Heat Notes: Slump, Adebayo, Herro, Larsson, Jovic, Ware
While head coach Erik Spoelstra thought the Heat showed some positive signs in consecutive road losses in Boston and New York, he was left searching for answers following the team’s third straight defeat on Tuesday, a lopsided home loss to Toronto, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“This is not what I would have predicted,” Spoelstra said following Tuesday’s 21-point loss. “I thought we were ready. I thought we had a good session this morning. I thought coming off of our last two games, on the road, even though there were losses, there were way more good things than negative things. In the New York game, we competed with a great spirit. That kind of game, you win a lot of games. But I don’t even know right now.”
As Chiang details, Miami entered December with a 13-7 record and the NBA’s 13th-ranked offense and third-ranked defense. But the team has gone just 2-8 so far this month, the worst mark in the league, with an offensive rating that ranks 27th and a defensive rating that ranks 18th over that stretch to fall back to .500 (15-15).
Third-year wing Jaime Jaquez Jr. said each player on the team needs to take accountability for his performance, starting with himself.
“I think it all starts individually,” Jaquez said. “We all got to look ourselves in the mirror. I know I can do a lot more. There’s a lot more that I know I can bring to this team. And just got to go dig deep and find it, bring it out. That goes for every one of us. It’s a tough stretch right now, and we’re really going to discover who we are in this time. And I’m confident in this team, I’m confident in this locker room. It’s something that we’re just going to have to battle through.”
Here’s more from Miami:
- Bam Adebayo has been in an offensive rut that coincides with the Heat’s slide down the standings, Chiang writes in another story. While the team’s new free-flowing offense earned praise early in the season, it has limited some of the go-to actions the Heat used to run for the three-time All-Star big man. Adebayo is taking fewer shots at the rim and more from long distance, but he has only converted 31.4% of his three-point looks, one of the worst marks in the league among players with four-plus attempts per game, Chiang notes. “It sucks,” Adebayo said of his ongoing shooting slump. “But it’s part of the NBA, it’s a long season. So fighting through whatever I’ve got to fight through, figure out how I can impact winning and do that instead of focusing on shots not falling. Just play basketball and shots will eventually start falling.”
- Adebayo is dealing with lower back soreness and is questionable for Friday’s matchup at Atlanta, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel relays. Guard Tyler Herro will miss his sixth straight game due to a right big toe contusion, but Pelle Larsson (left ankle sprain) and Nikola Jovic (right elbow contusion/laceration) are probable to suit up against the Hawks, Winderman adds. Larsson has been out for the past five games, while Jovic has been sidelined for the past four.
- Knicks head coach Mike Brown was effusive in his praise of Kel’el Ware after Sunday’s loss in New York, according to Chiang. The second-year Heat center had one of the best games of his career, finishing with 28 points (on 11-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 from long distance) and 19 rebounds in 35 minutes. “I’ll tell you, Kel’el Ware, he was a beast tonight on the glass,” Brown said at the start of his post-game press conference on Sunday. “This is one of the very few times we got our behinds kicked on the glass, and a lot of it is attributed to him and the way he rebounded on both ends of the floor, and then he shot the mess out of the basketball. We told our guys he’s been shooting it really well. We just didn’t get to his body. It’s a little tough because he’s seven feet. So, with a guy like that, you almost got to close all the way to his chest just to try to hopefully make him put it on the floor.”
Anthony Davis Suffers Groin Injury Thursday
Mavericks big man Anthony Davis experienced right groin spasms early in the second quarter of Thursday’s contest at Golden State and will not return, the team announced (via Twitter).
Davis’ injury may not be serious, as the Mavericks reportedly told ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter link) that the 10-time All-Star is being held out due to an “abundance of caution.”
The spasms occurred shortly after Davis created a turnover by deflecting a Stephen Curry pass (Twitter video link). As Davis was sprinting down the court in transition, he pulled up lame right when Naji Marshall threw a long pass near the basket intended for Davis, resulting in a Mavs turnover.
Davis limped straight to Dallas’ bench, officially checking out of the game after head coach Jason Kidd called a timeout to sub in Daniel Gafford.
