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NBA Considering Turning All-Star Game Into Tournament

November 15th, 2024 at 5:45pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA is seriously considering turning the All-Star Game into a four-team tournament, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.

The proposed changes would take effect starting with this season’s All-Star weekend, which will take place in San Francisco at the Chase Center, Golden State’s home arena, from Feb. 14-16.

Instead of the typical two teams with 12 players each, the 24 All-Stars would be separated into three teams of eight players apiece, Charania explains. The fourth team would be the winner of the Rising Stars competition. The tournament would feature two rounds, with the victors of round one (Team 1 vs. Team 2, Team 3 vs. Team 4) advancing to the final.

While the plans have not yet been finalized, all signs point to the league eventually implementing the changes, two sources tell Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

According to Charania, NBA officials discussed the proposed format on Friday with the Competition Committee, which consists of team governors, executives, coaches, players and union personnel. The league has been discussing format changes with team officials and players for several months, and the four-team tournament quickly became the most popular plan.

Commissioner Adam Silver stated a couple weeks ago that the league was looking for a new All-Star format after last season’s contest in Indianapolis was universally panned for its lack of defense and abundance of long three-point shots. The East defeated the West 211-186 in a listless affair despite a plea from league executive Joe Dumars to take the game seriously and put forth a better effort.

“We’re looking at other formats,” Silver said. “I think there’s no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year’s All-Star Game. We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans.”

As Reynolds writes in a full story, the new format is similar to what has been used for the Rising Stars event in recent years. That four-team tournament features a target score for both the semifinal and final.

What’s less clear is how the All-Star voting process would work, according to Reynolds, who notes that at least one more coach would likely be needed as well.

Charania hears the most popular All-Star event from last season, the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA three-point shootout between Warriors guard Stephen Curry and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, will likely return in February, though it may be tweaked to include more players. Sources tell Charania that Mavericks wing Klay Thompson and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark are among the candidates to join Curry and Ionescu.

Warriors Notes: Thompson’s Return, Curry, Kuminga

November 13th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Klay Thompson didn’t want a spectacle to surround his return to San Francisco Tuesday night, but the Warriors felt a need to do something special to honor their longtime star, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. That included having about 400 team employees lined up to cheer for him when the Mavericks‘ bus arrived at the arena and passing out captain’s hats to all fans in attendance in honor of Thompson’s love of sailing. There was also a video tribute, but a planned Stephen Curry pre-game speech was discarded by mutual agreement of the Splash Brothers.

“It was a really cool experience,” Thompson told reporters after the game. “I appreciate the fans very much. The captain’s hat ended up being a great touch, since I’m such a passionate boater. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. That was a warm-hearted feeling. So it was really cool to see fans with gratitude towards myself, and it’s something I won’t take for granted. It’s very, very awesome. It was a cool moment to feel the energy from the fans, and especially, you know, all the chatter that I heard — it was all positive. (That) just means a lot to myself, because I really enjoyed my time here and … left it all out on the floor.”

League sources told Amick that Thompson was requesting a more subdued tribute, which is an acknowledgement that his 13 years with the Warriors didn’t end on the best of terms. The organization was reluctant to commit another large, long-term contract to Thompson, who will turn 35 later this season, forcing him to consider his options in free agency. Amick reports that some people close to Thompson were hoping the team employees wouldn’t greet him when he arrived, but he was thankful after it happened.

“That was really cool,” he said. “I’m very grateful for the employees to give me that kind of love. Totally unexpected, and definitely put a smile on my face. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Thompson had been Curry’s teammate since entering the league, so he had never been the victim of one of the two-time MVP’s late-game scoring sprees, notes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. It happened Tuesday as Curry scored 12 of his game-high 37 points in the final four minutes to help Golden State pull out a victory. “It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries,” Thompson said. “Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. I know I’ve been on the other end, and it sucks.”
Amid all the emotion of Thompson’s return, Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle believes the Warriors made a responsible decision by letting him go. Kroichick contends that the team needed to get younger, quicker and better on defense after falling in the play-in tournament last season. Instead of increasing their offer to Thompson, they were able to pursue trades for Paul George and Lauri Markkanen before ultimately adding De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield, who have both been productive.
Golden State has survived losing Thompson by leaning more on younger players such as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis, per Spencer Davies of Responsible Gambler. “Now it’s just the coaches trust in us a little bit more to go out there, to be you and be free,” Kuminga said. “I think that’s what it is. At this point, they’re leaning on us, and they’re really believing in us and letting us go out there and play.”

