Suns Notes: Booker, Little, Gordon, Beal
The Lakers have defeated the Suns twice already this season heading into their in-season tournament quarterfinals matchup on Tuesday night. However, Phoenix didn’t have Devin Booker available in either of those games.
That will change in the third meeting, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. Booker, who has dealt with ankle and calf injuries, is ready to go after posting 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists on Saturday against Memphis.
“Missing any game is tough, I’m excited for this one,” Booker said. “I know they’re playing well as of now. They’re back healthy. They have their roster back. It’ll be a heavyweight match in L.A. A lot on the line. Winner goes to Vegas. I think everyone is looking forward to it. It should be fun.”
We have more on the Suns:
- Nassir Little has seen action in 14 games off the bench since being acquired from Portland as part of the three-team Damian Lillard blockbuster. Little is adjusting to his role with a contender after being moved from the rebuilding Trail Blazers, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports notes. “In the league, especially on a team like this, you gotta be able to stay ready,” said Little, who is signed through the 2026/27 season. “At full strength, there’s gonna be guys who are good enough to be rotation players who may not be playing, but you can’t take that as an insult. You have to just understand kind of what the situation is and make sure you stay in shape, make sure you continue to work on your game.”
- Eric Gordon is listed as questionable to play on Tuesday due to a knee injury, Rankin tweets. Gordon didn’t play against Memphis on Saturday after seeing 33 minutes of action the previous night against Denver.
- Bradley Beal remains out due to his lingering back issues. That will be the 18th game he’s missed this season, which already will make him ineligible for any end-of-season awards, Bourguet tweets. The new CBA requires a minimum of 65 games to be eligible for those awards.
Sixers Notes: Oubre, Harden, Nurse, Morey, Embiid
Sixers forward Kelly Oubre has been cleared to play on Wednesday after going through a full practice on Monday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Oubre has been sidelined since Nov. 10 due to injuries suffered in a reported hit-and-run accident. Oubre, who was signed to a one-year contract as a free agent, was off to a hot start before the incident, averaging 16.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Oubre was reluctant to share details about it due to an ongoing police investigation. However, he’s upset that some people have expressed doubts about his story.
“This was and is a very traumatic situation for me and my family,” Oubre said. “I just wish that my life wasn’t The Truman Show, where everybody can kind of watch it and have their own opinion about my life. This is very hard for us to have to deal with — and for me to miss being on the court, which keeps me sane. A lot of people are very inconsiderate and insensitive to try to worry about video cameras and [stuff] about something that happened with my life, and it’s very detrimental to me and missing time with my job.”
We have more on the Sixers:
- James Harden told Sam Amick of The Athletic that he was promised a max deal by the Sixers front office. However, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack post that he spoke to a Sixers source on Monday who refuted Harden’s claim. According to Stein’s source, no such promise was made after Harden agreed to a two-year deal with a player option in the summer of 2022.
- The 76ers have thrived since the Harden trade and Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports details how coach Nick Nurse and top exec Daryl Morey put plans in motion even before the deal was made. They were tweaking schemes in order to maximize the team’s potential without the mercurial guard. Nurse also gave Joel Embiid advice on how he could be more effective in the postseason. “Just having more variety and less predictability,” Nurse said. “Not having the same rhythm to every game, not doing the same thing over and over, just making things a little bit more unpredictable. That way [opponents] don’t know what’s coming as much, and you’re hard to prepare for.”
- Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were both at Sixers practice on Monday after missing Friday’s game at Boston due to illness, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
Magic’s Mosley, Timberwolves’ Finch Earn Coach Of Month Honors
The Magic‘s Jamahl Mosley has been named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). The Timberwolves‘ Chris Finch earned Western Conference Coach of the Month honors.
This is the first time that Mosley has won the league’s monthly award for coaches. It’s also the first time a Magic head coach has received the honor since Steve Clifford in March/April 2019. During October and November, Mosley guided Orlando to a 13-5 record, which was second-best in the Eastern Conference and third-best in the NBA. The Magic went 11-3 in November.
Finch also gained the honor the first time. He’s the third Timberwolves head coach to win the award and the first since Kevin McHale in January 2009. The team’s 14-4 start marked the best 18-game record to begin a season in Timberwolves history. Finch also led Minnesota to a 13-2 record in November.
J.B. Bickerstaff (Cavaliers), Rick Carlisle (Pacers), Joe Mazzulla (Celtics) and Nick Nurse (Sixers) were the other nominees in the East. Mark Daigneault (Thunder), Jason Kidd (Mavericks), Michael Malone (Nuggets) and Ime Udoka (Rockets) were the other nominees in the West (Twitter link).
Tyrese Haliburton To Play In Tournament Quarterfinal
Barring a last-minute setback, the Pacers will have their best player available for their in-season tournament quarterfinal game against the Celtics tonight.