The 32-year-old forward/center has dealt with a variety of injuries over the past several years, having played 56 or fewer games in five of the past seven seasons (he made 62 and 76 appearances, respectively, in the other two campaigns). Davis missed 14 consecutive games in November due to a left calf strain and has been sidelined for 16 total contests in 2025/26.
Davis has been highly productive since he returned to action at the end of last month, averaging 22.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks on .527/.350/.741 shooting in 10 appearances (31.7 minutes per game) leading into the Christmas Day contest. The Mavs have gone 8-7 when Davis is active but just 4-12 without him.
We’ll have to wait for further updates to see if Davis will miss additional time with his latest ailment.
Warriors’ Al Horford Will Return Thursday
As expected, Warriors big man Al Horford will return to action on Thursday. The 39-year-old has been upgraded to available for the Christmas matchup vs Dallas, tweets Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Horford has missed the past seven games — and 11 of the past 12 — due to right sciatic nerve irritation. Head coach Steve Kerr indicated on Wednesday that the longtime forward/center would likely play today.
Health issues have limited Horford’s availability and effectiveness in 2025/26. He had appeared in 13 of Golden State’s 30 games entering Thursday, averaging career lows in points (5.6), rebounds (4.4) and minutes (21.5) per game. Horford is also posting career-worst percentages on twos (38.1%) and threes (29.8%), though the sample sizes are very small (8-of-21 and 17-of-57, respectively).
A five-time All-Star, Horford has transitioned into an effective role player in the latter stages of his career, helping Boston win the championship in 2024. The 19-year veteran was the Warriors’ marquee free agent addition in the offseason, signing a two-year, $11.7MM deal that includes a player option for 2026/27.
Horford will come off the bench on Thursday, with Kerr using the same starting lineup (Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Quinten Post) he has been running for the past handful of games, notes ESPN’s Anthony Slater (via Twitter).
Cavaliers Rumors: Allen, Trade Candidates, Atkinson, J. Bryant
Even after bouncing back with a seven-point win over Charlotte on Monday, the Cavaliers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA to open the 2025/26 campaign, currently holding a 16-14 record after going 64-18 last year. Owner Dan Gilbert is said to be “very unhappy” with the state of affairs in Cleveland, and there’s a rising sense of urgency to turn things around.
Despite the situation looking pretty bleak at the moment, the Cavaliers have reportedly yet to entertain the idea of trading Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, two members of the “core four.”
On Saturday’s Wine and Gold Talk podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said the Cavs appear reluctant to part with Allen for many of the same reasons as Garland — he’s been limited by injuries, is having a down season, and they’d likely get pennies on the dollar if they thought about moving him before the deadline. As with Garland, the Cavs also seem to be higher on Allen than opposing teams, which is another factor that can’t be discounted, per Fedor.
The Pacers, Knicks and Raptors are among the Eastern teams looking for help in the middle, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Cavs would have to be blown away to trade Allen to a conference rival.
“[Allen] has a lot of fans around the NBA, but unless the trade package was just irresistible, it’s hard to see the Cavs being willing to help another team in the East,” one source told Afseth. “Keep that in mind.”
Here are a few more rumors regarding the Cavaliers:
- On the same podcast, Fedor identified De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade as a handful of players on mid-sized salaries who could potentially be traded in the coming weeks if Cleveland’s front office decides against a more drastic overhaul. The issue, Fedor continued, is that Strus has yet to play a game as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, and Hunter, Ball and Wade are all struggling in 2025/26. Fedor pointed out that Ball ($10MM team option for ’26/27) and Wade ($6MM expiring contract) could be easier to move than Hunter and Strus, as the latter two make more money and have guaranteed deals next season.
- Afseth hears from sources that Wade, who has spent his entire seven-year career in Cleveland, is a name to watch in the coming weeks. The 29-year-old is known as a solid defender and decent three-point shooter (36.0% for his career), but he’s converting just 29.0% of his outside looks through 27 games in ’25/26, which is by far the worst mark of his career.
- Marc Stein reported on Sunday that Kenny Atkinson could be on the hot seat in the coming weeks unless the Cavs start winning again despite being named Coach of the Year last season. According to Afseth, there have been “internal questions about Atkinson’s leadership,” and if the Cavs do decide to dismiss him, Donovan Mitchell is said to favor Johnnie Bryant taking over as interim coach. Bryant, who is known to have a close relationship with Mitchell, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job over the summer — that position went to his former colleague Jordan Ott.
