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Eastern Notes: Niang, Sixers, Nets, Pistons

December 11th, 2022 at 5:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Georges Niang was excited to get back on the court for the Sixers on Sunday after missing two games due to right foot soreness, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I feel a lot better,” he said. “I’m excited to get there and play today. So I’m feeling good.”

Niang, an unrestricted free agent after this season, has been a key piece for the Sixers off the bench. He’s averaging 9.7 points and shooting 43.1% on 3-point attempts.

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The Sixers beat the Lakers in overtime on Friday after squandering a nine-point lead in the final 34 seconds to snap a three-game losing streak. Pompey breaks down the team’s recent struggles, noting that turnovers have been a major issue. “Sloppy, but good win for us,” Tobias Harris said after the Lakers win. “So we’ll take it. Obviously, we didn’t want it to happen that way, but we’ve got to learn from it and figure it out in those moments. especially when teams are presenting that type of pressure.”
The Nets found a way to beat the Pacers without eight rotation players on Saturday. They’ll be close to full strength when they face the Wizards on Monday, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Kyrie Irving, Nic Claxton and T.J. Warren are all expected to be in uniform. Royce O’Neale, who missed the Indiana game for personal reasons, is still not with the team.
Cade Cunningham‘s shin injury has dealt the Pistons a major setback through the one-third mark this season but there are silver linings, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Killian Hayes has begun to blossom in his third NBA season and rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren have shown major talent while jumping right into the rotation.

Injury Notes: Nets, Conley, Prince, Adams

December 10th, 2022 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets will be extremely shorthanded when they visit Indiana on Saturday for the second half of a back-to-back set. As Ian Begley of SNY.tv tweets, Brooklyn has ruled out eight players, including their entire regular starting lineup.

Kevin Durant (right knee injury management), Kyrie Irving (left adductor tightness), Ben Simmons (left knee/calf injury management), Royce O’Neale (personal reasons), Joe Harris (left ankle injury management), Seth Curry (left ankle injury management), Nic Claxton (right hamstring tightness), and T.J. Warren (left foot injury management) will all be unavailable for the Nets.

Those are eight of Brooklyn’s top nine players in terms of minutes per game, so we could see some wonky lineups from the team tonight. The ninth player on that list, Yuta Watanabe, is set to make his return after missing 10 games due to a hamstring injury, so the Nets will likely be hesitant to push him too hard in his first game back.

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

After returning from a nine-game injury absence on Friday, Jazz guard Mike Conley will sit out Saturday’s game vs. Denver, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. Conley didn’t suffer a setback on Friday — this is a planned rest game to ease him back into things following his knee injury, Jones explains.
Having already missed seven games due to a right shoulder subluxation, Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince is expected to be out for at least one more week, head coach Chris Finch said on Friday. As Dane Moore of Blue Wire Pods tweets, Prince is doing on-court work and making progress, but still has a ways to go.
Grizzlies center Steven Adams had a Pistons player roll into his ankle while he was trying to corral a defensive rebound in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game, writes Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Adams, who limped off the court and didn’t return, will be reevaluated this weekend, but said after the game that he felt OK, per Barnes. Memphis isn’t back in action until Monday, so Adams will have at least a couple days off to rest the ankle.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Irving, Griffin, Warren

December 5th, 2022 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

Jaylen Brown and Kyrie Irving were often at odds when they were teammates with the Celtics, but their relationship has improved since Irving left for the Nets, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Brown was among Irving’s most vocal defenders during his eight-game suspension last month for promoting an antisemitic film on social media.

“He’s a brother of mine,” Irving said. “I’m grateful to have a relationship off the court. True warriors when we go against each other. When I was in Boston, we didn’t really get a chance to get to know each other on a deeper level. So again, I’m just grateful that we’ve been able to build on top of a great foundation of relying on how we live our lives and how we treat people, so he’s a brother of mine.”

