Southwest Notes: Morant’s Return, Zion, Sochan
Ja Morant received an enthusiastic reception from Grizzlies fans as he returned from his suspension Wednesday night, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Fans showed their support when he took the floor for warmups, when he entered the game in the first quarter and when he touched the ball for the first time.
Morant wore headphones during his pregame routine to block out the outside noise, Cole adds. He also meditated before the game, which was among the recommendations he received during his two weeks of counseling in Florida.
“I’m thankful and grateful for everybody who has been supporting me during this time,” he said. “It definitely helped me a lot. It definitely made me feel a little better, eased everything that’s going on.”
Morant admitted feeling rusty after being away from the game, but he hit 6-of-13 shots and scored 17 points in nearly 24 minutes of action. The idea to come off the bench in his first game back was his, as Morant didn’t want to upset the Grizzlies’ recent hot streak.
“I didn’t want to come right back and mess any of that chemistry up,” Morant said. “I was watching film once my time was getting closer to being back, watching how they was playing. Obviously, it’s different from watching it to being out there.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Ja’s father, Tee Morant, told Kelly Iko of The Athletic that the past few weeks have been “rough” for his family, but he believes his son will benefit from the experience. Ja Morant has been criticized for a series of incidents that culminated with an Instagram Live video from a Denver-area strip club in which he appeared to be waving a gun. “I saw growth,” Tee Morant said in talking about Ja’s time away from the Grizzlies. “I saw growth, and I saw grace. And I know that he knows that God is in control of everything. Forget what the world got to say about you; you can only be judged by one.”
- Pelicans coach Willie Green couldn’t offer any insight into whether Zion Williamson will play again this season, according to Christian Clark of NOLA. The team announced Wednesday that Williamson is able to resume on-court activities after being sidelined since January 2 with a hamstring injury, but he won’t be reevaluated for two more weeks, which will delay a potential return until at least the final week of the season. “Because of the re-injury, we are taking a slower approach with his rehabilitation,” Green said. “He’ll get on the floor. He’s starting to do some running, doing some shooting. But we’re taking it kind of slow.”
- Jeremy Sochan returned Wednesday after missing two games with right knee soreness, but the Spurs rookie was still in obvious pain, observes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “He has grown a lot this year, playing through injuries and all that,” said teammate Keita Bates-Diop. “I think most of us are as well, but you can visibly see he is going through some stuff. But he wants to be out there, wants to play, wants to help us compete. I love that about him.”
Southeast Notes: Bey, Magic, Hornets, Richards
Saddiq Bey knew he was the subject of trade rumors going into last month’s deadline, but he was surprised when the Pistons actually dealt him, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. Bey was sent to the Hawks in a four-team deal that didn’t become official until four days after it was agreed upon. He decided to look on the bright side of being traded and focus on contributing to his new team.
“It’s tough as a competitor, but you have to remember that once you get traded, somebody wanted you as well,” said Bey, who spent his first two-and-a-half NBA seasons in Detroit. “You could look at it in a negative way, like, ‘Damn, this team didn’t want me? But this team does want me.’ I think for me, looking at my faith, I just really trusted God. I think this is the place He wants me to be at, so I gotta make the most of it.”
The trade put Bey in the middle of a playoff race, and he’s been able to help Atlanta in its postseason push. He’s averaging 10.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15 games since joining the Hawks while shooting 45.6% from three-point range.
“Saddiq respects the game, works on his body, works on his craft,” teammate John Collins said. “Has a total understanding on what it means to be a pro, so I just try to tell him to stay solid mentally and know that his time is coming.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Magic are a long shot to climb into the play-in tournament, but they’re enjoying the chance to play spoiler against teams that are above them in the standings, per Nathaniel Marrerro of The Orlando Sentinel. “When you’ve got teams that are trying to fight for playoff spots or fight to get into the playoffs, the intensity in the game is just a lot different,” Markelle Fultz said after Tuesday’s win over the 11th-seeded Wizards. “Any opportunity we get a chance to do that is huge for us and we’ve got to really lock in and take advantage of it.”