Kings Reportedly Among Teams Monitoring Darius Garland
The Cavaliers have reportedly shut down trade inquiries on Darius Garland to this point, but that doesn’t mean rival teams aren’t monitoring his situation in case that stance changes. League sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com that the Kings are among the teams that have been keeping tabs on the two-time All-Star.
It has been reported for months that Sacramento has been looking for a long-term solution at point guard, and Afseth has heard the same. The Timberwolves are another team known to be in the market for a lead ball-handler, Afseth states.
However, it would be difficult for either club to put together a package that would entice Cleveland to part with Garland, per Afseth. It would be particularly tricky for Minnesota and Cleveland to make a deal since both teams are restricted in terms of the moves they can make due to the tax aprons.
According to Afseth, some rival teams have gotten the impression that Garland may prefer to take on a larger role rather than being a secondary or even tertiary offensive option playing alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Afseth hears opposing teams view Garland as the least risky of the high-profile point guards (Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, Trae Young) who have popped up in trade rumors in 2025/26.
“Darius is the safest option on the trade market for a team seeking a point guard upgrade,” a source told Afseth. “There are teams who think he can handle more being put on his plate.”
The 25-year-old missed the first seven games of the season following offseason toe surgery and aggravated the turf toe injury shortly after he returned to action, causing him to miss another five contests. He didn’t play anything close to his normal level over his first 12 appearances and seemed to be visibly bothered by the toe issue eight days ago.
Although the Cavs dropped their third straight game on Saturday, Garland had his best performance of the season, erupting for 35 points (on 14-of-27 shooting) and eight assists with Mitchell out due to an illness, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Garland has been frustrated by the nagging injury, but he thinks he may have turned a corner.
“I’m getting healthy,” Garland said. “Trying to find my groove. … It’s trying to switch my mind to letting me actually do the things I’m used to doing. It felt good for the first time a couple games ago and tonight see the result.”
Garland had another big game on Monday and was more efficient with Mitchell back in action. In the win over Charlotte, Garland finished with 27 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes.
On the Wine and Gold Talk podcast following Saturday’s loss (YouTube link), Fedor expressed skepticism about the Cavaliers potentially trading Garland ahead of the February 5 deadline for multiple reasons. Not only does Cleveland appear to value Garland more than other teams, Fedor explained, but the Cavs would likely receive underwhelming offers for him because of his injury and down season to this point.
Bickerstaff To Replace Carlisle As NBCA President
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has been president of the National Basketball Coaches Association since 2005, but he’s stepping down at the end of December, writes Ken Powtak of The Associated Press.
Carlisle said he will be replaced by Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was selected by union members. A longtime NBA coach, the 46-year-old Bickerstaff currently serves as the NBCA’s vice president/treasurer.
“I guess now might be a good time to announce, I decided about a year ago that this would be my last year,” Carlisle said Monday night before the Pacers played in Boston. “This is my 20th year. My term will end at the end of this month. We’ve held our elections and the membership has made a tremendous and phenomenal choice to succeed me and that’s going to be J.B. Bickerstaff.”
Carlisle spoke glowingly of Bickerstaff, calling him a “trusted friend,” Powtak adds.
“The job he did in Cleveland, taking that team from the lottery to winning in the playoffs was phenomenal. The job he’s done in Detroit the last year and a half speaks for itself. He’s a great leader and passionate guy for coaches. … I congratulate J.B. This will be a life-changing experience for him. It has been for me.”
Carlisle also said he and the NBCA are trying to help Bickerstaff’s father Bernie be nominated to the Hall of Fame as a contributor, according to Powtak. The elder Bickerstaff was an NBA coach for several decades and is now a senior advisor with the Pistons.
Suns’ Jalen Green To Miss At Least 2-3 More Weeks
While Jalen Green “continues to make good progress” in his recovery from strained right hamstring, he will be out at least two or three more weeks, according to Suns, who announced that the fifth-year guard will be checked out again at that point (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
The hamstring has been an ongoing problem in 2025/26 for Green, who initially suffered a strain early in training camp, then aggravated it during his ramp-up process in mid-October. The 23-year-old sat out the first eight games of the regular season, played 23 minutes in his debut in early November, then aggravated the injury again a couple days later about seven minutes into his second game.
