NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/4/18
Here are Sunday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Pistons have recalled forward Henry Ellenson and rookie guard Khyri Thomas from the Grand Rapids Drive, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News (via Twitter).
- The Hornets announced in a press release that they recalled rookie guard Devonte’ Graham from their Greensboro affiliate.
- Ahead of their matchup with the Grizzlies, the Suns announced that they recalled rookie point guard De’Anthony Melton from the Northern Arizona Suns.
- The Hawks have recalled wing Daniel Hamilton from the Erie BayHawks, according to a press release from the team.
Atlantic Notes: Russell, Hayward, Sixers
As the Nets continue developing their young players, Brian Lewis of The New York Post has identified a key development of the season so far in D’Angelo Russell‘s lack of crunch-time minutes.
As Lewis points out, Russell sat out the last 5:42 of regulation and the entire overtime in the Nets’ win over the Pistons, logged just 1:31 in the fourth quarter on Oct. 24 against the Cavaliers, and never got off the bench in the fourth quarter of the season opener. That is all in addition to Russell not seeing a single minute in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ loss to the Rockets on Friday.
It’s no secret that Russell struggles on defense, but it’s more of a result of the depth on the roster and coach Kenny Atkinson’s focus on riding the hot hands and playing lineups based on match-ups. In fact, every Nets starter other than Caris LeVert has sat an entire or essentially all of a fourth quarter this season.
The key might be for Atkinson to figure out a way to get Russell on the floor alongside Spencer Dinwiddie and LeVert, a trio that has not had success up until this point.
There are still plenty of opportunities left for Russell to make plays when it matters most, but this trend is one to keep an eye on as Russell approaches restricted free agency and the Nets look to make a marquee signing this summer.
There’s more from the Atlantic division:
- Marc D’Amico of the Celtics‘ website reveals that Gordon Hayward‘s minutes restriction has increased in recent games. Previously, Hayward was limited to 25 minutes per game, but Brad Stevens admits that Hayward will play more as the season unfolds.
- Amidst all of the potential trade rumors surrounding Jimmy Butler, the Sixers have been mentioned as a possible suitor as they look to add a third star alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer questions the cost of adding a player of Butler’s caliber and skill set to their current roster.
Mavericks Notes: Early Struggles, Nowitzki, Matthews
Despite early season buzz and expectations surrounding the Mavericks‘ young core and the addition of DeAndre Jordan, they have gotten off to another slow start this season, sitting at just 2-7. As Eddie Sefko writes for The Dallas Morning News, this start looks eerily similar to past seasons, as the Mavericks are no stranger to such struggles.
As a result of anticipation surrounding the backcourt pairing of Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic, as well as the signing of Jordan, many were expecting the Mavericks to make a significant jump in the Western Conference. Even with Doncic impressing on a nightly basis, Dallas has struggled to win games, despite a relatively easy schedule to start the season.
Sefko points out that there are ways out of this early hole, with the Mavericks getting Dirk Nowitzki back in the near future as Harrison Barnes continues to work his way back from a preseason injury. The Mavericks have yet to have their ideal rotation playing together, which can give them some confidence that things will turn around.
It will take plenty of fight and effort, as well as a healthy rotation, for the Mavericks to truly turn things around given how tough the conference will be this season. Early signs indicate that this will be another year of growth and development for the Mavericks.
There’s more from the Mavericks:
- Speaking of Nowitzki, Eddie Sefko (via Twitter) also points out that coach Rick Carlisle would be “thrilled” if the 40-year-old big man plays in games this month. Nowitzki has been working out during practices, but this seems to indicate that he is still several weeks away from getting on the court during games.
- After earlier reports revealed that Wesley Matthews had an intense meeting with Mavericks’ President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson after the team’s loss to the Knicks on Friday, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News, Rick Carlisle is denying that the meeting was heated in any way.
Southeast Notes: Lamb, Whiteside, Rivers
As James Borrego entered his first regular season as a non-interim head coach, he made a significant change to the Hornets‘ starting lineup by slotting Jeremy Lamb alongside Kemba Walker in the backcourt. As Rick Bonnell writes for The Charlotte Observer, so far Lamb has made that decision look like a good one, as he has improved as a defender and provides more scoring and ball-handling in the starting lineup.
While Lamb’s traditional statistics are down from his breakout 2017/18 season, he is still a good fit in the starting lineup and a much-improved defender. As Bonnell points out, Borrego praises Nicolas Batum for helping Lamb on that end of the floor through consistent effort that has rubbed off on Lamb.
So far, the numbers tell the story, as the Hornets’ defense is nearly 5 points per 100 possessions better when Lamb is on the floor.
