Pistons Guard Reggie Jackson Out For Extended Period
Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson suffered a Grade 3 right ankle sprain against the Pacers on Tuesday and will be sidelined until after the All-Star break, the team announced on Wednesday. Jackson underwent an MRI on Wednesday, which revealed the extent of the injury. He will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks, according to the press release.
Coach Stan Van Gundy said during his postgame press conference that X-rays were negative. However, Jackson was in severe pain when the injury occurred and couldn’t put any pressure on the leg.
Jackson had eight points and a season-high 13 assists prior to the injury. He missed the first 21 games last season with a knee injury but the club got off to an 11-10 start with Ish Smith running the offense. Smith will move into the lineup as long as Jackson is out. “Ish did a great job of taking over when Reggie went down last year, so we won’t miss a beat,” center Andre Drummond said after the game.
Langston Galloway or Dwight Buycks, who is on a two-way contract, will back up Smith while Jackson mends. Galloway, who inked a three-year, $21MM free agent contract during the summer, has played almost exclusively at shooting guard this season. Buycks appeared in his first NBA game on Tuesday since playing six games with the Lakers during the 2014/15 season.
Another option, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets, is to sign a player to a 10-day contract. Teams can add a player via a 10-day deal beginning on January 5th and Detroit has an open roster spot.
In the short run, the Pistons are without both starting guards. Shooting guard Avery Bradley has missed the last five games with a groin injury but he is progressing. The team is hopeful he can return next week, as Langlois tweets.
Southwest Notes: Capela, Leonard, Weber, Simmons
Rockets center Clint Capela has a right orbital fracture and will miss at least the next two games, the team tweets. Capela will be re-evaulated later this week, the tweet adds. Capela suffered the injury during the third quarter of the Rockets’ loss to the Thunder on Christmas Day. He had missed three of the previous four games with a heel injury. Capela, who is averaging 14.2 PPG and 11.2 RPG, will miss Thursday’s matchup against the Celtics and Friday’s game against the Wizards.
In other developments around the Southwest Division:
- Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard admits he’s still not 100% as he works his way back from a quad injury but the team appears ready to go on a run, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Leonard played 26 minutes in San Antonio’s victory over the Nets on Tuesday. “I don’t feel like I’m there yet,” Leonard told Wright and other reporters. “But I tried to do what I can. It’s really nothing tonight. Just the whole process of going through playing limited minutes, and just seeing how I feel each game.” With Leonard and Tony Parker back from long-term injuries, the Spurs finally have their full roster together. “It’s a good time to get everybody playing, everybody feeling good, get Kawhi and Tony back to their usual selves, back to their rhythm and feeling good,” guard Manu Ginobili told Wright.
- Briante Weber has played meaningful minutes as a backup point guard with Rockets starter Chris Paul on the mend, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle relays. Paul could return as early as Thursday from an adductor strain. Weber, who is on a two-way contract, played a total of 34 minutes over the last two games, though he only contributed two points and three assists. “It’s a learning process, just trying to figure out what to do to play my game and not take away from what the team has,” Weber told Feigen.
- Rookie guard Kobi Simmons, another player on a two-way deal, has given the Grizzlies a boost of energy, Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal notes. Simmons has played a total of 51 minutes over the last two games, supplying 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists. “He brings a spark,” interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Tillery. “He’s got a natural talent that we’ve got to do a great job of developing. He can help us.”
Northwest Notes: Mitchell, Allen, Butler, Gibson
Jazz rookie guard Donovan Mitchell intended to return to Louisville for his junior season when tested the draft waters, Tim MacMahon of ESPN reports. Mitchell paid his expenses to the Creative Artists Agency pre-draft camp because he wanted to see what improvements he needed in his game before returning to college, MacMahon continues. Chris Paul and Paul George convinced Mitchell during the camp that he was good enough to be a first-round selection. The Jazz targeted him after an interview during the Chicago pre-draft camp and traded into the lottery to snag him, MacMahon adds.
