Sixers Notes: Embiid, Fine, Maxey, Harden
Joel Embiid never had any doubts about playing Friday night as long as he received medical clearance, writes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Embiid didn’t clear concussion protocol until Friday morning and had to wear a mask to protect his broken orbital bone, but he logged more than 36 minutes as the Sixers picked up their first win in the series with Miami.
“It was a struggle,” Embiid said, “really because of the concussion and dealing with a bunch of symptoms. But I’m glad it went away and I’m glad that I’m back. I really want to win, and I feel like we have a big chance to win it all. Obviously, we got to stay healthy and we all got to play well at the same time. … Down 2-0, I had to do really everything possible to be out there no matter, how much I was feeling. I’m just glad that we got the win.”
Embiid wasn’t dominant on offense, scoring 18 points and making 5-of-12 shots from the field, but he made a bigger difference on defense, providing a mobile rim protector that Philadelphia was lacking in the first two games.
“He’s the anchor, he knows all the coverages, and he’s talking to us,” Tyrese Maxey said. “He’s seven-foot one, he’s a big body down there, it’s hard to go in there and drive into him, and he makes it difficult for the opposing team. We really do appreciate him for that.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- The Sixers were fined $50K for failing to follow the league’s reporting rules on injuries, the NBA announced (Twitter link). Embiid was listed as doubtful going into Game 3. The Suns were fined $25K last week for a similar offense involving Devin Booker.
- After turning in a scoreless first half for the first time all season, Maxey responded with a record-setting performance in the second half, notes Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia. He made five shots without a miss, which is the most ever in franchise history for a second half in the postseason.
- Danny Leroux of The Athletic examines the possibilities that James Harden and the Sixers have available for his next contract. Harden holds a $47.4MM player option for next season, and Leroux notes that his best financial option would be to opt in and extend the current deal, giving him potentially $270MM+ over five years. However, there are plenty of other options if Harden is willing to accept less than the maximum.
Southeast Notes: Adebayo, Wizards, Hampton, Hawks
Heat center Bam Adebayo dominated the first two games of the series against the Sixers, but Joel Embiid‘s return changed that, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. After averaging 23.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in Games 1 and 2, Adebayo put up nine points and three rebounds Friday night while shooting 2-of-9 from the field.
Embiid admitted being upset while watching Adebayo while he was sidelined with a concussion and a broken orbital bone and felt like he needed to make a statement in Game 3. Now it’s Adebayo’s turn to respond when the series resumes Sunday night.
“I still got to be aggressive,” Adebayo said after today’s practice. “That’s part of the game. You see different lineups, you see different personnel and then you’ve just got to adjust your attacks.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Poor team chemistry was among the things that sank the Wizards after a 10-3 start, but the organization believes it has already made moves to fix it, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Team president Tommy Sheppard thought the atmosphere in the locker room was better after Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertans and Montrezl Harrell were moved at the trade deadline. More continuity next season could help, adds Hughes, who points out that Washington used a franchise-record 29 players this year and made significant roster changes twice in six months.
- Magic guard R.J. Hampton improved in some areas but regressed in others as he was asked to adapt to a new role this season, observes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. The addition of lottery pick Jalen Suggs and the late-season comeback by Markelle Fultz meant Hampton didn’t handle the ball as much as he did after Orlando acquired him in a trade midway through his rookie season. He also became less efficient in finishing at the rim, which caused his scoring average to fall to 7.6 PPG after averaging 11.2 PPG last year in 26 games with the Magic.
- The Hawks hosted six players in a draft workout Friday, tweets Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. On hand were San Francisco guard Jamaree Bouyea, Washington State big man Mouhamed Gueye and four wing players, Quenton Jackson of Texas A&M, Abu Kigab of Boise State, Kenneth Lofton Jr. of Louisiana Tech and Hunter Maldonado of Wyoming.
