Community Shootaround: Top Six In West
The Suns, who hold a nine-game lead over the NBA’s next-best team, are close to clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The two teams behind them in the standings, the No. 2 Grizzlies and No. 3 Warriors, each have a two-game cushion over their next-closest competitor.
After the top three though, the West’s standings get a little more congested. The No. 4 Jazz, at 45-27, are separated from the No. 7 Timberwolves (42-31) by just 3.5 games, with the Mavericks (44-28) and Nuggets (43-30) sandwiched in between them.
All four clubs have looked like playoff teams, but – barring a massive Warriors collapse – only three will finish in the top six in the West. The other will end the regular season at No. 7 and will need to win a play-in game in order to officially earn a playoff spot.
The Timberwolves have been locked into the No. 7 seed since January and have the seventh-hardest schedule the rest of the way, according to Tankathon. That probably makes them the odds-on favorite to finish outside of the top six. But they’ve been one of the hottest teams in basketball over the last few months, having gone 26-11 since the new year. They’ll also control the tiebreaker vs. Denver and will face the Nuggets once more on April 1 with a chance to gain ground.
The Nuggets have a more favorable schedule, but have been a little shakier as of late — before Tuesday’s win over the Clippers, they’d lost four of their last six. With no guarantee that Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr. will be back before the end of the regular season, Denver can’t necessarily count on getting reinforcements down the stretch.
The Jazz and Mavericks look like safer bets for top-six finishes, since time is running out for Denver or Minnesota to catch them. Still, it’s worth noting that Utah has the NBA’s fourth-hardest remaining schedule, per Tankathon, with only two games left against non-playoff or play-in opponents. Dallas, meanwhile, has big games in Minnesota on Friday and vs. Utah on Sunday — losing both of those contests would make the Mavs’ top-six position more tenuous.
We want to know what you think. Will the West’s current playoff teams hang onto their spots and force the Timberwolves into the play-in tournament? Or will Minnesota catch the Nuggets or another team and secure a playoff spot by the end of the regular season?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and predictions on the West’s playoff race!
Pacific Notes: Fox, Paul, Warriors, Lue, Westbrook
Kings guard De’Aaron Fox admits that it was “definitely hard” to see second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton depart at last month’s trade deadline, according to Logan Murdock of The Ringer, who says Fox had been planning to mentor his young backcourt partner for years to come.
However, Fox – who is now the Kings’ longest-tenured player – has gotten accustomed to a certain level of turnover since arriving in Sacramento. While his coaches and teammates continue to change around him, Fox himself at least appears to be part of the franchise’s long-term plans.
“The Kings always told us, ‘He’s our guy. He’s our franchise guy. He’s our max player, and we’ll build it around him, man,'” agent Chris Gaston tells Murdock. “That’s what they told everybody else around the NBA is that, ‘Hey, look, you can inquire about De’Aaron all you want, but we’re building around De’Aaron. This is our guy. He’s our main centerpiece.’ And they are true to their word.”
Fox, currently sidelined due to a right hand injury, has shown improvement in his recovery from that injury but hasn’t yet resumed basketball activities, tweets James Ham of ESPN 1320. While Fox is with the Kings on their current road trip, his return isn’t considered imminent, prompting Ham to speculate (via Twitter) that we may have seen the last of Fox and Domantas Sabonis (knee) this season.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Suns point guard Chris Paul has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game, but is doing “more and more” in recent days and is getting closer to returning from his thumb injury, says Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
- Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area makes the case that the Warriors should consider replacing Kevon Looney with Otto Porter Jr. in their starting lineup to help jump-start their offense.
- Since joining the Clippers, head coach Tyronn Lue has emerged from LeBron James‘ shadow and is developing into a star in his own right, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes, examining how Lue has kept his team competitive while missing stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. “When you build a system around your best two players, a lot of stuff we can’t run anymore,” Lue said. “I had to look at the mirror myself and just figure out what’s best for this team. I had to go back to the drawing board.”
- Criticized for his inability to score efficiently for much of the season, Russell Westbrook has made nearly 50% of his field goal attempts and 40% of his three-point tries in his last six games. Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group wonders if the Lakers are finally getting the version of Westbrook they envisioned when they traded for him last summer.
Central Notes: Williams, Caruso, Pistons Offseason, Hayes
After being sidelined with a wrist injury since October, Bulls power forward Patrick Williams seems happy to be back on the floor for Chicago in any capacity. Though Williams was a starter in his five games pre-injury this season, head coach Billy Donovan has opted to play him off the bench during his first two games back this week. Williams does not mind the switch, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago.
“I’m fine with it, as long as I can contribute to the team,” Williams said ahead of his first game back with the Bulls, an eventual 113-99 win over the Raptors on Monday. “I plan on being in this league for a long time. Sitting out for five months, I may not be able to show everything. But just help the team win in any way (I can)… I think winning takes care of everything. If we win, everybody’s happy. No matter how many points you scored, no matter how many minutes you played, everybody’s happy. If you get a ring, everybody gets a ring.”