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said he expects Tyrese Haliburton to play, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Haliburton sat out Indiana’s 144-129 win over Miami on Saturday due to a right knee bone bruise and an upper respiratory infection.
Haliburton is averaging 27.0 points and 11.8 assists for the league’s high-scoring team while shooting 51.9% from the field. The Pacers emerged as the No. 2 seed in the East after the group stage, while the Celtics — who are the current favorites among oddsmakers to win the tournament — grabbed the third seed.
The winner of the quarterfinal matchup will face the survivor of the Knicks–Bucks game on Tuesday in the semifinals of the inaugural tournament. Reaching the semifinals guarantees each player a $100K bonus.
Obi Toppin, who was listed as questionable to play due to an ankle injury, is also expected to play, according to Carlisle.
And-Ones: Oturu, Top Free Agents, Carter, Tournament
Former NBA center Daniel Oturu will soon join Anadolu Efes Istanbul, according to Eurohoops.net. Oturu is averaging 20.9 points and 10.1 rebounds in nine games for Merkezefendi, another Turkish club.
Merkezefendi head coach Zafer Aktas confirmed Oturu’s transfer to the Euroleague club. “This is a proud moment for me and my team,” Aktas said. “This is the fourth or fifth player we have brought to the EuroLeague level in two-and-a-half years.”
Oturu, a high second-round pick in 2020, played a combined 33 NBA games for the Clippers and Raptors. Oturu didn’t play in the NBA last season.
We have more from the international basketball world:
- Restricted Sixers free agent Tyrese Maxey tops Hoopshype’s Yossi Gozlan’s list of players who are due for substantial raises. Maxey appears to be in line for a five-year maximum-salary contract in the 2024 offseason. Unrestricted free-agents-to-be OG Anunoby and Nic Claxton rank second and third, respectively, in Gozlan’s top 15 list.
- LeBron James’ business partner, Maverick Carter, was a client of a bookie who has pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from an illegal gambling operation, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Jovan Buha report. Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and former Major League Baseball All-Star Yasiel Puig were also clients of the bookie, Wayne Nix, who pleaded guilty to participating in a large off-shore betting ring. Carter was accused, according to court filings reviewed by The Athletic, of providing false statements to investigators but was allowed to clarify those statements and was not charged.
- In a roundtable discussion, ESPN’s Insiders takes a look at the in-season tournament, making predictions about the championship matchup, discussing how the inaugural tournament has worked so far, and addressing what changes might be needed in the future.
Community Shootaround: OKC Thunder
For the last few seasons, the Thunder have been a paper tiger.
Top executive Sam Presti built a head-spinning stash of future draft picks through his wheeling and dealing. Oklahoma City is still owed 10 future first-rounders and even more second-round picks – it could easily create two additional teams in the next couple of years with all those selections.
The on-court performance began to perk up last season, as the Thunder collected 40 regular-season victories and won a game in the play-in tournament before getting eliminated by Minnesota.
Oklahoma City appears poised to make an even bigger mark this season. The Thunder sit second in the Western Conference and have won eight of their last 10 games.
Even a 30-0 Dallas run on Saturday didn’t deter the Thunder, as they emerged with a 126-120 victory.
A stable lineup, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has facilitated the hot start. Gilgeous-Alexander, a first time All-Star and All-NBA First Team selection last season, is once again filling up the stat sheet. He’s averaging 29.9 points, 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 steals while keeping his turnovers down (2.2).
After missing a full season due to foot issues, Chet Holmgren is making a strong case for Rookie of the Year. He’s posting quality numbers across the board – 17.6 points, a team-high 8.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
Jalen Williams is also averaging 17.6 points and the lineup is filled out by Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort. Giddey gives the lineup another adept ball-handler – though he’s currently being investigated by law enforcement and the league for an alleged improper relationship.
Dort has had to sacrifice offensive opportunities after averaging 17.2 points per game two seasons ago but he’s still a key to their defense. Isaiah Joe is the team’s sixth man and rookie Cason Wallace has also made an impact.
That brings us to our topic of the day: What is the Thunder’s ceiling this season – can they make a deep playoff run? Should they trade some of the future draft picks from their stockpile for another impact player? If so, what do you think they need the most?
Please take to the comments section to weigh on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jokic, Williams, Hendricks
Heavy is the head who wears the crown? According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, that’s what the Nuggets are experiencing. Jamal Murray was out an extended period, they had to play five games in seven days, and they are taking everybody’s best punch.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone was proud of the way his weary team hung around in a loss to Sacramento on Saturday. They don’t play again until Wednesday. “We can certainly use the break,” Malone said.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has been fined $2K for flopping, the NBA announced (via Twitter). Upon league office review, Jokic was assessed the flopping penalty after he fell backward while taking a shot in the fourth quarter against the Kings following minimal contact from Domantas Sabonis.
- Jalen Williams has been an integral part of the Thunder’s early success this season, Rylan Stiles of ThunderousIntentions.com notes. Williams is tied with Chet Holmgren as the club’s second-leading scorer and has often carried the offensive load when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rests at the start of the second and fourth quarters, yet the contributions of the second-year lottery pick are often overlooked.
- Jazz rookie lottery pick Taylor Hendricks hasn’t played much, but he flashed intriguing potential with Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk sidelined by injuries against Portland on Saturday, according to the Salt Lake Tribune’s Eric Walden. While Hendricks posted modest stats in his 18-minute stint, he made notable defensive contributions, including a couple of blocks. “He was able to switch 1 to 4, and he was able to cause havoc, and that’s what we needed,” guard Collin Sexton said.
Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Knicks, Covington, Raptors
The Celtics won’t have Kristaps Porzingis for their in-season tournament quarterfinal matchup against the Pacers on Monday. The big man has been ruled out due to a left calf strain, ESPN relays. Porzingis, who has 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds in his first year with Boston, has already missed the last three games.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks are 12-7 but their December schedule will be a major test, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes. They have to play Milwaukee three times and nine of their remaining 12 December games are on the road. Phoenix and both Los Angeles teams will be part of a West Coast trip and the last three road games including up-and-coming clubs Oklahoma City, Orlando and Indiana.
- Forward Robert Covington is heating up in his second stint with the Sixers, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Covington, who was part of the James Harden blockbuster trade with the Clippers, averaged 15 points and six rebounds in the last two games. “The more and more games I get under my belt, the more and more I’m going to get comfortable within the offense and defense,” said Covington, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
- In a report on the Raptors’ first 20 games, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen opines that the team has looked nothing more than mediocre. Koreen suggests that their transition offense is their only real strength and they don’t have the depth, nor the draft picks, to get significantly better. If they don’t show real improvement over the next 20 games, the Raptors will have to be sellers at the trade deadline, Koreen adds.
LaMelo Ball Likely Sidelined For Extended Period
NOVEMBER 30: Ball will be reevaluated in one week after an MRI confirmed he suffered a right ankle sprain, according to a release from the team.
NOVEMBER 28: Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball has a severely sprained right ankle and will likely miss extended time, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
Atlantic Notes: Hart, Reed, Dick, Barrett, Thomas, Smith
Knicks wing Josh Hart doesn’t agree with coach Tom Thibodeau‘s assessment of his role, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
Hart, who signed a four-year, $81MM extension during the summer, believes he has a reduced role in the offense and doesn’t have the ball in his hands as often as he did last season. “I’m a rhythm player. So sometimes if I don’t touch the ball for four or five minutes running up and down the floor, just catch-and-shoot, I might as well be playing with a football,” Hart said.
However, his coach has an opposite view. “There really hasn’t been a change,” Thibodeau said. “To be honest, his usage is up. He’s handling the ball more. The way he’s being used is not any different than last year.”
Following the Knicks’ game against Charlotte on Tuesday, Hart made a point of telling the media he’s not unhappy, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. “Just so you know, I’m not a disgruntled player. Make sure y’all tweet that (stuff). Josh Hart said he’s not disgruntled.”
Katz detailed Hart’s usage in an in-depth piece on Tuesday.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Paul Reed was surprised that his comments about the Lakers‘ Anthony Davis during the morning shootaround on Monday went viral, as Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer details. The Sixers big man called Davis “a big flopper” and added, “he’s going to be flailing.” Reed soon found out his comments caused controversy. “I started checking Twitter and Instagram,” he said, “and I’m like, ‘Damn, people are really mad at me in the Lakers community.’” Reed and Davis wound up sharing the court for only three minutes in Philly’s blowout win.
- Raptors first-round pick Gradey Dick shot 6-for-33 over his first two games with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League team. Dick, who has appeared in 15 NBA games, told Blake Murphy of Sportsnet he’s not worried about his shot. “My confidence hasn’t dwindled at all,” Dick said. “I mean, I’ll go take the next 10 shots, I don’t really care. Because I know me as a shooter, and it’s not any cockiness, but at the same time I think it’s positive cockiness. I’ve put in enough work off the court and I’m still doing it now where I have that confidence and trust.”
- Knicks wing RJ Barrett says he’s still trying to get back in form after a bout with migraines, Bondy writes. Barrett has shot 33% of the field in the last five games after dealing with the severe headaches. “I didn’t pick up where I left off,” Barrett said. “That’s OK. Honestly, this was going to happen at some point during the season whether I got sick or not. So, I’m just doing what I do all the time, working my way out of it. Not worried.”
- Cam Thomas and Dennis Smith Jr. are getting close to returning, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn told Dan Martin of the New York Post. A sprained left ankle has sidelined Thomas since Nov. 8, while Smith has missed the last five games with a lower back sprain. They both participated in simulated-game activity after the team’s shootaround on Tuesday. “They’re both trending in the direction of hopefully playing with us soon,’’ Vaughn said. “The fact that they both participated is a good sign.”