Atlantic Notes: Knox, Celtics, Joe, Randle
Knicks forward Kevin Knox could see an increased role with starting center Mitchell Robinson sidelined due to a fractured hand, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has spent parts of recent practices testing different lineups, some of which included small-ball variations, according to Berman. The 21-year-old Knox is averaging 16.2 minutes in 23 games this season, lower than his previous two campaigns.
One thing Knox has added this year is three-point shooting, connecting on 37.9% of his shots, albeit on limited attempts. Those small-ball lineups would likely feature Obi Toppin at starting power forward and Julius Randle at center. New York currently holds a 14-16 record.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- With the Celtics playing the Pelicans on Sunday, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston examines three New Orleans players that could interest the team in a potential trade. Among those players is Josh Hart, whose versatility, size and shooting could bolster Boston’s depth at the wing positions.
- Sixers rookie Isaiah Joe has learned from several veteran players this season, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The 76ers added Dwight Howard to a veteran mix that already included Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid and others last offseason, giving Joe plenty of players to learn from. For the season, the 21-year-old is averaging 4.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 12.9 minutes in 17 games.
- The scrutiny that comes with playing in New York made Knicks star Julius Randle a better basketball player, Berman examines in a separate story for the New York Post. “I felt like I wasn’t playing my best basketball,’’ Randle said on J.J. Redick’s podcast, as relayed by Berman. “I don’t care what anyone says — there’s no tougher place to play than New York with the media and the fans who know and love the game. It’s a tough place to play. Anyone who loves the game is going to be sensitive about their craft. I was sensitive to it and really wanted to get better. My progression in my career was every year I got better. I took it personal and a challenge and think I’ve done that.’’
Rockets Notes: Wood, Patton, Starting Lineups, Mini-Camp
Rockets starting center Christian Wood is striving to return from his right ankle injury to the court before the All-Star Game, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “I want to come back before All-Star break,” Wood said. “If I had to give you a percentage of where my ankle is, I’d probably tell you 80 percent.”
Wood, in the midst of a career season during his first year with the Rockets, has been trying to think positively about the injury. “It was definitely hard to deal with at first,” Wood said of his ankle sprain. “But then when I found out the news wasn’t as bad as it seemed, I was grateful and thankful that it could have been worse.”
There’s more out of Houston:
- Newly-added Rockets two-way center Justin Patton is hoping to stick with Houston, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. “That’s the sole reason for what I’m doing,” Patton says. “Every single day I’m working with a chip on my shoulder, proving a point, just as everybody else on our team right now.” Numerous foot injuries have limited Patton to just nine NBA appearances since he was drafted with the No. 16 pick out of Creighton in the 2017 draft. He has exhibited flashes of promise, however, at the G League level.
- The Rockets have struggled to build chemistry through a flurry of 16 different starting lineups, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “Perfect example today in practice, Eric (Gordon) and Tuck (P.J. Tucker) have this like language that they speak to each other that makes sense to them,” head coach Stephen Silas said. “We as a group don’t have any of that… You see teams that have been together a long time and have had steady lineups throughout the season are at the top of the league.”
- Since the Rockets had their weekend slate of games postponed because of ongoing weather problems in Texas, the team was able to have a three-practice “mini-camp,” as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle details. Silas is hopeful that the new-look team will be able to parlay these intense workouts into chemistry. “It feels great to really get down to the bare knuckles of offense and defense,” Silas said. “We broke down today and did some live two-on-two which we haven’t been able to do all season.”
Marcus Smart Unlikely To Return Before All-Star Break
Celtics guard Marcus Smart will miss more time than expected as he continues to recover from a Grade 1 left calf strain he suffered on January 30, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
When Smart was initially diagnosed, his projected recovery timeline was reportedly two or three weeks. Wojnarowski indicates that Smart now isn’t expected to return until after the upcoming All-Star break, which concludes on March 10. The hope is that he’ll be able to suit up for the start of the second half, Woj adds.
The defensive-oriented Smart is currently averaging 13.1 PPG on 39.4% shooting from the floor, 6.1 APG (a career high), 2.8 RPG and 1.8 SPG. The Celtics are 10-8 with Smart in the lineup and 5-6 without him this season.
Head coach Brad Stevens noted today that Smart traveled with the Celtics for their game against the Pelicans this afternoon and even engaged in “light on-court activities” with the club ahead of tip-off.
Central Notes: Drummond, Love, Merrill, LaVine
With veteran Cavaliers center Andre Drummond now benched for the express purpose of being preserved for a trade, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic examines his possible on-court value and most likely trade or buyout destinations.
“If [you] had a bad center situation, I understand going after him,” a rival executive opined. “But I wouldn’t give up anything real [in a trade].” The Raptors are cited as being able to theoretically construct a workable deal for Drummond. Clubs like the Nets, Clippers, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Mavericks and Rockets could be open to adding Drummond if he’s bought out of his $28.7MM contract.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love practiced with Cleveland on Wednesday, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). Russo tweets that Love did not practice with the club on Saturday, though head coach J.B. Bickerstaff would not officially term his absence a setback. “I’ll let our medical staff handle that,” Bickerstaff said. Love has appeared in just two games for Cleveland thus far this season.