Williams proved a key contributor even in limited minutes during that victory against the Raptors, and reiterated his excitement about returning to the floor in his postgame comments, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
“It was amazing,” Williams said. “Just having something taken from you for so long, something that you love and finally being able to get it back and enjoy the game, there’s really nothing like it.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Donovan has opted to make a change in his starting rotation with Bulls starting point guard Lonzo Ball still shelved and reserve guard Alex Caruso back healthy. Though a good defender, rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu has been demoted to the bench in favor of the more experienced Caruso, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I just felt like since Alex had his legs under him a little bit, starting off with that group defensively could give us a little bit better energy,” Donovan explained. “AC is extremely smart and brings so much with IQ and defense and spacing the floor and shot making,’’ All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine said regarding the change. “With him moving into the [starting] lineup and Ayo going back [a reserve role], I think it’s going to be a switch up.”
- The Pistons, the No. 15 seed in the East, have plenty of intriguing decisions facing them in the 2022 offseason. In a new mailbag, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic examines several key summer storylines. Edwards anticipates team president Troy Weaver possibly targeting a player with a handle in the draft or free agency to pair with rookie guard Cade Cunningham. Edwards also discusses his expectations for the future of forward Jerami Grant, as well as that of power forward Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft and a restricted free agent this summer.
- Second-year Pistons guard Killian Hayes has struggled to develop this season amid injuries, per Rod Beard of the Detroit News. Since being shifted to a bench role, Hayes has at least been able to expect a certain amount of guaranteed run when he is available. “I’ve gotten used to coming off the bench at the five- or six-minute mark but starting and just getting back to that rhythm, it’s right into the game,” Hayes said. “You don’t have time to go back to the locker room and see how the game goes, so just be ready. I think I’m ready for both (starting and reserve roles).”
Southeast Notes: Ball, Thomas, Hawks, Beal, Heat
Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball has developed a good relationship with reserve point guard Isaiah Thomas, writes Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.
Earlier today, it was officially announced that Thomas signed a rest-of-season deal with Charlotte. The 33-year-old Thomas, a former two-time All-Star, has already served as a mentor to Ball.
“I feel like on the court, he’s just helped Melo slow down,” forward Miles Bridges said. “It’s certain plays, Melo, he makes the flashy plays or he tries to force something. But I.T., he’s been talking to Melo, making sure he makes the right play at all times. And off the court, just staying professional.”
Thomas addressed his Hornets role in relation to Ball. The duo occasionally share time on the floor together.
“Just knowing how important the possession is … obviously we want him to push the pace,” Thomas said, “but there are times where we don’t get things three or four possessions. We’ve got to slow it down. Get us in a set that’s going to get the ball moving side-to-side, then attack downhill. So I think it’s easier for him to relate to me because I’ve been in those situations.”
In seven games for Charlotte, the 5’9″ veteran guard is averaging 9.9 PPG, 2.0 APG and 1.3 APG in 13.4 MPG. As a shooter, Thomas’s output has reached an efficiency level unseen since his Boston days. He boasts shooting splits of .462/.480/1.000 with the Hornets.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- The 36-36 Hawks appear in desperate need of a defensive upgrade next season, as was evinced in a 117-112 loss to the Pelicans on Sunday, writes Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. What New Orleans exhibited in perimeter defensive effort, the Hawks lacked, per Kirschner. “They have a lot of guys who have size and length on the wing,” Atlanta All-Star point guard Trae Young said. “They made some good reads. They were really pulling in to help on the roller, and the guy who had to guard two did a good job of picking the right one. I made a couple of turnovers picking the wrong one. You have to tip your hat to them in making the right reads.”
- Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal recently discussed what he thinks Washington requires to return to contention in the East, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Beal expressed his enthusiasm for new Wizards addition Kristaps Porzingis, added at the trade deadline, but there are areas where he sees particular room for improvement. “I think we need bigger guards,” Beal said. “We need more guys that can get in the paint for us, more ball-handlers, more guys that can really create and get two feet in the paint, but also who can knock down threes.” Beal also wants additional two-way perimeter help: “Just some dog wings, some 3-and-D guys who can get after it and accept those challenges come playoff time when we play the Jayson Tatums, all the elite primetime wings.”
- As the 47-25 Heat gear up for the playoffs, the top-seeded team in the East continues to tinker with its rotation. That decision-making extends to how Miami opts to dole out minutes to its reserve big men Markieff Morris and Dewayne Dedmon, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Chiang explains that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is letting opponent matchups dictate whether he decides to use Morris or Dedmon on any given night.
