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Injury Updates: Mitchell, Anderson, Harkless, Irving

April 16th, 2018 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz star rookie guard Donovan Mitchell is questionable to play in Game 2 against the Thunder because of a left foot contusion, Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News reports. Mitchell, who scored 27 points with 10 rebounds in his playoff debut, is optimistic he’ll play Wednesday after undergoing an MRI. “I can walk. I’m good. I’m not limping,” Mitchell told Woodyard and other media members.

In other injury-related news:

Rockets power forward Ryan Anderson could return from an ankle sprain to play in Game 2 of their series against the Timberwolves, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. He missed the last four regular-season games and Game 1. “The last I heard is he had a good workout before the game,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni told Feigen. “He has a real good shot [to play on] Wednesday and definitely on Saturday.” Anderson shot well against Minnesota this season, averaging 12 PPG while making 50% of his 3-point tries.
Trail Blazers small forward Maurice Harkless has been upgraded to questionable for Game 2 against the Pelicans, Jason Quick of NBC Sports Northwest tweets. Harkless missed the last 10 games with a left knee injury. Harkless averaged 14.8 PPG in his last six outings prior to the injury.
Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving is already walking around without a noticeable limp just a little over a week after knee surgery, Taylor Snow of Celtics.com writes. Irving underwent season-ending knee surgery April 7 to remove two screws in his left knee. “I had just got done literally 10 minutes ago talking to our training staff and the people who are working most closely with him, and they feel great about his early [progress] a week in, or whatever it is,” coach Brad Stevens said. “That’s exciting, that’s encouraging. Again, he’s going to make a full recovery.”

Southwest Notes: Ginobili, Irving, Holiday, D’Antoni

April 12th, 2018 at 10:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

Manu Ginobili has been a member of the Spurs for his entire 16-year NBA career and it’s far from a guarantee that he returns for a 17th season. As Ginobili prepares for the postseason, his teammates and coaches are enjoying his presence and contributions while they still can, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News writes in a lengthy feature.

The 40-year-old played in 65 games off the bench for the Spurs this season, averaging a modest 8.9 PPG and 2.5 RPG. However, his impact in his native Argentina and as a member of the Spurs in San Antonio has resonated for nearly two decades. Head coach Gregg Popovich is among those who tries to honor Ginobili’s career as it winds down.

“I try to touch him before every game and remember what he’s meant to us over the years and how significant a factor he has been in our success,” Popovich said. “I think I’m enjoying him more than ever because I feel like I’m about to lose him.”

Check out more Southwest Division notes below:

When Kyrie Irving demanded a trade last offseason, the Spurs were one of four teams that Irving was reportedly interested in. However, in retrospect, not making a trade for the All-Star point guard was a good move, Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News opines. While Irving’s talent made a trade enticing, his recent season-ending knee surgery paired with Kawhi Leonard‘s lost season would have made for a disappointing year, Finger writes.
During a recent appearance on the Hard in the Paint podcast, Pelicans’ point guard Jrue Holiday spoke glowingly of teammate Rajon Rondo, stating that he belongs in the Hall of Fame and has a future after his playing days, Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype writes. “In my opinion, yes,” Holiday said of Rondo deserving to be inducted. “He is a coach and a GM. He’d be very similar to Doc Rivers.”
The Rockets finished the season with the best record in the Western Conference and are poised to put up a strong fight for a championship. However, even if the Rockets fail to win a title, head coach Mike D’Antoni said their season can still be cherished, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes.

Injury Updates: Thomas, Ball, Irving, Curry

April 7th, 2018 at 9:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Thomas is declaring his right hip to be “fixed” after season-ending surgery, relays Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. Thomas played just 17 games for the Lakers before opting for the March 28 procedure to address lingering problems in the hip. He talked to reporters at Friday’s game and proclaimed his time with in L.A. to be successful.

