Atlantic Notes: George, Knicks Lineup, Poeltl, Queta, Stevens
Sixers forward Paul George has come back strong from his 25-game league suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. However, it’s unlikely George has increased his trade value, according to Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com.
Aaronson notes that George will soon turn 36 years old and will make over $54.1MM next season while holding a player option worth more than $56.5MM for the following season. George’s injury history would also likely discourage any potential suitors. George has averaged 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his last seven games.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks coach Mike Brown doesn’t anticipate making a lineup change in the postseason, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports. “I don’t believe in never ever. But right now we’re going to start that five and that’s how I foresee it,” the coach said. “If I feel I need to make a change at any time, I’ll make a change. But I don’t feel that way right now.” There were discussions about moving Landry Shamet into the lineup. Earlier this season, Brown downsized his starting lineup, replacing Mitchell Robinson with Josh Hart.
- Jakob Poeltl was handed a three-year contract extension last offseason to remain with the Raptors. Now, the big man appears to be an awkward fit for the Raptors’ rotation and cap sheet, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen opines. Poeltl has appeared in just 42 games due to a back ailment. He’s also not a scoring threat outside the paint and not a good enough defensive player in the paint to make up for that, Koreen adds. Making moves will be complicated due to Poeltl’s contract being guaranteed through 2028/29.
- Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is lobbying for Neemias Queta to receive consideration for the Most Improved Player award. “Neemi’s been great,” Brown said, per The Athletic’s Jay King. “He’s been just consistently getting better, protecting the rim, finishing, making those little shots, rebounding. He’s been great. In my opinion, he’s probably one of the most improved players this year. And I don’t know if he’s up for the award, but he should be.” Queta has started 72 of 73 games, averaging career bests in scoring (10.2), rebounding (8.4) and blocks (1.3).
- Celtics top executive and former head coach Brad Stevens guided Butler to two NCAA Tournament championship games. Stevens indicated he has no interest in going back to the college ranks, Brian Robb of Masslive.com tweets. “I’m not motivated to do anything but what I’m doing,” he said.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Anunoby, George, Tatum
Although Karl-Anthony Towns sat out their blowout win over the Bulls on Friday due a right elbow impingement, the Knicks are nearing full health as the playoffs approach and their postseason rotation is beginning to take shape, Ian Begley of SNY writes.
On Friday, with Mitchell Robinson starting, head coach Mike Brown experimented by using Jeremy Sochan as the backup center and was pleased with the results, naming him the team’s defensive player of the game.
“It allowed us to do a lot of things like switch pick and rolls,” Brown said of using Sochan as a small-ball five. “It brought a different element to our game. Not just offensively with the speed, but defensively with switching a lot of things and just keeping the ball in front of us.”
While Robinson will take the majority of reserve center minutes in the playoffs, having Sochan as an option could allow Brown to go to the Towns-Robinson frontcourt more than he might otherwise.
Another notable change was that neither Jose Alvarado nor breakout rookie Mohamed Diawara played in the first three quarters. With Miles McBride and Landry Shamet healthy, Brown indicated that getting them back up to speed is crucial.
“Deuce is getting healthier and Landry’s getting healthy and trying to find minutes for those guys — both of those guys are capable of playing that (backup guard) spot — is going to be a priority because they’ve proven themselves this year for us,” he said.
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Brown was surprised to hear that wing OG Anunoby has only made an All-Defensive team once in his career, Begley writes in the same article. The Knicks‘ head coach believes the 6’8″ forward is clearly deserving of being recognized a second time this season. “His versatility is just off the charts and you can do a lot of things with your defense because of him,” Brown said. “In my opinion, he deserves First Team All-Defense this year — and hopefully the powers that be will see it that way, too.” Anunoby agreed with his coach’s assessment: “I think I should’ve gotten it last year. I think I should get it this year. That’s definitely a goal of mine, coming into the season, especially defensively, being on the first team or second team — hopefully first.”
- Paul George is listed as probable for the Sixers‘ game against the Pistons today due to left knee injury management. Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports notes (via Twitter) that if George is able to play, this will mark his first back-to-back of the season. Since coming off his 25-game suspension, the nine-time All-Star has been rounding into form, averaging 27.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.2 steals in his past five games.
- There were concerns within the Celtics organization, including players, about trying to rebuild in-game chemistry with Jayson Tatum so soon before the playoffs, but the star wing has quickly alleviated any such concerns, Jay King writes for The Athletic. Boston is 10-2 with Tatum active and he has already been been named Player of the Week. Most importantly, King writes, Tatum hasn’t looked hesitant or uncertain about his body. He is driving at around the same rate as last season, and the defense has been elite when he’s on the floor. King notes that if the Celtics were to win the championship this season, his return could go down in history as one of the league’s all-time comebacks.
