Pacific Notes: DeRozan, Huerter, Crowder, Reaves, Booker
The Kings are optimistic that DeMar DeRozan will be back on the court for Sunday’s game against San Antonio, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. After missing the past two games with lower back muscle inflammation, DeRozan was a full participant at today’s practice and is listed as probable on the team’s injury report.
Anderson points out that DeRozan’s early-season battle with injuries has been one of the reasons for the team’s slow start. He missed three games earlier this month with tightness in his lower back, then returned for three games before the back issue flared up again on Monday. DeRozan has been an important cog in the offense when healthy, averaging 22.6 points per game in his first season in Sacramento.
The short-term outlook is less promising for Kevin Huerter, who wasn’t able to practice today, Anderson adds. The veteran guard had to leave Friday’s loss to Portland after rolling his ankle, and he’s considered doubtful to play in Sunday’s contest.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- In an interview with Sean Cunningham of KTXL (Twitter video link), Jae Crowder talks about the chance to resume his NBA career with the Kings. Crowder admits being disappointed that he wasn’t invited to training camp after auditioning for the team in September, but he’s grateful that the opportunity eventually came. “I thought I had a good week here,” he said of the preseason workout. “I was connecting with the guys in a great way, especially the younger guys latched on to me. … I felt like I did my job in the sense of just being a veteran when I came in the gym, and I just tried to play the right way and give myself a chance to be on this team.”
- Lakers guard Austin Reaves suffered a left pelvic contusion, but no structural damage, on a hard fall in Friday’s game against Oklahoma City, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (Bluesky link). Reaves was injured when he landed on his back after being hit by Isaiah Hartenstein and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a drive to the basket. Reaves stayed in the game to shoot his free throws, but went to the locker room shortly afterward. Woike adds that he traveled with the team on its four-game road trip and will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Utah.
- Before tonight’s meeting with the Suns, Warriors coach Steve Kerr once again singled out Devin Booker for adjusting his game to complement the other elite players on the U.S. Olympic team (Twitter video link from PHNX Sports). “It’s not easy for a guy to adapt his normal role of go-to-guy, scorer and then to be asked to be a defender, connector and then thrive in that role,” Kerr said, “and then become a star when we needed him to become a star.”
Celtics Notes: Pritchard, White, Injuries, Mazzulla
Payton Pritchard provided a huge lift off the bench Friday night as the Celtics broke open a close game in Chicago and kept their hopes alive for a spot in the NBA Cup’s knockout round, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Forced into extra duty after Derrick White left the game with a sprained right foot in the third quarter, Pritchard played 28 minutes, including the final 19, while scoring 29 points. He hit seven three-pointers and scored all the points in a late 11-4 run that put the game away.
“It’s obviously a great feeling but I feel like the best feeling is winning on the road and being able to help my team get over the hump tonight,” Pritchard said. “Obviously I feel it. I can hear the crowd, the gravity it pulls. It definitely was a fun night.”
Pritchard is in his fifth season with Boston, and it seems like a long time ago that he was asking to be traded due to a lack of playing time. He has become one of the most dangerous bench weapons in the league — averaging a career-high 15.6 PPG while shooting 48.5% from the field and 44% from three-point range — and Jayson Tatum is pushing for him to get some individual recognition.
“It’s been pretty cool to see him grow into the player that he is, being effective on a championship team,” Tatum said, “and the things that he’s doing is Sixth Man of the Year worthy for me.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- White’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious, as he’s being listed as questionable for Sunday’s showdown with Cleveland for first place in the East, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday are also questionable, and Terada suggests they may be staggered as Boston prepares for a stretch of five games in seven days.
- Other coaches have expressed reservations about running up the score in NBA Cup games to gain a points differential advantage, but Joe Mazzulla enjoys that aspect of the tournament, Terada adds in a separate story. Mazzulla called time out Friday with 1.4 seconds left to set up a Sam Hauser three-pointer that increased the Celtics’ final margin of victory to nine points. “I like it because this tournament and the point differential kind of eliminates the unwritten rules that you’re supposed to follow or not follow,” Mazzulla said. “Where in a normal situation, you wouldn’t do that. But in this one, you get to draw up a play and try to get better in that situation. So guys did a good job executing and we tried to extend the point differential as much as we could.”
- Three-point defense was a concern in Friday’s game as Chicago stayed close by sinking 20 shots from beyond the arc, notes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. It was the most all season against the Celtics, who rank fourth in the league in limiting three-pointers. “We had to turn up the pressure a little bit more. We were scoring and maybe we weren’t as physical with them so they felt good about themselves,” Porzingis said. “The second half that was an emphasis for us, being more physical with them, make them work a little bit more for everything.”
