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Atlantic Notes: Reed, Quickley, Brunson, Hammon

May 9th, 2023 at 9:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Joel Embiid‘s backup, Paul Reed, says he’d like to stay with the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Reed will be a restricted free agent this summer. Reed is averaging 5.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 16.9 minutes over eight playoff games.

“If they would like to keep me, then I would like to come back for sure,” the Sixers big man said. “I really would like to come back.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Knicks are looking for answers as they try to stay alive in Game 5 of their series against the Heat. Immanuel Quickley apparently won’t be one of them. The guard, who was injured in Game 3, is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game due to a left ankle sprain, the team’s PR department tweets.
  • Speaking of Knicks injuries, Jalen Brunson is toughing it out despite clearly being well below 100%, Ian Begley of SNY TV writes. Brunson has gotten treatment basically around the clock for his ankle and foot ailments, according to Begley. However, the veteran guard hasn’t given an indication publicly about the extent of the injuries and how much they are limiting him.
  • Becky Hammon has earned serious consideration for the Raptors’ job, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes. The Raptors aren’t looking to make history by hiring a female head coach, he adds. If they choose Hammon, she will have to emerge as the best candidate for the job. Toronto is looking for a coach that will make his or her presence felt quickly and be judged by the win-loss mark.
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Eastern Notes: Hawks, Quickley, Pistons, Banchero

May 8th, 2023 at 9:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks will take a look at six draft prospects on Tuesday, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. That group includes three guards — UCLA’s Tyger Campbell, Furman’s Mike Bothwell and Ole Miss’ Matthew Murrell — along with Miami (Fla.)’s Norchad Omier, UTC’s Jake Stephens and Arizona State’s Marcus Bagley.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • Immanuel Quickley missed Game 4 of the Knicks’ playoff series against the Heat on Monday due to a sprained left ankle, the team’s PR department tweets. Quickley had been listed as doubtful on Sunday after suffering the injury on Saturday.
  • The Pistons need to prioritize perimeter shooting and defense, as well as veteran guards, during the offseason, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press opines. Veteran options for their perimeter needs includes the likes of free agents Jerami Grant and Cameron Johnson (restricted), while Dennis Schroder and Patrick Beverley could fill the other need, unless they bring back free agent Cory Joseph.
  • Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who was named Rookie of the Year last week, said he had no idea he might be taken with the top pick last June until draft day, when he saw a report from Adrian Wojnarowski, Banchero told the ESPN analyst on the Woj Pod (Twitter link). “My mom was in complete shock. … I was freakin’ out. Going No. 1 is a whole different thing, especially when you’re not expecting it,” he said.
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Knicks Notes: Quickley, Randle, Struggles, Butler

May 7th, 2023 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks will likely be without one of their key reserves for Game 4 of their second-round playoff series against Miami. Immanuel Quickley is listed as doubtful to play on Monday due to a sprained left ankle, the team’s PR department tweets.

Quickley suffered the injury in Game 3 on Saturday, when he scored 12 points in 20 minutes. He’s averaged 9.0 points during the postseason, though he’s struggled with his shooting (34.8%).

We have more on the Knicks:

  • Trailing 2-1 in the series, the team needs Julius Randle to break out of his postseason funk, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. He was limited to 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting and committed four turnovers in Game 3. Overall, he’s averaging just 15.3 points on 34.6% shooting this postseason. “Some of the looks are different. Defense is a little bit tighter,” Randle said. “So I’ve got to do a better job of finding ways to execute off of that.”
  • Randle’s struggles are far from the only issues the Knicks have encountered against the Heat, Fred Katz of The Athletic opines. Their perimeter shooting and offensive spacing have been subpar, they’re getting out-hustled and they’re not dominating the glass, as they did in the first round against Cleveland.
  • Unless they find a way to counteract Jimmy Butler, the Knicks are doomed, Tom D’Angeleo of the Palm Beach Post opines. Butler returned from a one-game absence to score 28 points in 36 minutes.
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Knicks Notes: Brunson, Randle, Quickley, Grimes

May 7th, 2023 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks didn’t get nearly enough production from their star players in Saturday’s loss to the Heat, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett combined to shoot 16-of-51 from the field and 2-of-17 from three-point range as New York was badly outplayed in Game 3.

“A lot of that starts with me,” Brunson said. “They’re a very paint-heavy team when you drive the ball offensively. They’re going to collapse. There’s a lot of eyes on me when I drive the ball, so I have to be able to find guys and get them in the right positions to take their shots. It starts with me, and I know I’ve said this before, I got to be better.”

Randle was able to play 38 minutes Saturday in his second game since returning from a sprained ankle. He didn’t use the injury as an excuse for his 4-for-15 shooting performance and assured reporters that he’ll be fine for the rest of the series.