“I came in here with … nothing on my agenda and nothing in my plans,” Thomas said. “I just wanted to play basketball and get that joy back and being on the Lakers brought that joy back from having a tough couple of months in Cleveland.”

Thomas added that the pain in his hip never went away, even as he sat out for seven months in an attempt to rehab the joint. He expressed confidence that the situation won’t affect his offers in free agency, believing that teams will understand he was trying to play through an injury.

There’s plenty of news tonight on the injury front:

The season may not be over for rookie guard Lonzo Ball, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Ball, who has missed the past five games with a left knee contusion, participated in some drills today and the Lakers have upgraded him to questionable for Sunday’s contest. Teammate Kyle Kuzma is also questionable after suffering a mild sprain to his left ankle Friday night.
The Celtics expect Kyrie Irving to be ready for training camp after having knee surgery today, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPN. Irving had two screws removed from his left knee and has a projected recovery time of four to five months. “The surgery went exactly as planned, and we expect Kyrie to be fully healthy for training camp in the fall,” president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a prepared statement.
Celtics center Daniel Theis, who had season-ending surgery on his left knee, said he hopes to be able to get off his crutches in two to three weeks, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston.
Celtics forward Guerschon Yabusele will have an MRI on his knee after sitting out practice today, according to Tom Westerholm of MassLive. “They don’t think it’s anything,” coach Brad Stevens said of team doctors, “but they’re going to get some imaging just to make sure.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr declined to offer an update on Stephen Curry before tonight’s game, tweets Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. The star guard will miss at least the first round of the playoffs with an MCL sprain. “There’s nothing there,” Kerr said. “[Check back] next week.”
The Nuggets are preparing to finish the season without guard Gary Harris, who is recovering from a knee injury, relays Gina Mizell of The Denver Post (Twitter link). “Right now, I’m not expecting Gary Harris back [in the regular season],” coach Michael Malone said before today’s game. “We have to continue to find ways to win games and compete at a high level with the players that are available, and Gary’s not on that list right now.”
The Bucks had hoped that Malcolm Brogdon could play tonight, but decided to hold him out for another game, writes Matt Velazquez of The Journal Sentinel. Brogdon hasn’t been available since since partially tearing his left quadriceps tendon more than two months ago. “Honestly there hasn’t been many setbacks,” Brogdon said. “I’ve had maybe two or three sore days in the whole rehab process and that’s not many at all. Very few setbacks. I’ve made progress, progress, taken big steps almost every day so it’s been a very smooth rehab so far.”

Celtics Notes: Irving, Gibson, Monroe, Morris

April 7th, 2018 at 4:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The follow-up operation that will keep Kyrie Irving out of the playoffs should fix his knee problem for good, although there is a slight chance of further complications, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Irving had successful surgery today, the Celtics announced, with two screws being removed that were used to repair the fractured patella he suffered in the 2015 NBA Finals.

The screws, which measure about four millimeters and were used to hold in place a tension wire that surgeons removed last month, had become infected. Deveney talked to Dr. Derek Ochiai, an orthopedic surgeon at the Nirschl Orthopedic Center, who explained that Irving’s condition can be easily fixed if the infection is localized, but is more serious if he has osteomyelitis, which would involve a slow-moving infection that began when the screws were first inserted.

“Best-case scenario, there is no osteomyelitis, no bone infection, no bacteria, and they’re taking the screws out as a precaution,” Dr. Ochiai explained. “Once he heals up and the screws are out, he’s fine. That’s best-case. But if there is an infection, you really should jump on that. Somebody who has had it for years, you’re looking at six weeks of IV antibiotics … and possibly other debris treatments where you have to clean out the bone more. You have to make those holes bigger to try to treat the infection. But you have to hope, he gets the hardware removed, and he is OK from there.”

