Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

LaMelo Ball

Southeast Notes: Poole, Wizards, Butler, LaMelo

November 28th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran guard Jordan Poole considers the Wizards‘ recent struggles necessary for the team to eventually take the leap to the next level. Following a 121-96 home defeat to the Clippers on Wednesday, Washington’s 13th in a row, Poole addressed reporters post-game, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).

“It’s just a matter of figuring things out,” Poole said. “Good things take time… You’ve got to go through it. Every organization has to go through tough times in order to figure out what the good times are like, if that makes sense. You’ve got to figure it out, you’re building a foundation, you’re laying pieces. It’s not supposed to be easy.”

Washington is currently 2-15 on the year, and in prime position to earn a top lottery pick for next year’s loaded draft.

Across 15 games this season, the Michigan alum is averaging 20.3 points on a .449/.432/.883 slash line. He’s also dishing out 4.7 assists and pulling down 2.1 rebounds per.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

  • Just a month and change into their 2024/25 season, the Wizards are already feeling the effects of their rebuild, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “To me, we don’t really have a choice,” rookie guard Kyshawn George said Wednesday. “It’s too easy to just give up, and you lean on the people that are around you. I think we have a great group of guys as persons that hold each other accountable. We’re all working toward the same goal — the players and the coaching staff and the whole organization. So, it’s too easy to just say, ‘OK, this is what it is, and we’re not going to get better.’”
  • Heat All-Star wing Jimmy Butler was held out of the fourth quarter of the team’s eventual 98-94 Wednesday win over the Hornets due to an achy back, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Reserve center Kevin Love is also dealing with back issues. He departed the Heat’s 106-103 loss to the Bucks on Tuesday ahead of the second half and missed the Charlotte game. “He’s not comfortable enough to play today or finish the game yesterday,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said Wednesday of Love. “But he’s dealt with it before and we’ll see how he feels when we get back.” Butler is considered probable to suit up for Miami’s next game on Friday, while Love is merely questionable, Chiang writes in another story.
  • Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball will sit out Charlotte’s NBA Cup clash with the Knicks on Friday due to a sore left calf, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Boone notes that Ball has enjoyed a fairly healthy start to the year, appearing in all 18 contests for the 6-12 Hornets so far. Always a prolific scorer, the 6’7″ pro has topped himself this year, averaging 31.1 points per game on .430/.356/.848 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in 6.9 dimes and 5.4 boards per contest.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Harrison Barnes Named Players Of The Week

November 25th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Player of the Week for the Eastern Conference, while Spurs forward Harrison Barnes has won the award in the West, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a perfect 4-0 week from November 18-24, helping the team climb out of the hole it dug itself early in the season. After dropping eight of their first 10 games this fall, the Bucks now rank sixth in the East at 8-9.

The two-time MVP averaged 32.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game in victories over Houston, Chicago, Indiana, and Charlotte. He made 61.2% of his 21.3 field goal attempts per game for the week.

While it was the 24th career Player of the Week award for Antetokounmpo, it’s a first-time honor for Barnes, who has appeared in 928 regular season games since entering the NBA as the seventh overall pick in the 2012 draft.

According to the Spurs, Barnes is the first player since the Player of the Week award was introduced in 1979 to earn the first one of his career in his 13th season (or later). Barnes is also the first Spur to be named Player of the Week since DeMar DeRozan in January 2020, per the team.

Barnes’ Spurs went 3-0 this week, registering upset victories over the Thunder on Tuesday and the Warriors on Saturday. The 32-year-old forward played a key role, averaging 22.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 1.7 APG with a .618/.600/.727 shooting line.

The other nominees for the Eastern Conference award were Hornets teammates LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Heat swingman Jimmy Butler, Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome, Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, and Magic forward Franz Wagner.

In the West, Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Clippers teammates James Harden and Ivica Zubac, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins were also nominated (Twitter link).

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Southeast Notes: Ball, G. Williams, Wagner Brothers, Butler

November 24th, 2024 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

LaMelo Ball joined Kemba Walker as the only Hornets players to reach 50 points in a game in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. At 23, Ball is the third-youngest player in NBA history to achieve that mark. He only had 10 points at halftime, but he took over after intermission, particularly in the third quarter when he repeatedly attacked the basket and posted 22 points.

“It’s just him leading the team as always, leading everybody, making everybody better, getting everybody in the right places,” Brandon Miller said. “… (It’s) a great effect. It just builds confidence for everybody to play harder. We didn’t get the win, so we are going to work toward trying to get some wins.”