- Rookie Bucks guard Sam Merrill has been recalled from a stint with the Memphis Hustle in the G League bubble, the team announced Friday. Merrill is averaging 6.1 MPG across nine games for Milwaukee.
- Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine appears to be cementing his case for his first All-Star berth with efficient scoring on a near-.500 Chicago squad that is currently the No. 9 seed in the East. LaVine’s play could put him in line for a lucrative contract extension this summer, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I try to let my game speak for itself,’’ LaVine said. “I let [the press] assess that and put the numbers behind it on the things I’ve done versus my contract and other players.” LaVine is averaging 28.9 PPG while shooting 51.8% from the floor and 42.9% from deep. He pulling down 5.4 RPG and dishing out 5.1 APG.
Southwest Notes: Winslow, Spurs, Van Gundy, Finney-Smith
Justise Winslow was thrilled to be back on the court Saturday night, making his debut for the Grizzlies and playing for the first time since January 8, 2020. Although he started slowly, missing his first nine shots from the field, Winslow got more comfortable as the game went on and finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time,” Winslow said (video link from the Memphis Commercial Appeal). “I was excited, a lot of nerves, to be honest, but just being out there competing was a lot of fun. In the first half, I was just trying to get that first bucket, you know, a little excited. But once I settled down, settled into my game, I felt pretty comfortable out there. But a lot of praise to this organization, helped me get back out there, and my teammates. They kept me very confident while I was out there playing.”
Winslow was sidelined with a hip injury when Memphis acquired him at last year’s trade deadline. The pandemic prevented his projected return in March, and he suffered a left hip displacement during the summer that he’s just recovering from.
Looking ahead, Winslow could be a valuable contributor to the Grizzlies’ reserve unit as a shot creator, slasher and perimeter defender, notes Evan Barnes of The Commercial Appeal.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- With the Spurs in the middle of an unexpected break due to COVID-19, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News talks to other coaches who have guided their teams through the same experience. San Antonio hasn’t played in a week after four players tested positive for the virus. The team is set to resume its season Wednesday at Oklahoma City if enough players are available. “It’s as mentally challenging as anything I’ve ever had to deal with,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “… There’s nothing I can take from a past experience or even another coach’s past experience to be able to navigate through it. It’s something nobody has had to do.”
- Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy doesn’t believe youth should be an excuse for a fourth-quarter meltdown Friday against Phoenix, according to Scott Kushner of NOLA.com. New Orleans was outscored 41-12 as a big lead slipped away. “A lot of teams in this league have quarters like that,” Van Gundy said. “I’ll never throw the young card out there. We’re a basketball team with really talented people, and we didn’t get the job done in the fourth quarter.”
- Getting back on the court after a week-long break will be a relief for Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. After testing positive for COVID-19 and spending two weeks in a Denver hotel last month, Finney was among the many who lost power this week amid freezing conditions in Texas.
Delon Wright To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Groin Strain
Pistons point guard Delon Wright will be out of action with a Grade 2 strain to his right groin, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic. His condition will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Wright, who suffered the injury in Friday’s game, is averaging 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists after being acquired from the Mavericks in a three-team deal in November. He took over as the starting point guard after an early-season injury to Killian Hayes.
“He said he didn’t remember exactly how he did it, that was the scary part,” head coach Dwane Casey told Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “He was just getting back in transition and felt it.”
The injury, which will stretch past the All-Star break, should give a starting opportunity to Dennis Smith Jr., who was recently acquired from the Knicks, Edwards adds (Twitter link). Two-way players Saben Lee and Frank Jackson are also candidates for increased roles.
Bulls Notes: Trade Deadline, Porter, LaVine, Williams
It hasn’t been scheduled yet, but Bulls management has an important meeting coming up to plot the team’s future, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago is part of a crowded field fighting for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and decisions will have to be made soon on whether to try for the postseason or build for the future.
“Nothing has been presented to me in terms of any ideas or suggestions of buying, selling or anything like that. I don’t have anything on that,’’ coach Billy Donovan said before Saturday’s game. “My focus has been on trying to continue to help the group get better and improve and to try to help the team get better. But I know in speaking to (executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas) that he wants to sit down and have a conversation at some point, probably a couple of weeks before we’re out from the trade deadline.’’
The Bulls, currently in ninth place in the conference, must decide whether to be buyers or sellers ahead of the March 25 deadline. Several teams are reportedly interested in veteran forward Thaddeus Young, and the team will have to determine whether it wants to keep building around Zach LaVine or listen to offers for a potential franchise-altering deal.
There’s more from Chicago:
- Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. is healthy again, but that’s the only positive news on the injury front, Cowley adds in a separate story. Lauri Markkanen remains sidelined by a sprained right shoulder that will likely keep him out of action until mid-March, and Otto Porter Jr. is still being bothered by back issues. “He’s done nothing in practice, but he has gotten shots up, and he has been doing more physically,’’ Donovan said of Porter. “Still do not know a timetable of when he’ll actually be back.”
