Play-In Tournament Notes: LeBron, Curry, Grizzlies, Ratings
After two lopsided games on the first night of the NBA’s play-in tournament, the league got the drama it had been hoping for on Wednesday. The Grizzlies defeated the Spurs by four points in an elimination game, then the Lakers and Warriors delivered an instant classic with LeBron James posting a triple-double and Stephen Curry scoring 37 points.
The outcome was in doubt until the final play, and the game-winner turned out to be a desperation three-pointer that James hit from about 30 feet away with 58 seconds remaining. James had been poked in the eye moments earlier and said his vision was blurry on the shot, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
“After (Draymond Green‘s) finger to the eye, I was literally seeing three rims out there,” he said. “I just shot for the middle one.”
Sources tell Shelburne that the NBA’s competition committee had discussed the idea of a play-in tournament for five or six years before trying it out last year in the Orlando bubble. The original plan was to have the ninth- and 10th-place teams meet for a chance to face the eighth team for the final playoff spot. That never happened, but last year’s setup was so successful that the league expanded it to include four teams in each conference.
There’s more from the play-in tournament:
- The Warriors won 15 of their last 20 games to finish eighth in the West, but they now face a must-win game Friday night against the Grizzlies to avoid an early elimination. Curry promises the team will “come out swinging” with its season on the line, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. “We’ve had to do it the last 20 games, so it’s no different,” he said. “It is a win-or-go-home scenario, but we’ve had a high confidence and put together a string of wins and had a tough loss and had to bounce back, so we’ve been there.”
- Memphis is also very confident heading into Friday’s game, states Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. The winner will travel to top-seeded Utah for the first two games of a first-round series. “Our plan is to pack for a three-game road trip,” Ja Morant said after Wednesday’s win. “No matter who we’re facing … our goal is to go out and win.”
- The first night of the new tournament was a success in the ratings, according to Sports Media Watch. The Hornets-Pacers matchup averaged an 0.8 rating and had 1.39 million viewers, and the Wizards-Celtics game had a 1.5 rating with 2.5 million viewers, making it TNT’s most-watched game since opening night.
Bulls Notes: LaVine, Williams, Markkanen, Simonovic
The bold moves that the Bulls made at the trade deadline didn’t get them into the playoffs, but star guard Zach LaVine is encouraged by the direction of the franchise, writes Jamal Collier of The Chicago Tribune. Chicago shook up its roster in late March, including a blockbuster trade to acquire All-Star center Nikola Vucevic from Orlando. The organization is hoping LaVine and Vucevic will be the foundation of the team for years to come.
LaVine is eligible for an extension next season or he could opt for free agency in 2022. Either way, it appears he wants to remain with the franchise.
“Obviously with the trade, it made us a lot better, and I loved it,” LaVine said. “I love it here in Chicago. And I think everybody understands the business of basketball and anything can happen, but I let that stuff handle when it comes by. I don’t think too far into the future about it. I don’t stress about it either. I try to let my game do the talking for me, but also try to worry about the things I haven’t accomplished yet, like winning. This year was great, but also frustrating at the same time.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- LaVine is already looking ahead to next season and is planning offseason workouts with some of his teammates, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. He has invited rookie forward Patrick Williams, who is planning to play in the Summer League, and second-year guard Coby White. “I think that’s a good bonding and team exercise for us, especially in the offseason,” LaVine said. “You’re away from your guys, and everybody needs time away, but once you start ramping back up these are the dudes you’re going to be in battle with. I want to help them just like other players helped me when I was younger going out there and working out.”
- In his comments to the media on Monday, executive VP of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas stressed that the Bulls’ front office will remain aggressive going forward in its efforts to improve the roster, as Sam Smith of Bulls.com relays. “We will not settle for mediocrity here,” Karnišovas said. “We’re going to add talent to our roster and from there get better and come back improved and better so we don’t have to sit out another postseason.”
- Coach Billy Donovan and Karnišovas are expressing support for Lauri Markkanen, but their public comments don’t mean they’ll make a strong effort to keep him when he hits restricted free agency this summer, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Karnišovas called Markkanen “an essential part of our team” after a disappointing season that saw him lose his starting job.
- Karnišovas said draft-and-stash prospect Marko Simonovic is in the team’s plans for the future and will be evaluated further after his season ends, Schaefer tweets. A second-round pick in 2020, the 21-year-old center played in Serbia this year.
Bulls’ Al-Farouq Aminu Opting In For 2021/22
Bulls forward Al-Farouq Aminu will exercise his $10.2MM player option for next season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
While most veterans with player options for 2021/22 won’t have to make their decisions until the summer, Aminu’s decision was due within seven games of Chicago’s final regular season game, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter).
Acquired in late March from Orlando in the Nikola Vucevic deal, Aminu saw limited time in six games for the Bulls. He averaged 1.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per night.
Chicago is the sixth team for the 30-year-old Aminu in his 11-year NBA career. The Clippers made him the eighth pick in the 2010 draft, and he also played for New Orleans, Dallas and Portland.
Aminu’s decision gives Chicago eight players with fully guaranteed contracts for next season, along with Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky, who both have partial guarantees.