Ball had a scary moment early in the second half when he crashed to the floor following a mid-air collision with Brook Lopez. However, he was eventually able to get up and continue playing. Ball’s aggressiveness was a welcome sign for coach Charles Lee, who has been encouraging his point guard to drive to the hoop more often rather than settling for outside jumpers.

“He’s been phenomenal with his offensive production so far,” Lee said. “Things that I think he can continue to grow in are just understanding time and score. Slowing down a little bit and not letting the defense speed him up and just getting the shots that he wants or that we want is an area for him that he can continue to watch film and continue to talk about.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Hornets forward Grant Williams had to be helped off the court after an awkward fall on a drive late in Saturday’s game, Boone adds. Williams couldn’t put any weight on his right leg and needed assistance to get to the locker room. “I think it has just been diagnosed as a right knee injury,” Lee said. “We’ll continue to get some imaging and evaluations. The most important thing is all of our prayers are with Grant and we hope the news comes back as good as possible.” 
  • In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Moritz Wagner talks about watching his brother, Franz Wagner, raise his game to the next level. Franz has been running the Magic‘s offense since Paolo Banchero was sidelined with an injury and is averaging career highs with 23.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. “An introduction to superstardom,” Moritz said. “Not to exaggerate, but I think he’s understanding his power and how good he can be.”
  • After being listed as questionable due to an illness, Heat forward Jimmy Butler will be available for tonight’s game against Dallas, sources tell Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

LaMelo Ball Fined $100K For Postgame Comment

November 17th, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100K for issuing a derogatory slur during a televised postgame interview, the NBA has announced in a statement (Twitter link).

Ball was speaking after a heroic 15-point fourth quarter individual effort helped Charlotte secure a 115-114 victory over the reeling Bucks on Saturday (video link).

Across his 12 healthy contests, the 6’7″ pro is averaging a career-best 29.6 points per game on .440/.364/.875 shooting to go along with 6.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per night.

The 23-year-old made just 7-of-20 shots from the field in Saturday’s victory, but compensated with a steady diet of free throws. He shot an immaculate 11-of-11 from the charity stripe and finished with a game-high 26 points. Ball also chipped in nine rebounds and six assists.

Charlotte has gotten off to a steady 5-7 start, good for the East’s No. 8 seed, under new head coach Charles Lee, who won a championship with the Celtics last year under Joe Mazzulla. Next up for the Hornets is a road date with the undefeated (14-0) Cavaliers on Sunday.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis Named Players Of The Week

October 28th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum and Lakers star forward/center Anthony Davis were named the NBA’s Players of the Week for the stretch of Oct. 22-27, the league announced (Twitter link). Tatum was the Eastern Conference’s winner, while Davis claimed the Western Conference award.

Tatum helped the Celtics to a 3-0 start to the season, which included blowout wins over the Knicks and Wizards. In his first three games, Tatum averaged 33.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting a blistering 54.7% from the field and 48.6% from beyond the arc.

Davis has also shot the ball extremely well to open the year, connecting on a .571/.400/.800 line. He has helped the Lakers win against three playoff hopefuls this year, defeating the Timberwolves, Suns and Kings to remain undefeated. Davis is averaging 34.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 steals per game to open the year.

According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the East were Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Atlanta’s Trae Young. Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, the Clippers’ James Harden and Ivica Zubac, and the Lakers’ LeBron James were nominated in the West.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Southeast Notes: Coulibaly, Sarr, Hornets, Bogdanovic, Magic

October 28th, 2024 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Bilal Coulibaly‘s improved ball-handling didn’t earn him a significant role with the French Olympic team, but it’s paying off for the Wizards, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. The second-year forward has already set career highs with six assists and 23 points in the first two games, and he looks to be an important part of the rebuilding project in Washington.

“I showed them I could go to the rim, pull up and everything. [The coaches] saw it, I guess, and now they believe in me,” Coulibaly said. “[Head coach Brian Keefe] saw it and he was like ‘yeah, he can play.’ So, he gave me a lot more [responsibility].”

Coulibaly has been expanding all facets of his offensive attack, Hughes adds. He’s driving to the basket 8.0 times per game, more than double last season’s rate, and he shot 4-of-9 from three-point range Saturday against Cleveland. He was also given the toughest defensive assignment, matching up with Donovan Mitchell.