Brown stopped short of calling their relationship brotherly, Washburn adds, noting that they didn’t talk with each other before their teams met Sunday. Brown admitted they had problems when they were together, but said things are better now.

“Being a teammate of Kyrie, we got into it a lot,” he said. “We didn’t see eye to eye a majority of the time he was here. And since then it seems like our relationship (has improved). We’ve been able to have conversations. We’ve been able to talk to each other. We’ve been able to understand where he’s coming from.”

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Brown has a shot to earn All-NBA honors this season, which would qualify him for a super-max extension, notes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Brown’s current contract runs through 2024, and that extension would pay him an estimated $290MM over five years based on current cap estimates, according to Forsberg. We took a closer look during the summer at Brown and other potential super-max candidates to watch in 2022/23.
A Nike spokesperson tells Shams Charania of The Athletic that the company has parted ways with Irving (Twitter link). Charania points out that Irving has one of the NBA’s most popular signature shoes.
Celtics forward Blake Griffin was surprised to receive a tribute video in his return to Brooklyn, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Griffin spent a year and a half with the Nets before signing with Boston during the preseason. “True professional. I think he’s added to their group, to their locker room,” Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Having guys like that (being) a part of your team that have been in playoff games and in meaningful games, there’s something to it. … That’s the kind of guy you want in your locker room.”
Nets forward T.J. Warren played 17:53 Sunday in his second game after returning from foot injuries that sidelined him for nearly two years, and Vaughn expects him to remain on that minutes limit for a while, Lewis adds. “I don’t have a lockstep number, but seems like that 17 around there felt pretty good for him,” Vaughn said. “Maybe we start inching that up a little bit, hopefully. We want him to feel good for a little bit of a stretch before we do.”

Atlantic Notes: Brunson, Tucker, Anunoby, Nets

November 27th, 2022 at 5:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks fans can breathe a sign of relief. There was concern that a right quad contusion could force Jalen Brunson to miss his first game since signing with the club. However, Brunson was in the lineup for their game against Memphis on Sunday, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.

The high-priced free agent entered the game leading the Knicks in scoring (21.8 points per game) and assists (6.5).

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P.J. Tucker is noted for his defensive prowess, but he can’t be a total non-factor on offense for the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Tucker, who signed a three-year, $33.2MM deal after opting out of the final year of his contract with the Heat, is averaging just 3.7 points and 3.3 shot attempts in 19 starts. “I don’t come down and start the game, thinking about scoring,” he said. “I start the game out thinking about winning, making plays to win and help everybody else get shot in their spots. That’s how I play.”
Mavericks star Luka Doncic is impressed with the hounding defense that Raptors forward OG Anunoby plays, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Doncic had to work hard to score 26 points in 43 minutes with Anunoby shadowing him. “He’s an amazing player, and I would say on both ends,” Doncic said. “I think he is the steals leader in the NBA, but offensively he got so much better. I’m impressed with his game; he’s an amazing player.”
Nets guard Kyrie Irving hopes the team can get hot during a seven-game homestand that began with a win over Portland on Sunday, Mark Sanchez of the New York Post writes. “I think this is essential for our season,” Irving said. “Just to be able to establish some great habits at home like we’ve been doing, but now we’ll be tested on a seven-game home stretch. I’m looking forward to just being in front of our fans. But more important, being in front of our home environment and being able to flourish out there.”

Atlantic Notes: Trent Jr., Siakam, Robinson, Irving, Williams

November 21st, 2022 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Gary Trent Jr., who has been out of the Raptors lineup since Nov. 12 due to a hip injury and an illness, is expected to play on Wednesday, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reports.

Chris Boucher, who hasn’t played since Wednesday due to a non-COVID illness, and Trent took part in Monday’s light workout and should both be available against the Nets this Wednesday.

In another promising development, Pascal Siakam also participated in the practice on a limited basis. He has missed eight games due to an adductor strain.

