Pacific Notes: Vincent, Davis, Doncic, Green
Gabe Vincent has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game at Brooklyn, raising hopes that the Lakers guard can return to the court for the first time since December 20, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Vincent, who has been working his way back from knee surgery, was with the team Friday at Indiana. Coach Darvin Ham said Vincent continues to make progress, but didn’t commit to when he’ll be ready to play.
“Right now we’re just taking things one day at a time,” Ham said. “He’s increased his workload. So we’re in the process of trying to see how his body responds to that workload. And that’s as far as it goes for now.”
Vincent expected to be a rotation player in L.A. when he signed a three-year, $33MM contract last summer after helping Miami reach the NBA Finals. He played in the team’s first four games, then missed seven weeks with a left knee effusion. He returned for one game before doctors decided the knee had to be operated on.
“I really don’t want to even get into it too much,” LeBron James responded when asked about Vincent. “Don’t put too much pressure on him. When he’s ready to go, it will be a bonus for our team but he’s been out for quite a while. So, whenever he’s ready, we’ll welcome him back with open arms as a brother of ours, as a teammate of ours and we’ve been waiting on him, but at the end of the day, we’re putting no pressure on him. He needs to take his time.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Lakers center Anthony Davis returned Friday after sitting out Wednesday’s game to rest his sore knee, and he doesn’t anticipate needing another night off for the rest of the season, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. “Nothing serious,” Davis said. “That’s why I played tonight. I felt like I could play through it. Nothing that I plan to miss any more games for or have to be on a minutes restriction or anything like that.”
- As Luka Doncic was leading the Mavericks to a comeback win at Sacramento Friday night, he was also taunting former Kings general manager Vlade Divac, who was seated at courtside, for not selecting him with the second pick in the 2018 draft (video link), according to a Eurohoops report. Divac, who resigned in 2020, opted for Marvin Bagley III in a historic draft blunder.
- Draymond Green was ejected early in Wednesday’s game at Orlando, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr is confident that he learned from the experience and will do a better job of keeping himself in check, relays Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. “We want him to play with that edge. But we want him to keep in control and he didn’t stay in control,” Kerr said. “He knows that. Thankfully we won. Had we lost, and I would tell you it would be a lot tougher for him. But we won the game and he knows he crossed a line.”
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Jokic, Murray, George, Giddey
The battle for control among Timberwolves‘ ownership isn’t affecting the team’s performance, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. While majority owner Glen Taylor and minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez fight things out in the media and probably in the court system, Minnesota picked up one of its biggest wins of the season Friday night at Denver. The Wolves are now tied with Oklahoma City for the top spot in the West with just nine games remaining.
“I don’t think it affects the players as much,” Mike Conley said of the ownership situation. “Maybe it affects the image of the team, the aura of the team around a little bit. But as far as the players are concerned, I think we just are like, ‘Damn, that’s crazy.’ Then we go back to watching film and worrying about (Nikola) Jokic, Jamal Murray and (Michael) Porter and those guys. It’s a unique situation and it’s something we don’t have any control over. We’re trying to do our job.”
Rudy Gobert didn’t mention Taylor, Lore or Rodriguez by name, but he said ownership in general has improved since he was traded to Minnesota nearly two years ago, creating a better atmosphere for the players.
“Whether it’s nutrition, recovery, facility, family room, how our family is being treated — it’s a lot of things,” Gobert said. “This organization is becoming really a top-notch organization and I think it’s come a long way.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets may need to prioritize health over chasing the No. 1 seed, contends Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Jokic played with his right wrist taped Friday night, and Durando observes that it was clearly bothering him even though he finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds. “His wrist has been giving him a lot of trouble,” coach Michael Malone said. “But as we know, Nikola plays through things that most guys won’t.” Murray missed his fourth straight game with an ankle injury, but Malone said he’s expected to return before the start of the playoffs.