There’s more news out of Boston:

New Celtic Jonathan Gibson became an instant fan favorite, relays Taylor Snow of NBA.com. Shortly after signing with the team, Gibson delivered nine points in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game. The offer was a surprise to Gibson, who was in Las Vegas when he learned about it on Thursday. “My agent called me and asked, ‘Do you want to go play for the Celtics the rest of the season?’” Gibson said. “I said, ‘Sure!’ and [director of player personnel] Austin [Ainge] called me and confirmed it. I was definitely excited. I called my family and let everybody know. Then I was on my way out here in the next couple of hours.”
Impending free agent Greg Monroe made his case for a new contract Friday by posting the first triple double for a Celtics center since 1987, notes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Monroe had 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over the Bulls.
Marcus Morris discussed his relationship with the officials after being ejected for the second time this week, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “I’m not trying to be a bully and get kicked out,” he said. “They need to realize that because I’m not really having conversations with the referees, I don’t have anything to say to them. They’re doing too much by throwing guys out the game.”

Celtics Notes: Irving, Outlook, Smart

April 5th, 2018 at 10:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics’ chances of making a deep postseason run were dealt a serious blow on Thursday when the team announced that Kyrie Irving would be undergoing a second procedure on his knee that will sideline him for four or five months.

As Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes, the Celtics knew when they acquired Irving from the Cavs last August that the star point guard had dealt with lingering knee pain and might need to go under the knife at some point. However, league sources tell Himmelsbach that the procedure wasn’t considered pressing, and the C’s crafted a plan to limit the “wear and tear” on Irving’s knee.

When Irving’s pain became more pronounced last month, he and the club attempted to address the problem with rest and then with a minimally invasive surgery. After team doctors recognized an infection in the knee that would likely require a second procedure, the C’s “aggressively” sought other options, sources tell Himmelsbach. Even though Irving reported that his knee was feeling better though, it was eventually determined that the second surgery – which will officially end his season – was the only viable path.

Here’s more out of Boston:

In spite of Irving’s injury, Celtics president Danny Ainge insists he’s eager to see how his young squad performs in the postseason, according to reports from Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald and A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. “We’re not giving up on this. Absolutely not,” Ainge said. “We’ve played some fantastic basketball in spite of the challenges that we’ve had from a physical standpoint. So I like watching these guys play, and they’re going to fight.”
While the Celtics’ upside for this year’s postseason is limited, the franchise remains extremely well-positioned for the future and some bad injury luck doesn’t change that, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
Irving isn’t the only injured Celtics guard to keep an eye on — Marcus Smart is scheduled to have his thumb re-evaluated next week, and his recovery timetable could become more clear at that point, tweets Himmelsbach. The most likely scenario would see Smart returning for the second round of the playoffs, assuming Boston makes it that far.
Earlier today, we passed along word of the Celtics’ contract agreement with Jonathan Gibson, and asked you how far you expect the club to advance in the playoffs.

Kyrie Irving To Miss Playoffs; Another Operation Set For Saturday

April 5th, 2018 at 12:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:33pm: Irving will have two screws in his patella removed on Saturday, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. The team expects a complete recovery to take four to five months, which should have him ready for training camp. Doctors found a bacterial infection in the knee during the last operation and the screws are being taken out to help clear that up, adds Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link).

APRIL 5, 11:57am: Kyrie Irving won’t be able to help the Celtics in the postseason, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Sources say Irving’s left knee surgery will keep him sidelined throughout the playoffs.

Irving and the team are considering further treatment for the injured knee, Wojnarowski adds.

Irving had a surgical procedure on March 24 to remove a remove a tension wire that was inserted after he fractured his patella in the 2015 NBA Finals. Doctors described the procedure as “minimally invasive,” and Irving was given a timeline of three to six weeks to return. However, ESPN’s Chris Forsberg notes that the Celtics have consistently said that Irving’s long-term health takes priority over trying to get him back for this year’s playoffs (Twitter link).

The injury, combined with the loss of Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis, leaves Boston with a very inexperienced lineup heading into the postseason. Terry Rozier will be the starting point guard, and huge contributions will be needed from rookie Jayson Tatum and second-year player Jaylen Brown. Smart, who had surgery on his right thumb, hopes to return at some point in the playoffs.