- Steve Apostolopoulos, a Canadian billionaire who had discussions with Michael Jordan about buying the Hornets, has decided to focus on a chance to purchase the NFL’s Washington Commanders, according to Brian Windhorst and Adam Schefter of ESPN. Jordan’s company issued a statement this week revealing that he has talked to minority owner Gabe Plotkin about buying a larger share of the team, writes Steve Reed of The Associated Press, but the release doesn’t specify whether Jordan plans to remain the majority owner.
- Nick Richards‘ new three-year extension with the Hornets includes a team option for the final season, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Mavericks To Protest Loss To Warriors
The Mavericks plan to file an official protest with the league office after tonight’s 127-125 loss to the Warriors, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The protest is in response to an alleged officiating error late in the third quarter that led to an uncontested basket for Golden State (video link from The Athletic). All five Dallas players were on the opposite side of the court as the Warriors inbounded the ball, resulting in an easy dunk for Kevon Looney.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban provided an explanation of the play (via Twitter), claiming the referees informed his team that it would have the ball after a stoppage in play.
“For those wondering about the play with 1:54 to go on the 3rd, let me explain what happened,” Cuban wrote. “The ref called Mavs ball. The announcer announced it. Then there was a timeout. During the time out the official changed the call and never told us. Then when they saw us line up as if it were our ball, he just gave the ball to the Warriors. Never said a word to us. They got an easy basketball. Crazy that it would matter in a 2 point game. Worst officiating non call mistake possibly in the history of the NBA. All they had to do was tell us and they didn’t.”
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also addressed the play in his post-game press conference, claiming that officials didn’t handle the situation properly (Twitter link from Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News).
“If there’s confusion, it’s easy to just come in and blow the whistle and get us restarted,” Kidd said. “Because it was confusion. Understanding that we thought it was our ball, the referee pointed towards our bench. That was the signal of the timeout, but there was confusion on the play before it even started with whose ball it was because he pointed, I thought, to us first. Then he changed it and then went to a timeout, and pointed to us.”
In a tweet from the league, crew chief Sean Wright explained why officials handled the play the way they did.
“Initially on the floor the original signal was in fact Golden State ball as this can be seen on video,” Wright said. “There is a second signal but that signal is for a mandatory timeout that was due to the Mavs.”
Under NBA rules, notice of the protest must be submitted to the commissioner’s office within 48 hours of the end of the game. Both teams will have five days to submit evidence to the NBA after the protest is filed, and commissioner Adam Silver will then have an additional five days to make a ruling.
No team has been successful in protesting a game since 2008, notes NBA writer Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Atlantic Notes: Harden, Cassell, Bridges, R. Williams
Sixers guard James Harden sat out tonight’s game due to Achilles soreness, but it doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Coach Doc Rivers said Harden has been dealing with the discomfort for a while, and the team decided it would be best to give him a night off. He added that Harden was feeling pain in his left foot after playing 46 minutes in Monday’s double-overtime game.
“No concerns,” Rivers told reporters. “It just flared up a couple times and we decided instead of doing the back-and-forth, the dance, let’s just sit him down, get him rest and make sure he’s right.”
Collier notes that the only two previous games Harden has missed since the All-Star break were on the second night of back-to-backs. He is still managing a tendon strain in his right foot that he suffered in early November, which kept him out of action for about a month, tweets Sixers reporter Derek Bodner.
“Especially going into the playoffs, you just want guys to be right,” Rivers added. “No reason to take any chances.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Assistant coach Sam Cassell has decided to remain with the Sixers rather than pursue a head coaching job at Temple, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. A source confirms to Pompey that the university reached out to Cassell about the opening. Former NBA player Aaron McKie resigned as the Owls’ head coach last week.