“We certainly needed to survive here and Pascal was out there today in practice,” coach Nick Nurse said. “Well, not a whole lot of people in contact (practices) these days when the numbers are what they are, so he was out there moving around. So we shouldn’t be awfully far away from him being back.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson didn’t have much of an impact in his return to action, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes. Robinson, who suffered a sprained right knee on Nov. 4 against the Sixers, finished with two points, four rebounds and two blocked shots in 17 minutes against Phoenix on Sunday. “I don’t feel that far behind,” Robinson said. “I feel like I’m way better than I was last year as far as conditioning-wise. But since this happened, I’ve got to build it back up.” Jericho Sims, who filled in for Robinson, will likely drop out of the rotation.
Kyrie Irving had his suspension lifted on Sunday and the Players’ Association will not file a grievance for the games he missed, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets. Executive director Tamika Tremaglio said the union opted not to file a grievance with the league against the Nets on behalf of Irving, who missed eight games without pay.
Celtics center Robert Williams has progressed to 3-on-3 work, another step in his knee rehab, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe reports. “We’re happy with him as far as his progression and the work he’s put in toward coming back,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He’s picking it up on the court a little bit. … He looks good. He’s healthy and responding well to it. He’s in a good space as far as patience, and he’s doing the work he needs to do.” There’s no set timetable for Williams’ return to full practices and games.

Nets Notes: Simmons, Claxton, Irving, Watanabe

November 21st, 2022 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons turned in his best game since joining the Nets, just in time for a trip to Philadelphia, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. That matchup, in what will surely be a hostile atmosphere Tuesday night, will mark Simmons’ first time playing in front of Sixers fans since his bitter breakup with the team.

“I know what’s coming. That’s part of the game,” Simmons said. “Philly fans, one thing about Philly fans is they are incredible. They are die-hard Philly and they are everything Philly, whatever it is. I respect that about the city. It’s a sports town. I was talking to I think Yuta (Watanabe) before the game about what it’s like to play in Philly, and it’s an incredible opportunity to put on whatever jersey it is. That’s Philly, and it’s a unique experience.”

Simmons has prepared for the encounter by putting together his best week of basketball since physical and mental issues, as well as a clash with Sixers management, led to a 16-month layoff. He made 11-of-13 shots Sunday night with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a win over the Grizzlies. Simmons said he’s focused on the task at hand and not worrying about things he can’t control, like the reception he’ll likely get Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

“Me personally, if I start reading everything that’s going on and getting psyched out, that’s not good for me,” Simmons said. “So for me, I just want to stay focused, take it day by day, and I keep saying it but that’s what it is for me. Just keep building on good days and staying locked in.”

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Simmons started at center because Nic Claxton missed the game for personal reasons. Coach Jacque Vaughn said Claxton is expected to return Tuesday, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Kyrie Irving played 26 minutes Sunday after returning from an eight-game suspension, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. Irving indicated that he’s thinking about filing a grievance over the suspension, but otherwise deflected questions about it and tried to focus on basketball. “I missed my teammates, missed the coaching staff,” he said. “… It felt good to get this game out of the way. Now we can move forward with the rest of the season.”
Watanabe, playing on a non-guaranteed contract, continues to look like a keeper, according to Alex Schiffer and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The league’s leader in three-point percentage made four of six attempts Sunday night, all in the fourth quarter. “He’s playing great. We love his energy,” Kevin Durant said. “He’s hitting big shots for us, so you always get excited for your teammates, especially guys who come in and don’t necessarily have a guaranteed spot on the team but work their way into the rotation and put their imprint on the game from day one.”

Kyrie Irving Will Return On Sunday

November 20th, 2022 at 10:49am CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving has completed all the Nets‘ requirements and has been cleared to play in Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Irving will have missed eight games during his suspension, which was imposed November 3 for his online promotion of an antisemitic film and his failure to issue a clear apology during multiple media sessions. He was given several conditions that he had to comply with, including meetings with commissioner Adam Silver, team owner Joe Tsai and Jewish leaders in the Brooklyn area.

