Eastern Notes: Rose, Harden, Knicks, Brunson, Herro
Knicks guard Derrick Rose isn’t expected to ramp up his activity for at least one more week, head coach Tom Thibodeau said, as relayed by Steve Popper of Newsday. Rose underwent ankle surgery in December and had a second procedure last week to address an infection.
“He can’t really do much,” Thibodeau explained. “Just got to be patient, let it clear up. That’s it . . . He’s not supposed to be doing a lot right now other than follow [medical advice]. He’s been pretty diligent with that. He can walk around. He can form shoot if he’s not leaving his feet. He can’t do a whole lot right now. Hopefully in a week or so that’ll be cleared up.”
As Popper notes, Rose was with the team at shootaround on Friday. The Knicks went 30-17 after acquiring him last season, as the 33-year-old averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 assists per game off the bench. He has only appeared in 26 games this season.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Sixers superstar James Harden won’t play on Saturday against the Heat, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Harden will sit as part of his scheduled left hamstring management. Philadelphia is 4-0 in the games he’s played, which includes a 125-119 win over Cleveland on Friday.
- The Knicks could benefit from the Mavericks’ crowded backcourt if they pursue Jalen Brunson in free agency this summer, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Brunson has averaged a career-high 16.0 points and 5.3 assists in 32.1 minutes per game this season. Dallas recently traded for Spencer Dinwiddie, who is under contract next season with a cap hit of $19.5MM.
- Heat guard Tyler Herro has been surging since the All-Star break, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Herro has averaged 25.8 points in his last five games, working to attack more than he was before the break. “I think people know I’m a shooter. I shoot the ball well,” Herro said. “But I think my best thing is off the dribble, getting in the paint, attacking, getting to the mid-range, getting to the rim. I think that’s what I do best. I think I’m hard to stay in front of when you’re playing the shot and then my handle gets me to where I want to go.”
Terrence Jones To Join Nuggets’ G League Affiliate
Six-year NBA veteran Terrence Jones has signed a contract in the G League, agent Jerry Dianis told Hoops Rumors. Jones will be acquired by the Grand Rapids Gold, the Nuggets‘ NBAGL affiliate.
Jones, 30, was the No. 18 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He has made stops with Houston, New Orleans and Milwaukee during his NBA career, averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 23.8 minutes per contest.
“Terrence has absolutely dominated everywhere he’s been since last playing in the NBA,” Dianis said. “He averaged 32 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks per game in the Philippines. He’s a versatile player who’s also an exceptional rebounder and passer.
“Everyone in the NBA knows how talented he is. This is an opportunity for him to prove it again on American soil. In their first G League season, Grand Rapids has proven to be fertile ground for experienced, ex-NBA players (such as Lance Stephenson and Isaiah Thomas) who are looking to resurrect their careers.”
Jones is one of several veterans to sign in the G League with hopes of making an NBA comeback this season. His last NBA stint came during the 2018/19 campaign with Houston, when he appeared in two games. Along with the Philippines, he’s also made stops in China and Puerto Rico over the course of his career.
Prior to being drafted, the 6’9″ Jones had a successful collegiate stint at Kentucky that included an NCAA championship in 2012. His last G League stint came in 2018/19, when he averaged 23.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in 26 games.
Celtics Sign Matt Ryan To Two-Way Deal
FEBRUARY 28: The Celtics have officially signed Ryan to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
FEBRUARY 27: The Celtics are planning to sign Grand Rapids Gold swingman Matt Ryan to a two-way deal, according to Marc Stein of Substack (Twitter link). Ryan will join guard Brodric Thomas as Boston’s two-way players.
Ryan has played 16 games in the G League this season, averaging 18.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest. He has shot 43% from the floor and 39% from three-point range during those outings.
Ryan went undrafted in 2020 after spending collegiate seasons at Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Chattanooga. The 24-year-old is capable of playing the shooting guard and small forward positions.
Boston signed Kelan Martin and Malik Fitts to 10-day contracts last week. The team ranks sixth in the East at 36-26 and still has an open spot available on its 15-man roster.
Western Notes: Gobert, Jazz, Edwards, Wolves, Williamson
Jazz center Rudy Gobert continues to dominate this season despite facing criticism, as relayed by NBA.com. Gobert, one of the league’s top rim-protectors, is averaging 15.6 points and 14.8 rebounds per game on a career-best 72% shooting.
“I’m just gonna keep trying to be the best Rudy I can be, on and off the court. … And for my team,” Gobert said. “The more these people try to discredit what I do or what my team does, it just means we’re doing something right.”
Gobert is also averaging 2.3 blocks per game, making it eighth straight seasons of averaging over two blocks. His impressive two-way play is a key reason why Utah ranks fourth in the West at 38-22.
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:
- The Jazz are bouncing back after dealing with a difficult January, as relayed in a separate NBA.com story. Utah is 8-1 this month, which includes a 118-114 road victory over the Suns on Sunday. The team owns the sixth-best record in the league.
