Mavericks Notes: Lively, Kleber, Irving, Doncic
A broken nose will prevent Dereck Lively II from playing Monday in his home city of Philadelphia, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. Instead of traveling with his teammates, the Mavericks’ rookie center will remain in Dallas to undergo a nasal procedure to ease the pain from the break. Lively tried out a face mask at Friday’s practice in hopes of playing tonight, but he didn’t enjoy the experience.
“Playing with the mask, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy,” he said, “but you got to be able to go through the highs and lows and work through it. Today, I gave it a shot on being able to wear the mask and adjust it and feel like how it’s going to be on the court. We’re still trying to figure out what I’m going to be doing moving forward. But … I will be having a procedure on Monday to reset my nose since it is broken.”
Injuries are the only thing that have slowed down Lively, who is averaging 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 36 games. He was one of 11 rookies selected this week to participate in the Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend.
“To be given this chance is amazing,” Lively said. “At the beginning of the season, if you told me I’d be able to get this far – no way, I wouldn’t have imagined it. So just being able to know I’m going to this game, I’m excited to be part of the atmosphere and getting to know everybody.”
There’s more from Dallas:
- Maxi Kleber also suffered a broken nose this week, with his injury occurring on Wednesday at Minnesota, Sefko adds. Kleber was active for tonight’s game against Milwaukee.
- Kyrie Irving sat out his sixth straight game with a sprained right thumb, but there’s optimism he’ll return soon, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Coach Jason Kidd told reporters that Irving had “two good days of practice” and said “hopefully he’ll be available” for the road trip that starts Monday.
- Kidd also said he’s trying to manage the load on Luka Doncic, who’s averaging a career-high 37.5 minutes per game so far this season, per Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). However, Kidd added, “This could be a night where he does play 40-something minutes” due to a shortage of available players.
- Kidd made headlines this week with his comparison of Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki, but the Mavericks shouldn’t expect Doncic to spend his entire career in Dallas like Nowitzki did unless they can build a team capable of competing for a title, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News argues in a subscriber-only piece.
Woj: Jarred Vanderbilt May Be Out For The Season
Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a “significant” injury to his right foot, and the Lakers are concerned that he might not be able to return this season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Countdown (video link).
Team officials are consulting with specialists this weekend to determine the full extent of Vanderbilt’s condition and the best course of action, Wojnarowski adds. Sources tell Woj that Vanderbilt is expected to miss “several weeks” at a minimum.
Wojnarowski also speculates that the report on Vanderbilt will affect the Lakers’ strategy heading into Thursday’s trade deadline. He notes that Vanderbilt is one of the team’s best point-of-attack defenders, along with Gabe Vincent, who has only been available for five games this season.
“This is not a marketplace right now where there are a lot of difference makers available, and the Lakers do not have significant assets to add to this team,” Wojnarowski said. “If you are bringing in a player, how much does he move the needle with a team that very well could be without Vanderbilt now for the rest of the season.”
Wojnarowski points out that general manager Rob Pelinka could be in a better position for a major deal this offseason when he’ll have three future first-round picks that can be traded.
Vanderbilt suffered a non-contact injury to the foot during the first half of Thursday’s game at Boston, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Woike suggests the Nets‘ Dorian Finney-Smith and the Raptors‘ Bruce Brown as versatile forwards that the Lakers might target before the deadline.
Vanderbilt, who played a significant role in last season’s run to the Western Conference Finals, has only appeared in 29 games this season. Bursitis in his left heel kept him off the court until early December, but he has been part of the rotation since returning, averaging 5.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 20 minutes per night.
Warriors Notes: Green, Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody, Saric
Draymond Green expects to receive a large share of the blame if the Warriors can’t get back into title contention, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Green’s absence from the lineup during two suspensions disrupted the first half of Golden State’s season and played a significant role in a 21-24 start. Green has resumed his normal duties since returning from his latest punishment, which resulted in 16 missed games, but he knows fans and the media will single him out if the team fails to reach the playoffs.