- Mikal Bridges is validating the Nets‘ decision to turn down trade offers after acquiring him in the Kevin Durant deal, states Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports. The Grizzlies reportedly offered a package of four first-round picks, but Brooklyn preferred to see what Bridges could do if given a starring role in the offense. He has averaged 25.4 PPG in 17 games since joining the Nets, easily outpacing his best seasons in Phoenix. “You saw the days where (Devin) Booker was out and he was the primary scorer, we saw how he adjusted and really flourished in that role,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “So we put the ball in his hands. We’ll continue to do so.”
- The Celtics were happy to welcome back Robert Williams in Tuesday’s win at Sacramento, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Boston’s starting center was back on the court after missing the past eight games with a hamstring injury. “Obviously we’re a lot bigger when he’s out there,” Jayson Tatum said. “It just makes us much more dynamic, I felt like. His presence. Even if he’s not blocking shots, maybe he’s turning people away from attacking the basket. He’s grabbing rebounds. Giving us second or third opportunities. Obviously a lob threat.”
Hornets Sign Nick Richards To Three-Year Extension
7:32pm: The extension is official, the Hornets announced (via Twitter).
6:14pm: Nick Richards has agreed to a three-year, $15MM extension with the Hornets, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal was confirmed by Richards’ agents, Javon Phillips and Jared Mucha of Excel Basketball, Wojnarowski adds.
The 25-year-old center has established himself as a member of Charlotte’s rotation in his third NBA season by averaging 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 62.3% from the field.
He has appeared in 58 of the team’s 73 contests, making five starts and playing 18.2 minutes per night. He’s coming off a career high 17-rebound performance Monday against the Pacers.
Richards has seen up an uptick in playing time since Charlotte sent Mason Plumlee to the Clippers in a trade deadline deal. He has even entered the Hornets’ starting lineup as of late, making his first five starts of the season since March 11.
The Hornets acquired Richards from New Orleans in a draft night trade after he was selected with the 42nd pick in 2020. He appeared in just 18 games as a rookie, spending much of the season in the G League, and played 50 games last season.
Richards, who is making $1.78MM this season, was nearing the end of his three-year contract, so the extension will prevent him from entering free agency this summer.
All three of the Hornets’ young centers are now under contract for multiple seasons. Kai Jones‘ rookie deal runs through 2025, while Mark Williams‘ expires in 2026.
Suns Notes: Durant, Ayton, Booker, Shamet
The Suns won their first three games with Kevin Durant in the lineup, but they’ve gone into a skid since his injury that could put them in danger of falling into the play-in tournament, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Phoenix is just 2-4 since Durant sprained his left ankle during warmups two weeks ago. The Suns are still fourth in the Western Conference standings, but they’re just two-and-a-half games away from the seventh spot, which is currently occupied by the Thunder and Mavericks.
Durant will miss his seventh straight game tonight, and although he recently started participating in shootarounds, there’s no indication of when he might be able to return. He’s scheduled for a medical reevaluation later this month, according to Rankin.
“We have some things to clean up,” Devin Booker said of the team’s recent play. “We know roles are going to change when KD comes back, but polishing everything up before he comes back is important, too.”
There’s more on the Suns:
- Deandre Ayton will miss his second straight game tonight with a hip contusion he suffered last Thursday, Rankin adds. Bismack Biyombo took over as the starting center in Sunday’s game at Oklahoma City, and coach Monty Williams expressed confidence in his backups’ ability to contribute while the stars are injured. “You obviously need the guys that are important to the program, but all of our guys are,” Williams said. “That’s why player development, being ready to play is important also. That doesn’t diminish what Kevin and DA bring to the table. We all understand that, but we’ve prided ourselves having guys ready to play.”
- With 11 games remaining, Booker understands that the Suns need to finish strong to give themselves the best possible chance in the playoffs, Rankin states in another Arizona Republic story. “You want homecourt advantage,” Booker said. “Honestly, if that’s not the case, I’m fine, too. I don’t think you want to be in the play-in. I think them adding the play-in kind of dices things up. It’s a one-game thing, but we just want to be there.”