- Donovan made the case for LaVine to be added as an All-Star after his 38-point outburst Saturday night, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. The reserves are chosen by coaches and will be announced Tuesday. “When you look at players that are All-Stars, you are saying they are playing at a high level individually and they are also raising the level of the team,” Donovan said. “I think Zach has done that.”
- Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports looks at how Patrick Williams‘ “stone cold” reputation has helped him move into the starting lineup as a rookie without a normal training camp or preseason.
Rockets Want Player, Not Picks, In Exchange For P.J. Tucker
Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is on the trade market, and the team wants immediate help in return, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Saturday night’s pre-game show (hat tip to Ben DuBose of USA Today’s Rockets Wire).
The Rockets are looking for “a player that they can plug back into their lineup,” rather than draft picks, he added.
Trade rumors have been swirling around the 35-year-old Tucker ever since Houston was unable to reach a contract extension with him during the offseason. He reportedly refused the team’s latest offer, and both sides agreed to table negotiations last month.
Tucker’s numbers have dipped this year, as he is averaging 4.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 30 minutes per night. However, he remains an elite defender and strong locker room presence, and could be a valuable addition for a contending team. At his age, he no longer fits with a Rockets team that has been trending younger since the James Harden trade.
Wojnarowski expects a “seller’s market” for Tucker, listing the Lakers, Bucks and Nets among many teams that are interested.
Nets Notes: Shamet, Roberson, Claxton, Cousins
Playing against a former team isn’t a new experience for Nets guard Landry Shamet, who has already been traded twice in his brief NBA career, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. What’s odd for Shamet in his return to Los Angeles this week has been confinement to his hotel room because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“It is weird not going from the airport and taking the regular route that I would take to get back home,” he said. “But nonetheless, I’m here and I’m glad to be back here and kind of relive some of the memories, I guess.”
Shamet averaged 9.3 PPG as a part-time starter for the Clippers last season before being shipped to Brooklyn in a three-team deal in November. His experiences in Philadelphia and Los Angeles helped prepare him for a role on teams dominated by star players.
“Any team that’s ever been put together with that much talent isn’t going to just happen overnight and be perfect,” Shamet said. “I think that’s the biggest thing — time and patience and accountability. And if you have those things, over time you’re going to grow and you’re going to develop and turn it, hopefully, into what you wanted it to turn into. I think that’s what I’ve learned.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- Andre Roberson tells Chris Milholen of NetsDaily that the number of familiar faces in Brooklyn has made his transition to the team much smoother. Roberson, who signed with the Nets on Tuesday, joins a squad with former Thunder teammates Kevin Durant and Royal Ivey, who is now an assistant coach. Spencer Dinwiddie was a college teammate at Colorado. “It just shows you what kind of people and character you are walking into,” Roberson said. “I think it’s dope and kind of gives me a head start because I know what to expect. So far, so great, so I can’t complain.”
- Center Nicolas Claxton is getting closer to returning from the knee tedinopathy that has sidelined him all season, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. Claxton is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, marking the first time all season he has appeared on the injury report.
- Harden’s presence on the Nets might work against DeMarcus Cousins‘ chances of winding up in Brooklyn, notes Erik Bacharach of Heavy. Cousins was among the most outspoken players when Harden was trying to force a trade out of Houston, calling some of Harden’s comments “disrespectful.”
L.A. Notes: George, Leonard, Schröder, LeBron
The Clippers picked up a win over the league-leading Jazz Friday night as L.A.’s starting lineup was together for the first time since January 24, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Nicolas Batum all returned from injuries, with George and Batum playing under minutes restrictions. George scored 15 points in 27 minutes after missing the past seven games with swelling in a toe on his right foot.
“Got to get back to that basketball conditioning and get that wind back to where it was,” George said. “As much as I would’ve loved to play, I probably would’ve hurt the team being on the floor past the minutes I played.”
Leonard, who had been dealing with a contusion in his lower left leg, wore a compression sleeve with padding underneath his knee as he logged 38 minutes. Batum was back on the court after missing two games with a concussion.
“We’re all pros, I think that starting lineup all played 10-plus years so that’s how we can sort of get a rhythm early,” Leonard said. “But it takes time, you haven’t seen those bodies on the floor. Obviously, playing with me and PG is a lot different. We might isolate sometimes or take some tough shots so it’s just all that combined. And that’s why we got to keep playing and staying healthy.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Luke Kennard was replaced in the rotation Friday by Terance Mann, notes Law Murray of The Athletic, who adds that Mann earned more playing time with his performance while George was sidelined.
- Lakers guard Dennis Schröder, who is in the NBA’s health and safety protocol, tested negative for COVID-19 but will have to quarantine for at least a week, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Coach Frank Vogel offered an update on Schröder before tonight’s game, saying the team hopes to have him back for Friday’s contest against the Trail Blazers. Wesley Matthews started tonight in Schröder’s place.
- The Lakers face a difficult decision about whether to increase LeBron James‘ playing time while Anthony Davis is injured, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. L.A. is in a tight race for the top spot in the West, but is concerned about not wearing down James before the playoffs. Goon notes that his minutes have already increased from 31.4 per game in December to 37.7 in February.