Warriors Notes: Curry, Wiggins, Spencer, Jackson-Davis
Stephen Curry is expected to play tonight in Phoenix after missing Wednesday’s game with bilateral knee pain, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). In a pregame meeting with reporters, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said both Curry and Andrew Wiggins will have to go through warmups before a final decision is made on their status. Wiggins is dealing with a right ankle impingement, but hasn’t missed any games this month.
Curry sat out Golden State’s last contest after playing four games in six days, notes Sam Gordon of The San Francsico Chronicle. He was able to make it through Friday’s practice without an issue, and the Warriors will need him back on the court for another Western Conference showdown after they missed 14 straight shots in Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City.
Kerr talked to Gordon about the 12-man rotation he’s been using, which results in numerous five-man lineups during the course of each game. Kerr admitted that building chemistry hasn’t been easy under those conditions.
“What we have to narrow down is — with certain groups, what are three things that we can run really well? That’s on us as coaches to get to that point,” he said. “What’s tricky is, we’ve got a lot of different combinations night after night. It takes a little while longer to really settle into all these actions and patterns.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry’s absence on Wednesday resulted in the first significant opportunity for two-way player Pat Spencer, Gordon adds in a separate story. Making his fourth appearance of the season, the 28-year-old point guard delivered six points, four rebounds and three assists and had a plus-nine rating in his 14 minutes on the court. “It feels good to get minutes, but I think we have a whole team that can play,” Spencer said. “Might be right back out of the rotation. Might be in it the next game. The goal for me is to impact winning and unfortunately, we didn’t get that done. Keep moving forward.”
- The Warriors are happy with the production they’re getting from Trayce Jackson-Davis, but they would like to see more emotion from him, per Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Kerr said he wants the second-year big man moving at full speed all the time instead of sometimes lapsing into a “home-run trot.” “Your makeup is your makeup and he’s not an overly aggressive human being,” Draymond Green added. “So to expect he’s going to be this overly aggressive person on the court, that’s not really realistic. … As a leader it’s on me and (Kevon Looney) to get that fire out of him, to push him.”
- Green took the blame for the team’s late-game scoring lapses in the loss to OKC, relays Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Without Curry on the court, the Warriors couldn’t match baskets with the talented Thunder. “Just got to settle down and make sure we get into something,” Green said. “Get into some sets. We were a bit scattered, and that’s on me. When the game gets to that point, somebody has to slow the game down and get us into a set. I’m the veteran out there. I’m the one with the most experience out there.”
Central Notes: Pistons, Cunningham, Middleton, Donovan
Coming off years of losing, the Pistons view this year’s NBA Cup as a chance to experience some high-stakes basketball, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. The Pistons have been one of the surprises of the tournament, winning their first three games by a combined 28 points. They can clinch a spot in the knockout round by defeating Milwaukee on Tuesday, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff said his team is taking the games very seriously.
“Our guys wanted to win. They came out with a sense of urgency,” he said after Friday’s NBA Cup victory over Indiana. “We talked about it, but this gives our guys an opportunity to play games of significance and see how they respond. I thought our guys did a great job of responding in a positive way, playing with that sense of urgency that you need to play with to win games of significance.”
It’s a huge turnaround from last season, when Detroit went 0-4 in Cup play amid a franchise-record losing streak. That memory was fresh for Cade Cunningham, who recalled being embarrassed by the Pacers a year ago.
“We need every game we can get anyways, but I remember last year, Indiana ran it up on us in the in-season tournament and how serious they took it,” he said. “They were going for points, they just beat us up. This game was really personal for us, but in general, we all wanna go to Vegas and we all want to experience winning something. We’re going for it.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Cunningham had an obvious impact on the team as he returned Friday after missing three games with a left sacroiliac joint sprain, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Patterson observes that in addition to his production, Cunningham instills confidence in his teammates that enables them to play at a higher level. “Cade is the type of person and player that he’s with you no matter the good and the bad,” Bickerstaff said. “He believes in you because he watches how hard everybody works and he knows what everybody is capable of. When you have a leader that believes in you, it gives you more comfort and more confidence.”
- Bucks swingman Khris Middleton will miss another game tonight against Washington, but coach Doc Rivers said he’s getting closer to making his season debut, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. Middleton had a scheduled day off for Friday’s practice, but he went through a productive five-on-five session earlier in the week. “He’s progressing,” Rivers told reporters. “I’m going to keep saying it. You can ask as many questions as you want, it’s not going to make him come back faster.”