“Who we are, what we stand for is enough of a burden,” Green said. “We’re never expected to lose. There’s a standard that’s been set. So for me, that’s enough burden. So I don’t go around thinking every day like, ‘F—, we got to make these games up that I missed.’ But what I do know is if it doesn’t get turned around, then that’s kind of what’s going to be said.”
Green told Slater that he considered signing with the Grizzlies in free agency last summer, but only for “an eensy bit of time.” He credits the Warriors’ front office for being “straightforward” in negotiations, which eventually produced a four-year, $100MM contract with a player option for the final season. Green also said owner Joe Lacob talked to him about expectations regarding his behavior before approving the deal, which had a massive effect on the team’s tax bill.
Green felt like he broke the promises he made to Lacob and didn’t pick up the phone when the owner called after the indefinite suspension was handed down in December.
“I couldn’t answer it,” Green said. “I couldn’t talk to him. I did not talk to him. I didn’t call back. I almost hid. He gave me his word and he stuck by it. I gave him my word and I’ve let him down. It was probably a little cowardly. Like, I couldn’t face the music.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Klay Thompson returned from an illness Friday night, but coach Steve Kerr replaced him with Brandin Podziemski for the closing minutes of the first half and the game, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Podziemski handed out 14 assists, which Gordon notes is the most by any rookie in a single game this season. “Love that group,” Podziemski said, pointing out the flexibility that he and Green bring to the lineup. “Having two of us out there like that, playing with Jonathan (Kuminga) and (Stephen Curry), who are really good scorers, along with (Andrew Wiggins), who picks his spots — I think it’s a good group. We played well together. Most importantly, we got stops when we needed to.”
- Kuminga reached rare territory with his eighth straight 20-point game while shooting at least 50% from the field. Gordon states that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Kawhi Leonard are the only other players to accomplish that this season.
- Meeting with reporters tonight, Kerr said Moses Moody was able to work out today and should return from his left calf strain sometime in the next three games, Slater tweets. Dario Saric, who was out Friday and tonight due to an illness, is expected to rejoin the team Sunday in New York.
Magic Notes: Suggs, Banchero, Harris
Friday’s trip home to Minnesota inspired Magic guard Jalen Suggs to have one of his best games of the season, writes Gavin Dorsey of The Star Tribune. Suggs sparked a second-half comeback as he improved to 3-0 for his career at the Target Center. He played 36 minutes, which tied for the third-highest total of his career, and had 15 points, marking his best scoring game in two weeks.
“My muscles were tight, stomach was in knots,” Suggs said about playing in Minneapolis. “I kept seeing just faces in the crowd. I wanted to go talk to my people, share my love. This building is so special; I have a lot of memories here. But the unit, man, being able to share that with them and get the dub, which is all I wanted, all that with them, it made me happy. Smiles all around tonight.”
Suggs also contributed six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block as he filled up the stat sheet the way he used to in high school and college. He believes he’s moved past the difficulties of his first two seasons and is ready to be the player the Magic expected when they took him with the fifth pick in the 2021 draft.
“It’s funny, I was saying that before the game, this almost felt like the first time [playing at home] again,” Suggs said. “These past three years, not only was I a shell of myself, but I was kind of living a life of somebody I wasn’t. A lot of prayer, talking to family and work on myself, I feel like myself again.”
There’s more on the Magic:
- Paolo Banchero, who received his first All-Star selection this week, is proving that he’s the type of player a franchise can build around, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Robbins states that coach Jamahl Mosley challenged Banchero to upgrade his defense during the offseason, and his improvement has helped Orlando reach the top five in team defensive rating. “Paolo’s playing great,” Franz Wagner said. “I think his poise, his confidence that he has — everybody else is picking up on that, and it has an impact on the whole group. That’s his way of leading the team.”
