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Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week

December 18th, 2023 at 2:39pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

It was the first time that each of the star players have earned the weekly award in the 2023/24 season. Doncic has now been named Western Conference player of the week 10 times, while Antetokounmpo has won for the East 22 times, per their respective teams.

Doncic has been carrying an extremely heavy workload of late amid injuries to multiple teammates, including Kyrie Irving (heel contusion). The Slovenian star led Dallas to a 3-1 week, averaging 36.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 11.5 assists and 1.5 steals on .490/.359/.969 shooting in his four appearances (41.0 minutes). The Mavs are currently 16-9, the No. 3 seed in the West.

Greek star Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, averaged 36.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 63.9% from the field in leading Milwaukee to a 4-0 week. The Bucks are currently 19-7, the No. 2 seed in the East.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Keegan Murray, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zion Williamson were the other Western nominees, while Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid and Donovan Mitchell were nominated in the East.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Stewart, Giannis, Beachamp, A. Jackson

December 18th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Donovan Mitchell didn’t want to discuss his future on Saturday after leading the Cavaliers to a win in their first game since long-term injuries knocked Darius Garland and Evan Mobley out of the lineup, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. There is already speculation that Mitchell, who has a $37MM player option for 2025/26, will end up somewhere else if he turns down an extension offer from Cleveland. Rumors escalated on Friday when the Cavs announced the prognosis for Garland and Mobley, but it’s not a topic Mitchell feels like addressing.

“My job is to focus on this,” he said, referring to on-court matters. “We have two guys that are out, so I’m not answering anything. And no disrespect. I appreciate that you have to ask the question, but I’m not going there with any of those questions. My focus is on these guys being out, us trying to find a way to get wins.”

Mitchell posted a career-high 13 assists as he took over full-time point guard duties in Garland’s absence. According to Vardon, coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked to Mitchell before the game about the need to get role players involved in the offense as they handle more responsibility with Garland and Mobley sidelined. Bickerstaff is also seeking greater production from center Jarrett Allen, who finished Saturday’s game with 25 points and 14 rebounds.

“J.B. said before the game, it’s not our job to go out there and try to be Superman,” Allen said. “It’s not our job to go out there and try to make up for everything that’s lost. It’s just for us to try to find one area that we can improve in and try to help the team win.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Several contenders, including the Celtics, Thunder and Mavericks, have expressed an interest in Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart, sources tell James L. Edwards of The Athletic. Stewart has been one of the few bright spots in Detroit’s ugly season, averaging 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds through 25 games. He signed a four-year, $64MM extension this summer and would be subject to the poison pill provision in any trade until July 1. Edwards also addresses trade suggestions from readers, saying he’s heard the Pistons don’t have interest in adding Utah’s John Collins or Charlotte’s P.J. Washington.
After passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the Bucks‘ career leader in rebounding Sunday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo talked about what it means to eclipse an NBA legend, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “That a kid from Greece, a skinny kid from Greece that was drafted, supposed to play in the G League, be in a position to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record, I don’t think anybody thought about that,” Antetokounmpo said.
MarJon Beauchamp and Andre Jackson are both contributing to a Bucks team that needs production from its young wings, Nehm adds in a full story.

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.

NBA Announces All-Tournament Team

December 11th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Maher

The All-Tournament Team of the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament features Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Kevin Durant (Suns), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), LeBron James and Anthony Davis (both of the Lakers), the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the All-Tournament Team was selected by the media based on performance in both group play and the knockout rounds, with players chosen without regard to position. The full list of players receiving votes and the voters themselves can be found right here.

Antetokounmpo, Haliburton, James and Davis were all unanimous selections, which isn’t surprising considering their excellent play and how far they advanced in the tournament. The Lakers beat the Pacers in the final, with James claiming tournament MVP, Davis finishing second, and Haliburton third.

The Bucks fell in the semifinals to the Pacers, but Antetokounmpo put up his typical stellar numbers throughout the tournament, including averaging 36.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block while shooting 68.3% from the field in his two knockout appearances (37.2 minutes).

The final spot went to Durant, whose Suns narrowly lost in the quarterfinals to L.A. He received seven votes, with Brandon Ingram (four), Nikola Jokic (three), De’Aaron Fox (two), Damian Lillard (two), Jayson Tatum (one) and Myles Turner (one) also receiving consideration from the media panel.

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.

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.”