Knicks Notes: Shamet, McBride, Robinson, Diawara
Knicks guard Landry Shamet, who has missed the past five games due to a bone bruise in his right knee, is no longer on the injury report and will return to action on Wednesday when the team visits Memphis, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
However, a couple other Knicks rotation players will be unavailable, as center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) and guard Miles McBride (pelvic/core muscle injury management) will sit out on the second end of a back-to-back set. Star guard Jalen Brunson is also considered questionable to play, having been added to the injury report due to right ankle soreness.
Although McBride appeared to reinjure himself on Sunday in his first game back from sports hernia surgery, he was back on the court on Tuesday and is only being held out on Wednesday because he’s not ready for back-to-backs yet. McBride explained on Tuesday that he was simply experiencing some discomfort in his first game back as a result of scar tissue breaking down, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
“Scar tissue is built up because it tightens everything. And now it’s getting more elastic, stretching out,” McBride said. “I came down (defending a Thunder player), tried to switch gears, and the scar tissue is ripping and getting better. … Surgery is going to cause pain. I’m not sure when it’s going to fully subside. So whatever I can do to help the team win.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- In a separate story for the New York Post, Bondy considers what Robinson’s value might be in unrestricted free agency this summer. The big man, who turns 28 today, has averaged just 19.5 minutes per game this season, but describes his impact as “incredible,” in part due to his rebounding — he’s pulling down 8.7 boards per night, including 4.2 on the offensive end.
- After Mohamed Diawara saw just four total minutes of action in losses to Oklahoma City and Houston, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News (subscription required) questions why the rookie forward isn’t playing a more prominent role in the Knicks’ rotation, arguing that the team could use his versatility, floor spacing, and energy.
- Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports evaluates where the Knicks are at with the postseason around the corner and cites a few red flags, including the team’s inconsistent play against high-end competition, its defensive holes when Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns share the court, and the fact that Towns is still talking about “working through” his fit in Mike Brown‘s offense with just a couple weeks left in the regular season.
Knicks Guard Miles McBride Injured In Return From Surgery
Miles McBride returned to the Knicks‘ lineup on Sunday after missing 28 games while recovering from sports hernia surgery, but the reserve guard appeared to reinjure his groin area in the third quarter of a loss to Oklahoma City, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.
The injury happened when McBride landed on Luguentz Dort as they were both diving for a loose ball (Twitter video link from New York Basketball).
“I haven’t talked to medical yet, so I don’t know how bad it is. But it’s tough,” coach Mike Brown said. “He’s worked his tail off to be back. And I don’t think he made a shot in the first half, but he gave us a lift. You felt his presence. It made us deeper. And because of the foul trouble we had, we were a little shorthanded in that second half, and it was part of the reason they were able to pull away, too.”
Brown told reporters before the game that he was looking forward to having McBride as part of his bench unit again. The guard’s shot was off Sunday as he missed all three attempts in 11 minutes, but he has proven during his five years in New York that he can be a valuable presence on both ends of the court.
“Deuce was one of our best on-ball defenders, especially when it comes to the pick and roll. He’s quick, and he’s strong, gets over screens well. He’ll get into the ball,” Brown said. “Obviously, he shoots the ball from range at a high level. He can go get his shot, too. And then he’s versatile in terms of playing on the ball, off the ball. He gives us a nice punch.”
Although injuries have limited him to 36 games, McBride is in the midst of his best statistical season. He’s averaging a career-high 12.5 points in 27.5 minutes per night while shooting 43% from the field and 41.5% from three-point range.
There was no update after the game on how serious the injury might be, but teammate Jalen Brunson expressed confidence that McBride can return.
“It’s tough. He’ll be back,” Brunson said. “He works too hard. So obviously, it’s a tough thing to see. We want him back 100 percent healthy (and) ready to go.”
The Knicks may be getting some positive injury news soon, Bondy adds, as Landry Shamet will accompany the team on its two-game road trip to Houston and Memphis. The veteran guard has missed the past four games with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Injury Notes: McBride, Grant, Edwards, Pistons
Miles McBride will return to action for the Knicks on Sunday after being sidelined since January 27 due to a sports hernia surgery, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (via Twitter).
McBride is scoring at a career-best rate this season, averaging 12.9 points per game while hitting a career-high 42.0% of his 6.9 three-point attempts per contest.
His return comes during a key stretch for the Knicks, who are looking to catch the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the East while playing in Oklahoma City on Sunday and Houston on Tuesday in two of their remaining regular season tests. Entering Sunday, the Knicks trail the Celtics by 1.5 games.