Boston is locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and will face the Heat, Wizards or Bucks when the postseason begins next weekend.

Injury Updates: Hill, Irving, Wall, Gasol

March 31st, 2018 at 5:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

An MRI confirmed that Cavaliers guard George Hill sprained his left ankle in last night’s win over the Pelicans, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Hill was pulled from the game midway through the third quarter after landing awkwardly on a layup attempt.

Hill has been declared out of Sunday’s game with the Mavericks, but there is no word on his availability beyond that. He will undergo treatment and rehab, but the team hasn’t set a timetable for a return, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link).

Hill has been a valuable addition to the Cavs since he was acquired from the Kings in a deal at the deadline. He has appeared in 22 games, all starts, and is averaging 9.9 points and 2.9 assists per night.

There’s more injury-related news from around the NBA:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens offered an update on the progress of Kyrie Irving, who underwent a procedure on his left knee last week, relays Chris Forsberg of ESPN (Twitter link). “I saw him yesterday,” Stevens said, “spent a lot of time with him. Spirits were good. Bending, extending his knee on a training table. No on-court videos. No 360 dunks.”
John Wall played 33 minutes today in his first game since arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in January. However, the Wizards aren’t going to take a chance with using him in back-to-back games as coach Scott Brooks has already ruled him out of Sunday’s contest in Chicago, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post.
Spurs center Pau Gasol will continue to play through a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, relays Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). Gasol said the shoulder is “going to nag” him for the rest of the season.
An MRI conducted today showed that Trail Blazers forward Ed Davis has a sprained right ankle, according to Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com (Twitter link). Davis will be re-evaluated in seven to 14 days and may miss the start of the playoffs.
Hornets guard Dwayne Bacon was removed from today’s game with a right ankle sprain, the team tweeted. Further evaluation will be needed to determine the extent of the damage.
Hawks forward DeAndre’ Bembry is listed as probable for Sunday’s game with the Magic, according to Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal Constitution (Twitter link). Bembry has been limited to 21 games this season and hasn’t played since suffering a groin injury Feb. 23.

Celtics Notes: Irving, Brown, Silas, Stevens

March 29th, 2018 at 2:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The surgical procedure that Kyrie Irving had on his knee last week may not be the last one of his career, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. The operation was performed to remove a tension wire that was causing irritation. It was inserted after Irving fractured his patella during the 2015 NBA Finals.

“We tried to do a minimal amount of surgery at this moment,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said on 98.5 the Sports Hub. “And it might require some more. We don’t know any of that. I don’t know. … When I say it shouldn’t affect his career, I’m saying his knee is very structurally sound. It isn’t like a long-term thing. There could still be some challenges.”

Ainge added that Celtics didn’t discuss the possibility of surgery for their point guard until he started experiencing discomfort earlier this month. He is projected to be sidelined for three to six weeks.

There’s more today out of Boston:

Jaylen Brown was relieved to get back on the court this week after missing six games with a concussion, Blakely writes in a separate story. Brown was sidelined after landing hard on a dunk in a March 8 game. “I was tired of sitting down,” he said. “I just wanted to play, get ready for the playoffs. This is what it is about. Anytime I’m out there I feel happiness.”
Thirty-year-old guard Xavier Silas never gave up on his NBA dream while playing on a series of G League and overseas contracts, relays Mark D’Amico of NBA.com. Silas had just wrapped up his latest G League season with Northern Arizona when he learned that the Celtics were offering him a 10-day contract. “I think with me being older, I think I understand a little bit that it’s not about trying to do too much, or trying to make a big bang or a big splash,” Silas said. “It’s just, do what I’m supposed to do, and helping out the team, even if it’s little increments here and there.”
Tim Cato of SB Nation examines how the Celtics are able to keep winning with so many key players sidelined. Last night’s comeback in Utah was the latest example as Boston wrapped up a 4-0 road trip with little-used Guerschon Yabusele making his second start of the season. Cato contends the performance makes Brad Stevens a strong contender for Coach of the Year.