Central Notes: Giannis, Griffin, Bogdanovic, Hield, Cavs

November 23rd, 2023 at 3:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Adrian Griffin appeared to have a “heated” disagreement during the third quarter of Milwaukee’s loss to Boston on Wednesday, but the Bucks‘ head coach downplayed the incident after the game, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Antetokounmpo didn’t want to be subbed out midway through the period after being called for a carrying violation and sat on the scorer’s table talking to Griffin, eventually checking back in at the next dead ball.

“He wanted to stay in, I wanted to give him a breather. That’s all it was,” Griffin said. “And then I told him to stay at the table for one possession, and he got right back out there.”

Antetokounmpo simply said “no” when he was asked what transpired.

As Bontemps writes, the matchup between the East’s top two seeds was lopsided for most of the contest, with Boston reeling off 10 straight points to open the game and never trailing. The Bucks made things interesting late, but the Celtics prevailed by a final score of 119-116.

Here’s more from the Central:

Sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic is nearing his 2023/24 season debut for the Pistons, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). Bogdanovic, who has been battling a right calf strain, was recently cleared for contact work and was a full practice participant on Wednesday. Getting their top scorer from last season back in the near future is certainly welcome news for the injury-ravaged Pistons, who have lost a league-worst 12 straight games and once again hold the worst record in the NBA at 2-13.
Pacers wing Buddy Hield got his second straight start on Wednesday in place of Bennedict Mathurin, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Head coach Rick Carlisle was noncommittal when asked if the lineup change he implemented for Tuesday’s contest would be permanent or temporary. Aaron Nesmith, who replaced Obi Toppin at power forward on Tuesday, was sidelined with a sprained wrist, so Toppin was back in the starting lineup yesterday. Hield, who had been in a shooting slump, has been scorching hot the past two games, averaging 27.5 points while shooting 75.0% from the floor and 72.2% from three-point range.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell missed his fourth straight game on Wednesday due to a hamstring strain, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (via Twitter). While there weren’t many positives from the Cavs’ blowout loss to the Heat, rookie guard Craig Porter Jr. got his first career start and continued his streak of strong performances, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Porter, who went undrafted in June and is on a two-way contract, recorded 16 points (on 6-of-12 shooting), five assists, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 35 minutes.

Central Notes: C. Porter, Giannis, Dame, Pacers, Pistons

November 20th, 2023 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

Of the three players on two-way contracts with the Cavaliers, Evan Mobley‘s brother Isaiah Mobley and former five-star recruit Emoni Bates are the bigger names. However, it has been Cleveland’s third two-way player – point guard Craig Porter Jr. – who has been emerging as the one with the most important role in the short term.

As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes, Porter earned the game ball from Sunday’s upset win over the Nuggets by scoring 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 25 minutes of action. It was an impressive showing for an undrafted rookie who was expected to spend most of his first season in the G League getting acclimated to the pro game. Porter has received an opportunity to play because Ricky Rubio is absent for personal reasons and Ty Jerome is out with an ankle injury.

“That’s just one of the things they told me early in the year after training camp and stuff like that. ‘Just be ready, you never know when your number’s gonna be called,'” Porter said. “I took that to heart and it’s been working for me. … As the games go on and as some guys fall down with injuries and stuff, I’m going to keep getting my opportunity. Each game, the confidence just builds and builds. The coaches believe in me, and the guys are just pushing me to be better. I’m ready for it.”

According to Fedor, the Cavaliers had a verbal two-way offer on the table for Porter in the event he went undrafted, but the team wanted him badly enough to try to acquire an additional second-round pick after drafting Bates at No. 49. Cleveland ultimately didn’t find a trade partner, so the front office was relieved when Porter went undrafted. He reached an agreement with the Cavs on a two-year, two-way deal shortly after the draft ended.

“He’s mature,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of the 23-year-old. “He’s an older rookie, so to speak. You just feel like you can trust him and you don’t feel like he gets rattled in the moment. It makes it easy to put him on the floor. You know what he’s going to do. … A lot of guys come into the league as young rookies and they’re still searching for their game. Craig knows what his game is. Never over his skis. That’s how Craig has been for us since he’s gotten here.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

The chemistry between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in Saturday’s win over Dallas looked like what the Bucks envisioned when they traded for Lillard, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The star duo combined for 67 points, 19 assists, and 18 rebounds in the victory, with Antetokounmpo racking up 40 of those points. Lillard said after the game that he’s happy to cede center stage to his two-time MVP teammate. “I think tonight, he’s the horse,” Lillard said. “I wanna see him be four-time MVP or five-time MVP and have those type of games.”
Sunday’s blowout home loss to Orlando was Tyrese Haliburton‘s worst game of the season and a reminder of how dependent the Pacers‘ success is on their star point guard, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, who suggests that the club will probably need a second star on its roster to establish itself as a consistent winner.
Due to a sprained left shoulder, Killian Hayes missed Sunday’s game for the Pistons, who started second-year guard Jaden Ivey for the first time this season. As Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscription required) writes, head coach Monty Williams said before the game that he has been considered bringing Hayes off the bench to add his play-making to the second unit, so Ivey may see more starts going forward. However, Detroit’s lineup remains in flux with so many players affected by injuries — it could continue to change in the coming days and weeks, Curtis notes.