- The Bulls have many issues to address, but they don’t need to make a coaching change, contends Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Billy Donovan has shown an ability to adapt to his personnel, Cowley notes, going from 28th in the league in pace last year to near the top this season.
Pelicans Notes: Payton, Missi, Green, Ingram
Elfrid Payton posted one of the most impressive lines of the season on Monday as he celebrates his return to the NBA. He was gone from the league for more than two full years before the Pelicans gave him a chance amid a rash of injuries. Playing on a non-guaranteed contract, Payton had 21 assists, 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals against Indiana.
Payton’s journey back to the NBA took 920 days after he became a free agent following the 2021/22 season. It meant playing in Puerto Rico and the G League, but Payton tells Will Guillory of The Athletic that he never gave up hope.
“It’s tough when you feel like you can still play but you have to wait for the opportunity,” he said. “It really forces you to show how much you love the game, how much you’re willing to put into it. I just kept believing that day would come.”
Payton grew up in New Orleans, played one prior season with the Pelicans and maintained a relationship with the team while he was out of the league. Guillory states that the Pelicans considered signing him earlier in the season, but he felt tightness in his hamstring after a workout and an MRI showed that he had a slight strain that would necessitate several weeks of rehab. Although he was frustrated by the news, Payton was willing to wait a little longer for his dream.
“I believed the opportunity would come,” he said. “It was longer than I thought or expected, but that ain’t the point. … (There were) some days when I felt like all the work was for nothing. But I had to find ways to keep going. If you really have a passion for the game and a love for the game, you’ve got to find a way to push through.”
There’s more from New Orleans:
- Yves Missi already looks like one of the best big men in this year’s draft class, averaging 8.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in his first 19 NBA games. In an interview with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda, Missi talked about making the adjustment from college. “The NBA is more about trusting my instincts,” he said. “Whenever I feel like I can go for a block, I trust my teammates to have my back and just go for it. It’s about trusting the system while relying on my instincts.”
- The Pelicans expected to be contenders coming into the season, but they’ll finish up November last in the Western Conference with a 4-16 record, notes Christian Clark of The New Orleans Times- Picayune. Friday’s loss to Memphis was their seventh straight, but at least they were more competitive than in Wednesday’s blowout against Toronto. Coach Willie Green said he challenged his players after that performance. “We allowed a team to come on our home floor and really make us look soft,” he said. “That’s what I told our group. That can’t happen.”
- Brandon Ingram has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game at New York, marking his fourth straight absence with a strained right calf, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).
Northwest Notes: DiVincenzo, Edwards, Grant, D. Jones
Donte DiVincenzo‘s rocky start with the Timberwolves reached a new low when he was benched Tuesday night for the end of an overtime loss to Houston, writes Jenna Lemoncelli of The New York Post. DiVincenzo was an important contributor for the Knicks in their run to the playoffs last season, but he hasn’t been able to settle into that same role since being traded to Minnesota shortly before the start of training camp.
DiVincenzo is averaging 9.2 PPG while shooting 35.1% from the field and 32.2% from beyond the arc, a significant drop-off from what he did in New York. His playing time has been inconsistent, and he’s already been the subject of trade rumors barely a month into the season. He left Tuesday’s game for good midway through the third quarter and wound up with just three points in 15 minutes.
However, in his latest Substack column, Marc Stein reported that the Wolves tried for more than a year to land DiVincenzo and have no interest in listening to trade offers for him now.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Frustrations in the Twin Cities continued to grow on Wednesday night as Sacramento staged a late rally and handed the Timberwolves their fourth consecutive loss. Anthony Edwards believes there’s a problem with the team’s attitude toward the game, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “We got up and everybody cheering and f—ing hype,” Edwards said. “We get down again and don’t nobody say nothing. That’s the definition of a frontrunner. We as a team, including myself, we all was frontrunners tonight.”
- Jerami Grant is the Trail Blazers player most likely to be traded before the February deadline, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report states in a mailbag column. Highkin picks Grant because at 30 he’s too old to be part of the team’s long-term foundation, but he’s still productive enough to help a contender. Highkin adds that Grant is a “known quantity” around the league, and his contract will become more reasonable once money from the new television rights deal starts coming in and the salary cap rises.
- Thunder coach Mark Daigneault should stop using rookie swingman Dillon Jones as a small-ball center, argues Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated. Stiles contends that Jones hasn’t displayed an ability to handle that role and advocates for those minutes going to Kenrich Williams.