- Landry Shamet provides a balance of offense and defense that could lead to an important role for the rest of the season, observes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Bourguet assesses the strengths and weaknesses of all the Suns’ wing options and notes that Durant’s injury has prevented Williams from establishing a set rotation around his top four players.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Harden, Tucker, Cassell
Sixers center Joel Embiid is continuing the scoring binge that has made him the new betting favorite in the MVP race, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. After posting 15 points in the first half of Saturday’s win at Indiana, Embiid dominated the third quarter with 16 points while making 5-of-7 shots from the field.
The 31-point outing was Embiid’s ninth consecutive game with at least 30 points, breaking the franchise record he shared with Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain. It also earned him the support of Pacers coach Rick Carlisle in the MVP debate.
“Embiid, right now, he’s probably the MVP with what their team is doing and how he’s elevated his game,” Carlisle said. “He’s as difficult a guy to game plan for as there is in the game. He’s a walking NBA cheat code right now. He’s just that good.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- The Sixers transformed from underachievers to potential title winners when James Harden returned in early December after missing 14 games with a strained foot tendon, Pompey observes in another Inquirer article. Philadelphia has the best record in the league since Harden’s second game back, and Pompey credits that to the guard’s decision to facilitate the offense rather than look for his shot. It has also coincided with Embiid’s ascension into MVP front-runner. “Obviously, Joel is going to do what he does,” Harden said. “Making sure Tobias (Harris) and Tyrese (Maxey) and Georges (Niang) and our shooters get their shots. You get that feeling from everybody and everybody clicking like that, which is why rhythm (is) going to be key for us in the playoffs.”
- P.J. Tucker sat out Saturday’s game with an ankle issue and wasn’t able to participate in this morning’s shootaround, Pompey tweets. He’s listed as questionable for tonight’s game against Chicago.
- Temple University has expressed interest in hiring Sixers assistant Sam Cassell as its head coach, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Cassell, who has been with the organization since 2020, is focused on his current duties with the team rather than looking for another job, according to Scotto’s sources. Scotto notes that Cassell has worked closely with Maxey since he arrived in Philadelphia.
Southeast Notes: Martin, Ball, Cooks, Murray
Cody Martin is doing his best to help the Hornets as a leader from the sidelines, but it’s not a role he enjoys, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. A troublesome left knee has limited Martin to seven games in his first season since signing a four-year, $31MM contract.
Martin’s injury problems began in training camp, Boone notes, and he was only able to suit up for one of the team’s five preseason games. Martin played just 56 seconds in the regular season opener and underwent arthroscopic surgery on November 11. He returned in early January after missing 37 games, but could only play six more times before being sidelined again.
“You never go into a season thinking something like this is going to happen,” Martin said. “You are not really ever prepared for it. It’s very, very frustrating. This is the first time I’ve ever had to sit out for an extended period of time. So I’m just trying to do my best to be positive mentally and just continue to do whatever I can rehab-wise and do what the training staff is saying. Unfortunately, it’s taken this long. I’m just trying to be smart with it, I’m just trying to be consistent with it, just do whatever I can.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- After undergoing ankle surgery three weeks ago, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball said he’s dedicated to rehab and plans to be 100% by the start of training camp, Boone tweets. Ball added that he still enjoys being in Charlotte, saying, “Yeah, I love it here.”
- Fresh off winning an NBL title with the Sydney Kings, Xavier Cooks hopes to help the Wizards with their playoff push, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The Australian forward signed with the team on Friday and made his NBA debut Saturday night. “It’s been a lifelong dream to get here,” Cooks said. “It’s taken me 27 years to get here. I’m, what, five years out of college? My dream is a little bit different than everybody else’s.”
- Hawks guard Dejounte Murray feels like he got “closure” when Spurs fans gave him a warm reception in his return to San Antonio for Sunday’s game, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I felt like it was what it should be,” Murray said. “We showed nothing but love, both sides, from myself, the fans, the organization.”