“Like I said, you all keep asking me. It does not matter. I’ll be available to play,” Randle said. “I get myself ready. In my mind, it’s not a factor. I’ve got to find a way to play better and get a win.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • Immanuel Quickley twisted his ankle late in Saturday’s game when he collided with Bam Adebayo in a chase for a loose ball, per Steve Popper of Newsday. Quickley limped to the locker room and isn’t sure about his status for Monday’s Game 4. “It hurt a lot,” he said. “Part of the game.”
  • Coach Tom Thibodeau has made a significant lineup change in this series, Popper adds, using Josh Hart as a starter to match up with Jimmy Butler and bringing Quentin Grimes off the bench. Popper notes that Grimes saw crunch-time minutes in Game 2 in place of Barrett. “I think as games wind down, a lot of it is going to be matchup-driven,” Thibodeau explained. “What are you trying to get to? And that’s the thing. When you factor in Kyle (Lowry) and the thing he does, particularly with Jimmy, there’s a lot of things going on. There are a lot of things going on within the game, so we have to have awareness.”
  • The Knicks’ centers were dominant in the first round, but they haven’t been effective against Adebayo, states Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein combined for two points and eight rebounds Saturday, and Thibodeau used a small-ball lineup for much of the fourth quarter with power forwards Randle and Obi Toppin playing together.
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Knicks Notes: Randle, Hartenstein, Barrett, Quickley, Hardaway

May 3rd, 2023 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Julius Randle‘s stat line (25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists) in the Knicks‘ Game 2 win over Miami on Tuesday suggests he didn’t miss a beat after being sidelined for the first game of the series due to a left ankle injury. However, Randle admitted after the game that the rehab process he went through in order to return for Game 2 wasn’t easy, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com.

“It was hell,” Randle said. “Just every day around the clock, trying to get my body right. I don’t have a problem doing the work, mentally it’s a grind, though. But I just want to make myself available to the team … just happy that I was able to be out there and contribute and help us get a win.”

Asked after the victory about how his ankle was feeling, Randle deflected the question.

“It doesn’t even really matter, to be honest,” he said, according to Friedell. “I do whatever I got to do to make myself available to play. And just take it a day at a time.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • After Mitchell Robinson was a difference maker in New York’s first round win over Cleveland, backup center Isaiah Hartenstein has come up big early in round two. Hartenstein was a team-best plus-six in 14 minutes in Game 1, then played 26 minutes in Game 2 as Robinson battled foul trouble. As Zach Braziller of The New York Post details, Hartenstein gave the Knicks a much-needed spark with his physical play on Tuesday.
  • After an up-and-down first round vs. Cleveland, RJ Barrett has scored 26 and 24 points in the first two games vs. Miami. Barrett, whose nine-figure contract extension will take effect in 2023/24, took a seat late in the game for defensive reasons, but the fourth-year forward earned praise from head coach Tom Thibodeau for his performance, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
  • Immanuel Quickley, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up this season, logged a season-low nine minutes in Game 2 and scored just six points, but Thibodeau remains confident that the Knicks will once again lean on Quickley before the series is over, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “We need him,” Thibodeau told reporters after the game. “.. He’s got a knack for putting the ball in the basket, and I don’t want him overthinking it. Shoot your shot, when he’s aggressive and attacking, he’ll be fine. We’ve seen him now, as everyone knows, he’s a scorer.”
  • Tim Hardaway Sr., who had been working as a scout for the Knicks, was on an expiring contract and left the team a few weeks ago to pursue media opportunities, a league source tells Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
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Knicks Notes: Towns, Randle, Grimes, Hart

April 28th, 2023 at 2:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are expected to be aggressive in trying to add talent this summer and could be a leading contender if the Timberwolves decide to trade Karl-Anthony Towns, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy. A league source told Deveney that Towns would have interest in going to New York and speculated that it’s just a matter of time before the Knicks try to make it happen.

Deveney points out that Towns already has ties to the organization in team president Leon Rose, who is his former agent, and head coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached Towns for two and a half seasons in Minnesota. The Wolves’ early playoff exit, combined with New York’s surge into the Eastern Conference semifinals, creates even more motivation for the move to happen, Deveney adds.

Towns has one more season before his four-year, $224MM super-max extension kicks in, which will place a tremendous strain on the Wolves’ finances. Trading him might be the best option for avoiding the strictest provisions of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“No matter the success this year, the Knicks are going to keep being aggressive,” an Eastern Conference executive told Deveney. “So you’d want to start with RJ Barrett there. But you can send (Obi) Toppin, you can send (Quentin) Grimes, (Miles) McBride. They do not want to trade (Immanuel) Quickley but if the target is Towns, maybe they would change that. You’d play Towns at the 5 if you were New York so they’d probably have Mitchell Robinson in the deal, and he could go to a third team. A lot of possibilities and Minnesota might be a better team by putting it all on (Anthony) Edwards and getting the right pieces from that mix.”

