Northwest Notes: Edwards, Randle, Jazz Draft, Trail Blazers Workouts
Anthony Edwards scored just 16 points in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday. However, the Timberwolves superstar believes he played the game the way it’s supposed to be played.
“I don’t look at it like I struggled, or (Julius Randle) struggled,” Edwards said. “They just, they had a good game plan, making us get off the ball. Especially for me, man. They were super in the gaps, I made the right play all night.”
Edwards only attempted 13 shots and made just one three-pointer.
“It’s an urge that I want to get the ball in the rim, put it up there,” Edwards said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “But you don’t want to take bad shots and get your team out of rhythm. So I was just playing the game the right way, man.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Randle took just seven shots and made only one. He was disappointed in himself that he wasn’t more assertive, he told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “I’ve got to figure out a way to get myself in position to be more aggressive, rather than just standing, spectating or trying to crash the glass,” he said. “Or I can just find other little things to do.”
- The Jazz possess the No. 5 and 21 picks in the first round and pair of second-rounders in next month’s draft. Multiple league sources indicated to the Deseret News’ Sarah Todd that the front office is willing to hear offers and make deals on any of those draft picks. However, considering it’s been over a decade since Utah had a top-five selection, Todd believes it’s likely that the Jazz will retain the No. 5 pick.
- Zach Hicks (Penn State), Chris Manon (Vanderbilt), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M), Caleb Love (Arizona), Zack Austin (Pittsburgh) and Money Williams (Montana) worked out for the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report tweets. That group is comprised of players trying to earn second-round consideration.
Thunder Notes: Williams, Postseason Experience, Sanders, SGA
Named to the All-NBA Third Team last week, Thunder forward Jalen Williams delivered an offensive gem in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday. He posted a postseason career-high 34 points in the 128-126 victory over the Timberwolves, giving OKC a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Williams went 13-of-24 from the field, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range. He had 13 points and four turnovers when his team got blown out in Game 3.
“I feel like if you’re not really good, you’re probably not going to have any [scrutiny], so just play with it, just keep going,” Williams said, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “A lot of people that are talking about me can’t do what I do, and I know that, and I think that gives me a lot of confidence to just go out there and do whatever the team needs.”
We have more on the Thunder:
- Oklahoma City has found different ways to get it done in this postseason, Tony Jones of The Athletic notes. The Thunder have been a great regular-season team for two years but this is the first time they’ve also become a great playoff team, according to Jones. In Game 4, they held off numerous Timberwolves runs. “I thought we did a good job of continuously moving the scoreboard,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “We especially did that late in the game, when there were situations down the stretch where it was a possession game. I thought the guys did a great job, taking it a possession at a time.”
- While they’re five wins away from a championship, the Thunder are also busy preparing for the future. They have scheduled a pre-draft workout with Kobe Sanders, a 6’7” guard, Rylan Stiles of Sports Illustrated tweets. Sanders averaged 15.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals last season for Nevada. Sanders is ranked No. 69 on ESPN’s big board.
- MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker are cousins and best friends. They’re now competing against each other for a trip to the Finals. “For both of us to be where we are is special, and to compete against each other is even more special,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears within an in-depth feature on their relationship. “But I am trying to take his head off for sure, completely.”
Pacers’ Nesmith Expected To Suit Up For Game 4
Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith will play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight, according to several media outlets, including Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Nesmith sprained his right ankle during the second half of Game 3 against the Knicks on Sunday. He was listed as questionable on the injury report.
Nesmith has been a huge factor in the postseason. He’s averaging 15.1 points per game while shooting 52.3 percent overall and a whopping 53.5 percent from long range. He’s also averaging 6.2 rebounds per contest.
In Game 1 of the series, Nesmith erupted for 30 points while making all but one of his nine three-point attempts as Indiana staged an unlikely late rally and won in overtime.
Nesmith has also been the primary defender against the Knicks’ top offensive threat, Jalen Brunson.
Knicks Notes: Towns, Robinson, Hartenstein, Wright, Anunoby
Karl-Anthony Towns rescued the Knicks from the abyss with 20 fourth-quarter points against the Pacers. What will the Knicks get from their top big man the remainder of the Eastern Conference Finals?
The Athletic’s Fred Katz explores that subject as the teams head into Game 4 this evening. He speculates that the Pacers, who have mainly used Myles Turner as the primary defender on Towns, might try a smaller defender in that matchup. Katz notes that the Pistons and Celtics used perimeter players to get under Towns’ skin and force him to take some ill-advised shots.
We have more on the Knicks:
- Mitchell Robinson was inserted into the starting lineup in Game 3. Despite his free throw issues, Robinson has been a major factor in the postseason after missing a good chunk of the regular season while recovering from ankle surgery. “He’s been very, very impactful for them since he’s been back,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, per Chris Herring of ESPN. “He gives them a lot of versatility, and his ability to switch onto smaller players is special for a guy his size. He’s a major factor, and a guy we’ve been talking about a lot.”