- The Jazz dropped their eighth straight game Friday night as they deal with the realities of starting three rookies, notes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh are struggling with efficiency as they get accustomed to playing big minutes at the NBA level, but the organization is committed to all three players, with coach Will Hardy complimenting George on his mental approach to the game. “Keyonte is really, really smart. He’s really, really smart in general, and that applies to basketball,” Hardy said. “He watches a lot on his own, which is very rare these days. He’s at home watching League Pass, watching games. So with that he has pretty quick recognition of things. He has an ability to learn things fast. He has really good recall. He can remember plays that we ran three weeks ago that we haven’t scripted in a while.”
- Thunder swingman Josh Giddey said he used to hate it when teams dared him to shoot from the outside, but he’s learned to use it as a weapon, tweets Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. “Now I’ve changed my mindset going into games,” Giddey said, “where it’s like, ‘If he’s gonna leave me open, I’m gonna punish them. I’m gonna make them pay and change their defensive scheme.’”
Central Notes: Mitchell, Morris, Lillard, Nesmith
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell addressed speculation about his future Friday night after returning to the lineup following a six-game absence due to a broken nose and knee issues, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Speaking to the media for the first time since being sidelined, Mitchell said he wants to focus on the rest of the season and the playoffs rather than his contract.
“I think the biggest thing for me, as I said before to you earlier, I mean obviously you have to ask the question, but my focus is I got a lot of things to focus on outside of that right now,” he said. “I’ve got to focus on myself, getting back for this group, focus on us getting over this stretch, continuing to be ready when it comes time. So, I’ll handle that when it comes, and I understand you gotta ask that question and I’ll give you the same answer.”
The question is relevant because Mitchell will become eligible for a four-year extension this summer worth approximately $200MM. If he decides not to accept it, the Cavs may start looking for a trade to avoid the risk of losing him in free agency in 2025. There have been rumors for years that the New York City native would prefer to play at home, and Vardon notes that many other teams will also have offers ready for Cleveland if Mitchell becomes available.
Teammate Georges Niang and Cavaliers chairman Dan Gilbert recently expressed optimism that Mitchell will be part of the team’s long-term future, Vardon adds, with Gilbert indicating that the organization has been talking to Mitchell about an extension since he was acquired from Utah.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Even though he didn’t spend much time with his hometown Sixers, Cavaliers forward Marcus Morris is grateful that he got to play for them, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia acquired Morris from the Clippers in early November, then shipped him to San Antonio at the trade deadline in February. After being waived by the Spurs, he agreed to a 10-day deal with the Cavs and signed for the rest of the season on Friday. “I built a really good relationship with those guys,” Morris said of the Sixers. “A lot of good things happened for me and my family while I was there. … They actually did me a favor by bringing me home, giving me an opportunity to check off something on my bucket list. I’m happy for them. Still watch them. I still connect with those guys. And I’m rooting for them — just not against us.”
- Bucks guard Damian Lillard missed tonight’s game in Atlanta for personal reasons, and coach Doc Rivers told reporters he might not be available for Tuesday’s contest at Washington, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. “Just miss the ‘when you need a bucket, you have Dame,'” Rivers said. “Also just running the team at times. It shortens your rotation again. Khris (Middleton) is still on a semi-minute restriction, even though we’ve ignored it a couple times. Just shortens your rotation.”
- The Pacers defeated the Lakers Friday night, holding them to 60 fewer points than when the teams met over the weekend in L.A., notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. A big part of the difference was the defensive effort by Aaron Nesmith, who committed just one foul while limiting LeBron James to 16 points. “I just stuck to the game plan,” Nesmith said. “He challenges you, but I just did a good job tonight.”
Malik Monk To Miss Four-To-Six Weeks With MCL Sprain
8:02pm: The Kings will reevaluate Monk’s condition in four weeks, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
5:16pm: Kings guard Malik Monk suffered a sprained right MCL in Friday’s game and is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The injury occurred shortly after Monk entered the game in the first quarter against Dallas, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Monk was defending Luka Doncic on a drive to the basket when their legs got tangled up, and Doncic landed on Monk’s right leg with much of his weight. Monk was able to walk to the locker room for treatment, but the Kings announced that he wouldn’t return to the game.