In other news involving the Northwest Division:
- Nuggets coach Michael Malone downplays the feeling that the franchise made a mistake dealing Mitchell, the No. 13 pick, to the Jazz, Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News tweets. “The only thing I can say is obviously we got (forward) Trey Lyles in that deal and Trey Lyles has been great for us,“ Malone told Woodyard. Mitchell doesn’t hold any grudges against Denver for trading him, Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets.
- Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen is the biggest reason why the franchise is wallowing in mediocrity, John Canzano of The Oregonian opines. Allen’s hands-on approach has been a failure, which has led to numerous GM and coaching changes, Canzano continues. The best way for the franchise to move forward is for Allen to let his basketball staff and coaches do their jobs without his constant meddling, Canzano adds.
- The acquisitions of Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson have transformed the Timberwolves, as coach Tom Thibodeau told Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune and other reporters. “Just the toughness,” Thibodeau said. “You’re talking about two elite defenders and knowing how important defense is and making the right plays offensively. … You can ask (Butler) to guard any player on the floor and he does it. They don’t take any possessions off and they understand how hard you have to play on every possession. With young guys, sometimes they don’t understand that. You can’t take plays off and you can’t pick and choose when you’re going to play defense.”
Marc Gasol Talks Fizdale Firing, Future With Grizzlies
Marc Gasol made himself available to several reporters following Grizzlies practice on Monday to answer any questions pertaining to him, firing of former coach David Fizdale, and his future in Memphis. In an hour-long question and answer session, Gasol said no question was off limits but he was overall vague with his answers, Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal writes.
Gasol continually reiterated that he did not push for Fizdale’s dismissal but admitted that they were not on good terms. The Grizzlies center noted that a December 18, 2016, loss to the Jazz was the beginning of the relationship deteriorating. Fizdale blamed him and Mike Conley for the loss, causing tensions to escalate, Gasol said.
“We couldn’t make it work,” Gasol said. “We both wanted what was best for the team. We just couldn’t get on the same page. Things got of control fast.”
The 32-year-old Gasol, who is in his 10th season with the Grizzlies, said that the poor relationship with Fizdale was due to both parties. Fizdale was fired on November 27 after Gasol was benched in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Nets. By that point, Gasol accepted that the relationship was beyond repair, despite an agreement made during the offseason.
“We both understood we had to keep it professional,” Gasol said. “That was the agreement. That was agreed upon at the end of last season. … I’m responsible for some of the things but not all of the things.”
Gasol said that has not asked the Grizzlies for a trade and remains confident that things can improve. Memphis currently owns the second-worst record (10-23) in the Western Conference. However, Gasol’s personal issues with Memphis go beyond the coaching staff. The Spaniard was also critical of the Grizzlies’ decision to not bringing back Zach Randolph and Tony Allen in free agency — breaking up the “core four” of Gasol, Conley, Randolph and Allen.
“I didn’t understand the why,” Gasol said of the Grizzlies not bringing back their veterans.
It is safe to say that Memphis is currently not in the hunt for a playoff spot. It is also true that Gasol, a three-time NBA All-Star, wants to win. Whether or not that happens in a Grizzlies uniform remains to be seen.
New York Notes: Hornacek, Baker, Point Guards, Allen, Russell, Okafor
The Knicks entered last season with high expectations but a midseason collapse partnered with a veteran team was the root of the team’s demise. With a younger team in place this season, head coach Jeff Hornacek does not expect the current Knicks to quit on the season if things get tough, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.
Ball-dominant players such as Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose were not conducive to the Knicks’ offensive strategy. Free agency acquisitions Courtney Lee (who has been solid this season) and Joakim Noah did not perform to expectations. This season, however, Hornacek has a different vibe.