And-Ones: Johnson, 2023 Draft, Fan Costs, Herd
Lakers legend Magic Johnson has decided to enter the bidding for the NFL’s Denver Broncos, according to Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico. Johnson is joining the group led by Sixers co-owner Josh Harris.
Johnson replaced Jim Buss as Lakers president of basketball operations in 2017, then resigned from his role in 2019. His storied playing career includes five NBA championships and three MVP awards across 13 seasons.
Johnson also owns part of the Dodgers (MLB) and Sparks (WNBA). The Broncos are being sold by the Bowlen family, which has owned the franchise for 38 years. Our friends at Pro Football Rumors have more on Harris’ and Johnson’s bid for the team.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN have released their 2023 mock draft, which features several young talents from around the globe. French big man Victor Wembanyana appears to be the consensus No. 1 pick at this point. The talented 18-year-old is 7’3″ with a 7’9″ wingspan, intriguing NBA scouts. Givony and Schmitz project G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson and Arkansas guard Nick Smith to be the second and third picks, respectively.
- Bill Shea of The Athletic explores the general fan costs of all 30 teams. Shea examines factors such as ticket prices and concessions, concluding that the Knicks, Warriors and Lakers provide the most expensive costs for fans.
- Wisconsin Herd president Steve Brandes has been recognized as the 2021/22 NBA G League Team Executive of the Year, the club announced in a press release. The Herd were also recognized with the inaugural 2021/22 NBA G League President’s Choice Award, which is given to the team that demonstrates what each G League club should strive to be.
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Russell, Jazz, Hernangomez
The Timberwolves are coming off a thrilling season — one that featured their second playoff appearance in the last 17 years — but the road ahead will only be harder for the team, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.
Minnesota finished the regular season with a 46-36 record. The team showed flashes of potential in its first-round series against the No. 2 Grizzlies, but ultimately lost in six games.
“We’ve got to take two steps forward while other teams take one step forward,” executive vice president of basketball operations Sachin Gupta said.
In addition to the Grizzlies, the West also has several other competitive teams. The Suns, Warriors, Nuggets and Mavericks will all likely be competing for a championship again next season. Minnesota fans may have enjoyed this season, but more work must be done before advancing in the playoffs.
Here are some other notes from the Northwest Division:
- Trading D’Angelo Russell may be best for the Timberwolves, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune opines. Rand believes that Russell, who’s set to make $31.4MM next season, can’t be part of a championship core on his current salary. Russell is set to enter unrestricted free agency in 2023, so Minnesota could try to get something in return for him before then or risk losing him on the open market. The team still doesn’t have an established presence at point guard behind Russell. In 65 starts this season, he averaged 18.1 points and 7.1 assists per game, shooting 41%.
- Sarah Todd of the Deseret News examines whether the Jazz will stay competitive in the West beyond this season. Utah lost its first-round series against Dallas in six games, raising questions about whether the team will keep Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert together. The Jazz have made the playoffs six straight seasons, but didn’t reach the conference finals once during that time.
- In a separate story for the Deseret News, Todd explores what the future may hold for Jazz forward Juancho Hernangomez. The 26-year-old was productive in his 17 regular-season games with Utah, averaging 6.2 points on 51% shooting from the floor and 44% shooting from deep. His minutes were limited in the playoffs, however. He scored a total of 14 points in 56 minutes against Dallas, shooting 5-of-18 (28%) from the floor.
Eastern Notes: Robinson, Knicks, Hawks, Harris, Beal
The Knicks are among the teams monitoring what the Jazz will do this offseason, Ian Begley of SNY.tv reports. Begley suggests the team would express interest in Donovan Mitchell if he’s made available. The Jazz, in turn, could have interest in unrestricted free agent Mitchell Robinson if they choose to trade Rudy Gobert.
Robinson and the Knicks have until June 30 to reach a contract extension, but Begley says Robinson will likely enter unrestricted free agency, as two sides appeared far apart in negotiations before the trade deadline this season. Robinson, 24, is about two years younger than Mitchell, whereas Gobert turns 30 next month.
