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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Scariolo, Kemba, Knicks

June 15th, 2021 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

After going 0-for-12 from the field in the second half of the Sixers‘ Game 4 loss to Atlanta on Monday, star center Joel Embiid admitted that the partially torn meniscus in his right knee is bothering him to some extent. That injury is limiting Embiid’s athleticism, which was an issue in particular on a last-minute layup attempt that would’ve tied the game, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“Great look. I just didn’t have the lift,” Embiid said. “… Usually, I would go up, especially for a bucket like that, try to dunk it. Try to get fouled and get an and-1. But … not being able to jump for obvious reasons. … It’s tough.”

Embiid didn’t show many ill effects of that knee injury in the first three games of the series, averaging 35.3 PPG and 10.3 RPG on .533/.364/.809 shooting. In Game 4, he put up 17 points and 21 rebounds, but was just 4-of-20 on field goal attempts. After the game, he said he doesn’t expect to be 100% healthy until next season, as Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Raptors may be losing another assistant, with reports suggesting that Sergio Scariolo will become the new head coach of Virtus Bologna in Italy. Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets that nothing has been finalized yet, but confirms that Scariolo has had discussions with the Italian club. If Scariolo departs, he’d be the third top Raptors assistant to leave the team within the last year, joining Nate Bjorkgren and Chris Finch.
Nekias Duncan of BasketballNews.com considers some potential landing spots that would make sense for Kemba Walker if the Celtics trade him this offseason. Report last week suggested there’s a growing sense that Walker could be moved.
Mike Vorkunov and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic take a deep dive into the Knicks‘ offseason, exploring the team’s primary goals, its cap situation, and the prospects that might be the best fits at Nos. 19 and 21 in the draft.

NBA All-Defensive Teams Announced

June 14th, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has officially announced the voting results for its two 2020/21 All-Defensive teams.

Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four seasons, and Sixers guard Ben Simmons were unanimous selections for the All-Defensive First Team. Both players made the First Team lists of all 100 tallied ballots, for a perfect total of 200 points. Votes are given to 100 media members.

This marks Gobert’s fifth straight appearance on the All-Defensive First Team, and the second consecutive All-Defensive First Team honor for Simmons.

Warriors forward Draymond Green garnered 176 points (including 80 First Team votes). Green was named Defensive Player of the Year in the 2016/17 season. This year’s nod is his fourth First Team honor, and his sixth total All-Defensive team.

Two Bucks players rounded out the All-Defensive First Team this season. Guard Jrue Holiday netted 157 points (65 First Team) and All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, earned 135 total points (43 First Team). Antetokounmpo has just made his third straight All-Defensive First Team, and his fourth All-Defensive team overall. This is Holiday’s second All-Defensive First Team appearance and his third overall All-Defensive team.

Two All-Defensive First-Teamers have unlocked contract bonuses associated with the honor. Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that Gobert will receive a $500K bonus for the inclusion this season. Marks adds (Twitter link) that Holiday will pocket a cool $100K for making All-Defensive First Team. Holiday has other contract incentives associated with his team’s further postseason advancement.

The All-Defensive Second Team honorees are led by Heat stars Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, who each netted 111 points (37 First Team votes) apiece. Adebayo makes his second All-Defensive Second Team with the nod today. This is Butler’s fifth such honor.

Simmons’s Sixers teammates Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle also make the cut. It is the third All-Defensive team nod for Embiid and the first appearance for Thybulle. Clippers All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, a former two-time Defensive Player of the Year, rounds out the All-Defensive Second Team this season.