Edwards adds (via Twitter) that McBride will be on a minutes restriction, though he doesn’t specify what the restriction will be. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post adds that Landry Shamet is with the Knicks on their road trip, and, according to coach Mike Brown, is progressing in his recovery from a bone bruise in his knee (Twitter link).
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- According to Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter, veteran forward Jerami Grant underwent an MRI on his calf and will remain without a recovery timeline until he can go through more testing, per Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (via Twitter). Grant said he “felt a pop” in his right calf during the third quarter of Friday’s loss to the Mavericks.
- Anthony Edwards has been upgraded to questionable for the Timberwolves‘ game on Monday, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Edwards has missed Minnesota’s last six games with a knee injury, with the team going 4-2 during that stretch. The Wolves currently hold a half-game lead over the Rockets for the No. 5 seed in the West.
- The Pistons have a lengthy injury report for Monday’s game against the Thunder, with Jalen Duren (right knee), Tobias Harris (left hip), and Duncan Robinson (right hip) all listed as doubtful, while Ausar Thompson (right ankle) is questionable. Detroit is already missing Cade Cunningham (left lung) and Isaiah Stewart (left calf).
Injury Notes: Brooks, Williams, Ivey, Embiid, Shamet
The Suns could get a couple of starters back from injuries next week, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who expects Dillon Brooks to return early in the team’s road trip and Mark Williams to be back later in the week. Phoenix’s road trip begins next Monday in Memphis and concludes the following Sunday at Chicago.
Brooks underwent surgery last month to repair a fractured left hand. The 30-year-old wing is four weeks removed from that injury, which was expected to sideline him around four-to-six weeks.
Williams, meanwhile, has been out since March 3 after being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot. The 24-year-old center will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Bulls upgraded Jaden Ivey (left knee soreness) to questionable on Sunday before downgrading him to out. He’ll miss his 16th consecutive game Monday against Houston. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), Ivey recently returned to practice but he banged knees with a teammate and will be seen by a doctor on Monday night. Head coach Billy Donovan previously said Ivey, an impending restricted free agent, would travel on Chicago’s four-game road trip; that’s now up in the air after his new injury.
- Sixers star Joel Embiid went through Monday’s shootaround and also did some individual work afterward, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. The veteran center, who is recovering from a right oblique strain, is expected to go through a more rigorous workout on Tuesday and will be reevaluated after that, Bodner adds. Monday marks Embiid’s 13th consecutive absence.
- Knicks wing Landry Shamet is out again Tuesday due to a tibial plateau contusion, also known as a bone bruise, in his right knee, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (All Twitter links). Shamet suffered the injury in Friday’s game at Brooklyn and sat out Sunday’s win over Washington. However, Bondy hears it isn’t serious and expects the veteran guard/forward to return “within a few games, if that.” Shamet has been a key reserve for New York this season, Bondy notes.
Knicks Notes: Bridges, Starters, Brunson, Clarkson
Veteran wing Mikal Bridges has played 625 consecutive games to open his NBA career, by far the longest active streak in the league and one of the longest in history.
While the 29-year-old has publicly downplayed the importance of that streak, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link), Bridges’ recent stretch of poor play and repeated fourth-quarter benchings led a reporter ask head coach Mike Brown whether it might be best for him to give Bridges a night off.
“If our performance group says this guy needs a rest or that guy needs a game to get their body right, mind right, whatever it might be, 100 percent, I’ll give anybody a game,” Brown answered. “That’s something that’s done collectively. I’m not going to say, ‘You sit; you play; you sit; you play,’ because not everybody is the same. But we all have to play better than the way we’re playing right now, especially to start games.”
Bridges is averaging 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks on .320/.208/.667 shooting splits in just 26.0 minutes per game across his last six outings. For context, he played at least 31 minutes in 39 of his first 43 games this season; over his last 26 games, Bridges has played 30 or fewer minutes 16 times.
Bridges was benched in favor of Landry Shamet for the final seven minutes of Sunday’s comeback win over Golden State, Bondy writes, and even Jordan Clarkson has played more than him in two of the past three fourth quarters. Both of those players are on minimum-salary deals, while the Knicks gave Bridges a four-year, $150MM extension last offseason after trading five first-round picks to acquire him in the summer of 2024.