Heat Notes: Playoff Race, Love, Vincent, O. Robinson
The Heat are preparing for the most important week of the season in their effort to avoid the play-in tournament, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami is seventh in the East at 39-34, three-and-a-half games behind the Knicks and one game behind the Nets. The Heat will host New York on Wednesday and then will welcome Brooklyn on Saturday.
“It’s like our March madness, our April madness. It really is,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I see the similarities right now. Every game is a must-win. And if you’re a competitor, you have to love this. Maybe not exactly where we are and how we got here. It doesn’t matter.”
The Heat didn’t expect to be fighting for a playoff spot after posting the best record in the East last season, but a combination of injuries and inconsistent play has resulted in a disappointing year. Although the players would prefer the security that comes with a top-six finish, they believe they can be a tough playoff matchup from any spot.
“As long as we win, I think we’re going to be all right, no matter what place we’re in,” Jimmy Butler said, “whether we’re in the play-in, whether we’re the eight seed against the one. As long as you win, I don’t think you have too much to worry about.”
There’s more from Miami:
- The Heat’s defense has imploded since the All-Star break, but the blame shouldn’t fall on new addition Kevin Love, Chiang adds in another Miami Herald story. Chiang notes that Miami’s defensive rating has actually been better with Love in the game, although that’s partially because he usually shares the court with Butler and Bam Adebayo.
- Gabe Vincent is trying to avoid being distracted by his upcoming free agency, but he admits it’s on his mind, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Vincent has taken over as Miami’s starting point guard while Kyle Lowry has been dealing with knee pain. “I feel like I have established myself in this league and showed everyone, all 30 teams, that I can play and I can help a team win,” Vincent said. “So in terms of being stressed out about it, I’m going to leave that to my agent and let him deal with it and just do what I can to help the Miami Heat the remainder of this year.”
- The Heat may not be done with Orlando Robinson, Winderman suggests in a separate story. He notes that Robinson is still eligible for four more NBA games on his two-way contract, and Spoelstra seems to have more confidence in him than Omer Yurtseven as the backup center. Winderman adds that Cody Zeller is likely to take that role whenever he returns from a broken nose.
Pacific Notes: Reaves, M. Williams, Lue, Kings
He’s unlikely to get any votes, but Austin Reaves still appreciated the “MVP” chants from Lakers fans Sunday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Reaves came off the bench to deliver 35 points in a narrow win over Orlando that lifted L.A. into a tie for ninth place in the tight Western Conference playoff race.
“For them to recognize what I do — obviously not an MVP-caliber player, those guys are really good — but for them to do that for me is special, it means a lot to me,” he said.
It was a career-high scoring night for Reaves, but it wasn’t out of character. Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times points out that Reaves has become a dependable part of the offense since LeBron James was sidelined by a foot injury three weeks ago. He has failed to reach 13 points just once since James got hurt, and he has helped the Lakers post a 6-5 record without their star.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns coach Monty Williams indicated that rotation changes may be coming after Sunday’s loss at Oklahoma City, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Williams was frustrated after watching a double-digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter. “This one’s on me,” he said. “I’ve got to get guys in the game that can create a rhythm, especially on defense. We’re giving up way too many 30-point quarters, consecutively. That’s on me. I have to figure out the guys who can play together defensively as opposed to the starters to increase the momentum from an offensive and defensive standpoint.”
- Associate head coach Dan Craig picked up his first win guiding the Clippers Sunday night, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Craig was filling in for head coach Tyronn Lue, who was able to coach the team on Saturday, but didn’t make the flight to Portland because of a non-COVID illness. Craig said Lue is expected “back soon.”
- The Kings didn’t have shooting guard Kevin Huerter and forward Trey Lyles in Saturday’s win over Washington, and both are listed as questionable for tonight’s contest at Utah, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Huerter has a strain in his right knee area, while Lyles is experiencing soreness in his right shoulder.