Caris LeVert In Protocols, Will Miss Tuesday’s Game
Pacers guard Caris LeVert has been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols and won’t be available for tonight’s play-in game against the Hornets, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
LeVert is expected to miss multiple games if Indiana advances in the tournament and reaches the playoffs, sources tell Charania (Twitter link). He will likely be in the protocols for 10-14 days, Charania adds (Twitter link).
LeVert has been a valuable part of Indiana’s lineup since returning in mid-March from surgery to treat renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer. A small mass was discovered on LeVert’s kidney as part of a physical after he was traded from the Nets in January.
In 35 games with the Pacers, LeVert is averaging 20.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per night.
The Pacers were already expected to be shorthanded on Tuesday, with Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb, and T.J. Warren among the players sidelined due to injuries. Malcolm Brogdon (right hamstring) and Domantas Sabonis (left quad) are listed as questionable, per the team (Twitter link).
Knicks Notes: Noel, Robinson, Point Guards, Draft
Among the many surprising aspects of the Knicks‘ season is that their defense has been able to survive the loss of center Mitchell Robinson, who is recovering from surgery on a fracture in his right foot. Mitchell’s shot blocking has been replaced by Nerlens Noel, who swatted five shots in Saturday’s win over the Hornets and now ranks second in the league with 2.1 per game, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.
“His gift is obviously the rim protection,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “… He alters a lot of shots because everyone is looking for him. He has great value, he’s the anchor of the defense.”
Noel was a lottery pick in 2013, but wasn’t able to find a stable situation as he bounced from the Sixers to the Mavericks to the Thunder. He signed with New York during the offseason and has been a valuable addition in the wake of Robinson’s injuries, starting 40 of the 63 games he has played.
“I just feel like I’ve got something in me that comes alive, especially moments like (crunch time),” Noel said. “I live for moments, the big moments, and anything for my team.”
There’s more from New York:
- Thibodeau offered a medical update on Robinson, who has started on-court activities but remains a long way from playing, Bondy adds. “He’s still in the rehab phase,” Thibodeau said. “… As I’ve said before, we’re not going to rush him along. We’re going to be cautious and make sure he goes through every phase of it properly. We just don’t want to take any chances with him.”
- The Knicks can wrap up the fourth seed by beating the Celtics this afternoon, but their point guard situation remains muddled, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Elfrid Payton played less than 13 minutes on Saturday and Berman suspects Thibodeau is losing confidence in him. Alec Burks ran the point with the second unit, and Frank Ntilikina was inserted late in the game for his defense.
- The dramatic turnaround in New York has made the draft an afterthought this year, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Before the season began, the Knicks started scouting with the expectation that they might have a high lottery pick, along with the Mavericks’ first-rounder from the Kristaps Porzingis trade. New York’s selection is currently at No. 18, while Dallas’ is at No. 23.
2021 Hall Of Fame Class Announced
As expected, Paul Pierce, Ben Wallace and Chris Webber will be part of the Class of 2021 for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
They will be joined by Chris Bosh, coaches Rick Adelman, Jay Wright and Bill Russell, and WNBA players Yolanda Griffith and Lauren Jackson.
Among former players, Bosh is the only name that hasn’t been reported already. He is best known as part of the Big Three in Miami that made four straight Finals appearances and won two NBA titles early last decade. He played 13 NBA seasons, with the first seven coming in Toronto before getting a chance to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with the Heat.
Bosh is an 11-time All-Star and was a second-team All-NBA selection in 2007. A medical condition ended his career early, and he was elected to the Hall in his first year of eligibility.
Adelman made two trips to the NBA Finals and is the ninth-winningest coach in league history with 1,042 career victories. He played seven seasons in the league, but made his greatest impact as a coach, guiding the Trail Blazers, Warriors, Kings, Rockets and Timberwolves.
Wright has been the head coach at Villanova since 2001 and has more than 600 career wins. He has led the Wildcats to three Final Fours and captured NCAA titles in 2016 and 2018.
Russell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975 for his legendary playing career, but he was also a pioneer as a coach. He took over as player-coach of the Celtics in 1966, becoming the first Black head coach in North American professional sports. Russell had a 341-290 coaching record and won a pair of NBA titles.
Griffith is a seven-time WNBA all-star and was captured the league’s MVP, Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player awards in 1999. She was named Finals MVP in 2005 after leading the Sacramento Monarchs to their first WNBA championship.
Jackson was an Australian star who won three silver medals in the Olympics. She’s among the WNBA career leaders in games, minutes, field goals and three-pointers and helped the Seattle Storm win two titles, capturing Finals MVP honors in 2010.
Several other players were also voted into the Hall, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter links):
- International Committee: Toni Kukoc.
- Contributors: Val Ackerman, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Howard Garfinkel.
- Veteran’s Committee: Bob Dandridge.
- Women’s Veteran Committee: Pearl Moore.
- Early African-American Pioneers: Clarence Jenkins.
Photo courtesy of USA Sports Images.
