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Injury Updates: Beal, Bucks, Suns, Banchero, Lakers, More

November 11th, 2022 at 9:06pm CST by Rory Maher

Wizards guard Bradley Beal has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced. However, Beal will still miss Saturday’s game against Utah due to “return to competition reconditioning,” with further updates to be provided as he continues to inch closer to a return.

Beal has missed three games while in the protocols, with the Wizards going 2-1 without their star shooting guard. Through nine games, he’s averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists on .517/.325/.917 shooting in 35.1 minutes per night.

Here are several more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee soreness) and Jrue Holiday (right ankle sprain) were both ruled out for Friday’s loss to the Spurs, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Both players missed their second consecutive game for the league-leading Bucks, holders of a 10-2 record in the early going.
  • Similarly, Suns guard Chris Paul was ruled out for the second straight game Friday, in what turned out to be a loss to the Magic, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Fellow guard Landry Shamet (concussion symptoms) was also sidelined after scoring a season-high 16 points in Wednesday’s win over Minnesota. “We didn’t see anything. Just kind of jumped up on him last night. It just speaks to how complicated those things are. Can go for a while and not even know something is going on and then it just jumps up on you,” head coach Monty Williams said of Shamet (Twitter link via Rankin). For Orlando, No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero missed his second straight contest with a left ankle sprain.
  • The Lakers provided an update today on center Thomas Bryant and guard Dennis Schröder, both of whom are recovering from thumb surgery. They were evaluated this week and are said to be progressing well, and both players will be reevaluated next Thursday, as Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times relays (via Twitter).
  • Shaedon Sharpe, the No. 7 overall pick, has suffered a volar avulsion fracture to his right fifth finger, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release. He’s considered day-to-day going forward and is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest at Dallas.
  • Nuggets guard Bones Hyland has entered the league’s health and safety protocols and was ruled out for Friday’s loss at Boston, Denver announced (via Twitter). Hyland is a key reserve for Denver, with averages of 14.0 points and 3.7 assists through nine games (20.7 minutes). He’ll need to pass some testing requirements before returning to action. The Nuggets play Sunday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
  • Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, was downgraded from questionable to out on Friday with left shin soreness, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. On a positive note, wing Alec Burks made his 2022/23 season debut following foot surgery, scoring 17 points in 25 minutes during Detroit’s loss at New York.
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Injury Updates: Giannis, Holiday, LeBron, CP3, Drummond

November 9th, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks will take an NBA-best 9-1 record into Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, but they’ll be missing the two stars who have been largely responsible for leading them to that hot start.

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (right ankle sprain), who was originally listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game, has been downgraded to out. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee soreness) has also been ruled out after initially being considered probable to play.

There’s no indication at this point that either injury is a serious one, but they’ll be worth monitoring in the coming days. The Bucks’ next game after tonight is on Friday in San Antonio.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the league:

  • Lakers star LeBron James, who had been listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. the Clippers due to left foot soreness, will play, he told reporters today (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic). James said that rest is the only thing that can help the injury, but he doesn’t plan to sit out for an extended period, and his status for back-to-back sets will be determined based on how he’s feeling.
  • The Suns are now listing Chris Paul as out for Wednesday’s game vs. Minnesota with right heel soreness, tweets Timberwolves broadcaster Alan Horton. After Paul left Monday’s contest due to the heel injury, head coach Monty Williams said on Tuesday that it’s “a lot better than what we thought,” so it doesn’t sound as if the veteran point guard will miss much time (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
  • After missing six games with a sprained left shoulder, Bulls center Andre Drummond has been upgraded to probable for Wednesday’s contest vs. New Orleans and expects to play, per Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago.
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Central Notes: Burks, Holiday, Bucks’ Start, Mitchell

November 8th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Alec Burks, who has yet to make his Pistons debut, is listed as questionable to play against Boston on Wednesday, Mike Curtis of the Detroit News tweets. The veteran shooting guard was acquired from the Knicks in a draft-night deal. He has been sidelined while recovering from a fractured left navicular bone.