Here are the full voting results for the All-Defensive First and Second Teams, with each player’s point total noted in parentheses:

First Team:

Ben Simmons, G, Sixers (200)
Rudy Gobert, C, Jazz (200)
Draymond Green, F, Warriors (176)
Jrue Holiday, G, Bucks (157)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Bucks (135)

Second Team:

Bam Adebayo, F, Heat (111)
Jimmy Butler, G, Heat (111)
Joel Embiid, C, Sixers (87)
Matisse Thybulle, G, Sixers (63)
Kawhi Leonard, F, Clippers (43)

Suns guard/forward Mikal Bridges, Hawks center Clint Capela, and Pacers forward/center Myles Turner were among the highest vote-getters who missed the cut for the Second Team. You can find the full voting results right here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Milton, Simmons, Curry

June 9th, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid didn’t get the MVP trophy he thought he deserved, so he turned his attention back to the pursuit of an NBA title, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Shortly before the start of Tuesday’s game, Denver’s Nikola Jokic was announced as this year’s MVP, with Embiid finishing a distant second. The Sixers center responded to the news with 40 points and 13 rebounds in a Game 2 win over Atlanta.

“It’s disappointing because as a player, you work hard for moments like this,” Embiid said. “But then again, it’s out of my control. There’s nothing I can do about it. You just got to come out every year and just be ready and do my job. But I’m focused on the playoffs, I’m focused on winning the championship. … So I’m not worried about those awards and stuff. If and when I’m holding that (Larry O’Brien) Trophy, anything else won’t matter.”

Embiid has been dominant in the first two games against the Hawks, averaging 39.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game despite dealing with a small meniscus tear in his right knee that he suffered in round one. He admits having “limited mobility,” but said he’s found ways to adjust his game to still be effective.

“No excuses,” teammate Tobias Harris said. “He understands that. This is the playoffs. The way the NBA season was, I don’t think anybody is 100%. So when he steps on the floor, he has that attitude and that mentality that it’s, ‘win.'”

There’s more on the Sixers:

After playing just 38 seconds in the series opener, Shake Milton became a difference maker in Game 2, notes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. The third-year guard came off the bench to score 14 points and help Philadelphia break open a close game.
Another low-scoring performance by Ben Simmons is reviving questions about how far the Sixers can advance in the playoffs with minimal production from their second-best player, points out Brad Botkin of CBS Sports. Simmons finished with four points and only took three shots from the field in Game 2.
Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic looks at how Seth Curry has been able to rise from his early days in the G League to be an important contributor on a playoff team. Curry, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Mavericks, is averaging 24.0 PPG in his last three games.

Nikola Jokic Wins Most Valuable Player Award

June 8th, 2021 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

6:45pm: Jokic was the runaway winner, per an official press release from the NBA.

Jokic received 91 of 100 first-place votes and racked up 971 points. Embiid finished second despite receiving just one first-place vote; he had 586 points, aided by 62 second-place votes; Curry finished third with five first-place votes and 453 points.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Chris Paul rounded out the top five finishers, while 10 other players received at least one vote. The only real surprise among that group was Derrick Rose, who, oddly, received a first-place vote.

4:39pm: Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has won the league’s Most Valuable Player award, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Jokic averaged a career-high 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game this season. In an era in which players are regularly given nights off for rest, Jokic showed his toughness and durability by appearing in all 72 regular-season games.

As the 41st selection in the 2014 draft, Jokic is by far the lowest draft pick to ever earn the honor. He’s also the first Nuggets player to win the award.

Sixers center Joel Embiid and Warriors guard Stephen Curry were the other finalists for the award.

Embiid averaged 28.5 PPG and 1o.6 RPG but only appeared in 51 regular-season games, mainly due to a knee injury. Curry led the NBA in scoring at 32.0 PPG along with 5.8 APG while playing 63 games.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sport Images.

Sixers Center Joel Embiid Will Play In Game 1; Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter Out

June 6th, 2021 at 11:34am CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid will be in the Sixers‘ starting lineup for today’s opener of their second-round series with the Hawks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Embiid, who was diagnosed with a small lateral meniscus tear in his right knee, was considered a game-time decision. He went through warm-ups before the team determined he was ready to play.

He suffered the injury in Monday’s playoff game against the Wizards, and the medical staff has been doing treatments on the knee all week. Embiid was limited to individual workouts during practices the last two days.