Community Shootaround: Play-In Tournament
The NBA’s new play-in tournament has plenty of fans and critics, but it has created a lot of compelling races as the season heads into its final day.
There’s suddenly a huge difference between sixth place and seventh, as the top six teams in each conference get nearly a week to rest while the teams in the tournament battle for playoff spots. The defending champion Lakers find themselves in seventh place in the West right now and need a win over the Pelicans tonight coupled with a Trail Blazers loss to the Nuggets to avoid the tournament.
The seventh and eighth teams in each conference will meet in the first round, while team No. 9 will face team No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 game will earn a playoff berth, while the loser of the 9-10 game will be eliminated. The other two teams will play for the final spot in each conference.
The scenario sets up several games with high stakes on the last day of the season. The Grizzlies and Warriors will meet this afternoon in Memphis with identical 38-33 records and the eighth seed on the line. In the East, the Hornets, Wizards and Pacers are all tied at 33-38. Washington hosts Charlotte today with the winner claiming the eighth seed and the loser likely falling to 10th.
No matter how the races end up, the tournament will start Tuesday night with both Eastern games, followed Wednesday by the two Western contests. The games to decide the final playoff spots will take place Thursday in the East and Friday for the West.
Commissioner Adam Silver has favored this format for years as a way to add excitement and unpredictability to the postseason. Some prominent league voices, including LeBron James and Mark Cuban, have criticized the idea, especially in a year with a condensed scheduled.
We want to get your opinion. Has the play-in tournament livened up the playoff races? Should the league keep the current format, modify it or get rid of it altogether? Please leave your responses in the comments section.
Chris Webber Reportedly Elected To Hall Of Fame
Chris Webber will be part of the Class of 2021 for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame when the formal announcement is made today, sources told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
Webber played 15 NBA seasons and was named to five All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 1994 and holds career averages of 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
Many consider this a long overdue honor for Webber, who retired in 2008 and has been eligible for the Hall since 2013.
The Warriors made Webber the first pick in the 1993 draft after two outstanding seasons at Michigan as part of the Fab Five. He moved on to Washington and then Sacramento, where he had his best NBA seasons. He later played for Philadelphia and Detroit before finishing his career with Golden State.
Since retiring, Webber has been a broadcaster with TNT, although he recently parted ways with the network. He has also been involved in the music and film industries.
Webber will join Paul Pierce and Ben Wallace, who were reported Saturday as 2021 enshrinees.
Caleb Homesley Signs Multiyear Deal With Wizards
Swingman Caleb Homesley has signed a multi-year contract with the Wizards, the team announced (via Twitter).
Homesley won’t join the Wizards for their final regular season game on Sunday or the play-in tournament (Twitter link). Washington expects him to be part of its development program over the offseason.
The 24-year-old was in training camp with the Wizards on an Exhibit 10 contract after going undrafted out of Liberty. He was assigned to the G League’s Erie BayHawks and averaged 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 15 games in the Orlando bubble.
Washington has an open roster spot, so the team can add Homesley without a corresponding move.
Bulls Notes: Markkanen, Vucevic, Young, Williams
One of the most important questions facing the Bulls this summer will be what to do with Lauri Markkanen, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Once considered the future of the franchise, Markkanen had a decline in production in his fourth NBA season. He lost his starting job at midseason and is headed toward restricted free agency without a clear role on the team.
Markkanen has taken a lot of heat for his down year and his seemingly poor fit alongside center Nikola Vucevic, who was acquired at the trade deadline. However, coach Billy Donovan said critics need to understand how Markkanen has adapted to changing circumstances.
“You’re talking about a guy who has a shoulder injury, misses quite a bit of time, comes back after the All-Star break, plays a couple games and then we have an entirely different team and now he has to re-invent himself and find himself, that’s a lot,” Donovan said. “The one thing I’ve always asked Lauri to do is compete and play and maximize the time you’re out there for the benefit of the team. And he has always done that. And I respect and appreciate that from him.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- The Bulls expected to move into the playoff picture after shaking up their team at the deadline, but the results have been disappointing. Vucevic suggests too much may have been expected right away, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘When you make a trade midseason, a lot of things change, and sometimes it takes more time [to jell],’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘Unfortunately, we didn’t have that. It is disappointing we didn’t achieve our goal, so we have to be realistic and say we failed at that. But the only thing we can do is move forward and hopefully use that as motivation going into next year.’’
- Chicago currently has just seven players under contract for next season and may want to consider creating even more cap space by unloading Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky, who both have modest partial guarantees, Cowley adds in a separate story. Young’s $14.19MM contract and and Satoransky’s $10MM deal will both become fully guaranteed August 1.
- Rookie forward Patrick Williams had one of his best games today, scoring a career-high 24 points in a loss to the Nets, writes Sam Smith of NBA.com. Williams said he has started looking to score more often as the season winds down. “This is definitely the Patrick that they want to see,” he said. “Of course, a little bit more that I did today. This is the player that they want me to be. It takes some getting used to, especially for me, because it’s not natural to go out there and be aggressive. But this is who I’ve gotta be in order to be the player that I want to be in this league. I’m up for the challenge.”