Borrego made the initial decision to start Lamb as a result of his desire for more scoring options in the starting lineup. The change led to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist coming off the bench as the team’s best wing defender, thereby putting more defensive responsibilities on Batum and Lamb. So far, the results have been promising as the Hornets look to return to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
There’s more from the Southeast division:
- Much hasn’t changed for Hassan Whiteside and the Heat this season, as his spurts of strong statistical outputs are mixed in with inconsistent playing time. As Ira Winderman points out for The Sun Sentinel, Whiteside is near the top of the league in rebounds and blocks per game, yet will still receive the short end of the stick from game-to-game, which will be something to monitor moving forward.
- With the Wizards off to a disappointing 1-7 start, Austin Rivers has been frustrated by his own play this season, notes Ben Standig for NBC Sports Washington. Rivers is down to just 6.5 points per game while shooting 37.3 percent from the field, a far cry from his production in recent seasons.
Knicks Notes: Rookies, Lee, Rebuild
The Knicks are sticking to their plan so far this season, focusing on player development over wins as they continue to rebuild ahead of Kristaps Porzingis‘ return and 2019 free agency. As Marc Berman writes for The New York Post, the Knicks may have found some diamonds from the 2018 NBA Draft, as Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Allonzo Trier have all had their fair share of standout moments this season.
As Berman points out, the Knicks’ 2018 rookie class has grabbed a lot of attention for their highlight plays and impressive performances. Trier went undrafted out of the University of Arizona and is averaging nearly 11 points per game on 53.1% shooting from the field. Meanwhile, second-round pick Mitchell Robinson is averaging 5.4 points and 4 rebounds per game while hitting 66.7% of his shots.
Before going down with an injury, Knox was averaging 9.3 points per game and shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the arc as he projects to be a go-to scorer for years to come.
Having a successful rookie class is a key step in the Knicks’ plan to rebuild around Porzingis and a potential marquee free agency signing in 2019. So far, the 2018 rookies have been as good, if not better than advertised.
There’s more from the Knicks:
- Speaking of that aforementioned plan, Steve Popper writes for Newsday that there are still several key parts of the it that aren’t a foregone conclusion. Most notably, the future health and durability of Porzingis and the Knicks’ ability to add a star player in 2019 free agency.
- Courtney Lee continues to sit out with a neck injury, and Stefan Bondy explores the weird circumstances surrounding his absence for The New York Daily News. There have been no updates regarding Lee’s status and he has not been made available for the media, further complicating a delicate injury situation.
Poll: Wizards’ Playoff Chances
To say that the Wizards have gotten off to a rough start would be an understatement. At 1-4 heading into their Sunday night clash with the Clippers, the Wizards continue to struggle with consistency and playing to their competition. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they have yet to have the services of Dwight Howard, putting the team at a major disadvantage on the glass on a nightly basis.
Ian Mahinmi and Jason Smith have struggled to fill that void, while inconsistent effort has plagued the team on the defensive end. While John Wall and Bradley Beal are putting up solid numbers, the team continues to struggle closing out games and getting a full team effort on a nightly basis.
With Otto Porter struggling with his shot (and confidence) and the team going on an early West coast road trip, it’s easy to see why the Wizards have stumbled out of the gates.
Despite their early bumps, it’s very possible that Howard returns, Porter shakes off the slump and the team picks things up to regain its footing in the Eastern Conference. After all, it can’t get much worse than it has so far for the Wizards. The hope will be that Howard provides much-needed rim protection and rebounding while Wall, Beal and Porter work together more to attack defenses from all areas of the court.
Luckily for the Wizards, they aren’t the only team to get off to a slow start. The 76ers are just 3-3, the Celtics have had a modest 4-2 start, and both the Rockets and Thunder sit at 1-4.
With that being said, how good you think the Wizards can be this season? Are they a contender in the East, a team that barely makes the playoffs, or a team that misses the playoffs altogether? Vote below in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments section!
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 10/28/18
Here are Sunday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Nets assigned rookie forward Dzanan Musa to the Long Island Nets, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). Musa has only played 11 minutes so far this season after he recovered from a preseason ankle injury. This will likely be the first of many assignments and recalls for Musa, who was the 29th overall pick in the 2018 Draft.
- The Pacers have recalled Ike Anigbogu from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today in a press release. Anigbogu, a second-year center, may get a chance to suit up for Indiana in Monday’s game against Portland.
Community Shootaround: Trail Blazers’ Playoff Chances
Heading into the 2018/19 season, many fans and analysts predicted that the Trail Blazers would miss the playoffs as a result of regression, offseason moves and an improved Western Conference. With Portland losing Ed Davis, Shabazz Napier and Pat Connaughton (only to replace them with Nik Stauskas and Seth Curry), many were down on the team’s chances to make it to the playoffs.
While it is still very early, the Trail Blazers have come out of the gates strong, showing how star players can will a team to wins on a nightly basis. Of course, when it comes to the Blazers, that star is Damian Lillard. Lillard is off to another tremendous start this season, averaging a league-best 33.8 points, 6.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game in the team’s first five games. The three-time All-Star is also scoring at a very efficient rate, posting a true shooting percentage of 65%, which would be the best of his career.