Darren Collison To Join South Bay Lakers
Free agent point guard Darren Collison is joining the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers‘ G League affiliate, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Charania notes that South Bay is currently the second seed, and that the addition of Collison could help the club make a postseason push. According to Charania, Collison is also hoping to make an impression on NBA clubs in the hopes of earning a call-up.
Collison, 34, initially retired in the 2019 offseason but returned this year on a 10-day hardship contract with the Lakers. In 12.3 MPG across three games with Los Angeles, Collison looked rusty, to say the least. The 6’0″ guard averaged 1.3 PPG on 28.6% field goal shooting, plus 1.3 RPG and 0.7 APG.
He holds career averages of 12.5 PPG, 5.0 APG and 2.7 RPG in 711 career NBA games, with a .471/.394/.853 shooting line.
Signing with South Bay represents something of a homecoming for Collison. A native of the Southern California suburb of Rancho Cucamonga, Collison was selected with the No. 21 pick out of UCLA by the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2009. In 10 NBA seasons prior to his first retirement, he also suited up for the Pacers in two separate stints, the Mavericks, Clippers, and Kings.
Julius Randle Fined $40K By NBA
The NBA has fined Knicks power forward Julius Randle to the tune of $40K after he used “hostile language” against a referee during a 108-93 home loss to the Jazz, it has announced today (via Twitter).
Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets that this will be Randle’s fifth fine from the NBA this season, totaling $155K in all. Due to being dinged by 11 technical foul penalties as well, Randle has lost another $29K.
That figure should not make much of a dent in Randle’s current $21.8MM salary for this season. Randle inked a lucrative four-year contract extension with the Knicks during the 2021 offseason that will be worth approximately $106MM and $122MM depending on certain incentives.
The Knicks announced (Twitter link) earlier today that Randle is set to miss the club’s contest this evening against the visiting Hawks with a sore right quadriceps tendon. It is unclear if that ailment will sideline him long beyond that.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes that an absence for Randle will allow second-year power forward Obi Toppin, the eighth pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of Dayton and a Brooklyn native, to get significantly more run time.
Toppin, 24, is currently logging just 14.8 MPG across 61 contests this season for the 30-41 Knicks. Bondy notes that he has shown plenty of promise with his significant foot speed, but has remains a less-than-stellar defender or long-range shooter. Bondy adds that Toppin hasn’t played more than 20 minutes in a game since February.
NBA Fines Draymond Green $25K
The NBA today has fined Warriors power forward Draymond Green $25K after he cursed at a referee during Golden State’s 110-108 loss to the Spurs on Sunday, per a PR announcement (Twitter link). Green was ejected following the incident.
Green had been playing in only his third game since returning to the team from a back injury that held him out of the Warriors’ lineup for 29 consecutive contests. Prior to the defeat, the 32-year-old had made his first All-Star team since 2018 and had been clearly on the hunt for Defensive Player of the Year hardware.
The 6’6″ vet out of Michigan State is averaging 7.6 PPG on 52.9% shooting, 7.5 RPG and 7.1 APG for the 47-23 Warriors, currently the third seed in the Western Conference.
As JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors points out (via Twitter), the Green fine marks the league’s fourth such penalty announced today. Timberwolves point guard Patrick Beverley, Bucks reserve guard George Hill, and injured Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic were all fined between $15K and $40K.
Pacers Notes: Warren, Hield, Haliburton
Pacers forward T.J. Warren, who has already been ruled out for the rest of 2021/22, will also remain away from the team for the remainder of the season, says Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Warren had previously been practicing and playing some 5-on-5 with the Pacers, but is continuing his rehab and preparing for next season on his own.
“T.J. Warren will continue his ramp-up for next season at his home in Raleigh, NC,” the Pacers said in a statement provided to Agness. “He has the full support of the Pacers organization and medical staff.”
Warren, who missed the entire 2021/22 season due to a left foot injury, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so it’s possible he has played his last game for the Pacers.
Here’s more out of Indiana:
- Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield was one of the NBA’s most one-dimensional players in Sacramento, but has exhibited newfound driving and passing abilities since arriving in Indiana, Louis Zatzman of FiveThirtyEight writes in a breakdown of Hield’s evolving game.
- Hield is averaging 5.0 assists per game in 16 games with the Pacers after registering 1.9 APG in 55 games with the Kings this season. Indiana has a 117.8 offensive rating when he’s on the court, which would rank first in the NBA. “Different style, different opportunity,” Hield said, per Wheat Hotchkiss of Pacers.com. “I think (head coach) Rick (Carlisle) gave me a better opportunity than (I had in) Sacramento that helps me to show that. When I wanted to (do more with the ball), they just wanted me to be a corner catch-and-shoot guy. So now I’ve been able to show what I can do and just be free and playing basketball happy again.”