Irving talked to reporters for about 13 minutes this morning and took questions as Nets general manager Sean Marks looked on, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN (Twitter link). Irving began by offering “deep apologies” for his actions and once again stated that he doesn’t hold any antisemitic views. He added that he’s learned a lot from his conversations over the past two weeks, as he stated in an exclusive interview with Ian Begley of SNY.

One of the questions Irving received today is why he’s apologizing now, but didn’t in his first meeting with the media after the controversy began, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“I was rightfully defensive that there was an assumption that I could be antisemitic or that I meant to post the documentary to stand side by side with all the views of the documentary,” Irving explained. “I was defensive initially. I think it was inappropriate, the way it was released in the way that is somehow pinned me in the corner as it’s I was guilty of something and as if I was this antisemitic person, this label that was placed on me.” (Twitter link)

The Nets confirmed Irving’s status for tonight’s game and issued a statement about the incident, Friedell tweets.

“Kyrie took ownership of his journey and had conversations with several members of the Jewish community,” the statement reads. “We are pleased that he is going about the process in a meaningful way.”

Kyrie Irving Discusses Journey Toward Reinstatement

November 19th, 2022 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets are listing Kyrie Irving as questionable to return Sunday from his suspension for promoting an antisemitic film on social media, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. Irving hasn’t played since November 1 due to the controversy, and the team initially gave him a list of six requirements that he had to complete before he could be reinstated.

Irving called that process a “learning journey” in an interview with Ian Begley of SNY (video link).

“It was a lot of hurt that needed to be healed, a lot of conversations that needed to be had and a lot of reflection,” he said. “And I got a chance to do that with some great people from the Jewish community, from the Black community, from the white community. I’ve had so many conversations with all of our races and cultures and religious groups of people, just trying to better find a perspective on how we live a more harmonious life.”

Irving declined to share the details of those conversations, but he characterized them as “very moving, very impactful.” He called himself “a man who stands for peace” and stressed that he doesn’t condone any type of hate speech or prejudice.

Irving also talked about trying to understand the influence he has as a public figure and the need to set a better example, especially for young people.

“I just think I really want to focus on the hurt that I caused or the impact that I made within the Jewish community, putting some type of threat, or assumed threat, on the Jewish community” Irving said. “I just want to apologize deeply for all of my actions during the time that it’s been since the post was first put up. I’ve had a lot of time to think, but my focus, initially, if I could do it over, would be to heal and repair a lot of my close relationships with my Jewish relatives, brothers and sisters.”

Whenever Irving returns to the court, he’ll encounter a much different Brooklyn team than the last time he played. Jacque Vaughn has shed the interim tag he had after replacing Steve Nash as head coach and he has the Nets moving in the right direction, going 2-2 on a tough West Coast trip and winning five of their last eight overall.

Vaughn has been emphasizing defense and toughness, but he could use Irving’s scoring punch as well. In the eight games that he’s played this season, Irving is averaging 26.9 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 45.3% from the field.

Nets Notes: Simmons, Claxton, Kyrie, Trade Options

November 19th, 2022 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

Ben Simmons had his best game since joining the Nets on Thursday in Portland, putting up a season-high 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with seven assists in 32 minutes off the bench. He was 6-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-4 from the foul line, and had a plus-13 rating in a game Brooklyn won by two points, earning praise from his superstar teammate in the process.

“Incredible,” Kevin Durant said of Simmons’ performance, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I’m just happy for him because he’s been trying to get his form back, trying to figure his rhythm out. Tonight I think he did a good job just talking up, commanding the offense, commanding the team on the defensive side of the ball. He was incredible tonight. So we’re going to keep building on that and hopefully we’re able to get this next one, but he controlled the game and was able to get us back into it.”

