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Celtics Notes: Walsh, Simons, Garza, Tillman

November 10th, 2025 at 7:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics used unconventional lineups to close out Sunday’s win at Orlando, as Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza all saw more fourth quarter playing time than Jaylen Brown, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. All three players contributed to the 111-107 victory, but the biggest shot belonged to Walsh, who sank a three-pointer with 12.4 seconds left that gave Boston a five-point lead. Walsh, a 27.8% three-point shooter for his career, assumed Brown would take the crucial shot and was surprised to get the ball.

“I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness,’” he said. “I didn’t even celebrate it or anything. I was just in the moment.”

With four rotation players gone from last season’s team and Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, coach Joe Mazzulla knew coming into the season that he would have to rely on unproven talent. He has been experimenting through the first 11 games of the season, with lineups looking much different from one game to the next, and he recognizes the need to give young players a chance to succeed.

“That’s just what we have to do to build trust in those moments, and it’s a credit to those guys,” he said. “They delivered, and that’s it.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Anfernee Simons bounced back from a poor game on Friday by scoring 25 points in his first 14 minutes to help Boston build an early lead, Himmelsbach adds. Simons didn’t score in the second half, but Mazzulla said his early outburst forced Orlando to change its pick-and-roll coverage, which created better shots for other players. “He’s one of those guys when he gets in a rhythm like that, there’s nothing you can do to stop him,” Garza said. “So we’re just trying to feed him and give him actions so he can stay comfortable and stay in a rhythm.”
Garza enjoyed his best game since joining the Celtics with season highs of 16 points and eight rebounds, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb notes that Garza shot just 1-of-10 in his past four games and Boston was outscored by 43 points in his 46 minutes, so he needed a good performance to ensure continued playing time. “We all want to get out there, all of us, you know, we all play this game for a reason,” he said. “We want to be on the floor and we know when we are on the floor, that to make an impact we gotta play hard. Effort is a non-negotiable, so that’s what we try to bring every time we step on the floor and do the best of what we got.”
Backup center Xavier Tillman didn’t play on Sunday, but he was back on the active roster after missing Friday’s game for personal reasons, per Souichi Terada of MassLive.

Mavs Reportedly Not Interested In Trading Daniel Gafford

November 9th, 2025 at 9:33pm CST by Rory Maher

While the Mavericks have anticipated trade inquiries on Daniel Gafford ever since they signed the veteran center to a three-year, $54MM extension in the offseason, they have shown no interest in moving him to this point, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

According to Stein, one primary reason why Dallas’ front office has been reluctant to even entertain the possibility of dealing Gafford is the fact that third-year center Dereck Lively II continues to be plagued by health issues, having played just three games this season due to a knee sprain that has him doubtful to suit up on Monday. Lively was limited to just 36 games last season.

However, the Mavericks’ poor start to the season — they’re currently 3-7 despite having a relatively easy, home-heavy schedule — might force management to rethink the idea of going into tank mode. As Stein observes, the Mavs only control one of their own first-rounders through 2030, and that selection will come in 2026 in what’s viewed as a strong draft class.

Gafford has battled a right ankle sprain himself this fall, making five appearances thus far in 2025/26. He’s averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 19.6 minutes per contest, numbers that are down compared to the past two seasons. Still, Stein refers to the athletic big man as one of Dallas’ “most attractive trade candidates.”

Pacers’ T.J. McConnell ‘Getting Closer’ To Return

November 9th, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle provided an encouraging update on injured point guard T.J. McConnell on Sunday, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required).

McConnell, 33, strained his left hamstring in Indiana’s preseason opener on October 7. Carlisle said a couple days later that the veteran backup would miss at least a month — this is the first official update since then.

“T.J. is getting closer,” Carlisle said. “I know he had a workout today. I hadn’t heard how that went but I heard he’s been ramping up pretty steadily.”

According to Dopirak, Carlisle also gave an update on rookie guard Kam Jones, who has been out since early October due to a lower back stress reaction. Carlisle said the 38th pick in this year’s draft is making progress but his return is not imminent.

As Dopirak notes, the Pacers have been battered by a series of injuries this fall, with nine players out tonight at Golden State. The team has been hit particularly hard at point guard, though Andrew Nembhard was able to return yesterday after missing seven games (and most of an eighth) because of a left shoulder injury.

The defending Eastern Conference champions are currently 1-8 amid the discouraging wave of injuries.

Hall Of Famer Lenny Wilkens Passes Away At 88

November 9th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Lenny Wilkens died at his home on Sunday, people close to the 88-year-old told Tim Booth of The Seattle Times.

As Booth writes, Wilkens was one of only five people inducted to the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.