Pistons big man Marvin Bagley III, who has been out since the third preseason game due to a right knee sprain, has been upgraded to doubtful.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Guard Jrue Holiday has been instrumental in the Bucks’ 9-1 start but they’ll likely have to play Oklahoma City on Wednesday without him. The team has listed Holiday as doubtful due to a right ankle sprain, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.
  • Milwaukee’s early season success has been fueled by Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s dominant start, a soft schedule, and the team’s top-ranked defense, Jamal Collier of ESPN writes. When Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton returns from injuries, the Bucks will have reinforcements to deal with a tougher slate.
  • Donovan Mitchell quickly became aware of the team-first culture in the Cavaliers’ organization after being traded by Utah and he took steps to make sure he fit right in, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Cleveland players, coaches and front-office members noticed Mitchell showed no ego from preseason workouts through the start of the season.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week

October 31st, 2022 at 2:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA’s players of the week for October 24-30, the league announced (via Twitter).

Gilgeous-Alexander, the Western Conference winner, led Oklahoma City to a 3-0 record in victories over the Clippers (two times) and Mavericks with averages of 31.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks on .500/.500/1.000 shooting in 37.4 minutes per contest. The Thunder now sit with a 3-3 record after Gilgeous-Alexander’s stellar performances.

Two-time MVP Antetokounmpo, the East’s winner, averaged 35.7 points, 15.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.7 blocks during Milwaukee’s 3-0 week. The Bucks defeated the Nets, Knicks and Hawks, and are now 5-0 to start the 2022/23 season.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Desmond Bane, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic and Keldon Johnson, while Paolo Banchero, Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young were nominated in the East. Antetokounmpo, Booker, Banchero and Mitchell were all nominated for the second consecutive week.

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Central Notes: J. Green, Bulls, Cavs, Giannis

October 23rd, 2022 at 1:57pm CST by Rory Maher

After a slow start to the season for Patrick Williams, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago thinks it’s time for Javonte Green to replace him in the Bulls‘ starting lineup.

According to Johnson, the switch would be less about the individual play of the two forwards and more about how they fit with the starters. Johnson notes that Williams’ deferential nature often means that he’s too passive playing along All-Stars Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, and moving him to the bench might enable him to be more assertive.

Green, meanwhile, plays with consistent energy and competitive fire, even if he’s undersized at 6’4″. He started 45 games last season in place of the injured Williams, so he has familiarity with that unit.

Green will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and Williams will be eligible for a rookie scale extension, so the 2022/23 season is a big one for both players.

Here’s more from the Central:

  • The Bulls had some glaring weaknesses exposed by Cleveland during Saturday’s blowout loss, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. As Mayberry writes, the defense, consistency and energy were all lacking, which was undoubtedly disappointing for fans in the home opener. The Bulls have also struggled with outside shooting in the early going, Mayberry notes, converting just 29.3% of their three-point attempts during their 1-2 start to the season.
  • The Cavaliers‘ team-first approach was on full display in the 128-96 victory over the Bulls, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he’s never been around a locker room that has embraced his “the strength of the team is the team” motto as much as his current group. “It’s the reality of it. Every night, we might not be the most talented team on the floor, but we can be the best team. We take that seriously,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s something that we try to grow every single day. It’s not something where the lights kick on and we fake it. Our guys genuinely care about each other on a level that I haven’t seen on a team before. It’s special what’s in that locker room.”
  • Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to amaze teammates after scoring 44 points (on 17-of-21 shooting), pulling down 12 rebounds and dishing three assists in just 28 minutes of action during the Bucks‘ 125-105 victory over the Rockets, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “I mean, you’ve run out of words to describe a guy like that, right?” Brook Lopez said. “I can’t imagine you guys actually have to write. I don’t know how you guys don’t just send in the same article over and over with the same adjectives and everything like that. Because you need some ways to just describe how his game grows. It’s tough.”
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Central Notes: Okoro, Bucks, Giannis, Stewart, Knox

October 13th, 2022 at 11:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Cavaliers clearly have four of their starting roles set, with All-Star guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell sharing the backcourt alongside Evan Mobley and All-Star center Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt. For the small forward gig, it appears that Isaac Okoro is making a case for himself, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

The 6’5″ wing was selected by Cleveland with the fifth pick out of Auburn in 2020. Okoro has started 128 of his 134 career NBA games thus far. Through two seasons, he is averaging a fairly modest 9.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, and 0.9 SPG, but the Cavaliers will be looking for defense more than offense at the three.

The competition has boiled down to Okoro and Caris LeVert, writes Fedor, noting that LeVert – who has earned praise from head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in camp – has started most of the team’s 2022 preseason games.