As we relayed earlier in the week, Simmons’ inconsistent availability and play so far this fall had led to some frustration within the Nets’ organization, but his last two games have arguably been his best of the season. Simmons, who has talked about needing some time to get back to full strength following back surgery in the spring and a nagging knee issue this season, is encouraged by the progress he’s making.

“I’m coming,” Simmons said. “I’m getting there, man. It’s taking a little bit of time, but I got my own back. My teammates got my back, my coaches.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Simmons probably needs to be moved back into the starting lineup in order to maximize his potential, but doing so would mean pairing him with Nic Claxton, another non-shooter, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). Claxton is having a breakout year in his own right and doesn’t deserve to be demoted, so new head coach Jacque Vaughn will have to determine how best to deploy the duo. “The analytics spoke to us, and (the numbers said) the spacing just isn’t as good (when they play together) as when they’re separated,” Vaughn said. “So we have to figure out some solutions that way, because defensively if we can get Kevin and Nic and Ben on the floor at the same time, that’s a pretty big group with Royce (O’Neale) also. That’s a lot of versatility, so we’re gonna continue to work through it. We saw (Thursday) there was some success, and we’ll continue to learn about it.”
Kyrie Irving will have some adjustments to make when he returns from his eight-game suspension on Sunday, according to Lewis at The New York Post. As Lewis writes, Vaughn has preached a defensive-minded, team-first dynamic since taking over for Steve Nash and Brooklyn has responded by posting a 106.3 defensive rating during Irving’s absence, the NBA’s third-best mark during that stretch. Prior to Irving’s suspension, the Nets had a league-worst 118.3 defensive rating.
John Hollinger and Alex Schiffer of The Athletic weigh and debate various trade options for the Nets, with Hollinger ultimately concluding that the best approach for the club may be to simply play more games and “hope somebody’s trade value increases.”
Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post (subscription required) makes a case for why the Nets shouldn’t consider blowing up their roster this season, arguing that doing so would make a bad situation worse.

Kyrie Irving Expected To Return To Action Sunday

November 17th, 2022 at 5:10pm CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 17: Irving is expected to suit up on Sunday against the Grizzlies, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Charania’s sources add that both Irving and the Nets feel he has done positive work throughout his suspension to learn and grow, including having met with several community leaders. One source added that the seven-time All-Star went “above and beyond” the Nets’ guidance for what was required in his return.

NOVEMBER 16: Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who is currently serving a suspension without pay for promoting an antisemitic film on Twitter and failing to apologize or condemn the material multiple times afterward, could rejoin the team as soon as Sunday’s game versus Memphis, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Thursday’s contest at Portland will mark Irving’s eighth straight missed game, but the end of his suspension appears to be imminent, per Wojnarowski.

“Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education,” NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio told ESPN on Wednesday night. “He has been grappling with the full weight of the impact of his voice and actions, particularly in the Jewish community. Kyrie rejects antisemitism in any form, and he’s dedicated to bettering himself and increasing his level of understanding. He plans to continue this journey well into the future to ensure that his words and actions align with his pursuit of truth and knowledge.”

According to Wojnarowski, Tremaglio and the players’ union worked in tandem with Irving, the Nets, and the NBA to help the seven-time All-Star through the suspension process. While the Nets initially gave Irving a list of six requirements in order for the suspension to be lifted, the situation “evolved into Irving himself taking ownership of the process, which is what the Nets and league hoped would be the case,” Wojnarowski writes.

Irving, who eventually apologized via Instagram after being suspended, had constructive meetings with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Nets owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai last week. Both Silver and the Tsais said they didn’t believe Irving to be antisemitic, but Silver said that was “not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content.”

The Nets have dropped back-to-back games, including Tuesday’s blowout loss at Sacramento in which they gave up a season-high 153 points, and currently sit with a 6-9 record in 2022/23. Still, they’ve played decently overall without Irving, going 4-3 in his absence.

Irving is in the final year of contract, so he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Through eight games (38.6 minutes per night), he holds averages of 26.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks on .453/.280/.927 shooting.