While Lillard has been the driving force in the team’s three wins so far, the supporting players around him are showcasing their abilities to fill-in for the departed players. Second-year big man Zach Collins has stepped into a larger role and is thriving, averaging 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Curry is providing more ball-handling and shooting in bench lineups, while Stauskas has had a resurgence to start the season by averaging over 10 points per game and knocking down over 47% of his 3-pointers.
Perhaps many simply overlooked the possibility for the Trail Blazers to fill the voids left by Davis, Napier and Connaughton departing in the offseason. After all, there was reason to question the team’s offseason signings — Curry missed the entire 2017/18 season due to injury and Stauskas barely stuck around in the league after being traded to the Nets mid-season.
However, what many did overlook (or simply didn’t realize) is that in recent history, the Trail Blazers have been of the most consistent regular season teams in the league. Portland has made the playoffs in each of the past five seasons and amassed a 239-171 record in that span. With Lillard and C.J. McCollum leading the way in recent years, the Trail Blazers have surrounded them with just enough talent to get to the playoffs, and this season could be more of the same.
However, as mentioned earlier, it is still early, and despite Lillard’s hot start the Blazers are just 3-2 in their first five games. An injury to a key starter could put more pressure on the supporting cast than it can handle, and a slump to one of their leading guards could prove costly. Despite those concerns, Portland has the right ingredients to continue using the same recipe of success that has led the way in recent seasons.
Surrounded by an improved Collins, Jusuf Nurkic, Al-Farouq Aminu, Moe Harkless, Evan Turner and the aforementioned Curry and Stauskas, Lillard and McCollum should be able to shoulder enough of the load for the Blazers to continue their playoff appearance streak.
Jump in the comments section below to share your thoughts on this season’s Trail Blazers team and their playoff chances!
Central Notes: Griffin, Pistons, Love
With the Pistons getting off to a strong 4-1 start, all eyes have been on Blake Griffin‘s impressive performance as the team’s leader. As A. Sherrod Blakely writes for NBC Sports Boston, Griffin has reinvented his game to evolve with the modern NBA. Al Horford believes that Griffin has been playing like a MVP candidate so far with his ability to handle the ball, score in the post and create opportunities for others.
Griffin is averaging 28.4 points, 10 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game so far, knocking down 3 3-pointers per game. Most notably, Griffin dropped 50 points (including the game winning and-one layup) on the 76ers.
Blakely details just how impressed Horford is with Griffin’s start — the Celtics’ big man observed that Griffin seems more comfortable in his role now that he has had time to settle in with the team and city.
For the Pistons, they are hoping that a revitalized Griffin, better health for Reggie Jackson and a new coach in Dwane Casey will be enough to get the team back to the playoffs. So far, the results are promising as the Pistons look to build on their strong start and the MVP performances from Griffin.
There’s more from the Central division:
- The Pistons have gone about building their roster in unique fashion with two big men leading the way. Rod Beard writes for The Detroit News that Celtics coach Brad Stevens recognizes and appreciates what Dwane Casey has done to successfully compliment and ride Griffin and Andre Drummond to early season success.
- With the Cavaliers firing head coach Tyronn Lue, Marc Stein reveals for The New York Times that the team may also look to rest Kevin Love for an extended period in order to let him recover from recurring foot soreness. Love missed three preseason games with the injury and has struggled to play through it during the early stages of the regular season.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Anthony, Jordan
With the Rockets dealing with several injuries and the suspension of Chris Paul, the team’s rookies have received playing time to start the season. As Jonathan Feigen writes for The Houston Chronicle, Gary Clark and Isaiah Hartenstein have been the two beneficiaries from the injuries to James Harden and James Ennis III.
Hartenstein has filled in as a backup center in recent games, as both Nene and Marquese Chriss continue to miss time due to injuries. Meanwhile, Clark has filled in minutes on the wing and power forward positions as Mike D’Antoni looks to limit P.J. Tucker‘s workload.
As Feigen notes, this playing time isn’t truly about developing the rookies. D’Antoni understands that player development isn’t the priority at the moment and admits that “the leash is awful short.”
With Ennis and Harden both expected to miss at least one more game and Nene weeks away from returning, Clark and Hartenstein should have more opportunities to show they can contribute right away. Once the Rockets are a healthy team, the rookies will be back to the end of the bench on a nightly basis.
There’s more from the Southwest division:
- Amid several offseason changes, the Rockets are beginning to realize that the personnel isn’t perfectly suited to their defensive style of play. Chelsea Howard points out for The Sporting News that Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul have been vocal in calling the team to go back to the drawing board and figure out the scheme that works best for this roster.
- As one of the Mavericks’ key offseason additions, DeAndre Jordan has been exactly what the team needed, Eddie Sefko writes for The Dallas Morning News. Jordan is off to a strong start, averaging 16 points, 13.8 rebounds and 2 blocks per game while hitting 84.6% of his free throws.