“Usually when you have an older team — veteran guys — and the losses start piling up guys have a tendency to go, ‘Okay, the season (is over),'” Hornacek said. “These guys are going to fight until the end of the season no matter what our record is. A lot of young guys, they know we’re working not just for this year, but for the next couple of years to get better at certain things. So there won’t be any quit in these guys.”
After back-to-back losses, the Knicks are 17-16, good for an eighth-place tie in the Eastern Conference with the Heat. Injuries to Tim Hardaway Jr., Kristaps Porzingis, and Enes Kanter have hindered the team at times this season. Yet, Hornacek feels the current crop is hungry and willing to compete, even through difficult circumstances.
Check out other news from the New York NBA scene below:
- The Knicks‘ uncertain point guard situation was exploited in the team’s Christmas loss to the Sixers on Monday, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Veteran Jarrett Jack went 0-for-5 from the field while rookie Frank Ntilikina struggled on both sides of the ball. Conversely, Sixers backup point guard T.J. McConnell provided Philadelphia with a major boost.
- Knicks point guard Ron Baker has taken an unconventional path to the NBA, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders writes. Baker was not heavily recruited out of high school and needed several productive seasons at Wichita State to get on several NBA teams’ radars. Then, Baker went undrafted and had to impress the Knicks in the summer league to earn an NBA opportunity.
- Nets rookie center Jarrett Allen is trying to model his game after Rockets big man Clint Capela, Net Income at NetsDaily highlights.
- As both D’Angelo Russell (knee surgery) and Jahlil Okafor (conditioning) work to enter the Nets’ rotation, general manager Sean Marks’ remarks from last Wednesday put both men on track to return shortly after the New Year. Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets that Russell’s 7-to-8 weeks’ timetable after November 17 surgery puts him on track to return anywhere from January 5-12; Okafor was said to be about two weeks away, putting him on schedule to enter the rotation on the Nets’ upcoming homestand.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/26/17
Here are the notable G-League transactions around the NBA today:
- The Hornets recalled rookie Dwayne Bacon from the organization’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced in a press release. In 28 games for Charlotte, Bacon has averaged 3.6 PPG and 3.1 RPG. He was acquired along with cash considerations from the Pelicans for draft rights to Frank Jackson during the 2017 NBA Draft.
- In a separate move, the Hornets assigned guard Julyan Stone to the Greensboro Swarm on Tuesday, according to a press release. Stone has appeared in four contests for the Hornets, posting totals of 1.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG and 1.8 APG. This marks Stone’s third assignment to the G League.
- The Spurs announced in a press release that guard Derrick White has been recalled from the team’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. White has appeared in seven games for San Antonio, averaging 1.3 PPG and 1.3 RPG.
- The Trail Blazers assigned guard C.J. Wilcox to the Santa Cruz Warriors, per a press release. After appearing in 20+ games in each of the past three seasons for the Magic and Clippers, Wilcox has yet to see NBA action in 2017/18 due to arthroscopic knee surgery. Wilcox signed a two-way deal with Portland in August.
Injury Notes: Johnson, Curry, Hardaway
James Johnson, who re-signed with the Heat on a four-year, $60MM deal, will be out of the lineup indefinitely because of ankle bursitis, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.
Johnson missed three games earlier this month because of the ailment and tried to play on Saturday against New Orleans. He had to leave the contest before halftime and the Heat are now expected to closely monitor him until he returns to full health.
“My foot wasn’t functional at the time,” Johnson said of leaving the game. “But I think it was way better just not coming back out at halftime than it was when I just had to leave the court, for sure. So I feel improvement. I see improvement on it. So, like I said, just day-to-day treatment as much as I can.”
Here’s more injury notes from around the league:
- Stephen Curry will remain out until at least Friday and coach Steve Kerr said the point guard needs to go through as many as three more practices before he plays in a game, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com tweets. Curry went through 4-on-4 drills over the weekend and the team will see how handles more activities before clearing him to return.