A 6’1″ point guard, Wilkens made nine All-Star appearances in his 15 years as a player, holding career averages of 16.5 points, 6.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 1077 games (35.3 minutes per contest). He finished second in MVP voting during the 1967/68 season, Booth notes.

Wilkens’ illustrious coaching career began while he was still an active player with Seattle, the city he called home for more than 50 years. He led the SuperSonics to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in the late 1970s, claiming the club’s lone championship in 1979.

“It lets people know Seattle has rich history,” Wilkens told the Times in 2022 on what was proclaimed “Lenny Wilkens Day.”

“I’m so happy to be a part of that history. This is basketball country. We should have never lost our team and I hope that this helps in some way get another team back. Everywhere I go, people talk about the Sonics and about that time when we won a championship. I don’t think that team gets the credit that it deserves. Gus (Williams), Fred (Brown), Jack (Sikma) and all of those guys became a part of this community and most of them still live here. It was a wonderful time.”

Wilkens, who also coached Portland, Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto and New York, compiled a 1,332-1,155 regular season record (.536 winning percentage) over 32 years on the bench. Wilkens holds the third-most coaching victories in league history, as well as the NBA record for most games coached (2,487). Wilkens’ clubs made the playoffs in 20 of his 32 seasons as a head coach, according to Booth.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement after learning of Wilkens’ death (Twitter link).

“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA — as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,” Silver said. “So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.

“But even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship, was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle where a statue stands in his honor. He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.

“I send my heartfelt condolences to Lenny’s wife Marilyn; their children, Leesha, Randy and Jamee; and all those throughout the NBA community who were fortunate to be touched by Lenny’s leadership and generosity.”

Injury Notes: Reaves, Ball, Bridges, AD, Gafford, Giddey, Nesmith

November 9th, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing the past three games with a right groin strain, Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s contest in Charlotte, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic.

Reaves had been on a tear to open 2025/26 prior to the injury, averaging 31.1 points, 9.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals on .489/.344/.903 shooting in seven games (37.9 MPG). He’s widely expected to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 — he holds a $14.9MM player option for next season he’s virtually certain to decline.

For the Hornets, star point guard LaMelo Ball will miss his fourth straight contest with a right ankle impingement, while forward Miles Bridges is questionable due to back spasms, per the team (Twitter link).

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

Mavericks big men Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) are both questionable for Monday’s game against Milwaukee, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (via Twitter). Davis, a 10-time All-Star, has missed the past five games for the Mavs. Gafford, meanwhile, aggravated his right ankle sprain — an injury he initially sustained on the first day of training camp — during Friday’s loss to Memphis, but was able to play 19 minutes in Saturday’s victory at Washington.
Fifth-year guard Josh Giddey is off to a strong start for the Bulls, averaging 21.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 9.3 APG and 1.0 SPG on .463/.385/.755 shooting in nine games (34.1 MPG). However, he sprained his right ankle on Saturday when he was crossed over by Cavs forward De’Andre Hunter (YouTube link), and has been listed as questionable for Monday’s game vs. San Antonio, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Pacers will be without nine players on Sunday at Golden State, the team announced (via Twitter). The latest additions to the injury report are starting forwards Aaron Nesmith (right forearm contusion) and Pascal Siakam, who is resting on the second night of a back-to-back — Indiana lost in Denver on Saturday. The Pacers have two players (Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Cody Martin) on 10-day hardship contracts as a result of the team’s surplus of injuries.

Pelicans Notes: H. Jones, Queen, Murphy

November 9th, 2025 at 4:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Former second-round pick Herbert Jones signed a three-year, $68MM extension with the Pelicans over the summer. The 27-year-old forward is now under contract through 2029/30, including a player option for the final season.

In an interview with Grant Afseth of RG.org, Jones says he’s worked to become a more vocal leader for New Orleans, particularly on offense.

“I think most of my growth has come through just being more vocal and telling guys what I see — not necessarily scoring more points, but coming from a defensive-minded guy, telling guys what I see on the offensive end that we might be able to capitalize on,” Jones said. “If the defense is doing something, I can see it and try to give our guys something to beat it.”