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Redick, Lakers, Durant, Beal

November 7th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr entered training camp with “a level of demand and rigor” people in the organization hadn’t witnessed the past couple seasons, and that commitment to accountability has carried over into the start of the 2024/25 season, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

On Wednesday night, Golden State improved to 7-1 after an impressive six-point victory over the defending champion Celtics in Boston. With about five minutes left the second quarter, Stephen Curry attempted a full-court pass to Kyle Anderson that was stolen, leading to a five-point swing after Jayson Tatum converted a three-pointer. Kerr, who has been focused on reducing the team’s turnovers, was very unhappy with the play.

“This is a theme with our team,” Kerr said. “We can’t be the same team we were five or six years ago and give away five or six possessions in the name of creating chaos. Everyone else is playing fast and shooting threes, too, these days.

“Boston shot 20 more threes than we did in the second half. So it’s tough to win if you are giving away possessions. I’ve been all over Steph and Draymond (Green). It’s incumbent upon them because they are our leaders and they’re the guys who handle the ball most. They gotta cut back on their bad decisions like that.”

As Slater writes, Kerr’s reaction — and Curry accepting and learning from the critique — are emblematic of the strong start to the season. Notably, the two-time MVP did not commit another turnover for the remainder of the contest.

“The beauty with Steph is he lets me yell at him, which sets the tone,” Kerr said. “He accepted it. He knew it.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

While Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised LeBron James‘ performance following Wednesday’s 131-114 loss in Memphis, he was critical of the rest of the team’s effort, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James scored a game-high 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Starting point guard D’Angelo Russell, who has opened the season in a shooting slump, only played six minutes in the second half and 22 overall, marking a season low. “Just level of compete, attention to detail, some of the things we’ve talked with him about for a couple of weeks,” Redick said when asked why he limited Russell’s role. “And at times, he’s been really good with that stuff. And other times, it’s just reverting back to certain habits. But it wasn’t like a punishment. It just felt for us to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take.” After starting the season 3-0, the Lakers have gone 1-4 over their past five games.
It’s only been eight games, but Kevin Durant has been playing at an MVP level for the 7-1 Suns, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (subscription required). In addition to being the fulcrum of Phoenix’s crunch-time offense, the 14-time All-Star is also filling up the stat sheet, averaging 27.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.4 APG and 1.4 BPG on .551/.420/.813 shooting in 39.0 MPG.
Suns guard Bradley Beal has been hampered by a nagging right elbow injury, and his current usage rate (18.1%) would mark a career low. But Beal has been efficient offensively and is finding other ways to contribute, particularly taking on challenging defensive assignments, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, who notes that Devin Booker recently called Beal the “heart” of the team.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Davis, Curry, Coffey

November 5th, 2024 at 7:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Devin Booker is experiencing wild swings in performance. The Suns guard earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors but now finds himself in a shooting slump, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes.

Over the last two games, Booker is 12-of-41 from the field while making just two of 16 3-point tries. Booker’s shooting hasn’t affected Phoenix’s bottom line — it has won five straight.

“You just flush it,” Booker said. “Thankfully, it came in a win. That’s what the game’s about, but obviously frustrated. Just missing shots I feel I can make.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers have listed Anthony Davis as questionable to play at Memphis on Wednesday, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. Davis is dealing with a left heel contusion, an injury he aggravated in a loss to Detroit on Monday. The nine-time All-Star is averaging a league-best 32.6 points per game.
Stephen Curry returned on Monday from a three-game absence due to a left ankle sprain. The Warriors superstar contributed 24 points and six assists in 24 minutes in a road win over Washington. He was on a minutes limit but coach Steve Kerr believes Curry will see more court time against Boston on Wednesday. “Assuming he feels good, I don’t anticipate a big minutes restriction in Boston,” Kerr said, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
The Clippers posted their first win in their new home, the Intuit Dome, by defeating the Spurs on Monday. Amir Coffey delivered his best outing of the season with 21 points, making all but one of his six 3-point attempts. “Tonight was Amir’s night,” coach Tyronn Lue said, per Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. Coffey needs to have more nights like that — he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Warriors Notes: Wiggins, Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody, Curry

November 4th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors are banking on Andrew Wiggins playing at an All-Star level, as ESPN’s Kendra Andrews details. Golden State knows it needs Wiggins’ proven production with the departure of Klay Thompson.