- Tim Hardaway Jr. has been “moving more every day,” Ian Begley of ESPN.com relays on Twitter. Begley adds that the shooting guard has not yet been cleared to run, though the Knicks expect him back with the team at some point next month.
- Devin Booker has missed the last nine games with a groin injury, but he’ll be back in action for tonight’s contest against the Grizzlies, according to Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic (Twitter feed). The Suns have gone 3-6 with Booker sidelined.
Clippers Hope To Have Blake Griffin Back Soon
The Clippers are hoping that Blake Griffin will return to the court before the end of December, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
Griffin, who sprained the MCL in his left knee at the end of November, was initially expected to miss up to two months. He missed the last 13 games because of the injury and the team has gone 5-8 so far during his absence.
The Clippers play the Kings tonight before taking on the Lakers on Friday and the Hornets on Sunday.
Mavericks Notes: Barnes, Smith Jr., Draft
The Mavericks haven’t lived up to expectations this season and the team’s highest-paid player is taking responsibility for the team’s woes.
“There’s no lying about it, it’s difficult for everybody. It comes down to taking personal responsibility,” Harrison Barnes said (via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News).
“A lot of that falls on my shoulders. I have the ball a lot. I take the lion’s share of the shots. We’ve been close in a lot of late games. We’ve lost a lot of late games, so I take a lot of blame for that. Obviously, I have to be better, so we can be better.”
Here’s more from Dallas:
- Dennis Smith Jr. sees adapting to the Mavericks‘ system as his biggest challenge at this point in the season, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. “It’s a systematic team, so I’m trying to convert my game into buying into the system,” said Smith. “Just listen and watch the film. Really, whatever they say, that’s what I’ve got to do.”
- The Mavericks currently own the second spot in our Reverse Standings, which means there’s a good chance that they end up with a top selection in the upcoming draft. Sefko (in a separate piece) believes the team could end up with the worst record in the league, noting that Dallas has lost games to many of the teams sitting in the league’s cellar.
- ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla (via The Dallas Morning News) examines which players could go in the top-3 and speculates that the Mavs could be interested in Luka Doncic with their first-round pick.
Union Leaders For Players, Refs Meet Over Tensions
Escalating tensions between players and officials led to a recent meeting between the leaders of their unions, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Lee Seham, general counsel for the National Basketball Referees Association, called players association executive director Michele Roberts to discuss several recent incidents, including ejections involving high-profile players such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, who has been tossed from three games this season. Also, official Courtney Kirkland received a week’s suspension after a head-butting altercation with Shaun Livingston.
Seham and Roberts talked for more than two hours about a wide range of issues, including the referees’ stance that the league has allowed too much leniency to players to verbally attack them. Roberts said players believe the refs have become disrespectful on the court and get particularly upset when officials hold up their hands in an effort to silence them.
“Our players also complained about being ignored, told to ‘shut up,’ told to ‘move’ or, in extreme circumstances, hit with a technical,” Roberts said. “There have been four or five occasions when a player has gone to say, ‘Hey, what’s up with that?’ and the official holds his hand up like a stop sign, like, ‘I don’t have time to talk to you.’ … Lee [Seham] told me, ‘That’s what they’re trained to do.'”
“What is going to make a difference is to have our players sit down and discuss their grievances with officials,” she said. “They clearly can’t do that on the court. We need to do it at a time when there’s no game on the line, or you’re not thinking, ‘What’s he or she going to do to me in the next quarter if I complain?’ We need to sit down over a cup of coffee or even a can of beer and get some things off everyone’s chests and hear the other side’s perspective. We talked about this a couple of years ago. I thought it would be interesting. Now I think it’s something that’s necessary.”
The NBA has altered its referee management program since Adam Silver took over as commissioner, Wojnarowski adds, but its working relationship with officials has worsened. Emails reveal that the officials union has challenged the league office on several issues, including what it considers to be “intimidating behavior” from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.