Through nine games (30.1 minutes per contest) this season, the 2023/24 All-Defensive member is averaging 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals on .449/.450/.667 shooting. Jones tells Afseth he’s very high on the team’s group of rookies, which is headlined by lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

“Their competitive nature,” Jones said with a smile. “There’s never a day that goes by that we don’t compete. Whenever we do, those guys show up and don’t back down from anything. You gotta love that.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Speaking of Queen, the ex-Maryland big man has put together an impressive string of games lately, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. During Tuesday’s victory over Charlotte — the Pelicans’ first win of the season — Queen notched 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in the fourth quarter, the first player to record such a stat line in any quarter since the NBA started play-by-play tracking in 1996/97. The 20-year-old also impressed Spurs legend Tim Duncan during Saturday’s loss at San Antonio, Walker adds. During the game, which Duncan attended, the five-time champion sent a text message to Pelicans analyst (and Duncan’s former teammate) Antonio Daniels that read, “I really like that Queen guy.”
After a slow start to the season, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III had a huge night on Saturday against the Spurs, Walker notes. Murphy, who is in the first season of a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension, tied a career-high by scoring 41 points (on 15-of-22 shooting) while also contributing nine rebounds and three assists in the defeat. “It was great and we needed it from him,” head coach Willie Green said. “He scored on every level tonight. He got to the free throw line. He got to the paint. He shot the ball well. He rebounded the ball well, something that we’ve been talking about. We can see him starting to implement it.”
In case you missed it, you can find all the latest updates on New Orleans — including Jordan Poole‘s quad injury and Zion Williamson‘s reported trade value (or lack thereof) — on our Pelicans team page.

Southeast Notes: Suggs, Spoelstra, Cavs/Wizards, Coulibaly

November 9th, 2025 at 2:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Magic guard Jalen Suggs underwent season-ending surgery in March to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee, then spent the offseason recovering from that procedure and going through a lengthy rehab process. The 24-year-old didn’t appear in any preseason games last month, and has been on a minutes restriction to open 2025/26, averaging just 19.6 MPG through seven contests.

Jamahl Mosley was asked on Friday when Suggs might be cleared for an increased workload, but Orlando’s head coach gave an evasive answer, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel relays (via Twitter).

“You’d like to try and ramp him up a little bit more but you want to be careful for the long haul of the season, being smart with it,” Mosley said. ” … The more we can get his minutes up, the better it’ll be because then there’s a routine and a continuity that can happen when you’d have similar lineups on the floor.”

Despite the relatively limited amount of playing time, Suggs has been very productive this season, averaging 11.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.1 RPG and 1.7 SPG on .551/.448/.909 shooting. The former No. 5 overall pick also has the best net rating differential on the team (+14.5 when he’s playing; -5.9 when he’s not).

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Erik Spoelstra‘s home burned down in a fire early Thursday morning. On Friday, the Heat head coach said he was grateful for the community’s support in the wake of the devastating blaze, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. No person was injured in the fire, nor was the family’s dog. “I just want to thank everybody for this overwhelming support,” Spoelstra said, with his sons on either side of him as he spoke and his daughter in his lap. “The South Florida community has just been absolutely remarkable. People reaching out, wanting to help. It’s obviously been something that’s uniquely challenging for our family, but Spoelstras are resilient.”
There was a scoring error during Thursday’s game between the Cavaliers and Wizards, the NBA announced in a press release (Twitter link). With 8:15 remaining in the second quarter, Wizards guard Tre Johnson made both of his free throws, but the first was recorded as a miss. The final score and statistics have been corrected, according to the league. The error didn’t materially impact the game, which Cleveland won in lopsided fashion (148-115 after the correction).
Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly missed his second straight game on Saturday with a left calf contusion, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The French wing, who was selected seventh overall in the 2023 draft, was out for the first four games of the season while recovering from thumb surgery.

Victor Oladipo Joins Bucks’ G League Affiliate

November 9th, 2025 at 2:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran guard Victor Oladipo will soon join the Bucks‘ G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN (Twitter link).

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on Friday (via Twitter) that Oladipo had entered the NBAGL player pool after playing three preseason games this fall with the Guangzhou Loong Lions, a Chinese team.

According to Fischer (Twitter link), Oladipo was claimed off waivers by the Santa Cruz Warriors, which subsequently traded his rights to the Herd.

The Herd confirmed in a press release that they have acquired Oladipo (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic).

A two-time All-Star whose career was derailed by a series of leg injuries, Oladipo held his own against NBA players in the preseason, averaging 19.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.7 steals in 27.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .467/.250/.923.

Oladipo worked out for NBA clubs in Las Vegas over the summer, though nothing came of that session. Representatives from European teams also reportedly attended Oladipo’s workout, and while he didn’t rule out the possibility of playing overseas, the former No. 2 overall pick suggested last month that he wasn’t seriously entertaining that idea.

“You know, if push comes to shove and that’s the last option, we’ll see. I’m definitely one of the best. So that’s where I belong is the three letters: N-B-A,” he told Sam Yip of HoopsHype with a laugh.

Oladipo was one of the NBA’s best two-way performers in 2017/18, when he averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game across 75 outings for the Pacers. He earned MVP and Defensive Player of the Year votes that season, winning the league’s Most Improved Player award and claiming a spot on the All-NBA third team and All-Defensive first team.

