Anthony Davis Expected To Play Tonight
Anthony Davis is expected to play tonight when the Mavericks face Brooklyn on the road, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets.
Davis has missed 18 games since he suffered a left adductor strain in his Dallas debut on Feb. 8. Assuming Davis plays, he will sit out the second game of a back-to-back when the Mavericks face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
Davis made a splashy debut with the Mavericks, racking up 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 31 minutes before the injury occurred. Davis has been ramping up in recent weeks, practicing multiple times with the Texas Legends in the G League.
Davis’ return will provide a big boost to Dallas, which has been ravaged by injuries, including Kyrie Irving‘s season-ending torn ACL. The Mavericks are still very much in the running for a play-in berth — they’re currently tied with the Suns for 10th place in the standings at 34-37. The ninth-place Kings, who are 35-35, are also within reach of the Mavs.
Dallas has gone 6-12 without the perennial All-Star big man. Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 blocks over 43 games this season. He was, of course, the centerpiece for Dallas in the controversial Luka Doncic blockbuster with the Lakers.
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Braun, First-Round Opponents, Jordan
Nikola Jokic missed his fourth straight game on Sunday vs. the Rockets due to a left ankle impingement but Nuggets coach Michael Malone is hopeful his superstar center won’t be out much longer, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
The Nuggets begin a five-game homestand after playing at Houston, starting with a matchup against the Bulls on Monday. Malone said Jokic won’t play in that contest, but he believes the three-time MVP can return sometime during the stretch of home games.
“We’re just trying to get home and kind of see where he’s at,” Malone said. “It’d be great to have a chance to get our starting five some run together, because we haven’t had a lot of opportunity to do that this season.”
Jokic and Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the top candidates for this season’s Most Valuable Player award.
We have more on the Nuggets:
- Christian Braun has quietly moved into the conversation for the league’s Most Improved Player award, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post writes. “I would hope that I’m in that mix,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of guys that get a lot of mentions, and they deserve it, too. But I want to be in that mix. I feel like I work hard to be in that mix. And that’s not just an individual award. I think that it shows how good those guys around me are, too.” As Durando points out, Braun posted one 20-point performance in his first two seasons, but has 16 of them this year. He’s averaging 15.2 points (a 7.9 point increase from last season), 5.0 rebounds (up 35%), 2.4 assists (up 50%) and 1.1 steals (up 120%) per game.
- The Clippers and Rockets are the two best matchups among the Nuggets’ potential first-round opponents, Durando opines. The Clippers may not be as equipped to expose Denver’s defensive deficiencies and league-low three-point volume, he notes. The Lakers and Timberwolves would present the most problems for them in the first round, in Durando’s estimation.
- DeAndre Jordan played 38 minutes on Sunday after not getting off the bench in the previous 10 games. He contributed 11 points and 15 rebounds in a five-point win over the Rockets. “DJ is one of the best defensive rebounders. He’s one of our best rim protectors and if we’re getting our butts kicked on the glass, let me put out one of our biggest, strongest guys that has a very impressive 17-year resume,” Malone said (video link). “Special day for Deandre because this is where he’s from, playing in front of a lot of family and friends. Fifteen rebounds, 12 defensive, four assists, a steal — did a lot of really good things for us.” Jordan, 36, was re-signed on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal last summer and will be a free agent again this offseason.
Community Shootaround: Most Improved Player
The Most Improved Player award has – at least according to the oddsmakers – become a two-man race.
On one side is Cade Cunningham, the face of the vastly-improved Pistons. On the other is Dyson Daniels, who has blossomed into a stat-sheet stuffing backcourt partner for Hawks star Trae Young.
Let’s examine their cases.
Cunningham came into Sunday’s action averaging 25.7 points, 9.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 35.2 minutes per game. Last season, when the Pistons won just 14 games, Cunningham averaged 22.7 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per contest
The only negative would be an increase in turnovers per game this season (4.5) compared to 3.4 last season. That’s due in part to the season-ending leg injury to Jaden Ivey on New Year’s Day, which has put the ball in Cunningham’s hands more often. His usage rate is 34.4%, up from 31.7%.
Cunningham, a first-time All-Star, has benefited from an improved supporting cast. He’s got a better group of veterans around him this season, allowing him to be a more effective play-maker. He’s embraced his leadership role and delivered in the clutch, making game-winners such as his buzzer-beating three-pointer against Miami on Wednesday.