- Isaiah Hartenstein believes his departure in free agency to the Thunder last season actually benefited the Knicks and Timberwolves as well. “It’s funny when you see all three teams, I think for everyone it was a win-win,” Hartenstein told SNY’s Ian Begley. Hartenstein’s departure and Robinson’s injury convinced the Knicks to roll the dice and trade for Towns. Julius Randle has been inconsistent in the conference finals but excelled during the first two rounds of the playoffs for Minnesota.
- Coach Tom Thibodeau made a bold substitution in Game 3, deploying little-used guard Delon Wright for his first rotation minutes of the postseason. Though he only had one basket and one assist, Wright played a pivotal defensive role as the Knicks whittled a 13-point deficit down to three before being subbed out. “Just a true professional,” forward Mikal Bridges said, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “Works hard every single day and got his name called and he’s ready for the moment.”
- Normally reticent, OG Anunoby displayed his passion and even did a little trash talking in Game 3. They’ll need more fire from Anunoby the remainder of the series, Schwartz opines in a separate story.
Karter Knox Withdraws From Draft, Returns To Arkansas
Potential second-round pick Karter Knox is withdrawing from the draft and returning to Arkansas, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony tweets.
The 6’6” wing could move into first-round consideration next June with a strong sophomore season. Knox started 24 of 36 games for the Razorbacks as a freshman but posted fairly modest stats — he averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest while shooting 46.2% from the field and 35.0% from beyond the arc.
Knox was ranked No. 56 on ESPN’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects.
Knox, 20, was considered a top-30 player in the 2024 recruiting class and originally committed to Kentucky. He followed coach John Calipari to Arkansas after Calipari left the Wildcats’ program.
Knox is the younger brother of 2018 lottery pick Kevin Knox, who finished this season with Golden State.
Timberwolves Notes: Randle, Edwards, McDaniels, Shannon
Julius Randle has been a magnet for criticism during his career, especially when he played in New York. The Timberwolves big man told Yahoo Sports’ Vince Goodwill that he tries to turn it into a positive.
“I’ve always used that as motivation, proving people wrong and stuff like that,” Randle said. “But it became more about proving myself right. That’s been the biggest adjustment and change in my mindset. Not that you don’t see it, pay attention to it. But it’s more about me than anyone else. I mean, I think that’s kind of been the maturity of my approach. I feel like the weight of the world’s off my shoulders because I’m just playing, having fun.”
Donte DiVincenzo, who was traded to Minnesota along with Randle, is impressed with how his teammate handles the negativity.
“To see him carry the load, night in and night out, everybody knows how much stuff he deals with, everybody knows how much flak he [catches], and he doesn’t let it faze him, he doesn’t let it bother him,” DiVincenzo said.
We have more on the Timberwolves:
- Anthony Edwards‘ positivity during the team flight prior to Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals went a long way toward getting the team to push past its 0-2 series deficit, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Edwards lifted the spirits of numerous teammates who were lamenting over the road defeats. “He always comes in a good mood and he’s always ready to go. He was one of the most positive voices after Game 2,” coach Chris Finch said. “The leadership that [Edwards] has shown this season is up by leaps and bounds. It’s just another example of it.”
- Jaden McDaniels fouled out of Game 1 and committed five fouls in Game 2. He only picked up two fouls in Game 3, as he did a better job of avoiding them while trying to help contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “Kept my hands out of his shooting motion, or just kept my hands off him at all. … He’ll use his arms to tangle in yours and my arms are so long, it’s like they be getting caught places I don’t even want them to be,” McDaniels said, per Chris Hine of the Star Tribune (Twitter link).
- Finch confirmed during his pregame press conference on Monday that rookie Terrence Shannon Jr., who scored 15 points in Game 3, would have a role in Game 4, Timberwolves reporter Dane Moore tweets. “I think there’s opportunity for him to have a spot in the rotation right now,” Finch said.
Thunder Notes: Edwards, Dort, Caruso, Lineup, Depth
Slowing down Anthony Edwards would go a long way toward the Thunder gaining a commanding 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals on Monday. NBA.com’s Shaun Powell breaks down four potential strategies to achieve that goal against the Timberwolves’ superstar guard.
That includes playing Luguentz Dort straight up against Edwards; providing backup to Dort with another defensive ace, Alex Caruso; forcing Edwards to give up the ball as much as possible; and sealing off the paint to prevent dribble drives. But there’s only so much anyone can do, Caruso admits.
“These All-NBA, All-Star players, not one person is going to shut them down for the game,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re early, in the spots we’re supposed to be, and stay anticipatory. That’s because he’s strong and athletic and can get there before we’re ready. When he does that, it’s in his favor.”
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- Should they make a lineup adjustment? Sports Illustrated’s Rylan Stiles believes so. He thinks they should downsize by moving defensive stalwart and play-finishing guard Cason Wallace into the lineup with Isaiah Hartenstein coming off the bench. Stiles notes that with Wallace sharing the floor with Chet Holmgren as the lone center this postseason, the Thunder have played 238 possessions resulting in a +30.2 net rating.
- Dort went undrafted out of Arizona State in 2019 and ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports that one former GM told her the swingman had a poor individual workout in front of several teams that led to questions about his shooting and ball-handling. Still another executive speculated that teams couldn’t decide if he projected as a three-and-D player or a scoring guard. Dort signed a two-way contract with Oklahoma City after that draft and is now a fixture for the Western Conference’s top seed.
- During his pregame press conference, coach Mark Daigneault said that he’ll continue to go deep into his bench if it’s warranted, Clemente Almanza of The Thunder Wire tweets. “I’m a big believer in when the game’s not going the way you want it to go, being aggressive and being assertive, not just waiting back, especially with a team like this, you never know when you can find something in those situations,” Daigneault said.
Atlantic Notes: Walker, Pettiford, Nets, Raptors
The Sixers hold a $2.94MM club option on Lonnie Walker‘s contract for next season. Will they exercise it? Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes they will, contingent on where the team stands financially after the draft and which players they’ll target in free agency.
After signing with the Sixers, Walker appeared in 20 games and averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the depleted club in the second half of the season. Pompey anticipates Walker can serve as a backup guard and take on a bigger role when injuries strike.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets hosted Tahaad Pettiford for a workout last week, NJ.com contributor Adam Zagoria tweets. Pettiford appeared in 38 games for Auburn as a freshman last season, all but one off the bench, and posted averages of 11.6 points and 3.0 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. Pettiford is currently ranked No. 38 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- The Nets will have more cap space than any other team this offseason. How should they spend their money? Yossi Gozlan of ThirdApron.com (subscription required) breaks down their cap space projection, how they could utilize it, and how their restricted free agents factor into the economic equation.
- How can the Raptors become a contender again? Along with offensive improvement from Scottie Barnes, the most likely path to contention is via a trade, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes in his latest mailbag. They will have movable contracts for salary-matching purposes, Koreen notes. They also need at least two of their young players to establish themselves as rotation-quality performers or better.
Western Notes: Shannon, Murray, Hetzel, Jokic
Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. has earned more playing time in the Western Conference Finals after his performance in Game 3, according to Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. Shannon delivered 15 points in 13 minutes as Minnesota blew out Oklahoma City, cutting the Thunder’s series lead to 2-1.
“I’ve been wrestling with getting another guy in the rotation,” Finch said, per Cassidy Hettesheimer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “A guy that could stretch the floor in transition, be a downhill player, got a good body, physicality. … We kind of knew coming into the game that we were going to get to him. You’re definitely going to see him more.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Even though Keegan Murray took a step back in his third season, signing the Kings forward to a rookie scale extension would probably be a wise move this offseason, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith writes. Murray can play either forward spot and he could handle a bigger offensive role. A five-year contract in the $130-140MM range feels like the sweet spot for both parties, in Smith’s estimation.
- Nets assistant Steve Hetzel is one of many candidates for the Suns’ head coaching job, a search that has moved into the next phase. Hetzel has also been an assistant with Detroit, Charlotte, Orlando and Portland and is known for his calm, unflappable demeanor, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.
- Nikola Jokic needs to hold the Nuggets’ management more accountable if they want to keep him there, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Gazette writes. Jokic is eligible for a two-year extension this offseason but he ought to decline it and force ownership and the front office to improve the roster, in Kiszla’s view.
And-Ones: Fournier, Hayes-Davis, Mirotic, FA Point Guards
Former NBA forward Evan Fournier isn’t sure if he’ll play in EuroBasket for France this summer, he told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net. Fournier has earned numerous silver and bronze medals with the French national team in international competitions over the past dozen years.
“First of all, I’m not thinking about it if I’m being honest because the (Greek League) season is not over,” he said. “Sometimes I do think about it but I never come up with a straight answer. Because the truth is I’m mentally here. Physically, I’m fighting some things. If I feel better and 100 percent and mentally I’m good, yes I’ll go to the EuroBasket. If I’m not feeling good, then I won’t.”
Here’s more from around the international basketball world:
- Having led Fenerbahce to its second EuroLeague championship in team history, Nigel Hayes-Davis was named Most Valuable Player of the Final Four, according to Stroggylakis. He averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game in the tournament, including a game-high 23 points in the Final against AS Monaco. Hayes-Davis had a nine-game stint with three NBA teams during the 2017/18 season and has reportedly drawn some NBA interest in recent years.
- Former NBA big man Nikola Mirotic is close to signing a two-year deal with AS Monaco, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com reports. Mirotic currently has one year remaining on his contract with Olimpia Milano but he intends to exercise an exit clause included in that agreement. The 34-year-old logged 319 NBA games from 2014-19.
- Spotrac contributor Keith Smith divides the potential NBA free agent point guards into tiers, with Kyrie Irving and James Harden — who each hold player options — rated in the All-Star tier. Fred VanVleet (team option), Josh Giddey (restricted) and Dennis Schröder (unrestricted) round out his top five.