The 33-year-old made a second consecutive All-Star team for Indiana in 2018/19, but his season was cut short by a ruptured quad tendon, which sidelined him for roughly a full calendar year. That quad tendon injury continued to be an issue after the guard eventually returned to action and required a second surgery in 2021.

Oladipo has appeared in just 102 total NBA games since sustaining that initial quad injury in January 2018, most recently suiting up for the Heat during the 2022/23 season. He sustained a torn left patellar tendon in his last game with Miami in April 2023.

Nets Notes: Demin, Thomas, Porter, Clowney

November 9th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rookie guard Egor Demin made his first career start Friday night, and he’s likely to remain in that role while Cam Thomas recovers from his strained hamstring, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Nets coach Jordi Fernandez was encouraged by what he saw from the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft, who had eight points, seven assists and only one turnover.

“He’s a really smart kid. He asks questions, he works at it, so I know he’ll understand all that,” Fernandez said. “His super power on defense (is) his length and rebounding. And if you look at (Friday), he grabbed three rebounds. And he should be able to get a lot of deflections because … his length, his positioning on defense is very good. So, keep growing on that end of the floor for sure.”

Lewis cites a “teaching moment” that occurred late in the first half after Demin forced a pair of shots during a 9-0 run by Detroit. Fernandez took him aside to explain the errors, and Demin said he appreciates the guidance.

“It’s really good for everybody — not just me, but the whole group in general — knowing that Jordi is really trying to help us and help the group,” he said. “And he’s super open to communicate and tell us what exactly he wants from us and not just the group, but each of us as personnel. And for me, it’s important to hear some advice from him during the game, before the game, after the game, things like this. So I think it’s really cool.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

Thomas is projected to miss three-to-four weeks, but he said the injury doesn’t feel as severe as when he hurt his hamstring last season, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link). “It’s way different,” Thomas said. “It’s not as bad as the last one, I’ll say that. I dodged a bullet with that.”
After being acquired from Denver over the summer, Michael Porter Jr. is experiencing what it’s like to be in a starring role rather a complementary player, Lewis states in a separate story. The Nets will rely on Porter to carry the offense even more while Thomas is sidelined. “I’m going to push myself to be able to handle a bigger load than I used to,” Porter said. “I’ve always been someone that can adapt to a situation. … As the season goes on, I’ll get even more comfortable figuring out how I can get good looks off against some of these really good defenders. It’s going to be a work in progress.”
Noah Clowney reached double figures in scoring on Friday for the third straight time since being inserted into the starting lineup, notes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. Clowney tied his career high by hitting four three-pointers in a quarter and finished with a season-best 19 points.

Southwest Notes: Fox, Flagg, Exum, Eason

November 9th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs fans have been waiting eight months to see De’Aaron Fox back in action, and he gave them something to remember in Saturday’s season debut, writes Raul Dominguez of The Associated Press. Fox had 24 points, three rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes and sank a late floater to wrap up a win over New Orleans. He admitted being rusty after not playing for so long, but trusted his talent when taking the final shot.

“I mean, I’m good at basketball,” Fox said. “So, you can still have rust and be able to do that.”

San Antonio was hoping to make a push for the playoffs after acquiring Fox in February, but he suffered a torn tendon in his left pinky finger and decided to have season-ending surgery March 12. An offseason injury to his right hamstring delayed his comeback as the Spurs were cautious with his recovery.

“For me, as a player and as a competitor, obviously I want to get out there,” Fox said. “But I’m listening to (the medical staff) and they have the best interest for me because obviously I signed a contract to be here long term, so they want to protect the asset and make sure the asset is ready when I’m out there. So, for me, it was just trusting that, trusting the process and I feel like we did a great job this summer and up in the early parts of the season.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Cooper Flagg expressed frustration over the Mavericks‘ slow start after Wednesday’s loss to New Orleans, but he was happier with the results on Saturday as the team picked up its first road victory at Washington, relays Christian Clark of The Athletic. Coach Jason Kidd explained that handling the ups and downs of a long season is part of the adjustment to NBA life. “I think you learn really fast when you play 82 games with the best players in the world,” Kidd said. “It’s not high school. It’s not college. You lose more than six games. There are lessons to be learned. It doesn’t take you from becoming a champion or one of the best players in the world. You have to adjust and understand that you’re going to lose. But you learn from losing each time you take the floor.”
Kidd told reporters on Saturday that Dante Exum is getting reevaluated for a right knee injury that has prevented him from playing so far this season, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Exum hasn’t practiced since early in training camp and has been listed as out due to injury management.
Rockets forward Tari Eason talks to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle about the “toughest year” of his life due to his father’s disappearance and unexpected death in March. “I try to just keep his name alive, keep his spirit alive,” Eason said. “That’s all I can do, is hold it down for my little brothers and little sister.”