- The Timberwolves have to find a way to improve their offense, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. One of the team’s recent problems has been Anthony Edwards, who’s currently in a slump. Minnesota has scored 102, 119 and 91 points in its last three games. “We’ve kind of regressed with that first unit, and we just have to get back to playing through our early concepts,” head coach Chris Finch said. “That’s what we’ve gone away from.”
- Christian Clark, Scott Kushner and Rod Walker of NOLA.com debate whether Pelicans star Zion Williamson will play another game with the organization. Williamson hasn’t played this season (foot surgery rehab) and remains away from the team. He could undergo a second procedure at some point, as we previously relayed.
Eastern Notes: Rose, Cavaliers, Noel, Bucks
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau refused to answer whether he expects Derrick Rose to return in March from a minor ankle procedure, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday (via Twitter) that Rose could return in one or two weeks.
“Yeah, I wish I could answer that, but I can’t,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously, he needs some time right now. You just have to sort of let him go through it and be patient with it.”
Rose’s procedure addressed a skin infection in the area of his December ankle surgery, according to Wojnarowski. Rose has only played in 26 of the Knicks’ 61 games this season. The team ranks 12th in the East with a 25-36 record and has lost five straight games.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- The Cavaliers are looking to re-establish their defensive identity entering March, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes. Cleveland most recently put forth a strong defensive performance against Washington, winning the contest 92-86. “To be honest with you, I was less concerned about the results and more concerned about the effort and the performance,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “If we do the things and play the way that we play, I can live with whatever the results are. I just thought that our past two games, we weren’t ourselves. So win or loss, if we’re ourselves, and the best version of ourselves, we can live with that.”
- Knicks center Nerlens Noel has been dealing with plantar fasciitis since before the All-Star break, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets. Noel hasn’t played in the team’s last six games. He’s appeared in 25 games this season (11 starts), averaging 3.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per outing.
- The Bucks season-long struggles showed up against the Nets on Saturday, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. Nehm believes the team’s third-quarter performances have been a major issue. Milwaukee lost the third quarter 43-34 and dropped the contest 126-123. “To be honest, man, sh–, they just kicked our butt in the third quarter,” Bobby Portis said. “They scored 43 points. I mean we scored enough just to keep it close, but I mean that’s been our kryptonite the whole year. I’m kind of just tired of talking about it, bro. I don’t know what we can do, what we’re going to do. … we’ve been talking about this since December, man, and in a couple of days, it’s gonna be March, so we gotta figure that out, and soon, man. The season’s about to be over.”
Eastern Notes: Kuzma, Oladipo, Morris, Bridges, Irving
The Wizards may have found something special in Kyle Kuzma, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. Kuzma is having a career-best season with Washington so far, averaging 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game.
“He’s shown a steady progression where it seems like every month he’s getting better. He’s playing with more confidence,” head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said.
According to Hughes, Kuzma has averaged 21.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game since December 22, raising his play on both ends. Washington acquired the 26-year-old in a trade involving star guard Russell Westbrook back in July.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- The potential returns of Victor Oladipo and Markieff Morris offer intrigue for the Heat, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Oladipo hasn’t played this season, while Morris hasn’t played in over three months. Miami owns the best record in the East (40-21) despite their absences. “I just love to see everybody try to get healthy and do what they love to do, what they’ve been doing their entire life,” Jimmy Butler said of the duo. “The fact that they’ve been out for a little bit, but still are coming in smiling and working, I think that’s the most important thing. Yeah, they want to get back. Yeah, we want them back. But in due time, they will be back and we’ll be even better.”
- Hornets forward Miles Bridges likely would’ve accepted the team’s $60MM extension offer last fall if it wasn’t for his agents, as relayed by Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated. Bridges, who is averaging 19.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, will likely be in line for a far more lucrative contract as a restricted free agent. “If it wasn’t for them I probably would’ve taken the deal,” Bridges said of his agents. “They got more confidence in me than I have sometimes.”
- New York City will lift its “Key2NYC” vaccine mandate on March 7, but the private sector mandate still restricts Nets star Kyrie Irving from playing in home games, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The private sector mandate could be dropped eventually, but for now, Irving still can’t play in New York.
Michael Porter Jr. Eyeing March Return
Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has progressed in his rehab from lumbar spine surgery and could be cleared for on-court contact within the next week, agent Mark Bartelstein tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Porter is hoping to return to Denver’s lineup at some point in March. Wojnarowski says that once the fourth-year forward is cleared for contact, it’ll just be a matter of him going through a final ramp-up period.
However, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone cautioned fans to take the report with a grain of salt, as Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link) relays.
“I would say don’t listen to those reports. … They didn’t come from me, they didn’t come from [president of basketball operations] Tim Connelly,” Malone said. “They didn’t come from anybody within the Denver Nuggets. I would say, be careful what you listen to and what you read.”
The 23-year-old Porter underwent surgery three months ago and has played just nine games this season. He did appear in 61 games last season, averaging 19.0 points on 54% shooting from the floor and 45% shooting from three-point range.
Denver owns the sixth-best record in the Western Conference (35-25) despite Porter’s absence. The team also hopes to have Jamal Murray return from a torn ACL before the playoffs, Wojnarowski reports.
Porter signed a five-year, $172.5MM contract extension with the Nuggets last offseason. He was drafted No. 14 overall by the franchise in 2018.