There was little doubt Cunningham could be this kind of player. After all, he was the top pick of the 2021 draft and got a max extension last season. Should those facts work against his candidacy? However, there’s no denying that Cunningham’s steady brilliance has silenced any doubters regarding the franchise’s faith in him after its worst season.
Daniels, a third-year wing, was mainly a second-unit player in his first two seasons with the Pelicans. Included in the blockbuster deal that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans, Daniels has seized the opportunity to become a full-time starter.
In 65 starts, Daniels is averaging 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.0 steals in 33.9 minutes per game. Last season, Daniels posted 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.4 SPG in 22.3 MPG.
He’s the runaway leader in the league in steals per game, making him a dark-horse candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, an award typically dominated by centers and forwards.
Working against Daniels’ candidacy is that he doesn’t have the pressure of being the team’s star like Cunningham. The Hawks also have a losing record, though they still lead the weak Southeast Division. But the No. 8 pick of the 2022 draft has clearly made a name for himself after two nondescript seasons with the Pelicans.
Clippers veteran forward Norman Powell was a prime candidate for the award until an injury derailed his campaign and made him ineligible.
Christian Braun, Evan Mobley and Tyler Herro are some of the other players have been mentioned as candidates.
That brings us to today’s topic: Who’s your selection for the Most Improved Player award – the Pistons’ Cunningham or Hawks’ Daniels? Or is there another player more worthy of that honor?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Hinson, Post, Green
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said on Sunday that he’s hopeful Stephen Curry will rejoin the team at some point during their lengthy road trip, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets.
Curry suffered a pelvic contusion while taking a hard fall on Thursday against Toronto. He missed Saturday’s 124-115 loss in Atlanta and will be reevaluated on Monday.
The Warriors’ road trip will continue with games in Miami on Tuesday, New Orleans on Friday and San Antonio next Sunday. They’ll wrap up the road swing with games in Memphis and Los Angeles against the Lakers.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), the expectation is that Curry will join the Warriors in Miami, though his status for Tuesday’s game will depend on how he responds to treatment.
We have more on the Warriors:
- Blake Hinson has thrived with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League, according to Spencer Davies of RG.org. Hinson went undrafted last year and had a two-way contract with the Lakers before being waived in September. The 25-year-old wing then joined the Warriors in training camp on an Exhibit 10 deal and was waived again before joining Santa Cruz in October. Hinson, who is averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, praises the Warriors’ development program. “They’ll sacrifice a little bit of winning to get your player development correct — but they’re not gonna do it for long. I appreciate this program for being lenient with me early, and I’m reaping the benefits of it now,” he said.
- Quinten Post has become an integral part of the rotation and has become a candidate for All-Rookie consideration. Post anticipated he’d spend most of his rookie year in the G League after getting drafted late in the second round last year, he told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “I was focused on winning the G League at that point,” he said. “I was even thinking I hope I stay in the league. I hope the Warriors want to have me stick around. Playing wasn’t even something I was thinking about because I was focused on the G League. That’s crazy how fast it went after that.” He’s averaging 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per night.
- Even without Curry, the Warriors were mad at themselves for losing to the Hawks on Saturday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. “Bad loss. It’s a terrible loss. Eleven games left with everything to play for, you shouldn’t have a loss like this,” Draymond Green said.
Pacers Sign Tony Bradley To Standard Contract
The Pacers have signed Tony Bradley to a standard contract for the remainder of the season, the team announced in a press release.
Bradley had signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the club and the Pacers opted to retain him once the second 10-day expired. He’s seen action in seven games off the bench, averaging 3.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.0 minutes per contest.
By adding Bradley, the Pacers now have a full roster as the postseason approaches, as our roster counts show.
The 28th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Bradley spent six years in the NBA from 2017-23, but wasn’t in the league last season and had gone more than two calendar years without playing in a regular season game before making four appearances for the Pacers during his first 10 days with the team.
According to coach Rick Carlisle, Bradley has emerged as the ideal third-string center for the club. “In practices and in simulated stuff in the gym, he’s been terrific,” Carlisle said. “Smart, great hands, defensively has a really good feel for what we’re doing here.”
Bradley is backing up Myles Turner and Thomas Bryant. The former UNC standout has earned just over $300K during his 20 days with the club and will now likely receive a prorated veteran’s minimum deal.
P.J. Tucker Signs Another 10-Day Deal With Knicks
2:00pm: Tucker’s second 10-day deal is now official, the Knicks confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).
10:22am: Veteran forward P.J. Tucker is signing a second 10-day contract with the Knicks, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports (via Twitter).