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, White, Pritchard, Hauser, Queta
Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis has become an expert on overcoming injuries throughout his NBA career. After he returned Monday slightly ahead of schedule from offseason surgery on his left leg, Porzingis talked about the process he had to go through to get back on the court, writes Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe.
“Honestly, I would say, it was one of the easiest rehabs for me,” Porzingis told reporters. “The only thing was I had to stay off the ankle for four to six weeks, so it was tough. Just on one leg with the scooter, can’t get up the stairs. It was a little bit difficult from that perspective, but once that moment passed and I was able to walk, honestly it felt pretty natural.”
Appearing on the Boston broadcast of Monday’s game, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said he recognized that Porzingis was healing faster than expected when he reported for training camp. Optimism about an early return grew as the team watched him during a preseason trip to Abu Dhabi.
Porzingis added that he was eager to get back on the court after being limited in what he could do since Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
“I started to feel pretty good almost a month ago,” he said. “I would say the whole rehab, I was ahead of it all the time. I was itching to do more, start more, sprints, contact one-on-one. I was asking the medical staff to do more, but we were still smart and completed all the stages up to get to this point. I told them that if you guys give me the green light, I want to do it as soon as possible. That was it. I got here maybe even a month early and it’s good to be back out there.”
There’s more from Boston:
- The Celtics had to switch more often on defense without Porzingis to serve as their primary shot-blocker, observes Souichi Terada of MassLive. That led to more points surrendered in the paint, so his teammates are glad to have Porzingis back to guard the rim. “I just let him block the shots and not me,” Derrick White said. “KP just does a lot for us. Obviously, rim protection. But just kind of his presence and everything, it’s nice to have him out there.”
- Having knockdown shooters Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser coming off the bench often gives the Celtics a huge advantage, notes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Both played important roles in Monday’s win over the Clippers, as Pritchard went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc in a 20-point night, while Hauser was perfect on his three long-distance shots. Pritchard was plus-30 in nearly 26 minutes, and Hauser was plus-27 in 23 minutes. “Our chemistry grows every single day because we’re always working out with each other,” Hauser said. “I feel like each of us does different things well on the court that complement each other in a unique way. It’s been special to see what Payton’s been doing this year. He’s really been playing well. I’ve known for a while he’s been able to do this, so I’m glad everyone else is getting a chance to see it.”
- Neemias Queta was back in coach Joe Mazzulla‘s big-man rotation on Monday after not playing in Sunday’s game, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Defensive shortcomings have cut into Queta’s playing time, but he delivered 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in 25 minutes. Al Horford and Luke Kornet both sat out Monday, so it’s not clear if Queta will continue to get opportunities once they return.
Southwest Notes: Sochan, Doncic, Gafford, Grizzlies
Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan is nearing his return from thumb surgery, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Sochan, who has been out of action since fracturing his left thumb in a November 4 game, told reporters tonight that he expects to be back on the court soon.
“I’ve been wanting to play since last week, but I still got to stay patient and just follow protocol,” he said. “But it’s going to be sooner than later. So, I think it’s going to be days instead of months, so that’s the most important thing.”
Before the injury, Sochan was averaging a career-high 15.4 points through seven games, along with 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per night. The team hasn’t set a definite timetable for him to resume playing, but interim head coach Mitch Johnson suggested he “could potentially be ahead of schedule.”
“The medical team, performance staff have done a great job,” Johnson added. “He’s been able to do some things in terms of running and staying in shape and I know we’ve heard all positive feedback.”
Johnson also announced that Devin Vassell was cleared to return for tonight’s game against the Lakers, Orsborn adds. Vassell sat out the last five games with a bruised bone in his left knee.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who is sidelined with a sprained right wrist, was able to go through a pregame workout tonight, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. The team will practice on Friday, when more clarity should be provided about Doncic’s availability for a weekend road trip. “He’s doing his individual workouts,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Everything I’ve heard or seen is trending in the right direction.”
- Mavericks center Daniel Gafford will consider joining forces with Doncic at next year’s EuroBasket as a naturalized player on the Slovenian national team, Afseth adds in a separate story. “I think it’d be great. We already have a good relationship, but doing something like that could take it to the next level,” Gafford said. “It would give me a chance to see his background, learn about where he came from, and understand how he started his professional career. That would help us connect more.”