There’s more from New York:

  • No timetable has been set for a return by Julius Randle, who reinjured his left ankle in Wednesday’s game, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Thibodeau said Randle was limited in Friday’s practice to shooting, lifting weights and doing cardio work in the pool. He’s considered day-to-day ahead of the start of New York’s second-round series with Miami on Sunday afternoon.
  • Grimes, who missed the past two games with a right shoulder contusion, is optimistic that he’ll be ready for the series opener (video link from SNY.tv).
  • The Knicks and Heat have been through some legendary playoff battles, but Josh Hart said that won’t have any effect this year’s series (video link). “It was 23, 27 years ago,” Hart told reporters. “Most of our guys weren’t even born yet. For us, those are the war stories of the past. We’ve got our own path.”
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Atlantic Notes: Barnes, Knicks, McClung, Bridges

April 20th, 2023 at 7:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Second-year Raptors forward Scottie Barnes faces a critical summer following some minor regression in 2022/23, writes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. According to Lewenberg, there was a sense within the organization that Barnes, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, “could have worked harder and smarter” last offseason.

“I put my highest expectations on myself. I put a lot of [thought] into what I really want to become, what I really want to be,” Barnes said last week. “That’s how I look at things, how I see myself as a player. I know how I want to get better. I just want to consistently try to develop in each and every way and make it to the top of the league, be one of those better players in the league. It’s just going to take a different level of mindset, of work.”

This season, the 6’9″ forward out of Florida State averaged 15.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.8 BPG across 77 games with the 41-41 Raptors.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Young Knicks role players RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes will have to contribute more in the ongoing playoff series against the Cavaliers if the team hopes to advance, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Braziller notes that Quickley, who has enjoyed a breakout 2022/23 season and was the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, has been passive in the team’s first two playoff contests, and has logged as many made field goals as he has turnovers (four apiece). Barrett’s shooting and passing have been lackluster, while Grimes has struggled to score.
  • Despite wowing audiences in Utah en route to a Slam Dunk Contest championship in February, two-way Sixers point guard Mac McClung continues to work toward becoming an NBA rotation player, writes Howard Beck of GQ. McClung spent most of his time this year as the starter for Philadelphia’s NBAGL affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. A scout tells Beck that, while McClung is a terrific athlete, he needs to refine his on-court skillset. “The cerebral aspects of the game are way more important,” the scout said. “He’s proven people wrong every step of the way… but I’d say he’s got a hill to climb.” In his 31 games for Delaware this season, McClung averaged 19.8 PPG, 4.9 APG, 2.7 RPG and 0.8 SPG.
  • Nets forward Mikal Bridges thrived with the Suns during his first few NBA seasons, but has taken on a major role as Brooklyn’s scorer since Phoenix flipped him as part of its blockbuster Kevin Durant trade. Though Bridges didn’t plan on such an outsized role on offense, he has embraced it so far, writes James Herbert of CBS Sports. “I’m not overcomplicating nothing,” Bridges said. “I didn’t drink nothing different, I didn’t eat nothing different, I didn’t change nothing. I just kept getting better and kept working. And I think that’s what people try to overthink. All you gotta do is just get better.” The 6’6″ swingman out of Villanova logged 26.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.6 BPG in 27 contests for his new club this season.
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Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon Named Sixth Man Of The Year

April 20th, 2023 at 6:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics reserve combo guard Malcolm Brogdon has been named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for 2022/23, the league announced on Thursday (Twitter link).

In his first season with the Celtics following a 2022 trade from Indiana, Brogdon averaged 14.9 PPG on .484/.444/.870 shooting splits. Across 67 games, the 6’5″ guard also chipped in 4.2 RPG, 3.7 APG and 0.7 SPG, and was a critical component on both sides of the ball during Boston’s 57-25 season.

Brogdon is the first Celtic to win the honor since eventual Hall of Fame center Bill Walton did so for the 1986 title team, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Brogdon’s Celtics are currently leading the Hawks 2-0 in their ongoing first-round playoff series.

As the NBA announced last week, the three finalists for the honor were Brogdon, Bucks backup big man Bobby Portis, and Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley. Each would have been a first-time winner.

According to the NBA, Quickley was the runner-up in Sixth Man voting over Portis, Clippers guard Norman Powell and Kings guard Malik Monk. Brogdon received 60 first-place votes and 408 overall points, while Quickley got 34 first-place votes and 326 points. Portis earned the remaining six first-place votes and 97 points.

A total of 10 players earned at least one vote.

Earlier this week, All-Star Grizzlies power forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, All-Star Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox was honored as the NBA’s first-ever Clutch Player of the Year, and his Sacramento head coach Mike Brown won his second Coach of the Year award.

A global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters voted on all of this season’s awards recipients. The Rookie of the Year, MVP and Executive of the Year have yet to be named.

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Knicks Notes: Hart, Randle, Bench Points, Grimes

April 17th, 2023 at 10:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Josh Hart is listed as doubtful to play in Game 2 of the Knicks’ series against the Cavaliers on Tuesday, the team’s PR department tweets. Hart sprained his left ankle during the Knicks’ Game 1 victory on Saturday.

Hart was able to participate in Monday’s practice on a limited basis, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. However, he mainly got treatment on his ankle during practice, according to Ian Begley of SNY TV (Twitter link).

“Just get treatment again tomorrow, see where he is,” coach Tom Thibodeau said.

The injury occurred when Hart landed on Julius Randle‘s foot in the fourth quarter.

We have more from the Knicks:

  • Re-signing Hart should be a high priority this offseason, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. Hart is expected to decline his $12.96MM option this summer in order to become an unrestricted free agent. Vaccaro believes that something a bit north of the four-year, $60MM contract the Knicks gave Mitchell Robinson last summer should get the job done.
  • Randle gave the Knicks a huge lift after returning from a left ankle sprain suffered in late March, Begley notes. He had 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals while playing 34 minutes. “Julius played in 77 games until he sprained his ankle. He practiced every day. What you see in the games, what you see in practice — (you know you’re) gonna get whatever he has,” Thibodeau said.
  • Immanuel Quickley had a rough outing on Saturday, yet the Knicks’ reserves still outscored Cleveland’s second unit 37-14, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes. “It’s been huge for us all season,” starter RJ Barrett said of the reserves. Naturally, the bench will be weakened if Hart (17 points, 10 rebounds) can’t go.
  • Quentin Grimes is prepared to take on a bigger role if Hart is sidelined, he told Steve Popper of Newsday. “I don’t think it’s really any more pressure,” Grimes said. “I feel like I’ve been guarding the best player from the other team the whole season. So I feel like it’s just another night, just the stakes are a little bit higher. I’m just going to come in a little sharper probably just knowing that if he doesn’t play, I just have to be more alert at all times whenever (Donovan Mitchell) is on the court.”
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NBA Announces 2022/23 Award Finalists

April 14th, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA announced its finalists for all the major 2022/23 regular season awards on Friday evening (all Twitter links can be found here).

Here is the full list of finalists for each of the awards, listed in alphabetical order:

Most Valuable Player

Defensive Player of the Year

Rookie of the Year

Most Improved Player

Sixth Man of the Year

Coach of the Year

Clutch Player of the Year

TNT will begin announcing the winners next week during its coverage of the 2023 playoffs, according to the NBA. The three finalists for each award are based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Antetokounmpo, the league’s back-to-back MVP winner in 2018/19 and ’19/20, has finished fourth and third in MVP voting over the past two seasons, respectively. He averaged a career-high 31.1 PPG along with 11.8 RPG and 5.7 APG on .553/.275/.645 shooting in 63 games (32.1 MPG) this season in leading the Bucks to the NBA’s best record at 58-24.

Embiid, the MVP runner-up in each of the past two years, led the league in scoring for the second consecutive season, posting a career-high 33.1 PPG along with 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.7 BPG on .548/.330/.857 shooting in 66 games (34.6 MPG). The Sixers finished third in the East with a 54-28 record, though it’s worth noting that record is also the third-best mark in the league.

Jokic, the reigning back-to-back MVP, averaged 24.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 9.8 APG and 1.3 SPG on .632/.383/.822 shooting in 69 games (33.7. MPG). In addition to breaking Wilt Chamberlain‘s record for most assists per game by a center (8.6), Jokic led the Nuggets to the top seed in the West with a 53-29 record.

It’s long been assumed that Banchero, Brown and Fox were the runaway favorites for their respective awards. Given Embiid’s excellent play to end the season and Denver’s stumble to the finish line, it seems likely that Embiid will edge out Jokic and Antetokounmpo to win his first MVP — all three finalists are more than deserving, just as they were last year.

However, the other three awards are more up in the air. Jackson and Lopez have been considered the betting favorites for DPOY for much of the second half of the season. Mobley’s inclusion is somewhat surprising, but maybe it shouldn’t be — the Cavs finished with the league’s top defense and he is arguably the best defender on the team.

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