- In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Banchero said he appreciates the individual honors, but team accomplishments are more important. He also talked about the benefits of playing in the FIBA World Cup last summer. “It helped me see the game through a different lens,” Banchero said. “It helped me just work on things that I’ve never really got to work on as a player, especially at this point in my life and career. And I just learned so much getting to be around those players, those coaches, that environment for 40 days.”
- Veteran guard Gary Harris was able to return Friday after missing 14 games with a strained right calf, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
Zach LaVine To Undergo Season-Ending Foot Surgery
Zach LaVine has opted to undergo surgery on his right foot and will miss the remainder of the season, the Bulls announced in a press release.
The decision to have surgery was made in consultation with the team’s medical and training staff as well as LaVine’s representatives at Klutch Sports Group. The operation will take place this week, and LaVine is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six months, according to the Bulls.
The 28-year-old guard was limited to 25 games this season due to lingering pain in the foot, along with a sprained right ankle. He hasn’t played since January 18.
The surgery should halt any immediate trade speculation involving LaVine, who has reportedly been on the market since mid-November. His injury issues have limited interest around the league, along with a pricey contract that will pay him $138MM over the next three seasons if he exercises a $49MM player option for 2026/27.
The Lakers were originally reported to have the most interest in LaVine, and the Pistons have been mentioned more prominently in recent weeks. However, any teams planning to make an offer for LaVine will likely wait until at least the offseason.
This marks the fewest games for LaVine in one season since he appeared in 24 during 2017/18 — his first season in Chicago — when he was recovering from a torn ACL. The two-time All-Star saw his scoring average drop to 19.5 PPG this year while shooting 45.2% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range.
Atlantic Notes: Durant, Porzingis, Celtics, Embiid
Returning to Brooklyn Wednesday for the first time since being traded last February, Suns forward Kevin Durant didn’t feel like speculating on how his time with the Nets might have turned out differently, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Although he talked briefly about his raucous tenure with the team, Durant preferred to look forward rather than backward.
“I mean, that’s just a pointless exercise, in my opinion, to think about what could have been,” Durant said. “What happened. That’s what I thought about: what actually happened. The reality of it. We didn’t have enough time together. That’s just it. Guys wanted to go their separate ways. We tried our hardest to, you know, salvage everything and everything together. We had three or four different teams [from] when I signed here until when I left. But at the end of the day, I enjoyed coming to work, playing for, being a part of this community and playing, representing Brooklyn; regardless of what went on, what was said or how I felt, I still came to work.”
Durant was expected to make the Nets one of the NBA’s elite franchises when he and Kyrie Irving signed as free agents in 2019. He continued to play at an All-Star level after recovering from a torn Achilles, but injuries and off-court issues prevented the team from reaching its potential, even after James Harden was added in a 2021 trade. Bontemps notes that although Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are in their first season as teammates, they’ve already played more games together than Durant, Irving and Harden did.
“If you want to talk about me individually, you can just look at the work that I put in here,” Durant added. “I think I’ve grown as a player. I’m on my way to mastering the game. I think coming here helped me, pushed me far closer to that. So that’s what I try to take from my time here.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The offseason trade for Kristaps Porzingis has raised the Celtics to a new level, observes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Porzingis, who was training in Spain when the trade was announced, said he understood how much he meant to the Celtics when he learned they were willing to include Marcus Smart in the deal. “I didn’t know it was going to be [Smart] in the trade, but seeing what they were going to give up for me, I realized that ‘OK, they really wanted me,'” he said. “That means that they expect a lot from me, also. So I have to show up.”
- The Celtics are expected to seek another bench piece before the trade deadline, but the improved performance of the team’s reserves may lessen the urgency for such a move, observes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.
- Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (subscription required) examines Joel Embiid‘s historic accomplishments this season and the “absurd” reaction to the Sixers‘ decision to hold him out of Saturday’s game at Denver.