Monk is among the favorites for Sixth Man of the Year honors, averaging career highs of 15.6 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 44.3% from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc. He’s also an indispensable piece for a Sacramento team that’s locked in a tight race to avoid the play-in tournament.
A four-week absence would have Monk returning in late April. That would keep him out of action past the play-in games, which start April 16, but it could allow him to return late in a first-round matchup that lasts six or seven games.
A six-week absence means Monk wouldn’t be back until mid-May, which would be well into the middle of the second round.
Lauri Markkanen Likely Done For Season
An MRI conducted Friday on Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen revealed that he re-aggravated an impingement to his right shoulder, the team announced (via Twitter). Doctors plan to reevaluate Markkanen in two weeks, which effectively ends his season.
Markkanen was feeling discomfort in the shoulder after playing 42 minutes in Wednesday’s game against San Antonio, the Jazz added. He missed more than two weeks earlier this month due to a right quadriceps contusion.
Injuries limited Markkanen to just 55 games in his second year with Utah. His numbers were down slightly from his All-Star season in 2022/23, but he still averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 33.1 minutes per night while shooting 48% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range.
Markkanen’s $18MM contract for next season currently carries just a partial guarantee of $6MM and won’t officially become fully guaranteed until two days before the start of this year’s moratorium. That figures to become a moot point, though, as Markkanen is expected to pursue a renegotiation and long-term extension with the Jazz this summer.
Knicks Notes: Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, Brunson, McBride, Anunoby
It took some time for Isaiah Hartenstein to adjust to the style that coach Tom Thibodeau wants him to play, but the Knicks center now believes he’s in a “perfect situation,” writes James Herbert of CBS Sports.
Hartenstein thrived as a play-maker with the Clippers before signing with New York in the summer of 2022. But Thibodeau had other players to run the offense, and he wanted the big man to focus on protecting the rim, rebounding and setting screens. Hartenstein wasn’t certain the situation would work out, but he’s been more comfortable in his second season with the team, blending his passing skills with Thibodeau’s demands while replacing Mitchell Robinson as the starting center.
“Coming in, it took us some time to adjust,” Hartenstein said. “But I think, unless you’re really the top guy on any team, you’re going to have to adjust to a certain role. You’re not going to be able to do everything you want. So, I mean, if you want to be a winning player, you have to be able to do it. Now I’m in a perfect situation, where I’m allowed to play my game, and it’s been working really well.”
Hartenstein has helped the Knicks weather numerous injuries to their front line and has emerged as a candidate for the All-Defensive team, according to Herbert. He’ll be in line for a huge raise on his $8.2MM salary when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“I think I’ve proven that, no matter what big comes in, it’s a matchup,” Hartenstein said. “I don’t think, any big that ever comes in, I’m scared of or anything. I think I’ve established that I’m a starter in the NBA. I can play a big role on a winning team.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Donte DiVincenzo set the franchise record for three-pointers in a season Friday night, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. DiVincenzo hit six shots from long distance in an overtime loss at San Antonio, giving him 245 for the season, which ranks third in the league. “It’s cool, it’s a cool accomplishment. You look at the list of who is on there, it’s special,” DiVincenzo said. “We still have nine games to go. So there’s no real pressure. Just go out there and take the shots I’ve been taking all year.”
- In a separate story, Bondy examines New York’s potential first-round playoff matchups and how the team has fared against Indiana, Cleveland, Orlando, Philadelphia and Miami. Bondy also considers a possible extension this summer for Jalen Brunson, but believes it’s unlikely because Brunson will only make $25MM next season, which limits the extension to $156.5MM over four years. The All-Star guard will be in position for a much bigger payday as a free agent in 2025, becoming eligible for a five-year deal worth approximately $258MM.
- Steve Popper of Newsday looks at how Miles McBride has been able to improve his three-point shooting as his playing time has increased. McBride sank a career-high nine three-pointers Friday night.
- OG Anunoby will miss his seventh straight game Sunday with right elbow “injury management,” tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Robinson is listed as questionable after spraining his left ankle in his second game back following ankle surgery.