The Hawks announced that De’Andre Hunter will miss today’s game with soreness in his right knee, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team’s top perimeter defender was able to play all five games in the first-round series with the Knicks, but he has been dealing with pain in his knee since having surgery in February.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Simmons, Celtics, Lowry

June 5th, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid has been listed as questionable for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Sixers center will undergo further treatment and workouts before his status is determined for the Sunday afternoon game, Charania adds.

Embiid hasn’t played since suffering a small meniscus tear in his right knee on Monday. He is considered day to day, and his availability will depend on how the knee responds.

Embiid was limited to individual workouts during practices today and Friday, according to Ky Carlin of USA Today’s Sixers Wire. Embiid didn’t join his teammates for any live-ball activities at either session.

“The same,” coach Doc Rivers said when asked for an update on Embiid’s condition. “He did a little bit on the floor, no live, I can say that today. Just he did what he could do.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The uncertainty surrounding Embiid gives Ben Simmons a chance to cement his legacy with the Sixers, writes Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons helped close out the Wizards with a triple-double in Game 5, but the Hawks should be a more difficult challenge. Hayes points out that Rivers and first-year president of basketball operations Daryl Morey inherited Simmons from the previous regime and may not hesitate to move on from him if they don’t believe he can help them win a title.
Celtics assistant Scott Morrison will interview for the team’s head coaching vacancy, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The 43-year-old Morrison earned G League Coach of the Year honors in 2015 with the Maine Red Claws and has been part of Brad Stevens’ staff since 2017. Fellow Boston assistant Jerome Allen, who has also been confirmed for an interview with the Celtics, will interview for the Trail Blazers’ head coaching spot as well, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
The Raptors will have plenty of competition for Kyle Lowry in free agency this summer, with the Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Sixers all expected to pursue him, writes Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. He notes that Lowry said, “Money talks, and years talk” in his postseason press conference, indicating the veteran point guard will be looking for a multiyear offer.

Atlantic Notes: Green, Knicks Offseason, Embiid

June 4th, 2021 at 5:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets forward Jeff Green will miss Game 1 of the conference semifinals series with the Bucks due to a left plantar fascia strain, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Green is one of the primary options to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo and he’s considered day-to-day beyond Saturday’s game, according to another Lewis tweet. “He wasn’t necessarily earmarked to guard Giannis but we’ll miss him in a number of ways,” coach Steve Nash said. Green hasn’t played since Game 2 of the opening-round series against Boston.

We have more on the Atlantic Division teams:

In the aftermath of their first-round exit against Atlanta, the Knicks can start taking bigger steps to contention, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post writes. They have youth in their rotation, five first-round picks in the next three years and nearly $60MM in salary-cap space, which should lead to a brighter future if team president Leon Rose converts those assets into impact players.
Determining whether Julius Randle can truly be the centerpiece of the team and which of their own free agents to bring back are among the questions hovering over the Knicks this offseason. Newsday’s Steve Popper takes a look at five issues confronting the front office this summer.
While it seems unlikely Joel Embiid will suit up for Game 1 against the Hawks on Sunday, coach Doc Rivers hasn’t ruled out the possibility, according to an Associated Press report. The Sixers All-Star center has a small meniscus tear in his right knee. “He’s got to go through his treatment,” Rivers said. “As far as when we were doing shooting and stuff like that, he looked great. It’s too early (to rule him out).”

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Simmons, Harden, Randle

June 2nd, 2021 at 5:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid‘s status is uncertain after being diagnosed with a small lateral meniscus tear in his right knee, but the team remains hopeful that he’ll be able to return sometime during the playoffs. In a session with reporters this afternoon, head coach Doc Rivers was asked if he thinks Embiid will be back on the court this postseason, tweets Derek Bodner of The Athletic.