Southeast Notes: Rozier, Hornets, Isaac, Keefe
Even though Terry Rozier hadn’t won with the Heat until Wednesday night, he has noticed a sharp contrast between Miami and his former team, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Rozier, who dropped 18 of his last 21 games with Charlotte before being traded last week, said the Hornets don’t place the same emphasis on winning that the Heat do.
“It’s the total opposite,” Rozier stated. “In Charlotte, you’re kind of used to losing. It’s in the DNA… Over here, it’s the total opposite. Nobody wants to lose. Nobody is fine with it. … This organization, when you lose, it bothers them.”
Although Rozier’s comments sound like an insult to the Hornets, his ex-coach and former teammates don’t seem upset about them, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Steve Clifford believes Rozier was referring to the added pressure to win that exists in Miami, while Miles Bridges said his team should use Rozier’s analysis as inspiration.
“I mean, he’s not wrong,” Bridges said. “I’m not saying we’ve got losing DNA, but the way that we’ve been taking losses and … I wouldn’t say we are getting used to it, but it’s like we are just moving on. We are not really taking it that serious. We’ve got to take it serious, man. Terry is getting a lot of backlash for what he said, but he’s been in the locker room. He’s been a vet in this locker room and he sees what’s going on. So, we’ve just got to turn that into motivation.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Hornets guard LaMelo Ball missed his third straight game Wednesday and is considered day-to-day with soreness in his right ankle, Boone adds. Gordon Hayward, who hasn’t played since straining his left calf on December 26, has started doing individual basketball activities, but there’s no timetable for his return. Mark Williams is trying to recover from a lower back contusion, but Boone considers it unlikely that he’ll return before the All-Star break if he isn’t cleared to resume team activities soon.
- The Magic continue to be careful with Jonathan Isaac, who played just eight minutes Monday on the second night of a back-to-back, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters that the team’s approach with Isaac is focused on “the long game more than this moment right now.”
- The Wizards have been invigorated under interim coach Brian Keefe, with a rare two-game winning streak earlier this week, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Wallace notes that players have responded to Keefe’s direct style. “In film, if you’re wrong, you’re wrong. There’s no conversation about it,” Landry Shamet said. “[Keefe’s] a black-and-white guy: ‘This is what we should have been doing, and this is what we did. Here’s the divide.’ And that’s incredibly important as a coach and a leader. It’s been great.”
Northwest Notes: Lillard, Sharpe, SGA, Agbaji
Fans welcomed Bucks guard Damian Lillard back to Portland Wednesday night with a minute-long standing ovation, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The long-time franchise icon remains a popular figure in the city, even after a trade request that led to a summer of rumors and a standoff with management. Lillard expressed his love for Trail Blazers fans and suggested that he would like to return to the organization before his career is over.
“Because of how I feel about Portland,” he said. “How I feel about the organization here and my time that I spent here, in my mind I’ve always felt like that’s how my career would end. Right now, I’m just in a space of like, this is where I am now. I’m in Milwaukee. I wanted the opportunity to contend, and our team has an opportunity to contend for this year and years to come, and I’m just living in that. But I definitely, when I was traded, I see a day where I’ll be in a Trail Blazer uniform again before I’m done.”
Lillard asked to leave because he wants the chance to compete for a championship and he believed the Blazers’ front office was more focused on rebuilding. He admits that his relationship with the team became contentious and says he hasn’t talked to general manager Joe Cronin since the deal with Milwaukee was completed. He added that he still follows the team, particularly Anfernee Simons, whom he helped to mentor.
“You just feel the appreciation and the love,” Lillard said after the game. “I just kind of stood in it. It was like, man, this is a big deal. Just take that moment and to have everybody in the building just show me that type of love, acknowledgement of a lot of things during my time here. So, I appreciated it.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe is making progress in his recovery from a lower abdominal strain and will begin “light on-court activities,” the team announced on Twitter. Sharpe has been sidelined since suffering the injury in a January 11 game.
- Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was surprised to be named an All-Star starter ahead of Stephen Curry, but his teammates recognize that the honor is well deserved, notes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Everybody has bought in, but it starts with him,” Chet Holmgren said. “Leadership has to start with the guy we’re looking at from the time we walk into the gym until we leave. He is one of those dudes and he stepped into that role extremely well.”
- Ochai Agbaji is battling a shooting slump, but his contributions on defense have kept him in the Jazz lineup, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “It is kind of tough,” he said. “Trying to stay ready and having in my mind that I need to get a make, and trying to make the right moves and knowing I don’t have the luxury of a lot of shots is hard. But you still have to stay ready and keep your mind right and just be ready to shoot.”
Dariq Whitehead Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
JANUARY 29: Whitehead underwent surgery on Monday for his stress reaction in his left shin, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. With an expected recovery period of approximately three months, he’ll miss the season but should be a full participant in the offseason development program, Lewis adds.
JANUARY 27: Nets first-round pick Dariq Whitehead will undergo surgery for a stress reaction in his left shin and will be sidelined for the rest of the season, coach Jacque Vaughn announced on Saturday (video link from The New York Post). Vaughn provided an update on Whitehead’s condition in a meeting with reporters before tonight’s game.
“He’s actually going to have season-ending surgery on Monday to address the stress reaction,” Vaughn said, “but all signs and diagnosis and consultation: He’ll miss the rest of this season. And then, gear towards finishing and being ready to complete his career and with us, playing. Meaning that he’s just gonna get through these months of rehab, and look forward to him being back on the floor.”
Whitehead, the 22nd pick in last year’s draft, appeared in just two NBA games this season. He got into 17 combined regular season and Showcase Cup games with the G League’s Long Island Nets, averaging 8.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per night.
Whitehead underwent foot surgery last offseason that forced him to miss Summer League and training camp. Vaughn refused to speculate on his chances to be healthy enough to play in Las Vegas this summer.
“After the surgery on Monday, we’ll probably have an update on how the surgery went and have some more details for you,” he said.
Central Notes: Duren, Pistons, Haliburton, Mitchell, Mobley
Jalen Duren had 22 points and 21 rebounds as the Pistons surprised Oklahoma City on Sunday, but he didn’t want anyone to think that’s all he did, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit News. “And six assists,” Duren pointed out as he spoke with reporters after the game. Cade Cunningham was a late scratch as he continues his recovery from a knee strain, so Detroit ran some of its offense through the second-year center.
“Honestly, we were able to get the win and that’s what I’m most happy about, it’s a big-time win,” Duren said. “Especially after yesterday. Just happy about that. 20 and 20 is 20 and 20, but for me I knew it was bound to happen at some time so I wasn’t really that worried about it.”
Duren has been one of the few bright spots for the Pistons, but Sankofa reports that the organization still believes it can salvage something from this season despite a 6-40 record and a historic losing streak. Duren has become much more polished that he was as a rookie, Sankofa adds, displaying better touch and footwork around the basket while being given more leeway to handle the ball and create plays under new coach Monty Williams.
“I just think he’s putting the work in,” Williams said. “I’ve told him if he’s gonna be the guy that we feel like he can be, he’s gotta own that position. Earlier, I thought that he was renting it because he would show flashes of it and then you wouldn’t see it. We just talk about the work that goes into being a solid player, then a good player, then a really good player and then a great player, on and on and on, you have to put in tons of work and just repeat those moves.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- With the trade deadline nearing, James L. Edwards of The Athletic talks with other Athletic writes about potential Pistons deals involving Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. They review proposed trades with the Lakers, Knicks and Thunder.
- The Pacers are optimistic that Tyrese Haliburton will be available Tuesday night against Boston after missing 10 of the last 11 games with a left hamstring injury, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
- Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell participated in today’s shootaround and is listed as probable to play tonight after undergoing a scare involving a groin injury late in the Milwaukee game, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Evan Mobley also took part in the shootaround amid reports that he’ll be able to return soon following left knee surgery (Twitter link).