Northwest Notes: Murray, SGA, Sharpe, Wolves, Jazz
Jamal Murray continues to deal with a sprained left ankle and swollen right knee, having missed a fourth consecutive game on Friday vs. Minnesota. According to a report from ESPN, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters before Friday’s game that Murray is improving, but said he’s “not ready to go out there and compete at the level that we need him to” and hinted that the star guard may remain out for Sunday’s game vs. Cleveland.
Still, Malone isn’t worried at this point that Murray’s health issues will extend into the postseason, adding, “I do think he will be back on the court before the playoffs start.”
It should be an eventful spring and summer for Murray, assuming he gets – and stays – healthy. After seeking a second straight NBA championship with the Nuggets, the 27-year-old hopes to suit up for the Canadian national team at the Olympics in Paris, he confirmed to Eurohoops.
“I’m excited to be there,” he said. “We have a great squad, (it) was great to see them win a medal (at the 2023 World Cup). Hopefully, we can go our way and win gold this summer.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a second consecutive game on Friday vs. Phoenix due to his right quad contusion. Head coach Mark Daigneault said that Gilgeous-Alexander will continue to be considered day-to-day, so there’s no indication at this point that the injury will result in an extended absence (Twitter link via Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman).
- Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, who is recovering from core muscle surgery, is with the team on its current seven-game road trip and will continue to be evaluated after participating in non-contact and conditioning drills in the G League earlier this week, per the club (Twitter link). Sharpe hasn’t played since January 11, but there’s still hope that he’ll return in the season’s final two weeks.
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said on Friday that he has great relationships with Glen Taylor, Marc Lore, and Alex Rodriguez, so he won’t be taking sides in the franchise’s ownership struggle and doesn’t expect the situation to affect his team at “troop level,” tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “If there was ever a definition of ‘above your pay grade,’ this is it,” Finch added.
- After expressing some concern in mid-February about the frustration level in the Jazz‘s locker room, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune says the locker room vibes in Utah are “way better” now. However, that comes with an important caveat — according to Larsen, since the Jazz have fallen out of the postseason race, they’re no longer as stressed about winning games, as “the sting of losing is absolutely gone.”
Southwest Notes: Daniels, Ingram, Jones, Whitmore, Wemby
Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels, who has been sidelined since February 9 due to knee surgery, has been cleared to return for Saturday’s game vs. Boston, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
Daniels wasn’t a major part of the Pelicans’ offensive attack earlier in the season, averaging a modest 5.5 points per game on 43.8% shooting (29.1% on threes). However, he started 15 of his 52 games and played 21.9 minutes per contest, in large part due to his defensive prowess. Assuming he’s not slowed by his knee at all, Daniels figures to reclaim a rotation role down the stretch.
There’s also good news out of New Orleans on injured forward Brandon Ingram, who was able to do some on-court work on Friday in what William Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link) describes as a positive step in his recovery from a knee contusion. Ingram will reportedly remain sidelined until at least Friday, but perhaps by next weekend he’ll be nearing a return.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans will be without guard Jose Alvarado on Saturday for a second straight game due to a right oblique strain, per the NBA’s official injury report. It’s unclear how much more time – if any – Alvarado might miss as a result of that injury.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Christian Clark of NOLA.com makes the case for Herbert Jones to claim a spot on this season’s All-Defensive first team, explaining why the player that Pelicans teammates describe as “our defensive leader” deserves the honor.
- After missing the past nine games due to a sprained right knee, Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore believes he’s on the verge of returning to action. According to Whitmore, he’s working on getting his conditioning back to 100% and hopes to be cleared in time to suit up against Dallas on Sunday, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I feel fine. There’s no pain (in the knee),” he said. “No tweaks, no issues, no nothing. I feel back to normal. I just have to feel better moving around laterally.”