- The Grizzlies are the healthiest they’ve been all season after Ja Morant returned Monday following an eight-game absence due to a hip injury, notes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Even though Morant missed tonight’s contest with a knee contusion, there’s renewed optimism that the team is ready to make a run. “We’re clicking right now, and we got to ride that wave until it is out and for as long as we can,” Marcus Smart said. “I like the direction that we are headed.”
Heat Notes: Rozier, NBA Cup, Ware, Larsson, Love
Terry Rozier returned Tuesday after missing two games with discomfort in his right foot, but he wasn’t in his usual spot in the Heat‘s starting lineup, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Rozier came off the bench for the first time this season, and just the second time since being acquired in a trade with Charlotte midway through last season. After scoring 17 points in 21 minutes in a loss to Milwaukee, Rozier said he’s willing to accept the new role.
“It’s who finishes the game. It ain’t who starts,” he said. “I think a lot of people want to start in this league. I’ve started for a while, and it’s not final. Like coach said, it’s nothing against me. It’s just trying something new and I’m going to roll with it. It’s a little adjustment that I’m willing to make as long as coach needs me to.”
Miami won both games when Rozier was sidelined while using a new starting lineup with Duncan Robinson joining Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo. Coach Erik Spoelstra has decided to keep that unit intact, even though Chiang points out that it has been outscored by 21.4 points per 100 possessions over the three-game stretch.
“I feel for Terry because, well one, he got hurt. And we’re at the beginning of a season right now where we’re searching,” Spoelstra said. “So the starting lineup is not an indictment at all on him. We had something that worked for two games. So, of course, we’re going to stick with that right now because we’re not where we want to be.”
There’s more from Miami:
- Tuesday’s loss virtually eliminates any chance of the Heat advancing in the NBA Cup, Chiang adds in a separate story. Miami is now 1-2 in the tournament and would need a lot of help to move on, even with a victory Friday against Toronto. “It’s disappointing,” Spoelstra said. “… We wanted to be there in Vegas.”
- Despite the loss, there were some encouraging signs from the team’s 2024 draft selections, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. First-round pick Kel’el Ware and second-rounder Pelle Larsson were both on the court during a fourth quarter rally that nearly erased a 22-point deficit. Larsson played 22 minutes off the bench, the most of any Heat reserve, while scoring eight points, and Ware posted a +11 plus-minus rating in roughly nine minutes of action. “I like both of their processes right now,” Spoelstra said. “They’ve committed to all the player development. They don’t look at us crazy, with what we have on their schedule every single day. Pelle’s been getting the minutes, so he’s been able to show that to everybody else. But Kel’el’s been doing that behind the scenes, so he’s been showing the staff and his teammates.”
- Kevin Love is missing his ninth game of the season tonight after being held out of the second half of Tuesday’s contest with back spasms, Winderman adds in the same piece. Love’s first eight absences were due to a personal matter.
Southeast Notes: Daniels, Young, Poole, Mann
Dyson Daniels has become this season’s breakout defensive star after the Hawks acquired him in an offseason trade with New Orleans. The 21-year-old guard, who is starting to enter the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year honors, talked to Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda about the work that goes into being a difference-maker on defense.
“For me, it’s just about reading the game,” said Daniels, who leads the NBA with 3.1 steals per contest. “When people turn their back or when they’re about to pass, I try to read their eyes and time it. Defense is all about effort, being active with your hands, and staying engaged. Hopefully, I can keep putting up big steals games.”
The change of scenery and the increased playing time that came with it has unlocked Daniels’ offensive game as well. He’s averaging career highs of 14.4 points and 3.1 assists per night while shooting a career-best 45.1% from the field. He credits his development on that end of the court to intense work with his shooting coaches.
“I got the fundamentals down in New Orleans with Fred Vinson, and then coming here, working with Kyle Korver — one of the best shooters ever — has been huge,” Daniels added. “It’s about getting in the gym, getting reps and shooting with confidence.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Trae Young is available tonight for the Hawks‘ game at Cleveland, the team announced (via Twitter). He had been listed as questionable with right Achilles tendinitis. That was also the issue that led to Young missing the November 12 game in Boston, which resulted in a $100K fine for a violation of the player participation policy.
- Wizards guard Jordan Poole had been cleared to return after missing two games with hip soreness, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter link).
- Hornets guard Tre Mann will miss his third straight game tonight with low back soreness, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). In a pre-game meeting with reporters, coach Charles Lee explained that Mann hasn’t responded to treatment as quickly as the team’s training staff had hoped, and the decision to keep him sidelined was made with concern for his long-term health. Lee added that Mann has shown some “mild” progress, and the team’s doctors will monitor his rehab and be cautious about how they manage him.