- The Pacers will host the Kings on Wednesday, and while Hield and Tyrese Haliburton are looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, they downplayed the importance of meeting their old team, with Haliburton suggesting he has friends and family who are “behind the narrative” far more than he is. Hotchkiss has the story and the quotes at Pacers.com.
- In case you missed it, Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic was fined $40K by the NBA following an altercation with a Pacers fan in Indiana on Sunday. The fan allegedly made disparaging remarks about Nurkic’s mother and grandmother. Nurkic’s grandmother passed away of COVID-19 in 2020.
Draft Notes: Aimaq, Maldonado, Lofton, Roberts, More
Utah Valley big man Fardaws Aimaq is testing the NBA draft waters and has entered the NCAA’s transfer portal, he tells Travis Branham of 247Sports.com (Twitter link). Aimaq, who also declared for the draft in 2021 before eventually withdrawing, had a big junior year, averaging 18.9 PPG, 13.6 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 32 games (34.4 MPG) for Utah Valley.
Wyoming shooting guard Hunter Maldonado will also enter the draft while retaining his remaining year of NCAA eligibility, he announced on Twitter. As a senior in 2021/22, he put up 18.5 PPG, 6.3 APG, and 5.7 RPG in 33 games (37.3 MPG). He has one more year of eligibility left due to the adjustments the NCAA made in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like Aimaq and Maldonado, Louisiana Tech sophomore forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. will test the draft waters this spring, announcing his decision today on Twitter. In 33 games (27.0 MPG) this season, Lofton averaged a double-double, posting 16.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG to go along with 2.8 APG and 1.2 SPG.
Finally, Washington junior forward/center Nate Roberts announced on Twitter that he’s entering the draft and intends to sign with an agent. Roberts, who started all 32 games he played for Washington this season, wasn’t much of an offensive threat, averaging 5.5 PPG, but he was the team’s leading rebounder (7.5 RPG).
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Following the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz (Insider link) evaluated how several of the top prospects fared and updated their mock draft.
- Meanwhile, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic focused on the top players from a few of the tournament’s Cinderella teams, exploring whether Tyrese Hunter (Iowa State), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan), and Kameron McGusty (Miami), among others, are viable NBA prospects.
- The Pistons would be the ideal landing spot for Chet Holmgren, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who ranks the top 11 fits for the Gonzaga big man. O’Connor’s list only includes lottery-bound teams that will have a realistic shot at drafting Holmgren with a top pick.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) thinks there’s a noticeable drop-off after the top four prospects in this year’s draft (Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith, and Jaden Ivey). Jeff Goodman of Stadium disagrees, tweeting that the 2022 class is much stronger throughout the lottery than people give it credit for.
Pelicans Notes: McCollum, Jones, MLE, Murphy
CJ McCollum has given the Pelicans a consistent scoring presence since being acquired at last month’s trade deadline, but his value to the team goes far beyond that, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. With Zion Williamson unavailable all season and Brandon Ingram battling a strained hamstring, McCollum has taken over the offense since arriving in New Orleans, averaging 26.1 points and 6.7 assists in 16 games.
“He’s been fantastic,” coach Willie Green said. “His ability to score is at a high level. And I love the fact that he’s conscious about making sure he’s getting his teammates involved.”
McCollum has also brought a much-needed dose of veteran leadership to the Pelicans. Clark cites the example of McCollum’s statement during All-Star Weekend that he hadn’t talked directly with Williamson. They connected a few days later, and Williamson recently rejoined the team after spending two months working out on his own.
“You earn your vocal leadership,” McCollum said. “It starts with your preparation. It starts with your approach. And slowly, I integrate my voice when it’s necessary. But I never wanted to be the guy whose voice is heard all the time. I think it gets drowned out. I speak when I need to.”
There’s more from New Orleans:
- Herb Jones took advantage of the Pelicans’ early-season miseries to establish himself as a bright spot for the future, writes Damian Burchardt of The Ringer. Williamson’s absence created an opportunity for the rookie power forward, and he showed he could handle the NBA right away, especially on defense. “I found my way on the defensive end,” he said. “I’ve always been taught that your defense follows you everywhere.”
- The only downside to acquiring McCollum is that he limits the Pelicans’ financial options moving forward, John Hollinger of The Athletic points out in a conversation about the team with William Guillory. McCollum’s $33.3MM salary next season means New Orleans is currently unable to use its full mid-level exception this summer without going over the tax threshold for 2022/23. The team already has 13 players under contract for next season and is about $7MM away from the expected tax line.
- Jones and two-way player Jose Alvarado have made the Pelicans’ 2021 rookie class the best since head of basketball operations David Griffin arrived in New Orleans, but first-round pick Trey Murphy hasn’t been as successful, Hollinger adds in the same piece. As one of the older prospects in the draft, Murphy was supposed to provide immediate help, but he has played in just 52 games and is averaging 4.6 PPG in 13.1 minutes per night.