Tucker made his season debut on Wednesday with a two-minute cameo in a loss to San Antonio. He signed his initial 10-day contract with the anticipation that the Knicks would retain him for the remainder of the season. Another 10-day deal doesn’t guarantee that — he’ll have to be signed to a standard contract after this 10-day deal expires to attain that goal.
Tucker started off with the Clippers after picking up his $11.54MM player option over the summer. An agreement was reached in early October that he would remain away from the team while his agent worked with the front office to find a trade.
Nothing materialized until February 1 when the 39-year-old forward was sent to Utah as part of a four-player deal. He was traded again five days later, being shipped to Toronto as part of the five-team Jimmy Butler deal. He remained inactive with the Raptors until he was waived February 28.
Tucker will earn $189,872 over the course of his 10-day deal, while the Knicks carry a cap hit of $119,972. No roster move is necessary, as he’ll continue to hold the 15th spot on New York’s standard roster.
Central Notes: Cunningham, Duren, Pistons, White, Allen, Mobley
The Pistons and Cade Cunningham got a chance to show their stuff Wednesday on a national-televised game against the Heat and they took advantage of it. Cunningham hit a game-winning three-pointer in the final second as the Pistons improved their record to 39-31, giving them 25 more wins than all of last season.
Cunningham, a first-time All-Star, deserves to be on an All-NBA team, in the opinion of center Jalen Duren, as Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
“We’re still trying to make a case for that? Man. If you don’t know that by now, not only are you not watching us, you’re not watching basketball,” Duren said. “He’s been the best guard in the NBA all year, if you ask me. Watch the games, man.”
An All-NBA selection would be a financial boon for Cunningham. He signed a five-year max rookie scale extension in July, which goes into effect in 2025/26. Making an All-NBA team would push the first year of that extension to 30 percent of the cap, rather than 25 percent.
We have more from the Central Division:
- An underrated reason for the Pistons’ success is that they’ve answered the bell, Sankofa notes. Other than Jaden Ivey, who suffered a broken fibula on Jan. 1, the rotation members have remained healthy and available for the most part. Cunningham, who battled injuries in his previous seasons, is on pace to play 70 games. Rookie Ron Holland and sixth man Malik Beasley have appeared in every game. “That’s been huge towards our consistency as a group, having pretty much the same starting five most games this year,” Cunningham said. “Same rotation, guys are able to play every night. It’s a huge thing. I know it helps coach a lot. It’s huge for our synergy, knowing where everybody is going to be at, keeping the same consistency as far as groups on the floor and things like that. Health is the main thing. ‘The best ability is availability’ is what they always say.”
- Bulls guard Coby White, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, told the Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe that his struggles early in his career are now paying dividends. “I wasn’t very good when I came into the league,” he said. “I had a lot to learn. It was all about humbling myself to the point where I looked in the mirror and said, ‘I have to get better. I have to get stronger. I have to be more physical. I have to figure out who I am as a player.'” He’s averaging 24.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists since the All-Star break.
- Prior to this season, there was serious doubt whether the pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen could work. Those concerns have been eased by the Cavaliers’ success. Allen explained to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina have they’ve learn to be effective for long stretches. “Evan is really benefiting from this offense. You can see his numbers and his confidence. We can all see it,” Allen said. “He’s leading our team. It makes it easier. We have our separate roles now. He’s on the outside, shooting threes, running the offense and pushing it. And I’m in the dunker (spot) doing what I’m used to.”
Celtics’ Controlling Stake To Be Sold For $6.1 Billion
9:37am: The new ownership group also includes minority owner Robert Hale, Himmelsbach tweets.
9:20am: The Celtics are being sold to William Chisholm for a valuation of $6.1 billion, a new record for a controlling stake in a North American sports franchise, Scott Soshnick of Sportico reports (via Twitter).
Chisholm is the managing director and co-founder of Symphony Technology Group, a California-based private equity firm, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports. Chisholm is a Massachusetts native and lifelong Celtics fan. His involvement in the bidding was first reported last week.
The Celtics’ sale of $6.1 billion surpasses the NFL’s Washington Commanders ($6.05 billion) for the highest sum ever for a North America sports team, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck is expected to remain governor through the ownership transition. He’ll remain in that role, continuing to oversee the team’s operations, through the 2027/28 season, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets.
The Grousbeck family expected a handful of bids for the franchise during the sales process. The Grousbeck family announced last July 1 that it was putting the team up for sale, just a few weeks after the Celtics won their 18th championship.