Central Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Smith, Giannis

November 15th, 2023 at 2:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Zach LaVine didn’t deny a report that he’s open to being traded. In fact, the Bulls wing only fueled more speculation in his comments to the media, as relayed by NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson.

When asked if he’d rather be elsewhere, LaVine was evasive.

“Right now is not that time to really talk about that. Play the Orlando Magic (Wednesday), try and get a win,” he said. “If something comes obviously out later on that will be the time I talk about it.”

Chicago is off to a slow start, having won just four of its first 11 games, and LaVine acknowledged that the losing has worn on him.

“I mean, I think it’s a combination of things where if you’re in a losing situation or a place you’re not winning games, people are frustrated,” he said. “From players to the front office, the coaches … we’re not happy because we’re not winning. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s just the nature of the business. More things come up when you’re not in a winning environment.”

LaVine, who signed a five-year extension in the summer of 2022, is represented by super-agent Rich Paul. LaVine indicated that Paul is in frequent contact with top Bulls executive Artūras Karnišovas.

“It’s not like we’re not in a good relationship or a good talking space. We understand the business of basketball, I do more than most people,” LaVine said. “People talk. I’ve been in trade talks for a long time, so I understand the situation. But once news is always broken it’s a big thing. It’s not like it will be the first or the last time it’s going to happen with my name. As of right now I’m excited to still put this jersey on and go out here and play, try and get this win.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bulls’ other starting wing, DeMar DeRozan, won’t play against Orlando. He’s left the team to attend to a personal matter, Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report tweets. DeRozan is expected to return for Chicago’s next game on Friday, also against Orlando.
The Pacers are awaiting the results of tests on Jalen Smith. He was taken to a Philadelphia-area hospital after suffering a head injury during their game against the Sixers on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press (link via ESPN). Smith collided with the Sixers’ Paul Reed as Reed elevated for a dunk during the second quarter.
The Bucks have listed Giannis Antetokounmpo as out for their game on Wednesday against Toronto, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a right calf ailment.

Central Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Bulls, Theis

November 12th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks have relied on defense to become one of the NBA’s best teams, but that part of their game has been lacking so far this season, writes Jim Owczarski of The Journal Sentinel. Facing an Orlando team that has been struggling to score, Milwaukee gave up 65 points in the first half Saturday on the way to a 15-point loss. The Magic came into the game 22nd in the league in scoring at 109.9 PPG.

The Bucks lost a major part of their defensive identity when Jrue Holiday was sent to Portland in the Damian Lillard trade. Although Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez remain formidable obstacles around the basket, the rest of the team’s defense has been disorganized.

“This is not who we are. This is not the Milwaukee Bucks,” Antetokounmpo said. “We gotta guard people. Sixty-five points is too much. And it starts with me. It starts with the leader of the team. I gotta be better. But again, it’s not one person can do it alone. Defensively, we gotta show more. Make our paint look more crowded. Make the lanes look more crowded. Don’t allow guys to get comfortable and guys to be able to get downhill.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Lillard missed his second straight game Saturday with soreness in his right calf, and Owczarski notes that the team will have to provide more clarity on the injury if he remains sidelined. An offseason rule change prevents players from being held out for more than two consecutive games due to “soreness.” The Bucks will be required to offer a more specific diagnosis if Lillard doesn’t return for Wednesday’s contest at Toronto.
The Bulls have a chance to turn their season around after a rough start, and it’s an opportunity they need to take advantage of, observes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The team is in the midst of a stretch with seven of eight games at home over two weeks, and there are already rumblings that changes could be coming if things don’t improve. “Every game is tough, regardless of who you’re playing,” Zach LaVine said. “It can be the No. 1 seed in the East or the bottom seed. Every team can win. It’s us worrying about what we can do instead of worrying about the future.”
Daniel Theis could become a buyout candidate if the Pacers can’t find a trade they like for the veteran big man, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files states in his latest mailbag column (subscriber only). The Clippers had interest in Theis over the summer, and that rumor reemerged after an injury to Mason Plumlee. Theis has only appeared in one game this season.