“We all have to play better. It’s no secret Mikal has not shot the ball well,” Brown said. “But he’s given us life, at times.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- In a related story, Bondy points out that Brown has been unhappy with the team’s poor starts in recent games, but the team’s coach isn’t ready to make a change to the starting lineup. New York trailed the injury-ravaged Warriors by 21 points in the first quarter before pulling out a three-point victory. “Right now I don’t feel the need to,” Brown said Sunday. “But like I said, if I felt the need to, I would. I don’t feel the need to right now.” Brown reiterated that his focus was more on the overall group rather than Bridges, Bondy notes, but didn’t rule out potential tweaks down the line. “It’s not too late to do anything. And if I feel the need, I will,” Brown said of a lineup change. “I’m not thinking that right now. I’m not concentrating on each individual because, like you said, we’ve started different people at different times.”
- Star point guard Jalen Brunson has been listed as questionable for Tuesday’s matchup vs. Indiana because of right ankle injury management and a neck strain, as Bondy relays. New York has gone 1-4 without its captain and leading scorer this season, Bondy observes, but the Pacers might be without several key players and have lost 13 straight games, though they’ve played hard against the Knicks this season after eliminating them in last year’s Eastern Conference final.
- After Sunday’s game, in which the veteran guard had 14 points in 22 minutes, Clarkson discussed staying prepared for his opportunity after being out of the rotation for most of the past several weeks, Bondy writes.”I’ve been doing the same thing my whole career in terms of my consistency of, coming to the gym, getting shots up, getting ready,” Clarkson said. “The work’s been solid and consistent, and I think I just hold my hat on that and let the cards fall where they may.”
Knicks Notes: Clarkson, Halftime Meeting, Lineup, Issues
A return to Salt Lake City brought out the best in Jordan Clarkson. The Knicks reserve guard scored a season-high 27 points against the Jazz, his former team, in a 134-117 win on Wednesday.
He played 26 minutes, the most court time he’s seen since Christmas Day. He had only played a total of 20 minutes in his three other March appearances.
“For him to go out and perform the way he did, you couldn’t ask for anything better,” coach Mike Brown said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “And it goes to show he’s not just keeping his body right but his mind is in a good spot to go after coming in when you’re down [18 points] in the first half. So just to see that, you couldn’t ask for anything better. Especially from him, who is a veteran who hasn’t been playing or in the rotation and all of a sudden we need him.”
Clarkson will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- A halftime challenge helped perk up a team that had lost its previous two games. The Knicks outscored Utah 78-52 in the second half. The coaches and players both spoke up during the break, Bondy writes. “It was our halftime speech, in terms of how we came at each other, where we tried to hold each other accountable,” Clarkson said. “And then just came out here and wanted to win.”
- Slow starts have been a major problem for the Knicks since the All-Star break. In the last 11 first quarters prior to Wednesday, their usual starting five had a net rating of minus-15.3. Landry Shamet replaced an injured Josh Hart in Utah but the results didn’t improve. Jared Schwartz of the New York Post argues that making changes to the lineup of Jalen Brunson, Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns probably won’t make much of a difference. Inserting Mitchell Robinson wouldn’t make much sense either, considering his load management plan.
- ESPN columnist Vince Goodwill breaks down five issues confronting the Knicks prior to the playoffs. Getting the most out of Towns and getting Brunson back in form are two of the biggest items on Goodwill’s list.
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Towns, Shamet, Sochan, Yabusele
Jalen Brunson recently said he hoped the Knicks would “do right by me” in his next contract discussion, a quote that caught some fans’ attention. Recently, he clarified his hopes for his future with the organization, Stefan Bondy writes for the New York Post (subscriber link).
“I would love to be here for the rest of my career. I love this place,” Brunson told Bondy. “They’ve welcomed me with open arms. They’ve been behind my back since day one. I built a life here. And I love the city, I love the fans, I love everything this place has offered me, on and off the court. So I just love it here. And I’d love to stay.”
He added that his comments about doing right by him did not mean he felt that the Knicks owed him, but that he hopes they recognize the financial sacrifice he made to help the front office build the team.
Brunson will be extension-eligible in the summer of 2027 or could reach free agency in 2028.
We have more on the Knicks:
- Karl-Anthony Towns‘ inconsistent play is a lightning rod of sorts for Knicks fans, but despite his down shooting year, he’s been much more productive than given credit for, Peter Botte writes for the Post. Botte also notes that while New York has struggled against some of the stronger teams in the East, especially the Pistons, the same was true last year, when they posted a 1-6 record against Detroit and Boston before beating both teams in playoff series.