Here are some other notes from around the Eastern Conference:
- The Hawks should be seeking a player this offseason that resembles Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a source told The Athletic’s David Aldridge. Atlanta was one of the worst defensive teams in the league this season. Acquiring a defensive-minded forward would help when playing Eastern Conference contenders such as Milwaukee, Miami, Boston and Philadelphia.
- Magic guard Gary Harris found his rhythm as the season came to a close, something that could help him in free agency, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Harris is set to become an unrestricted free agent. He averaged 11.1 points per game with Orlando this season, shooting 43% from the floor and 38% from deep. The 27-year-old has played eight NBA seasons.
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic examines several Wizards-related notes in his latest mailbag, including whether the team should re-sign Bradley Beal and whether having Kristaps Porzingis makes Beal more expendable. Washington will be eligible to sign Beal to a five-year, $248MM deal. The 28-year-old’s scoring production regressed this season, as he averaged 23.2 points per game on 45% shooting, down from a career-high 31.3 points per contest on 48.5% shooting in 2020/21.
Central Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Holiday, Hill, Bucks, Pacers
Should the Bulls be worried about Zach LaVine going to another team as an unrestricted free agent this summer? Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic explores that topic, noting that while Chicago can offer LaVine more years and money (five years, $212MM) than other teams (four years, $157MM), the two-time All-Star was noncommittal at his end-of-season media session.
“I’ve been here for the last five years, and I’ve really enjoyed my time,” LaVine said. “I think the city – and I hope everybody – understands how much I care about the Bulls and what I’ve done for the city and things like that.
“Obviously, you guys have been a really soft spot in my heart, and I have to do this as a business decision as a man, not to just be viewed one way, and be, like, ‘I’m automatically coming back’ or ‘I’m automatically leaving.’ It’s unrestricted free agency. For my family and me, I have to go into this like it’s a decision where I have to be open-eyed.”
Here’s more from the Central:
- In a question and answer session with Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan said he thinks Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is the most underrated player in the NBA at the moment. “Wow, that’s a great one … most underrated … most underrated from my opinion and one of my favorite players to watch I would say is Jrue Holiday, yeah, Jrue Holiday,” DeRozan said.
- Bucks veteran guard George Hill is listed as probable for Saturday’s Game 3 against the Celtics, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Hill has been dealing with an abdominal strain and has yet to play this postseason, but he was able to practice on Thursday and could see some action today.
- Jamal Collier of ESPN lists four keys to the Bucks repeating as NBA champions this season. One key is making up for the production of injured star Khris Middleton, who’s sidelined with a sprained MCL. “Khris clearly is a huge part of what we do, but we have a lot of talented guys on our team,” Brook Lopez said. “We’re going to see a lot of different guys, I think, stepping up on different nights.”
- Keifer Sykes recently spoke to James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star about his rookie season with the Pacers. Sykes was waived by the team just before the season ended. “I did everything that I could do,” Sykes said. “Even when I look up and think about the day I got cut, the night before, after that (last home) game, I was in the gym until like 12 or 1 a.m., so I squeezed everything I got out of the Pacers thing. That’s not gonna stop me from having camps back home and finishing it with this one. I’m very much at peace with the situation. … A lot of players don’t have peace in free agency.”
- Sykes was waived to accommodate standard deals for undrafted Pacers rookies Terry Taylor and Duane Washington, who were both promoted from two-way contracts. Taylor said it was a dream come true, as Boyd relays in another story. “My agent called me and was like, ‘Yo, we’re gonna get this done Thursday (April 7),’ so he was telling me congrats,” Taylor said. “After we hung up the phone, I just prayed because it finally happened. My dream came true.”
Heat Notes: Game 3, Lowry, Herro, Adebayo, Dedmon
The Heat lost Game 3 at Philadelphia 99-79 due to a dreadful shooting performance and a strong fourth quarter from the Sixers, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami shot just 35% from the field and 23% from deep, and was outscored 31-14 in the fourth.