Wiggins missed a chunk of last season due to personal reasons.

“I want to do right by them,” Wiggins said. “It feels so good when they have that confidence in you, when they have that high praise. You want to show up for them.”

Wiggins heads into Monday’s game against the Wizards — he’s listed as probable with a low back strain — with averages of 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He still has two years left, including a player option, on his four-year, $109MM contract after this season.

“I think he’s in a place where he knows the last couple years have been tough for a lot of reasons and I think he’s primed to get back to where he was a couple years ago,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s at the age where he’s right in his physical prime, and we’ve seen him do it. He helped us win a championship. I’m expecting a big year from Wiggs.”

We have more on the Warriors:

With Stephen Curry sidelined by an ankle sprain the last three games, Brandin Podziemski has gotten a greater opportunity to show his play-making skills, Anthony Slater of The Athletic notes. He has averaged 14.7 points and six assists during that span.
Jonathan Kuminga has been a sparkplug since Kerr moved him to the bench the past three games, Slater adds. He scored 23 points in 26 minutes against Houston in Saturday’s overtime win. He’s averaging 18.7 points on 51.4% shooting as a reserve. “I don’t want him to love coming off the bench,” Draymond Green said. “He believes he’s a superstar. I believe he’s a superstar. As long as you believe that, you shouldn’t be OK coming off the bench. How you respond is important.” Kuminga will be a restricted free agent next summer after failing to reach a rookie scale extension agreement prior to last month’s deadline.
The incentives in Moses Moody‘s extension begins at $462,093 in 2025/26 and increase by the maximum allowable 8% a year, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. The incentives pay out if Moody plays at least 1,600 minutes, attempts at least nine 3-pointers per 100 possessions, and achieves at least 60% true shooting. Since the extension begins next season, the only impact of Moody hitting all three of those marks this season would be whether the incentives are considered “likely” or “unlikely” for his 2025/26 cap number. If it is deemed “likely,” his cap hit goes from $11,574,075 to $12,037,038. Moody signed his three-year, $37.5MM extension on Oct. 21.
Curry returned to the lineup on Monday. Kerr announced prior to the game that his star guard was available, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets.

Injury Notes: R. Williams, Curry, J. Brown, LaVine, Gobert

November 4th, 2024 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams has been listed as questionable to play in Monday’s game vs. New Orleans, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. It’s a signal that Williams, who has been on the shelf for nearly a full year, is on the verge of returning to action.

Acquired by Portland in the team’s Jrue Holiday trade with Boston last fall, Williams appeared in just six games during his first season as a Blazer before going down with season-ending knee surgery. He has been sidelined this fall by a hamstring strain and has yet to make his season debut.

Williams’ return will give Portland another option in a crowded frontcourt. Deandre Ayton (31.6 minutes per game) has seen most of the action at center so far this season, with rookie lottery pick Donovan Clingan (12.9 MPG) playing a modest role as his backup and Duop Reath (3.5 MPG) not part of the regular rotation.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been out for the past three games due to a left peroneal strain but is nearing a return. He has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game vs. Washington, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. If Curry doesn’t play tonight, his next opportunity would come on Wednesday in a showdown with the defending champions in Boston.
Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown, who was born in raised in Marietta, GA, won’t be able to suit up for Monday’s contest in Atlanta, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive.com, who writes that Brown will miss a second straight game due to his left hip flexor. Brown indicated over the weekend that he would undergo another MRI on the injury after getting one a couple weeks ago.
Zach LaVine has yet to miss a game this season and has played at least 33 minutes in each of his six outings, but the Bulls guard isn’t fully healthy. After suffering a sprained AC joint last week, LaVine is listed as questionable for Monday’s game vs. Utah due to a right adductor strain, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is considered questionable to play in Monday’s matchup with Charlotte due to a left ankle sprain, according to the team (Twitter link).

NBA Searching For New All-Star Game Format

November 3rd, 2024 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA is considering another format change for this season’s All-Star Game, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. At a news conference prior to Saturday’s game in Mexico City, commissioner Adam Silver told reporters that Warriors star Stephen Curry has been involved in discussions about the Feb. 16 showcase in San Francisco.

“We’ve had direct conversations with Steph Curry — it’s a home game for him,” Silver said. “I know he’s very prideful and wants to make sure that the players put their best foot forward, so we’re looking at other formats. I think there’s no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year’s All-Star Game. We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans.”

Last season’s contest in Indianapolis was universally panned for its lack of defense and abundance of long three-point shots. The East defeated the West 211-186 in a listless affair despite a plea from league executive Joe Dumars to take the game seriously and put forth a better effort.

Creating a watchable All-Star Game has been an issue for the NBA for several years. In an effort to spark interest, the league switched its traditional East vs. West format in 2018 to have the top two vote-getters draft the players for each team. The “Elam Ending” was adopted in 2020 to give the game a different feel and ensure more exciting finishes.

However, none of the changes really resonated with the public, and the league returned to the East-West matchup last season with regular NBA rules.

“I think we all did what we thought we could, thinking we would particularly — in Indiana, sort of the heartland of basketball, somehow we would give it the college try, and we’d see a more competitive game,” Silver said. “I think, even if we could turn the clock back and get a bit more of a competitive game, even if it was more of a standard NBA game, I think fans would want more.”

The best-received part of last season’s All-Star Weekend was a Saturday night shooting contest between Curry and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu. Although it hasn’t been formally announced, Silver said the plan is for them to have a rematch in San Francisco.

“If we can get more participation, not just for the physical activity but for all the values it represents,” that’s what the NBA wants, Silver said. “And I think showcasing those kinds of activities where you see men and women both competing in basketball at All-Star events should increasingly become a big part of it. And incidentally when you look at the interest in terms of viewership last year, one of the highlights was that Sabrina-Steph shootout, so we do want to do more of that.”

Silver also touched on the issue of expansion, saying the league continues to study the matter but nothing should be considered imminent, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Seattle and Las Vegas are widely viewed as the front-runners for new teams, but Silver said Mexico City is among the locations under consideration.

“Nothing’s been set, and we haven’t even determined whether to expand yet,” he added. “My sense is that if we expanded, we’d do an even number, because then we might have to do some adjustments in the conferences. But I think it makes sense to have two conferences of 16 teams if we were to do it. There have been times in the past in the NBA when we had an odd number, so it’s possible. But I think we most likely, if we were to expand, would look to expand to two cities.”

Pacific Notes: Russell, Hood-Schifino, Harden, Curry

November 2nd, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell is buying into a changed role under new head coach J.J. Redick, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Price notes that Redick said before the season that he wants Russell to have a “career year.” However, that may not show up on the stat sheet as Anthony Davis is serving as the centerpiece of the offense and Austin Reaves is handling the ball more often.

Russell had his best game of the season Friday at Toronto, posting 19 points, six assists and three rebounds. But his usage rate has fallen to 16.8%, which is sixth on the team, after being at 22.2% last season. He’s operating less frequently in the pick-and-roll as Redick has him playing off the ball and spotting up for jump shots.

“He’s bought into what we’re trying to do,” Redick said. “He recognizes that his pick-and-roll usage will be down. And what he’s told me and what I think he has certainly lived out in reality is that he just wants to win. He wants to be on the winning team. He’s been bought in. We’ve had no issue sort of with anything with him. He’s gonna get it going. We’re gonna figure out ways to hopefully maximize all our guys. It’s very early. I’m not worried about D-Lo.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers declined their third-year option on Jalen Hood-Schifino, but he may still have a place in the team’s long-term plans, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic (Twitter link). The decision was made to create more financial flexibility for the offseason, and the organization wants Hood-Schifino to continue developing his game in the G League. “I still believe in Jalen,” Redick said. “We haven’t given up on him.”
James Harden insists he’s not too old to be carrying the Clippers at age 35, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Harden is averaging a career-high 6.2 turnovers per game, but he told reporters that’s a result of high usage rather than fatigue. “You seen the usage rate, it’s going to happen. Like turnovers are going to happen,” he said. “I try to, but some of the passes that I thread, a lot of them are successful and some of ’em aren’t. So just trying to find a balance of when to throw and when not to.”
Stephen Curry missed his third straight game tonight with a sprained left ankle, but the Warriors guard was able to go through his normal shooting routine before the contest, so it appears he’s close to returning, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Injury Notes: Curry, Melton, Wiggins, Raptors, Clarkson, More

November 1st, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors guards Stephen Curry (left peroneal strain) and De’Anthony Melton (strained lower back) have been ruled out for Saturday’s contest against Houston, the team announced today (via Twitter), and Melton will remain sidelined for at least two games beyond that before being reevaluated a week from now.