“I’m always being myself,” Okoro said. “I know what the coaches want me to do. I’m gonna do that and it’s ultimately up to J.B. to see who starts. I’m fine either way. I’m gonna go in and play my role.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

  • The Bucks had a relatively quietly offseason that saw them sign veteran small forward Joe Ingles and draft wing MarJon Beauchamp. They’re betting that continuity on a roster that won a title in 2021 will help the club return to the NBA Finals in 2023. John Hollinger of The Athletic takes a look at how the 2022/23 season could play out for Milwaukee, predicting a 53-29 finish.
  • All-NBA superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is not concerned that the Bucks just wrapped up their preseason with a 0-5 record, though he would like to see more from the team, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. “It doesn’t worry me,” Antetokounmpo said after a 107-97 defeat Wednesday to the Brooklyn Nets. “What worries me is our habits and building good habits…. Right now, we’re not vocal enough. We’re not urgent enough. We’re not hungry enough. But at the end of the day, it’s the preseason. We have the whole regular season to find ourselves.”
  • Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart has been given the green light to launch three-pointers, and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes that Stewart has appeared fearless during the team’s preseason. He connected on 4-of-10 shooting from long range during a 126-111 preseason loss Thursday to the Grizzlies. Langlois notes that, should this trend continue into the regular season, it could affect how Dwane Casey opts to use Stewart as a stretch four option in Detroit’s frontcourt. Langlois also discusses new forward Kevin Knox, a Knicks lottery pick in 2018. Langlois thinks Knox’s size and shooting touch could eventually help him crack the team’s rotation.
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NBA GMs High On Cavs’ Offseason Moves, Bucks’ Title Chances

October 4th, 2022 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers‘ acquisition of Donovan Mitchell made their offseason the most successful of any NBA team, according to the league’s general managers. In his annual survey of the NBA’s top basketball decision-makers, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes that 41% of the GM respondents picked Cleveland as having made the best offseason moves, while 59% chose the addition of Mitchell as the move that will have the biggest impact.

The Timberwolves and Jazz were on opposite ends of one of the summer’s other blockbuster trades, but the two clubs tied for second (along with the Sixers) in the GM vote for which teams made the best overall offseason moves. Minnesota’s trade for Rudy Gobert was the second-leading vote-getter for the offseason’s most impactful single acquisition, earning 31% of the vote.

The team viewed by the majority of GMs as the title favorite for 2023 didn’t earn any votes for having the best offseason. According to Schuhmann, 43% of the poll respondents picked the Bucks to win next year’s Finals, with GMs apparently betting on continuity in Milwaukee. The Warriors (25%), Clippers (21%), and Celtics (11%) also received votes.

Here are a few more interesting results from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

  • NBA general managers expect the Clippers – who will have Kawhi Leonard back – to be the most improved team in 2022/23. L.A. received 41% of the vote, with the Cavaliers and Pelicans at 17% apiece.
  • The Celtics‘ trade for Malcolm Brogdon earned the most votes (28%) for the summer’s most underrated acquisition. The Sixers‘ signing of P.J. Tucker and the Clippers‘ addition of John Wall were the runners-up, with 14% each.
  • Asked which team has the most promising young core, NBA GMs overwhelmingly chose the Cavaliers (41%) and Grizzlies (38%). The Pistons (10%) were the only other club to get multiple votes.
  • NBA GMs view Magic forward Paolo Banchero as the best bet to win Rookie of the Year (79%) and also chose him as the 2022 draftee most likely to be the best player in five years (31%), narrowly edging Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (28%). As for the steal of the draft, GMs were split between Pistons big man Jalen Duren and Rockets forward Tari Eason (14% apiece), among many others.
  • Mavericks star Luka Doncic was picked as the favorite to win MVP, earning 48% of the vote from NBA GMs. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks came in second with 34%.
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And-Ones: Rondo, Season Questions, EuroBasket

September 18th, 2022 at 6:53pm CST by JD Shaw

Veteran guard Rajon Rondo has agreed to a settlement with the woman who accused him and his girlfriend of assault and battery in 2020, according to TMZ.

As the report notes, Rondo was allegedly upset at the plaintiff for parking too close to his car. The altercation happened in a parking lot outside of an apartment complex. Rondo’s girlfriend was seen punching and causing injuries, while Rondo appeared to nudge the woman with his elbow.

The 36-year-old is currently a free agent. He played parts of 39 games with the Lakers and Cavaliers last season, averaging 4.8 points and 4.4 assists in 17.9 minutes per game on 39% shooting from the floor.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

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EuroBasket Notes: L. Brown, Antetokounmpo, Doncic, Ukraine

September 11th, 2022 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

Former NBA point guard Lorenzo Brown is part of a controversy at the EuroBasket tournament, according to Eurohoops. Brown scored 28 points and handed out eight assists Saturday, leading Spain to an overtime win over Lithuania in an elimination game. At the post-game press conference, Lithuania’s Mindaugas Kuzminskas suggested the outcome would have been different if not for Brown, who was born in the United States but recently became a Spanish citizen.

“I am not sure how this team would look without Lorenzo Brown because you signed him only this summer,” Kuzminskas said to a Spanish reporter. “But it is how it is.”

Brown, 32, was a second-round pick in the 2013 draft and played for four teams in a five-year NBA career that ended after the 2018/19 season. He has been with several overseas teams since then and recently signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

“Even if I haven’t been here long, I feel like these guys … they have known each other so long and they brought me in as one of them,” Brown said in response to Kuzminskas’ comments. “So it’s just an amazing feeling to have that brotherhood, “la familia” as they call it. It’s really a family. I am coming in here and I am a regular American guy and those guys are talking in Spanish. And I am learning every single day, so it’s amazing what I have learned and how they treated me so far. The outside noise doesn’t bother me at all. I am just worried about what these guys feel about me. And it’s amazing. They love me and I love these guys.”

There’s more from EuroBasket:

  • Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to take part in practice without any pain and is expected to play in today’s game against the Czech Republic, according to John Rammas of Eurohoops. Antetokounmpo suffered a mild ankle sprain in Thursday’s contest.
  • Although more than 30 NBA players are involved in this year’s tournament, Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic clearly stand above the rest, Slovenian forward Edo Muric told Rammas in a separate story. “They are both great players, they are next level. So if they want, they can score 50. In (Doncic’s 47-point) game against France, we played without our starting center, so Luka had to step up. That proves he is a very big player, beating France almost by himself, and Giannis is right there, too.”
  • Ukraine’s EuroBasket run ended today with a loss to Poland, but the team served as a source of pride for the war-torn nation, per The Associated Press. Players weren’t able to train in their own country in the wake of the Russian invasion, so they practiced wherever they could. “I hope it inspires and helps them a lot, just to get their thoughts off the war a little bit and just watch us play,” Svi Mykhailiuk said. “Obviously, today was not a great example of us playing, but this whole time, we did our best. I hope they enjoyed it. Obviously, it’s tough for everybody because all the guys’ families are still there and it’s tough having to be here. But I appreciate everyone being here. I appreciate everyone fighting.”
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Eastern Notes: Giannis, Dragic, LaVine, Celtics

September 10th, 2022 at 3:53pm CST by JD Shaw

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did some weight training and is expected to practice on Sunday with Greece, according to EuroHoops. Antetokounmpo recently suffered a minor ankle sprain, but he seems to be proceeding without any issues.

“We decided to do just an optional training session,” Greek national team assistant coach Sotiris Manolopoulos said. “We left it up to the players to come and make some shots. Giannis did his own training at the hotel and tomorrow will practice without any issues. He is healthy.”

Antetokounmpo sustained the injury on Thursday. With the NBA season around the corner, this is good news for Bucks fans, as they’re hoping to see Milwaukee start the season without any interruptions and win a second championship in three years.

There’s more out of the Eastern Conference today:

  • Bulls guard Goran Dragic recently came to the defense of Antetokoummpo in light of Gilbert Arenas‘ negative comments, EuroHoops relays. “Giannis is the MVP. Gilbert Arenas is not,” Dragic said as part of a larger quote. “Was he ever the MVP? I don’t think so. So he can’t talk about Giannis. Giannis won the championship, won the MVP award. He has been the defensive player of the year.” Arenas previously stated that Antetokounmpo “doesn’t understand basketball yet” and downplayed the Bucks star’s 2021 championship.
  • Zach LaVine‘s lucrative new contract will created added pressure on the Bulls star this season, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. LaVine signed a five-year, $215MM deal with the team in July, cementing his future in Chicago. He averaged 24.4 points per game last season, shooting 48% from the floor and 39% from three-point range. The Bulls will be looking to contend once again this season.
  • Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com examines a number of Celtics topics in his latest mailbag. Among the subjects Bulpett discusses is whether Payton Pritchard should play more. With Boston adding Malcolm Brogdon this offseason, Pritchard’s role is arguably more unclear, but he remains an effective option off the bench.
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