The Grousbeck family said then that it intended to sell 51 percent of the team in late 2024 or early 2025. The Grousbeck family is selling the team for estate and family planning considerations.
The sales price is a huge jump from the amount paid by Grousbeck 20-plus years ago. Grousbeck founded and led the group, Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C., which bought the Celtics for $360MM in 2002.
Northwest Notes: SGA, Dort, Avdija, Kessler
With a matchup against the injury-riddled Sixers on Wednesday, the Thunder have chosen to give Most Valuable Player candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a break. The team has announced that SGA won’t play, listing rest as the reason, ESPN relays. It won’t impact Gilgeous-Alexander’s eligibility for the MVP — he’s already played 66 games, one more than needed to qualify for postseason awards.
Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort are also out due to hip injuries while Isaiah Hartenstein (back) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) are listed as questionable.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Speaking of Dort, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told The Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi (Twitter link) that he deserves consideration for defensive awards such as All-Defensive Team and Defensive Player of the Year. “I think his time has come for that. I think he’ll get that recognition this year. … we have the best defense in the league statistically and he’s anchored that the entire season,” Daigneault said. “The amount of 30-point games we’ve given up is the lowest in the league by any metric. He’s guarding most of those guys.” Dort has appeared in 62 games and needs to play three more games to qualify for those awards.
- Forward Deni Avdija admits he was blindsided when Washington traded him to the Trail Blazers. “It was nighttime at my place (in Israel), and I woke up. I saw I got traded, and it was very hard for me,” he told Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “All the friendships that I had with the guys there, the city, the fans — it all just disappeared in a second. But everything’s for the good. I feel like I found a nice home in Portland.” Avdija has ramped up his production this month, averaging 20.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in March. “We’ve let him have a lot more responsibility with the ball, and he keeps proving to get better and better at it,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “He’s like a one-man fast break when he gets the ball. Some of these things, I didn’t even know about when we got him, because we only played him twice a year, so I didn’t know that much. But he’s been a pleasant surprise. The fire that he plays with, I think, takes our team to another level.”
- Jazz coach Will Hardy has given Walker Kessler the green light to shoot three-pointers. “I’m very, very appreciative of him to give me the opportunity to work on it,” Kessler told Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “And I know, and I believe in myself to know that I can do that. I need to get back in the rhythm of how to do it, because it’s been a long time since I’ve really done it in volume.” Kessler, who will be rested against the Wizards on Wednesday, has taken 11 outside shots in his last two appearances but knocked down just one.
Nuggets Notes: Malone, Defense, Gordon, Westbrook, Jokic, Murray, Braun
Head coach Michael Malone believes the Nuggets will have an abbreviated stay in the postseason if they don’t improve defensively, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.
“If we’re going to be a team that is serious about making the postseason and being a team that can win a round, win another round,” Malone said, “if we don’t start defending for four quarters, we’re never gonna get that opportunity.”
The Nuggets are averaging the third-most points in the league. However, they rank in the bottom 10 — 24th overall — in points allowed at 116.7 per game. They’re in the middle of the pack in defensive field goal percentage and 21st in defensive three-point percentage. They’re also in the bottom 10 in turnovers forced.
We have more on the Nuggets:
- Their outing on Monday was encouraging. The Nuggets sat three starters — Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun — but still ended the Warriors’ winning streak with a 114-105 victory. Aaron Gordon poured in a season-high 38 points and Russell Westbrook was solid all-around with 12 points, 11 rebounds, 16 assists and three steals. Malone had high praise for the veteran guard afterward, Tim MacMahon of ESPN relays. “I felt from the get-go Russ’ tenacity, his intensity, what he brings every single night,” Malone said. “Just being a leader in the huddles, getting on guys, uplifting guys, whatever is needed at the time. That’s why Russ has been such a great addition to us all season long.” Westbrook could be a free agent after the season — he holds a modest $3.47MM option on his contract for next season.
- The Nuggets have banked 44 victories but they’ve been in a win-one, lose-one rut most of this month. In the last three games, they sandwiched victories over the Lakers and Warriors with a home loss to the lottery-bound Wizards. “I think the entire season has pretty much been like this,” Jokic told Tony Jones of The Athletic. “We kind of don’t know what team is going to go out there. Some nights have been good, and some nights have been bad. I think the good thing is that we have actually won most of the games.”
- Gordon is listed as probable to play against the Lakers on Wednesday due to right calf injury management and a left ankle sprain, the team’s PR department tweets. Jokic (right elbow contusion/left ankle impingement), Murray (right ankle sprain) and Braun (left foot inflammation) are all listed as questionable.