However, the injury news from Golden State isn’t all bad. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets, Curry has been cleared to participate in parts of Friday night’s practice and will be reevaluated on Sunday, so it’s possible he could return to action as soon as Monday vs. Washington.

Additionally, forward Andrew Wiggins is on track to suit up on Saturday after missing two games due to a low back strain. He’ll be immediately reinserted into the starting lineup upon returning, according to head coach Steve Kerr (Twitter link via Slater).

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

After missing the first five games of his rookie season, Raptors first-round pick Ja’Kobe Walter was cleared to make his NBA debut on Friday vs. the Lakers, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Elsewhere on the Raptors injury front, forward Scottie Barnes (orbital fracture) has a doctor’s appointment on Monday, which could help determine the treatment plan for his injury, while big man Kelly Olynyk (back/lumbar strain) is still at least a “couple more weeks” away from playing, per head coach Darko Rajakovic (Twitter links via Lewenberg). Guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvic contusion) isn’t far off from returning, but he remains out on Friday and will likely miss Saturday’s game vs. Sacramento too, tweets Lewenberg.
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson has been diagnosed with left plantar fasciitis and will be reevaluated in a week, the team announced today (via Twitter). Collin Sexton, who figures to play an increased role with Clarkson out, suffered a left fourth finger distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint avulsion fracture on Thursday but will attempt to play through the injury, according to the Jazz.
Hornets center Mark Williams is doing a “good amount of individual work,” per head coach Charles Lee, but he hasn’t been cleared for full team drills or scrimmages yet, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Williams has yet to play this season due to a sprained tendon in his left foot.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who is recovering from offseason surgeries on both feet, has experienced some “minor discomfort,” but that’s a normal part of the recovery process, head coach J.J. Redick told reporters on Friday (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic). Redick added that Vanderbilt is “progressing” but that his return isn’t imminent. “We’ll have another update in a week or so,” he said.

Pacific Notes: Curry, Melton, Zubac, Davis, Ellis

October 28th, 2024 at 8:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors star guard Stephen Curry will miss at least the next two games due to a left ankle sprain, Kendra Andrews of ESPN writes.

Curry underwent an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury, which occurred during Sunday night’s home opener against the Clippers during the third quarter. He returned to the game with eight minutes remaining in the fourth, then twisted the same ankle.

He will be reevaluated on Friday.

“The MRI was positive,” coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s the main thing. No significant damage.”

De’Anthony Melton will also miss the next two games due to a back injury. He underwent an MRI which revealed no structural damage. Melton missed 44 games last season with the Sixers because of back problems.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers center Ivica Zubac signed a three-year, $58.6MM extension this offseason and has been a force on both ends in the early going, earning a nomination for conference Player of the Week. “It’s only three games, but I’m trying to bring the consistency,” he said, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “I’m trying to keep it up as long as I can. I’m trying to bring the same stuff every night to the teammates so they can count on me on the defensive end and the offensive end. They can count on me to do that — protect the rim, score in the post, finish around the rim.” Zubac is averaging 22.7 points, 14.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
Zubac didn’t earn Player of the Week honors due to Anthony Davis‘ overpowering start. The Lakers big man averaged 34 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 steals in the first three games. “Being aggressive every time down the floor. Being dominant every game,” Davis told Mark Medina of Athlon Sports. “Doing my job, doing my part in helping this team do what we got to do. That’s taking on a matchup defensively, taking on a role offensively, being a leader of the team, carrying us in games, playoffs, whatever it takes.”
Keon Ellis appeared in 57 games for the Kings, including 21 starts, last season. However, he never left the bench against the Lakers on Saturday. Coach Mike Brown indicated prior to Sacramento’s game on Monday that Ellis is a victim of numbers. “It’s just about a minutes crunch more than anything else, and second it’s a situation thing,” Brown said, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).