“We weren’t totally intentional where we were getting the ball and we paid the price for that,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Kyle Lowry struggled in his return from a strained hamstring, finishing with zero points, three assists and four fouls in 25 minutes, Jackson notes. Lowry had missed four straight playoff games during his two-week absence. He admitted he wasn’t full strength yet.
“I’m healthy as I can be right now,” Lowry said. “I had one good day of working out, kind of a half day. I just got to find a rhythm. I didn’t expect to be amazing tonight. [But] I didn’t expect to have zero points.”
Here’s more from Miami:
- Tyler Herro may desire a move to the starting lineup next season, but that might not be best for the Heat, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Herro is the team’s primary shot creator off the bench and plays starter minutes (tied for third in MPG with 32.6), so filling that void could be difficult. Victor Oladipo could theoretically slot into Herro’s place, but he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer and may desire a starting role himself, Winderman says.
- There are strong opinions regarding how Bam Adebayo should play, but his versatility is a strength, not a weakness, Winderman relays in another story. “We want Bam to be Bam,” Jimmy Butler said before Game 3. “And I think Spo says it all the time. And it’s funny to me, because like you’re kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If he’s being a playmaker, people are saying you want him to score more. If he’s scoring a lot, then you want him to be a playmaker.” After an awesome first two games against the Sixers, averaging 23.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.5 APG and 1.5 SPG while shooting 71.4% from the field and 89.5% from the line, Adebayo struggled in Game 3 upon Joel Embiid‘s return, recording nine points, three rebounds, three turnovers and five fouls on 2-of-9 shooting in 33 minutes.
- Backup center Dewayne Dedmon has seen his minutes reduced in the postseason due to both the Heat and opponents playing smaller lineups, but he’s ready to step in when his name is called, Winderman writes. “We’ve got crazy versatility on this team,” Dedmon said. “So being able to go small and match up with whatever lineup the other team might throw at us, that’s our talent.”
Mavericks Notes: Bounce Back, Kidd, Adjustments, Kleber
The Mavericks bounced back in Friday night’s Game 3 with a 103-94 victory over the Suns, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Jalen Brunson, who struggled in the first two games of the series, scoring a combined 22 points on just 9-of-28 shooting, led the way with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting.
“I kind of found myself playing with a little bit more hop in my step, getting to spots quicker and making decisions faster,” Brunson said. “Decisions came from me just being aggressive. My teammates just kept giving me confidence to go make plays, and I just kept doing that. … I found a way to bounce back tonight, but I just can’t be satisfied with this.”
Star Luka Doncic finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, but perhaps more importantly, showed renewed vigor on the defensive end after being repeatedly targeted in Game 2.
“The first or second possession, he was diving on the floor,” Dorian Finney-Smith said of Doncic. “When you see the best player do that, it kind of sets the mood.”
“I knew I had to do better,” said Doncic, per MacMahon. “I knew I could do better. I think I made a big jump on defense this year. The second half (of Game 2) was horrible by me, and I knew I had to get back to my team and play better defense.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Head coach Jason Kidd lamented the fact that Doncic didn’t receive much help in the first two games, but he was happy with team’s well-rounded performance in Game 3, MacMahon relays in the same article. “Everybody joined the party,” Kidd said. “They helped out on both ends. Luka was great defensively. He participated, too. It puts us in a different position when that happens.”
- Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock were key in slowing down the Suns’ star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “Reggie and Doe-Doe (Finney-Smith), man, those guys have been incredible all year on the defensive end,” Doncic said. “They’re our leaders on defense. We go as they go on defense.” Bullock and Finney-Smith combined for six steals and 8-of-21 on three-pointers, limiting CP3 and Booker to more turnovers (12) than field goals converted (11).