Damian Lillard Progressing In Abdominal Surgery Rehab
Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has progressed through the initial phase of his abdominal surgery rehab without a setback, the team announced today.
Lillard, a five-time All-Star, underwent surgery on January 13 and hasn’t played since. He will begin reconditioning next week and will be reevaluated again in two-to-three weeks.
Lillard has appeared in 29 games this season, averaging 24.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per contest on a career-low 40% shooting.
Portland has re-shaped its roster in recent weeks, trading away key pieces such as CJ McCollum, Norman Powell and Robert Covington. The team holds a 5-4 record in February and currently sits 10th in the Western Conference standings.
Rival teams have monitored Lillard’s status with the Blazers, who haven’t reached the NBA Finals once in his 10 years with the team. Despite a disappointing season, he recently reiterated his commitment to the team (as relayed by Adam Caparell of Complex Sports).
“I’m loyal to what I believe,” Lillard said. “I do love living in Portland. I do love playing for the Trail Blazers. But I’ve built this. I’ve been part of this for 10 years. I’ve been part of the change here and us being a successful franchise. I know what means something to me in my heart. And that’s winning a championship here.”
Eastern Notes: Oladipo, Simmons, Durant, Porzingis, LaVine
Heat guard Victor Oladipo is hoping to make his season debut within the next two weeks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Oladipo has been rehabbing from quad tendon surgery and has only played four games with Miami since being acquired 11 months ago.
With Oladipo’s season debut inching closer, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines how the veteran guard could fit in the Heat’s rotation. Oladipo will likely play backup point guard behind Kyle Lowry. The Heat could also finish games with him, sporting a defensive-minded lineup of Lowry, Oladipo, Jimmy Butler, P.J. Tucker and Bam Adebayo.
Oladipo played 33 games last season with Indiana, Houston and Miami, averaging 19.8 points on 41% shooting. His last healthy season was the 2017/18 campaign, when he averaged a career-high 23.1 points and 2.4 steals per game. He also shot 48% from the floor and 37% from deep that season.
Here are some other notes from the East:
- Nets superstar Kevin Durant (sprained MCL) is also moving closer to a return, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “Every day closer,” head coach Steve Nash said. “We’ll see. I expect in the next week he’ll be back for sure. It could be quick; it could be the whole week barring any setbacks.” While Durant is returning soon, Ben Simmons‘ timetable remains unclear. “He’s not gone to high intensity yet,” Nash said. “Just ramping him up still.”
- Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington poses five questions for the Wizards now that the All-Star break has passed. Among the topics Hughes addresses is Kristaps Porzingis‘ potential role, specifically how much he’ll play. The 26-year-old has only appeared in 34 games this season due to injuries.
- Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report conducted a Q&A with Bulls star Zach LaVine, covering his season, team and ambitions. LaVine has averaged 24.5 points per game and will become a free agent this summer. “For me, it’s not even about my contract [situation]”, he said. “I’m a competitor. I want to go to the playoffs and play on the big stage. Contract, everything, that all comes. But I look at it day by day. You can’t get to April in a day. You’re gonna have to play and compete each and every day to get there, and then once the playoffs come, we got to go do our thing. You know I’m really excited. I’m really excited to be on that stage, because I haven’t been there yet.”
Northwest Notes: Towns, Presti, LeBron, Jazz, Jokic
Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns staked his claim of being the greatest shooting big man ever by winning the three-point contest on Saturday, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.
Towns defeated several guards and wings to win the contest, including Trae Young, Zach LaVine and Patty Mills. He’s averaging 24.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game this season, shooting 41% from three-point range. Prior to this season, he’s shot above 40% from deep in three of his six campaigns.
“I remember everyone told me to do the same way. ‘Have your back to the basket. Why is Karl shooting 3s? There’s no reason for him shooting 3s. We’re experts. We know better than you,'” Towns said. “Me and my dad said screw them. We’re going to do it our way.”
Here are some other notes from Northwest:
- Thunder general manager Sam Presti recently received praise from LeBron James, who called him the MVP of Oklahoma City’s franchise, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. “The MVP over there is Sam Presti. He’s the MVP,” James said when asked about Josh Giddey and the Thunder. “I mean, Josh Giddey is great. But Sam Presti, I don’t understand this guy’s eye for talent. He drafted [Kevin Durant], Russ [Westbrook], Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey and the list goes on and on and on. This guy is pretty damn good.”
- The Jazz will have many questions to answer after the All-Star break, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes. Utah is 36-22 on the season, dropping a 106-101 road game to the Lakers before the break. “Come back ready to go,” Donovan Mitchell said on what needs to happen. “We have no choice. It’s not like we can say anything else. We have no choice but to be ready.”
- Mike Singer of The Denver Post explores the story of how Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic once hated a Denver assistant coach. Jokic and the coach, Ogi Stojakovic, are now great friends. “He’s like a big brother, like a mentor, father, he’s like a really good friend,” Jokic said of Stojakovic. “He’s really everything. … How much he helps me on the court, he helps me off the court just to get out of the basketball … We hang out, for real. When we have a day off, my family is always with his family.”