“This is something he’s going to grow into, a ball-handler and decision-maker, plus guard the best player,” Keefe said. “These are great things. You have to grow through that. That’s not something you just flip the switch on. You have to go through that and learn what that feels like. He’s learning every day.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Rookie Alex Sarr faced Evan Mobley, who provides an example of what the Wizards hope Sarr can become, states Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. The No. 3 pick in 2021, Mobley is a lean big man with elite defensive instincts and an expanding offensive game. Washington may wind up building its roster around Sarr much like Cleveland has done with Mobley. “It was cool playing against him,” Sarr said. “He’s a great big, so it’s always fun going up against players like that.”
  • LaMelo Ball, Cody Martin and Seth Curry were in the Hornets‘ lineup for Saturday’s game against Miami even though they had all been listed as questionable, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte is already short-handed with Mark Williams and Brandon Miller both sidelined, so Martin said there’s a determination to take the court. “We want to play,” he said. “At the end of the day, everybody in this locker room is hungry and wants to play and when they decide — or it’s deemed they are not playing — they probably can’t play. And I think that’s the biggest understanding. I don’t think anybody questions how important it is for us to want to play and get out there and just have fun.”
  • Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic missed Sunday’s game with right hamstring tendinopathy and the team is being careful not to aggravate the condition, tweets John Hollinger of The Athletic.
  • The Magic‘s G League affiliate in Osceola has announced its preseason roster (Twitter link). It includes two-way players Mac McClung and Trevelin Queen.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Suggs, Ball, Mann, Okongwu, Banchero, Miller

October 25th, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Johnson‘s five-year extension with the Hawks was one of the last deals to be announced on Monday because the paperwork reached the league office just minutes before the 5:00 pm Central deadline, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. In an article co-written with Tim Bontemps, Windhorst states that the two sides didn’t come to an agreement until after Jalen Suggs reached an extension with the Magic. Both teams slightly increased their offers to get the deals finalized, sources tell Windhorst.

He adds that Hawks officials were relieved to get Johnson to commit to a five-year arrangement with no player option. Johnson is coming off a breakthrough season in which he averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 56 games, and at 23 he’s viewed as one of the young cornerstones of the franchise.

Scouts and executives from rival teams were impressed that Atlanta and Orlando were able to sign their young stars to contracts that will become less burdensome over time, Bontemps adds. The salary cap is projected to increase by up to 10% each season, but Johnson’s deal will stay flat at $30MM for each of the next five years, while Suggs’ salary starts at $35MM next season and declines until it reaches $26.7MM in 2029/30.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is wearing strong ankle braces to help avoid the injury problems that have ended his last two seasons, Bontemps reveals in the same piece. Ball was impressive with 34 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists in the season opener, and he got help from Tre Mann, who contributed 24 points off the bench and could be in line for a breakout season after being acquired from Oklahoma City in February. Sources tell Bontemps that Mann had offseason talks about a rookie scale extension with Charlotte, but wasn’t able to come to an agreement.
  • Center Onyeka Okongwu sparked the Hawks with 28 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in an opening night win over Brooklyn. He was happy to be able to play 28 minutes after missing time late last season with a toe injury and being used sparingly during the preseason, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. “That was my main concern, just coming into this season,” Okongwu said. “It was my conditioning. I was blessed to spend my summer getting right, but I felt really good out there and I’m just happy we got the win.”
  • Magic forward Paolo Banchero has released the first installment of this year’s Andscape diary with Marc J. Spears. Banchero talks about growing up in Seattle, the adjustment to Orlando, the playoff series with Cleveland, advice from Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic and a few other topics.
  • Brandon Miller will be reevaluated in a week after being forced out of Wednesday’s opener with a glute strain, the Hornets announced (via Twitter). Head coach Charles Lee talked to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer about the challenge of replacing Miller.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Hornets Notes: Ball, Mann, Miller, Co-Owners

October 24th, 2024 at 12:13pm CST by Rory Maher

In his first regular season game in nine months, Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball showed zero signs of rust, writes Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. The former All-Star had a superlative debut in Wednesday’s five-point victory in Houston, recording 34 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, with the team going plus-14 in his 38 minutes.

The 2021 Rookie of the Year has been limited to just 58 games over the past two seasons — including only 22 in 2023/24 — due to a variety of ankle injuries, but the team knows how impactful he can be when he’s able to suit up.

“He’s like the engine for us,” said Charles Lee, who notched his first career win as a head coach. “If we have a healthy LaMelo Ball, we’re going to do a lot of really good things because I know that he’s going to continue to grow and he helps everyone around him continue to be better, too.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

  • Fourth-year guard Tre Mann was another standout in Wednesday’s victory, scoring an efficient 24 points and grabbing six rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Mann, who was traded from Oklahoma City to Charlotte last February, said he’s feeling more comfortable now than he was at the end of last season. “It’s been pretty smooth, actually,” Mann told Hunter Bailey of The Charlotte Observer. “When I got here last year it was tougher — being in the middle of the season and just having a kid. Over the summer I got a crib closer to the arena, so it’s been super smooth for me. I’m settling in, me, my wife, and my son.” The 23-year-old will be a restricted free agent next summer.
  • Second-year wing Brandon Miller threw down a monster dunk in the first quarter yesterday (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports), but he only played 11 minutes after experiencing left hip soreness, per the team (Twitter link). Miller’s health status will be important to monitor, as last year’s No. 2 overall pick is one of the team’s best players.
  • In an extensive interview with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin describe their plan to turn the Hornets into the “premier franchise of the NBA.”
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

And-Ones: M. Williams, Rookies, International Prospects, G League Trade

October 20th, 2024 at 7:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Monty Williams will be a head coach after all this season, just not in the pro or college ranks.

Williams has accepted the head coaching job at TMI Episcopal prep school in San Antonio, where he will coach his son Elijah, NBA insider Chris Haynes tweets. The Pistons fired Williams in June just one season after he signed a six-year, $78.5MM contract.

Williams is replacing former NBA forward Bruce Bowen at the San Antonio prep school, Haynes adds in another tweet.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Southeast Notes: Daniels, Hawks, Martin, Hornets, Sarr

October 12th, 2024 at 1:58pm CST by Rory Maher

In his Hawks debut on Tuesday vs. Indiana, third-year guard Dyson Daniels looked like he could form a solid partnership next to Trae Young, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Hawks acquired Daniels from New Orleans this offseason in the Dejounte Murray trade.

Known for his strong defense, the 21-year-old Australian recorded 14 points (on 5-of-8 shooting) and three assists in 22 minutes. Daniels is a former lottery pick, having been selected No. 8 overall in the 2022 draft.

“Dyson did a lot of good things,” head coach Quin Snyder said. “I thought defensively, we’ve talked about his presence on the court defensively. But, I thought he made the game simple. He made the right pass when someone was open, he passed to them. He moved without the ball when he needed, and he was spaced. It’s such an elusive thing to talk about spacing all the time, but if you’re not spaced, it’s hard to play together. Dyson does all those things. He does them intuitively, and he’s committed to them, and as a result, he’s someone that makes his team better.”

Here’s more from the Southeast:

  • If the Hawks want to improve their 36-46 record from last season, a good place to start would be to perform better in clutch situations, particularly on the defensive end, Williams writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I think having clarity down the stretch, and the biggest thing is getting stops,” Snyder said Thursday. “It’s hard to score late in an NBA game. You have to make shots (and) sometimes those shots are more contested. The way to score is to get stops and to score in transition. One thing that will be important for us is there’s a mindset where you can continue to attack, and there’s also a mindset where not one player has to do that.”
  • Hornets wing Cody Martin has been sidelined by a variety of injuries over the past two seasons, having played just 35 games over that span. He’s currently dealing with a sprained right wrist and laceration on his thumb, but he’s confident he’ll be back soon, even if he doesn’t know exactly when it will be, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “Just a basketball play,” said Martin. “It’s unfortunate. I’m optimistic. I’m good. I’m just trying to figure it out for now and making sure that we are all on the same page going forward. But I’m in good spirits to be honest with you. I’m staying even-keeled.”
  • LaMelo Ball and Josh Green were held out of the Hornets‘ preseason game vs. Memphis on Thursday, but neither player is injured, according to Boone. “We’ve played a lot of basketball so far,” said head coach Charles Lee. “We did training camp on the road at Duke and so there’s going to be a couple of guys when you’re playing a three-in-five that we’re going to be mindful of their minutes.”
  • Josh Robbins of The Athletic spoke to a handful of NBA scouts from rival teams to get an idea of what talent evaluators think of No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. All of the scouts believe the Wizards‘ rookie big man will need time to develop, and most are bullish on his defensive upside. “The biggest thing is his mobility and motor, his ability to run the floor and switch and contain on the perimeter as well as be someone who can protect the rim,” one scout said.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts