Pacific Notes: Covington, Zubac, Westbrook, Durant, Curry
Robert Covington has played sparingly the last six weeks and the Clippers forward believes he can be a defensive force if he gets back in the rotation, he told Law Murray of The Athletic.
“I bring a different thing to this team,” said Covington, who is signed through next season with the Clippers. “And it’s one of the things, one of the reasons why they brought me here. It’s being that disruptor on it. Being a disruptor off the ball. Seeing things and reading it right. Watching plays really develop, and just getting a knack for getting my hands on the basketball. Creating an opportunity for us on the defensive side and creating transition plays. And getting out and running.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Clippers center Ivica Zubac has been pleasantly surprised by what Russell Westbrook has brought to the team since Westbrook cleared waivers and signed as a free agent, Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points tweets. “Honestly, it’s way better than I thought it would be,” Zubac said. “He’s a great leader also, he’s very vocal, something we needed… He has a great attitude, always smiling, laughing, being very positive.”
- The Suns have a renewed spirit since Kevin Durant joined the lineup, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. The Suns are 3-0 with Durant in uniform and Phoenix once again has the look of a true contender. “Even in the postgame, a lot of people are saying we feel fresh. We play team basketball,” Devin Booker said.
- The Warriors had a five-game winning streak halted by the Lakers on Sunday. Stephen Curry returned from a leg injury that sidelined him for 11 games and he knows their season could go in many different directions. “It’s weird to say, we’re still trying to win championships but we’re trying to avoid the play-in,” he said, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “Both can be true. … Until we get beat, we still feel we’re a tough matchup for anybody. That is the confidence we’ve got to have down the stretch.”
Northwest Notes: Murray, Barton, Conley, Gobert, Kessler, Simons
Jamal Murray‘s ex-teammate believes he’ll be in top form during the postseason, Michael Grange of Sportnet writes.
Will Barton, who recently signed with the Raptors, says the regular season is just a “tune up” for the Nuggets guard, who didn’t play last season due to a knee injury.
“I know he’s anxious to get back to the playoffs,” Barton said. “The regular season is just a tune up for him to get his confidence back, and I know once he gets to the playoffs he’ll make that leap. He’s so competitive – that’s what I love about him, he competes at such a high level, and he loves the bright lights. That’s one guy they won’t have to worry about, because he’s going to perform.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Having former Jazz teammate Mike Conley on his side again has helped Rudy Gobert settle into a groove with the Timberwolves, coach Chris Finch told Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). Gobert is averaging 17.7 points over the last six games. “I think you see it. The chemistry is obvious,” Finch said. “We could’ve played another 40 games (without Conley) and just begin to develop that. … I think Rudy has got a pep in his step.”
- Walker Kessler still faces an uphill climb for the Rookie of the Year award despite being named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News notes. The Jazz rookie averaged 10.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in February but the Magic’s Paolo Banchero remains the top candidate for the yearly award.
- Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons missed his third consecutive game during the team’s six-game road trip on Monday due to an right ankle sprain, the team’s PR department tweets.
Wolves Notes: Winning Streak, Edwards, Alexander-Walker, Nowell
Road wins over the Clippers, Lakers and Kings have provided a confidence boost for the Timberwolves, according to a report published by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“I think we have really good chemistry right now,” coach Chris Finch said. “I think we have great leadership, we have guys who really complement each other on the floor. I see it growing and growing — we just have to get some of the focus mistakes out, and then we can continue to get a little bit better.”
The Timberwolves are in contention for a top-six seed in the Western Conference, which would allow them to avoid the play-in tournament.
We have more on the Wolves:
- Anthony Edwards had been in a shooting slump since the All-Star break, as noted by Chris Hine of the Star Tribune earlier in the trip, but has shown signs of breaking out. He had 27 points, including two pivotal baskets, and eight assists against Sacramento. “A lot of it was Anthony stepping up at the right time,” Finch said after the win over the Kings.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been nearly as pivotal as Mike Conley to the team’s recent success, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. Both players were acquired in a three-team blockbuster at last month’s deadline. Alexander-Walker, who has grabbed a spot on the second unit, supplied 16 points and five assists against Sacramento. “I had a lot of DNPs in Utah, so anytime I get multiple games with multiple minutes, for me to have an impact was everything I can ask for,” he said. He can be a restricted free agent after the season if Minnesota extends a qualifying offer.
- Jaylen Nowell has been sidelined for the last four games with a knee ailment. He’s averaging 10.9 points and 2.0 assists entering unrestricted free agency this summer. Alexander-Walker could cut into his playing time when he returns, but Nowell is confident he’ll get offers this summer, he told Hine. “Coming in as a second-rounder, people would tell me not a lot of second guys make it to their second contract,” Nowell said. “But I always knew deep down this is meant for me. This is what I’m supposed to do. I’m going to make sure this happens.”
Pistons Notes: Wiseman, Diallo, Draft, Bagley
James Wiseman has received plenty of playing time since being traded from Golden State to the Pistons. The early results from the No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 draft have generally been positive, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes in a subscriber-only story.
Wiseman is averaging 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in 24.5 minutes through his first six games with the Pistons. Coach Dwane Casey said Wiseman is still early in the learning process.
“Let’s keep it simple,” Casey said. “Eventually we’ll do that. We’ve got to go through the process of elementary, middle school, high school and eventually he’ll get there. Like everything else, everybody wants him to be All-Pro and where we are right now, that’s not going to happen. He will eventually get there at some point on both ends of the floor.”
We have more on the Pistons:
- There’s no guarantee Detroit will retain reserve wing and impending unrestricted free agent Hamidou Diallo, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes in his latest mailbag. Diallo has established himself as a energetic rotation piece but if the club has an opportunity to significantly upgrade the roster via free agency or trade, Diallo will likely not be retained, according to Edwards, who doesn’t see Diallo getting a big raise from his current two-year, $10.4MM deal.
- The Pistons will almost assuredly have a top-seven selection and Sankofa predicts which player they’d select at each of those draft slots. If the Pistons slide beyond the top five, Sankofa opines they’ll go for either Arkansas’ Anthony Black or Houston’s Jarace Walker.
- Marvin Bagley III has cracked the 20-point mark in three of four games since returning from a fractured hand that sidelined him for nearly two months. Bagley has also averaged 13 rebounds in that span. He had 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks against Cleveland on Saturday. “Marvin played with as much force as he’s played since he’s been here,” Casey said. “Really proud the way he played. The amount of force he played with was really impressive against two of the top big men in the league.”
Knicks Notes: Quickley, Randle, Hart, Brunson
Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley is quickly developing into a top-notch sixth man in the mold of Lou Williams, according to Zach Braziller of the New York Post.
Quickley, who is extension-eligible this offseason, is averaging 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his third season.
“Any time you get mentioned with any great players like Lou Williams, anybody that’s won Sixth Man of the Year, it’s definitely something that’s pretty cool,” Quickley said.
We have more on the Knicks:
- Julius Randle says he’s not comfortable with load management, Stefan Bondy of the New York Dailly News tweets. “I just put way too much into my body to cheat myself out of being available for my team,” Randle said. He’s the only Knicks player to appear in every game this season.
- The Knicks are in a better position to acquire a star player than last offseason when they failed to land Donovan Mitchell, Braziller writes in a separate subscriber-only story. They have some extra draft picks and solid young players to dangle in a blockbuster deal. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis could be possibilities, depending upon how this season plays out, Braziller speculates.
- Among the attributes Josh Hart has brought since being acquired from Portland is his ability to score in transition and his superior rebounding for a wing, Ethan Fuller of Basketball News notes.
- Jalen Brunson missed Sunday’s game at Boston due to a sore foot, the team’s PR department tweets. Coach Tom Thibodeau wasn’t sure if Brunson received an MRI but added “I don’t think it’s serious,” Braziller tweets.
Central Notes: Nwora, Turner, Dragic, Green
Jordan Nwora was acquired by the Pacers from the Bucks at the trade deadline and coach Rick Carlisle has been impressed by the reserve forward, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star writes. Nwora, who is signed through next season, is averaging 9.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 20.2 minutes in six games with Indiana. “Nwora’s a skilled player,” Carlisle said. “Positionally, he does a better job defensively than a lot of people might think. … He’s getting better and better for us.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Myles Turner, a prime trade candidate before last month’s deadline, is thrilled he signed a two-year extension with the Pacers, he told Alex Kennedy of Basketball News. “I’m glad that we got it done. I think it was a win-win for both sides,” Turner said. “I think I have a good relationship with (Pacers owner) Herb Simon, and I think he has a big belief in what I’m capable of as well. I’m glad that we were able to come to terms on an agreement. Behind the scenes, for me personally, I was open to the idea of free agency, but I also wanted to at least give Indy a fair chance, and both sides came to an agreement.”
- The Bucks were interested in Goran Dragic because he gives them a pure point guard off the bench, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. Dragic could bring the ball up the floor and get the Bucks into their offense for 10 minutes per night during the postseason, Nehm speculates, which could ease the burden off their other play-makers. Current backup Jevon Carter has more impact on the defensive end and doesn’t typically bring the ball up the floor. Dragic signed on Saturday after clearing waivers.
- Javonte Green was supposed to return to action by now after undergoing an arthroscopic debridement on his right knee in January. However, his recovery has gone more slowly than expected, Bulls coach Billy Donovan told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago and other media members. “Different stuff that they try to push him towards, they have to go off of his tolerance,” Donovan said. “We’ve been kind of at the same thing where I think the linear, straight-ahead running has been pretty good. But they’ve not been able to progress him yet to any lateral stuff.” A free agent after the season, Green has only appeared in 28 games.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Williams, Spurs, Sengun
The Pelicans’ inept offense has put them on the verge of a total collapse, William Guillory of The Athletic writes.
Despite Zion Williamson‘s hamstring injury, the Pelicans should have enough depth to hold their own. But even when Brandon Ingram returned from a long-term toe injury, the team continued to sink. New Orleans has a 110.9 offensive rating since Ingram rejoined the lineup, which ranks 23rd during that span, Guillory notes. The club is also shooting just 32.4% on 3-point attempts during that time.
Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance Jr. are now out for multiple weeks, further complicating the Pelicans’ issues.
We have more from the Southwest Divsision:
- Ziaire Williams, a 2021 lottery pick, has bounced between the NBA and the G League this season. The Grizzlies forward played well for the Memphis Hustle and was recalled on Saturday but he’s not guaranteed of staying with the Grizzlies the rest of the way. “He’s taken full advantage of his G League opportunities as well but we haven’t made those firm decisions on what it’s going to look like on a week-to-week basis,” coach Taylor Jenkins told Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Spurs are one of the prime contenders for the top pick in the draft but the players aren’t thrilled about the losses piling up, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “We’re trying to get some wins to end the season, man,” center Zach Collins said. “We can’t fall into the trap of, ‘It’s OK that we’re losing.’”
- Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is cognizant that he’s not getting crunch time minutes because he needs to improve defensively, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle tweets. “I just need to be focused on pick-and-roll defense, I think. I can do better job,” he said.
Community Shootaround: Raptors’ Season
The Raptors could have blown things up after underachieving during the first four months of the season.
They have some prominent players headed to free agency and nearly every one of them saw their names in trade rumors.
Instead of hitting the reset button, the Raptors actually added a key piece before the trade deadline by re-acquiring center Jakob Poeltl from San Antonio.
The Raptors started to catch fire before the All-Star break and they’ve picked up where they left off. Prior to losing at Cleveland on Sunday, they had won four straight and seven of their last eight games. The Raptors, who entered Tuesday ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, bounced back with a 104-98 victory over Chicago.
Better health has certainly been a key, though Fred VanVleet hasn’t played since the break for personal reasons. Poeltl has been a major factor at both ends since his return to the organization, solidifying the troublesome center spot in the process.
Toronto essentially has six starters, though the reserve corps beyond Precious Achiuwa is suspect. Those seven players are all capable of big offensive nights, led by Pascal Siakam (25.3 points per game) and VanVleet (19.7 PPG). Toss is last season’s Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. and the Raptors have the firepower to scare any of the top Eastern Conference teams.
Newly acquired Will Barton, snagged off the buyout market, could fortify the bench.
This group may not be together for long. Poeltl will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, though the Raptors acquired him with the intent of re-signing him. VanVleet and Trent Jr. are expected to decline their player options in order to enter the free agent market in July.
That brings us to today’s topic: Considering the Raptors’ improved play this month, do you feel they made the right decision by holding onto their top players prior to the trade deadline? What do you think their ceiling is this season if their core players continue to remain healthy down the stretch?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Atlantic Notes: Barton, Simmons, Dinwiddie, Tatum
What was the deciding factor for Will Barton as he considered his next NBA home? After getting bought out by the Wizards, Barton chose the Raptors for the opportunity to play and re-establish his value, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Concurrently, the Raptors had been searching for another rotation-caliber guard to help them in their playoff push. Barton officially signed on Tuesday afternoon.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Ben Simmons hasn’t played since Feb. 15 due to a sore knee but there has been “zero” discussion about shutting him down for the season, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn told Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link) and other media members. However, Vaughn wouldn’t elaborate on how Simmons is doing or what his next step is.
- One of the offshoots of trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving is that the Nets no longer get “superstar calls” from the officials, Spencer Dinwiddie claims. “I have a lot of last-second shots or game-winners, but it’s the lead up that’s the tough part without superstars. That’s what people miss,” Dinwiddie said, according to Lewis. “If [someone] tries to climb KD’s back, they’re going to call it. If KD says and-one, they’re not giving him a tech. All these things change the flow of the game. [Stars] can cuss them out, they can do whatever, and they’ll let all that (stuff) slide.”
- Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum got his first career ejection in a loss to the Knicks on Monday but he playfully put a positive spin on it, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes. “All the great players get thrown out a few times in their career,” he said. “So, it’s good for my rep.”
Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado, Larry Nance Jr. Out Multiple Weeks
Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and forward Larry Nance Jr. will be sidelined multiple weeks, the team announced in a press release.
Alvarado has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right tibia. He will be reevaluated in three weeks. Alvarado has appeared in 61 games this season, averaging 9.0 points and 3.0 assists in 21.5 minutes. He played 15 minutes against Orlando on Monday.
Nance Jr., who suffered a left ankle sprain during Saturday’s game at New York, will be reevaluated in two weeks. Nance has appeared in 50 games, averaging 7.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 22.3 minutes.
Zion Williamson continues to make progress with rehabilitation for his right hamstring strain, according to the release. Further updates will be provided following medical imaging next week. Williamson hasn’t played since Jan. 2.
Alvarado’s injury opens up more playing time for Kira Lewis Jr. and Dyson Daniels. Jaxson Hayes, who played 25 minutes against Orlando, will likely absorb most of Nance’s minutes.