- Landry Shamet‘s consistency as a scorer and defender has forced changes to the Knicks’ rotations, and no one is bearing the brunt more than Mikal Bridges, Bondy writes. “You’ve just got to sacrifice, find your moments and play the right way,” Bridges said. Bridges’ presumed place in the closing lineup has been taken by Shamet three times this month, though Bondy notes that all the starters’ minutes are down lately as coach Mike Brown has been trying to incorporate the bench more. “It’s give and take where if somebody is playing well, we’ll try to keep them on the floor, but that might mean others will see their field goal attempts and their minutes may go down because they’re not on the floor as much,” Brown said.
- New acquisition Jeremy Sochan has struggled in his first few outings for the Knicks, but he’s not concerned, Bondy writes in a separate story. “It’s my first time adjusting to a different dynamic,” said Sochan, who was a Spur for his first three-and-a-half years in the NBA. “So it’s going to take some time to figure out and, of course, I haven’t been in a lot of game shape. So altogether there are going to [be] ups and downs. But I’m blessed and excited to be in this situation. And I truly believe I can add to this team.” Sochan said that learning the playbook wasn’t difficult, but learning his teammates’ tendencies and fitting into the ecosystem will take more time. He played five scoreless minutes in Tuesday’s loss to the Cavaliers.
- Brown believes that Guerschon Yabusele‘s best role in the NBA is one that the Knicks couldn’t really offer him, Bondy writes. “The position he’s shown he’s best in in the NBA — the small-ball center spot — we just didn’t have the minutes consistently for him to be there,” Brown said. “And then when he was at the four. For us, because of our centers, the matchups weren’t always there. So we had to pick and choose when he was on the floor and how we were going to play him.” Bondy adds that there is speculation that the Frenchman has already locked in a lucrative deal overseas for next year.
Knicks Notes: Towns, Anunoby, Bridges, Diawara, Brunson
The Knicks lost to the top-seeded Pistons again on Thursday, dropping a home game by 15 points after being blown out in their two visits to Detroit. The Pistons were down their starting and backup centers (All-Star Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart) due to suspensions, but Karl-Anthony Towns only managed two points on three field goal attempts in the first half, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
“I mean, our offense is our offense. It’s been that way all year,” said Towns, who finished with 21 points (on 7-of-14 shooting), 11 rebounds and four assists. “So we have our system and we’re gonna — regardless of who’s in the game or not in the game — we run the system that we have implemented for our team to the best of our abilities.”
Head coach Mike Brown reiterated after the game that the six-time All-Star big man is “comfortable” in New York’s offensive system, Begley notes, despite persistent questions about Towns’ role on that end of the court.
“We’re continuing to try to do different things to help free him up,” Brown said. “And we’ll continue to search to try to do different things to free him up throughout the course of the year.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- OG Anunoby‘s return to the court on Thursday was a forgettable one, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. Anunoby, who previously said he’s still in pain after having his toenail removed, finished with eight points (on 3-of-13 shooting), zero rebounds and zero assists in 32 minutes. He also struggled to slow down Cade Cunningham, who torched the Knicks (42 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds) in an MVP-level performance, Schwartz writes.
- Starting wing Mikal Bridges was benched for the final nine-and-a-half minutes of the fourth quarter in favor of Landry Shamet, according to Stefan Bondy and Schwartz of The New York Post. Bridges recorded eight points (on 4-of-9 shooting), three rebounds and no assists in 25 minutes. “Landry had hit a couple shots. We needed to score,” Brown said. “They’re both really good defenders. And so I just stayed with Landry. But it wasn’t anything where, ‘Oh, I’m going to sit Mikal because he’s not doing this, or he’s not doing that.’ We were looking to score points and Landry was the only one to make a shot from behind the arc.”
- Rookie forward Mohamed Diawara tells Schwartz he’s not concerned about potentially losing playing time after the Knicks signed Jeremy Sochan. “I’m just gonna continue what I was doing,” Diawara told The Post prior to Thursday’s loss. “Keep working and being ready for each opportunity that I’m gonna get. I’m not worried about that. I know the coaching staff and the team is gonna do whatever is good for the team, and that’s what I’m trying to do.” For what it’s worth, Diawara played nine minutes on Thursday, while Sochan received 10.
- Jalen Brunson signed a team-friendly extension in the 2024 offseason, locking in $156.5MM over four years when he could have earned an additional $113MM if he had waited a year for free agency. The star point guard told Tom Kludt of Vanity Fair (subscription required) that he hopes the Knicks “do right” by him down the line after he took less money to help the team, as Andrew Battifarano of The New York Post relays. “If I’m thinking about playing well to make sure I get paid, that could mess with me,” Brunson told Vanity Fair. “I play best when I have a free mind, and that did that for me. A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of. … Obviously we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed.” As Bondy notes in a subscriber-only story, Brunson won’t be extension-eligible until 2027 and the earliest he could hit free agency would be 2028.