Atlantic Notes: Irving, Baker, Miller, Nets Progress

March 25th, 2018 at 8:58pm CST by marksuleymanov

Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving underwent a procedure on his left knee on Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for three to six weeks. Irving’s knee was found to be structurally sound aside from the soreness, a good sign given his troubles with the knee in recent years.

A source tells Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald that doctors were happy with Irving’s kneecap, which had been an issue for him since the 2015 postseason.

“Now it’s a matter of how long it takes the soft tissue to heal,” the source told Murphy. “They’ve known that the knee is sound. The ligaments, cartilage and tendons are all fine.”

Within the confines of the timetable, Irving could be back anywhere from the first round to the end of the second round of the postseason. However, Irving is considered an integral part of the Celtics’ present and future and the team wants him healthy.

In 60 games, Irving averaged 24.4 PPG and 5.1 APG while playing improved defense.

Check out more Atlantic Division notes:

Oft-injured Knicks point guard Ron Baker underwent surgery on his torn right labrum in February and just recently ditched his sling. Baker spoke to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News about his future rehab steps. “Just depends on what staff thinks is best for me,” Baker said. “I’ll see when I get healthy in June. Because not touching a ball for four months and just jumping right into things obviously would be shaky. So obviously summer is going to be a big deal for me.”
The Raptors have to make a decision on whether or not sign him Nigel Hayes for the remainder of the season. However, given Malcolm Miller‘s usage during OG Anunoby‘s injury versus Hayes’ garbage time minutes, Miller is the more likely candidate for the 15th roster spot, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Miller is currently on a two-way deal.
Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said that despite the team’s lackluster record, the season is not over just because the postseason isn’t in the cards, Bryan Fonseca and Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily relay. “Anytime we get (a win) it’s a good thing,” Atkinson said. “It boosts our morale; it confirms what we’re doing.”

Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Lowry, Irving, Celtics

March 24th, 2018 at 9:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz will have the final say in whether he plays again this season, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The first overall pick in last year’s draft has been limited to four games because of a shoulder injury and difficulties with his jumper. He sat out his 68th straight game tonight, but his shot has looked better in pre-game warmups and there is speculation that he might see some action before the playoffs.

“It’s just something that when Markelle Fultz feels like he can go, like he really feels good about himself and his health, the shoulder, everything,” coach Brett Brown said before tonight’s game. “… He knows he’s got a coaching staff and a team that will welcome him in when he says go.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is still playing at a high level at age 32 and believes he has a lot of years left in the NBA, relays Josh Lewenburg of TSN. Lowry, who talks about staying in the league until age 40, says he is inspired by some of the league’s elder statesmen. “[LeBron James] is kinda setting the trend to show that it ain’t the olden times,” Lowry said. “You know, guys at 32 [or] 33, [it used to be] like ‘Oh, they’re done’. But I think those days are over. … We all know our bodies, our diets, we’ve got nutritionists, chefs, trainers. It’s a little bit of a different game and [with new] technology I think guys will be able to play at a higher level at 35 or 36 years old.” Lowry will be 34 when his current contract expires in 2020.
Even though Kyrie Irving is expected to miss the first part of the playoffs, there’s a silver lining for the Celtics regarding today’s surgical procedure on his knee, writes Matt Dollinger of Sports Illustrated. The operation showed the patella fracture he suffered during the 2015 NBA Finals is fully healed and the knee is structurally sound. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge has a long-term plan to build around Irving and Gordon Hayward, Dollinger adds, and should be relieved that Irving projects to have a healthy future.
The Celtics had to alter their plans to sign Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day contract when he reportedly got a better offer from another team. Boston is targeting perimeter depth with its hardship exception, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.