- Now that he has appeared in the requisite 65 games, Victor Wembanyama deserves serious consideration for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, writes Mike Monroe of The Athletic. “If you just watch the game you see how (Wembanyama) affects the game defensively,” Spurs guard Tre Jones said. “It’s tough because of our record, but I think most people know he’s already the best defender in the league. He’s already leading the league in blocks; leads in blocks and steals combined, more than previous NBA Defensive Player of the Year winners.”
- Count Jalen Brunson among Wembanyama’s fans. After the Spurs‘ No. 1 overall pick racked up 40 points and 20 rebounds en route to an overtime win against the Knicks on Friday, Brunson – who scored 61 points in the losing effort – predicted that Wembanyama will be “one of the greatest players this game has seen,” tweets Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. “Just the way he’s built and what he’s been able to do so far,” Brunson said. “Got a lot of respect for him and it’s definitely tough to get a shot up and in over him.”
LeBron, Wemby, Maxey Now Eligible For 2023/24 Awards
Lakers forward LeBron James, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey all reached the 65-game benchmark on Friday, making them eligible to win end-of-season awards, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (all Twitter links).
James has technically appeared in just 64 regular season games, but the in-season tournament final in December counts toward the 65-game requirement despite not counting toward the Lakers’ regular season record. That will also be the case for players like Anthony Davis – who surpassed the 65-game threshold earlier this month – and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is three games away.
James is no longer a perennial MVP candidate like he was earlier in his career, but he has a legitimate case for an All-NBA spot, having averaged 25.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in 35.2 minutes per game across his 64 starts, with a shooting line (.530/.401/.751) well above his career norm. If LeBron earns one of those 15 berths this season, he’d extend his record for career All-NBA nods to 20, five more than any other player in league history.
Reaching the 65-game threshold is perhaps less crucial for Wembanyama, since it’s not required to qualify for Rookie of the Year or an All-Rookie team. However, it’s necessary to earn votes for Defensive Player of the Year, and while Rudy Gobert is the frontrunner for that award, Wembanyama has a shot at it. The rookie phenom has averaged a double-double (21.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG) and led the NBA in blocks per game (3.4) at age 20.
Wembanyama fell just short of the 20-minute minimum in one of his 65 appearances this season, but he logged over 19 minutes in that contest. A player is permitted to count up to two sub-20 minute games toward his 65-game total if he played at least 15 minutes in those games.
As for Maxey, he’s a leading contender for this season’s Most Improved Player award, having increased his averages to 25.6 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 3.7 RPG in his fourth NBA season. His shooting percentages (.445 FG%, .374 3PT%) are down from last year, but he has been tasked with more offensive responsibilities in Philadelphia following James Harden‘s departure and Joel Embiid‘s knee injury.
Maxey also has a case for All-NBA honors, which could have an impact on his restricted free agency this summer. As Marks notes (via Twitter), claiming an All-NBA spot would make the Sixers guard eligible for a Rose Rule contract starting at up to 30% of the cap (instead of 25%). Such a deal would be worth up to a projected $245.3MM over five years instead of $204.5MM.
Suns Sign Isaiah Thomas To Second 10-Day Deal
MARCH 30: The Suns have officially signed Thomas to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). The deal will run through April 8.
MARCH 29: The Suns intend to bring back veteran guard Isaiah Thomas on a second 10-day contract, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
As our Luke Adams wrote this morning, Thomas’ first 10-day deal is set to expire at midnight ET. The 35-year-old has only played two garbage-time minutes with Phoenix thus far, but he has received praise from his coaches and teammates for his performances in practices and pickup games.
Prior to his stint with the Suns, the 12-year veteran had been out of the NBA since the 2021/22 season, when he made brief appearances with the Lakers and Mavericks before ending the year with the Hornets.
Thomas was an All-Star with Boston in ’15/16 and ’16/17 before suffering a right hip injury that derailed his career. He bounced around the league after that, and most of his recent stops have been on 10-day contracts.
Once Thomas’ second 10-day contract expires, the Suns will have to decide whether or not they want to sign him for the rest of the season in order to make him eligible for the postseason. Phoenix is in a very tight playoff race, currently sitting with a 43-30 record, which is good for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.