“Yeah, I do. Or at least I’m hopeful, I think that would be a better way of putting it,” Rivers replied. “He’s going to do his treatment and we’re going to assess him day to day, and see what we can get.” When asked specifically about the second round, Rivers said, “I have no expectation, other than I hope for him to be back. I can’t give you a timeline. … I can just tell you that he’s willing to go through whatever it takes to get back on the floor. He’s a warrior.” (Twitter link).

Embiid was dominant in the first three games of Philadelphia’s first-round series with Washington, averaging 29.3 points per night as the Sixers took a 3-0 lead. He played just 11 minutes in Game 4 before leaving with knee soreness, and the Wizards were able to remain alive, setting up a potentially pivotal game tonight.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Rivers defended his other star after the Wizards took advantage of Ben Simmons‘ poor free throw shooting in the Game 4 victory, notes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Washington committed four intentional fouls on Simmons, who missed three free throws in the final two minutes. “You want me to take Ben Simmons off the floor? He’s pretty good. I’ll pass on that suggestion,” Rivers said. “He could have (made more free throws) but he didn’t. But he still does other things. I’ll take that. Listen, keep the narrative going, we’re just going to keep playing.”
The Nets quickly shifted their focus to a second-round series with the Bucks after finishing off the Celtics Tuesday night, according to Malika Andrews of ESPN. “I’m thinking about them right now,” James Harden said at the post-game press conference. “Just the matchups and things that they do on both ends of the ball. Obviously, we know how good they are on both sides and their individual talents.”
The Knicks aren’t giving much attention to provocative comments from Hawks center Clint Capela, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. “Don’t care, don’t care, don’t care,” Julius Randle said. “I just heard about it and I do not care. We’re not focused on that. We’re focused on what we’ve got to do as a team.”

Joel Embiid Has Small Meniscus Tear, Out For Game 5

June 2nd, 2021 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have provided an official update on Joel Embiid‘s status, announcing (via Twitter) that an MRI on the big man’s injured right knee revealed a small lateral meniscus tear.

Embiid will be sidelined for Game 5 on Wednesday, according to the Sixers. However, the club has yet to rule him out beyond that, stating that he’ll be considered day-to-day going forward. His injury will be managed with a physical therapy and treatment program.

While it’s good news that Embiid doesn’t have a more serious injury, any level of meniscus tear is worrisome, so it’s hardly a best-case scenario for the 76ers.

Multiple treatment options are available for meniscus injuries, including surgery, but it sounds like the club will opt not to have its All-Star center go under the knife, since that would result in an absence of at least multiple weeks, if not months.

Even with no surgery, I wouldn’t count on Embiid necessarily being ready to return within the next few days. Managing swelling and pain in his right knee will play a significant part in how soon he’s able to play again, notes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

With Embiid unavailable, the Sixers figure to lean more heavily on frontcourt players like Dwight Howard and Mike Scott in Game 5 on Wednesday. Philadelphia has a 3-1 lead and can close out its first-round series with a win over the Wizards.

Joel Embiid Doubtful To Play In Game 5

June 1st, 2021 at 4:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Joel Embiid will be listed as doubtful for Game 5 of the Sixers’ first-round series against the Wizards on Wednesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. He had an MRI on his right knee on Tuesday, and is expected to be evaluated further prior to the game.

The fact that Embiid won’t be listed as out could be construed as a good sign that at least the injury isn’t serious. Embiid played 11 minutes on Monday before retreating to the locker room after taking a hard fall.

Washington remained alive in the series by winning Game 4 and the Wizards have a legitimate chance to rally back from a 3-0 deficit if Embiid can’t play or is limited the rest of the series. According to the latest injury report from the Wizards (Twitter link), Russell Westbrook will play in Game 5 after originally being listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain.

Dwight Howard and Mike Scott would likely pick up the bulk of Embiid’s minutes if he can’t play, though coach Doc Rivers could opt for smaller lineups.

Embiid underwent surgery on his left knee in 2017 and has dealt with soreness in that knee at times. He averaged 29.3 PPG in Philadelphia’s three victories in the series.