- Kidd said the NBA had the wrong priorities regarding the team’s $25K fine for ‘bench decorum’ violations, Townsend notes in another article. “The league is worried about the wrong thing. You have millionaires cheering on other millionaires. Doesn’t happen in this society. And the enthusiasm of the game, for a teammate to cheer on another teammate is special. And I think sometimes we’re focused on the wrong thing. And so when you look at people who make a lot of money cheering on their teammates or their employees, that’s what sport is all about. And so for us to get fined, that’s cool. It’s going to another good cause, charity. But again, we’re looking at the wrong thing,” Kidd said before Game 3.
- Dallas’ heliocentric approach, with Doncic frequently dominating offensive possessions, has led to him being tired in the second halves of games in the postseason. Prior to Game 3, Tim Cato of The Athletic detailed how Doncic and the Mavs could adjust in order for him to contribute on both ends of the floor.
- Maxi Kleber is improving after falling on his neck in Monday’s Game 1, tweets Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. “It’s better. I still feel it a little bit when I move my head and all that, but it’s good. I was lucky,” Kleber said.
Pacific Notes: Thompson, Wiseman, CP3, Johnson, Covington
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he and the team’s training staff feel good about Klay Thompson‘s health status, and that fatigue isn’t a factor in Thompson’s shooting slump, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). Thompson has shot 11-for-38 from the field in the first two games against Memphis, including 5-of-22 from deep and 0-of-2 from the line, but he did hit a crucial go-ahead three-pointer late in Game 1.
Kerr also said that no matter how far the Warriors advance in the playoffs, they won’t consider playing James Wiseman, who was ruled out for the season at the end of March (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of Andscape). Wiseman had a couple of knee surgeries over the past 13 months and experienced some setbacks in his rehab.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic details how Suns star Chris Paul has been dominating the playoffs. Paul, who turned 37 today, is averaging ridiculous numbers through eight games: 22.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists (against 1.6 turnovers) and 1.6 steals on .580/.333/.970 shooting. He’s shooting 67.4% on twos. That is not a typo. Paul’s been arguably the best player in the postseason to this point, says Hollinger. (Side note: Paul has seven turnovers in the first half of Game 3 against the Mavericks, which is in progress. That figure represents a career-high for a half, Dwain Price of Mavs.com tweets. The Suns currently trail 51-44.)
- Suns head coach Monty Williams has been working with Cameron Johnson on his post play recently, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays. “Just teaching him how to use his strength a little bit,” Williams said. “He’s got some tools down there. Just talking to him about balance and footwork and stuff like that.” Johnson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. He was a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award, which went to Tyler Herro.
- Robert Covington‘s newly-inked two-year, $24MM extension with the Clippers is fully guaranteed, with no option in the second year, reports Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
Mark Jackson Interviewed For Lakers’ Coaching Job
Former Warriors head coach Mark Jackson, who is currently a broadcaster for ABC/ESPN, has interviewed for the Lakers‘ head coaching vacancy, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
Jackson compiled a 121-109 record in three seasons with the Warriors from 2011-14, reaching the postseason twice. He’s a finalist for the lead coaching job in Sacramento, and reportedly the favored choice of the team’s owner. One report stated that the Kings are expected to select their new coach by the end of the week.
A report last month from Sam Amick of The Athletic indicated that LeBron James would be “very enthused” to see Jackson become the Lakers’ next coach, though James also favored Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd before the team ended up hiring Frank Vogel in 2019. L.A. won the championship in Vogel’s first year, but he was fired after the team had a disappointing season in 2021/22, finishing with a 33-49 record.
The Lakers anticipate they’ll interview eight-to-10 candidates for the position via Zoom before narrowing down their list, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The interviews are being conducted by the Buss family, GM Rob Pelinka and senior advisor Kurt Rambis.
Although the search has picked up steam this week, it’s still considered to be in the early stages, per The Athletic’s Bill Oram (Twitter link). In case you missed it, the team also interviewed former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts.