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Southeast Notes: Bridges, Williams, Da Silva, Vukcevic

December 14th, 2024 at 7:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heading into his first year with the Hornets, head coach Charles Lee had been planning to start Miles Bridges and Mark Williams together on his front line, but he didn’t have that opportunity until Friday night, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Bridges returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a bone bruise on his right knee, marking his first game this season alongside Williams, who made his debut last week after recovering from a strained tendon in his left foot.

“I thought they had good games,” Lee said. “Miles, I think you see what he can bring to our offense, in terms of being able to be a pick-and-roll handler, off ball catch-and-shoot guy or off ball driver and play-maker. And then defensively, I thought that his communication was really good, his rebounding. So, I’m encouraged. And I thought Mark had some good spurts on both ends of the floor, too.”

Williams made his first start of the season, contributing 15 points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes and showing signs that he might be ready to resume his normal role after being out of action for about a year. It was his longest outing since being cleared to return as his conditioning level continues to improve.

“It felt good,” he said. “Shout-out to my teammates for keeping my head in it, staying solid. But it felt good. Obviously, the intention was to win the game. This is a small piece of it. We were short in doing that, but I definitely felt good. There’s a lot of stuff I need to improve on individually and we can improve on collectively. But I think with each game I’m getting more and more comfortable with time increasing each game.”

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Lee’s first season as a head coach has featured revolving lineups as the Hornets have been hit especially hard by injuries, Boone adds. Lottery pick Tidjane Salaun also returned on Friday night and LaMelo Ball is expected back soon, but many of the combinations Lee has been forced to use haven’t played together very often. “I’m super proud of our guys,” he said. “No matter who’s been available, there hasn’t been any excuses made and there’s just been an overall competitiveness.”
Magic rookie Tristan da Silva has appeared in 23 games and made 16 starts, but he realized at today’s practice that he hasn’t played at the same time as Paolo Banchero, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The first-round pick wasn’t used much early in the season, and his first real opportunity didn’t come until Banchero was sidelined with a torn oblique. Da Silva said Banchero has been extremely helpful in his adjustment to the NBA. “He’s been very vocal,” Da Silva said. “He brings a lot of energy off the bench, which is really good for us, especially on the road. Every time somebody subs out, he’s right there telling people what he sees and giving his input on the game, which is amazing. Advice like that from a guy like that from the sideline is always good.”
Wizards two-way center Tristan Vukcevic was expected to start practicing today with the team’s G League affiliate, relays Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Vukcevic, a second-round pick in 2023, has been sidelined all season with a left knee contusion.

Hornets Notes: Bridges, Ball, Micic, Williams

December 11th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Miles Bridges is getting closer to making his return as the Hornets start to overcome their early-season injury issues, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Bridges, who hasn’t played since November 19 because of a bone bruise on his right knee, was able to participate in team activities during Wednesday’s practice.

“It’s good,” he said. “You know I hate sitting out. I’m progressing toward the right way. That’s what I’m trying to get to. I’m getting better every day.”

Charlotte’s 7-17 start can be explained by the lengthy string of injuries that has hit the team since Mark Williams suffered a strained tendon in his left foot just before the start of training camp. Nick Richards, Tre Mann, LaMelo Ball and Tidjane Salaun followed him on the injury list, and Grant Williams was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Williams and Richards have already resumed playing, and Mann is expected to be reevaluated in the next few days.

“You see different teams dealing with injuries now, so I’m kind of happy that we’ve got that out the way — except for Grant missing the whole year,” said Bridges, who added that he re-aggravated his condition by trying to return too soon. “But just guys being able to come back now, it’s the right time — at the meat of the season. So, I feel like we’ll be good.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

Coach Charles Lee said the team is being cautious with Ball, who is recovering from a left calf strain he suffered in a November 27 game, Boone adds. Ball was projected to miss at least two weeks, and Lee said he’s not quite ready to return. “You’ve got to be able to see, No. 1 how does his body respond to trying to run, especially full speed motions?” Lee said. “And then after that, it’s how do we see him do some cutting now within the full speed running, So, there’s a progression.”
Vasilije Micic should be considered expendable as the Hornets explore trade options ahead of the February 6 deadline, Boone states in a mailbag column. Micic has been seeing increased minutes as a backup point guard while Ball and Mann are sidelined, but Boone views KJ Simpson as more of a long-term foundation piece than Micic.
Fans shouldn’t expect Williams to reclaim his place in the starting lineup anytime soon, Boone adds in the same piece. Injuries forced the big man to miss nearly a full calendar year, so he’ll need time to regain his conditioning before he’s able to play more than 30 minutes every night.

LaMelo Ball To Miss At Least Two Weeks

November 30th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been diagnosed with a left calf strain, the team announced today in a press release. Ball’s injury, which he sustained during Wednesday’s game vs. Miami, was initially listed as left calf soreness before he underwent additional evaluation.

According to the Hornets, their leading scorer will be reevaluated two weeks from the date the injury, which would be December 11.

That means that Ball, who missed his first game of the season on Friday vs. New York, will remain sidelined for at least Charlotte’s next five games – against the Hawks, Sixers, Knicks, Cavaliers, and Pacers – and could be out beyond that.

Ball has been one of the NBA’s most dynamic players so far this season, averaging a career-high 31.3 points per game to go along with 6.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per night. His shooting percentage is a modest 43.0%, he’s averaging 4.5 turnovers per game, and his defense has been subpar, but the Hornets will certainly miss the 23-year-old on the offensive end of the floor.

The Hornets also announced today that guard Tre Mann, who has missed the past four games due to low back soreness, has been diagnosed with disc irritation. Mann will be reevaluated in two weeks, which would be Dec. 14.

Mann, who is in his fourth NBA season, got off to a solid start this fall, with averages of 14.1 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 2.9 RPG, along with a .400 3PT%, in his first 13 games off the bench (24.5 MPG). He’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

The banged-up Hornets will lean heavily on third-string point guard Vasilije Micic with Ball and Mann unavailable — the Serbian played 31 minutes in Friday’s loss to New York. Nick Smith Jr., KJ Simpson, and Seth Curry are among the other candidates for increased roles in the backcourt.

There is some good news on the injury front for Charlotte. Center Nick Richards, who hasn’t played since November 1 due to a broken rib, has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Atlanta. It sounds like he’s on track to make his return either tonight or on Tuesday vs. Philadelphia.

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.

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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.

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).

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.