way to get myself involved in the offense by not letting the double-team take me out. I’ll figure it out.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

The Knicks tried their best to retain Isaiah Hartenstein over the summer, but the veteran center believes the outcome of his free agency – he signed with the Thunder, while New York replaced him by trading for Towns – has been “perfect” for both sides, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “I’m in a situation here (in OKC) where it’s going really good. They got a great center, one of the best centers in the league,” Hartenstein said before facing his old team on Friday. “So I think for both parties it was perfect. Knowing (Knicks president of basketball operations) Leon Rose, he’ll always find something. He’s been doing a great job, so he made the right adjustment.”
Besides helping to anchor the defense, Hartenstein has added a new dynamic to the Thunder‘s offense with his passing, as Rylan Stiles of SI.com outlines.
Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan admitted that he’s still adjusting to the speed of the NBA game and that he may have hit the rookie wall “a little bit” during the first few months of his professional career. Head coach Chauncey Billups said he’s got to “do a better job” of putting Clingan in the best possible position to succeed, but noted that the team anticipated it would take the big man some time to get comfortable going up against the best players in the world. “He’s playing against players that are better than players he’s ever seen every single night, to be honest with you,” Billups said. “So the mobility of some of these guys and the versatility of some of these guys have been tough for him.”
Entering the 2024/25 season, Nikola Jokic was a 35.0% three-point shooter across nine years in the NBA. This season, the Nuggets center is making a league-leading 47.9% of his triples. Tony Jones of The Athletic takes a closer look at how Jokic’s work in the offseason and preseason helped the three-time MVP become an even more dangerous offensive player.

Injury Updates: Clingan, P. Williams, Rockets, Pacers

December 10th, 2024 at 3:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Donovan Clingan, the No. 7 overall pick of June’s draft, has been cleared for on-court workouts as he ramps up toward a return, according to the Trail Blazers, who announced (via Twitter) that the rookie center is day-to-day going forward.

Clingan has been sidelined for the past seven games after sustaining a sprained MCL in his left knee. The former UConn big man, who won back-to-back national championships with the Huskies, was off to an impressive start to his professional career prior to the injury, averaging 5.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in just 17.0 minutes per game in his first 17 appearances.

Clingan nearing a return is welcome news for the Blazers, who have lost six of their past seven games, including four straight. He’s not the only reserve big man who has been out lately, as Robert Williams has missed the past six games while in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Duop Reath, another backup center, also missed Sunday’s loss with back soreness.

According to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link), head coach Chauncey Billups said Clingan was able to do “pretty much everything” during Tuesday’s practice. Billups is optimistic that Clingan will be able to return for Friday’s matchup vs. San Antonio, Highkin adds.

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

Bulls forward Patrick Williams, who has been out since November 18 due to inflammation in his surgically repaired left foot, was a full participant in Tuesday’s non-contact practice and is slated to participate in tomorrow’s “contact, scrimmage-filled practice,” tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network). “It’s been tough. I don’t even know how long it’s been since I played,” Williams said, according to Johnson (Twitter link). Head coach Billy Donovan said last week that there was a chance Williams could return at some point this week — Chicago’s next game is Friday vs. Charlotte.
The Rockets will get a couple of key reinforcements back for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against Golden State, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Point guard Fred VanVleet said he’ll return to action after missing Sunday’s game with a right knee injury, and third-year forward Tari Eason has cleared the league’s concussion protocol following a two-game absence.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle recently provided updates on injured wings Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays (via Twitter). Nesmith, who has been out since Nov. 1 due to a left ankle sprain, is still “weeks away” from returning, while Sheppard, who has been sidelined since Nov. 17 due to an oblique injury, is closer to playing.

Trail Blazers’ Thybulle, Clingan Sidelined Multiple Weeks

November 26th, 2024 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle suffered a right ankle sprain while ramping up in an effort to return to the court. He’s now expected to miss an additional three-to-six weeks, the team announced in a press release.

Thybulle underwent an MRI which confirmed a Grade 2 sprain of the ankle. He has yet to make his season debut due to a right knee injury that cropped up during training camp.

Thybulle, who was acquired by the Blazers in a trade at the 2023 deadline, appeared in 65 games in his first full season in Portland in 2023/24, making 19 starts and averaging 22.9 minutes per night. He holds an $11.55MM option on his contract for next season.

Rookie center Donovan Clingan received additional imaging on the left knee which revealed a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Clingan will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the Blazers.

The lottery pick has appeared in 17 games, including six starts, averaging 5.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. He was injured during the Blazers’ game against Houston on Saturday.

Additionally, veteran center Robert Williams has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Williams left Monday night’s game at Memphis and did not return for the second half. Williams has appeared in seven games since rehabbing from knee surgery.

Trail Blazers Notes: Simons, Henderson, Clingan, Remix

November 24th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Trail Blazers have been waiting for Anfernee Simons to start taking over games with his scoring like he did in Saturday’s win at Houston, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Simons scored 15 of his team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter as Portland got a measure of revenge after dropping an NBA Cup game to the Rockets Friday night.

“It was amazing to see Ant make some shots and kind of carry us down the stretch,” coach Chauncey Billups told reporters.

It’s something that Billups and the Blazers were hoping to see more often, but Simons has been in a shooting slump for much of the season. Before Saturday, he was averaging 15.6 PPG while connecting at career-worst marks of 37.8% from the field and 30% from three-point range. Fentress notes that the team is 4-1 whenever Simons tops 24 points, but only 1-8 when he fails to reach 20.

“I’m proud of him, honestly,” Deni Avdija said. “He struggled a little bit offensively last game. But he bounced back. And that shows a lot about the player, especially their personality. And I feel like today, he showed what he’s made of. And hopefully, he’s going to continue doing it, being aggressive. And he’s big for our offense.”

There’s more on the Trail Blazers:

Scoot Henderson missed both games in Houston after being involved in a minor car accident Thursday afternoon, Fentress adds in a separate story. A source tells Fentress that Henderson was riding in the back seat of a ride-share vehicle that was struck from behind, and a team official said he’s considered “day-to-day.” Henderson is also dealing with a quad contusion that forced him to leave Wednesday’s game, along with a back strain.
Rookie center Donovan Clingan posted an unusual line Saturday night with 19 rebounds and no points, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. It’s happened 14 other times in NBA history, with seven of them belonging to Dennis Rodman.
The Blazers are using their Rip City Remix G League affiliate to experiment with a different approach to the game, Highkin explains in a full story. While Billups’ focus is primarily on defense, assistant general manager Sergi Oliva, who took over as head coach this season, has the Remix playing at the fastest pace in the G League and taking more than half their shots from beyond the three-point line. The Blazers hope to eventually incorporate that style when they’re ready to contend for the playoffs again. “We’re getting up a ton of threes,” Oliva said. “What we’re trying to find out is, what are the causes that have led to the best of those attempts, and how can those causes be implemented within the Blazers’ system? How can things be adjusted so that it’s a clear net gain, where it’s not, ‘We’re gaining this but we’re losing that’? That takes a lot more time to settle and needs more certainty.”