This is the first concrete update from Phoenix on Green since the team said he would be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks on November 11. Head coach Jordan Ott admitted last week that the Suns were playing it “pretty safe” with Green after he multiple setbacks.
Green, who was doing some on-court work last week, had been quite durable over the first four years of his career. He played 67 games as a rookie and 76 in his second year, then appeared in 82 games each of the past two seasons.
Green was traded from Houston to Phoenix over the summer as part of the Kevin Durant mega-deal. He’s earning about $33.6MM in ’25/26 in the first season of a three-year, $105MM rookie scale extension that includes a $36MM player option for the ’27/28 campaign.
Injury Notes: Lakers, Knicks, Daniels, Watson, McConnell
Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided encouraging updates on injured guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on Monday, tweets Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.
Doncic, who didn’t play in the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, has a lower left leg contusion and is considered day-to-day. The 26-year-old had the bruised area taped during the portion of Monday’s practice that was open to the media, Price notes.
Reaves was able to go through portions of Monday’s practice and is also considered day-to-day, Redick said. The fifth-year guard has missed the past three games with a left calf strain the team described as mild.
[UPDATE: Doncic is out Tuesday at Phoenix, but Reaves has been upgraded to questionable, the Lakers announced (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).]
Starting center Deandre Ayton should return to action on Tuesday, according to Price. Ayton won’t be listed on the team’s injury report after sitting out the past two contests due to a sore left elbow.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Knicks will be shorthanded on Tuesday, as Eastern Conference Player of the Week Jalen Brunson (right ankle injury management), defensive ace OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness) and backup big man Guerschon Yabusele (illness) have all been ruled out ahead of the contest at Minnesota, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Brunson missed a couple of games in mid-November due to a right ankle sprain.
- Reigning Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels has been ruled out of the Hawks‘ rematch with Chicago on Tuesday due to right hip inflammation, according to Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (Twitter link). It will be Daniels’ first absence of the 2025/26 campaign. Reserve forward/center Mouhamed Gueye is also on the injury report, having been listed as questionable with a right shoulder sprain.
- Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, who was kneed in between the hip and rib areas last Monday, had a minor setback in terms of the pain he’s experiencing from the injury, head coach David Adelman said ahead of Saturday’s loss to Houston (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). While Watson has been out most of the past three games with the right trunk contusion, it doesn’t sound like a long-term issue — Adelman said the former first-round pick had a 50% chance to play Saturday before he was ruled out.
- Veteran Pacers guard T.J. McConnell will be sidelined for Monday’s game vs. Boston due to left knee soreness, as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files relays (via Twitter). McConnell missed the first 10 games of the season with a strained hamstring, but had been active for the past 18 contests heading into Monday.
Nuggets’ Bates Undergoes Foot Surgery, Out At Least 12 Weeks
Tamar Bates underwent surgery on Monday to repair a fracture in his left foot, according to the Nuggets, who announced (via Twitter) that the rookie guard will be sidelined a minimum of 12 weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reexamined.
Bates played a fairly modest role with Indiana for a couple of years prior to transferring to Missouri ahead of the 2023/24 season. The 6’4″ guard had much more success in his two-season stint with the Tigers — as a senior last year, Bates averaged 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals, with excellent shooting slash line of .508/.397/.946.
Bates didn’t hear his named called during June’s draft, but quickly agreed to a two-way contract with the Nuggets as an undrafted free agent. While the 22-year-old has yet to make his NBA debut, he has played well for Denver’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, averaging 19.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.5 SPG on .549/.441/.903 shooting in 13 games (33.2 MPG).
Due to the long-term injury, it’s possible the Nuggets might decide to waive Bates before his two-way salary becomes guaranteed next month, but they would lose his NBA rights if they go that route.
Hoops Rumors Mailbag: Reaves’ Next Deal, Slow Starts
This week's mailbag covers questions on what Austin Reaves' next contract might look like and players experiencing early-season slumps.
Muhammad asks:
What do you think about Austin Reaves' contract for the next season? Will he exercise his player option or decline and sign a max contract?
Reaves is undoubtedly boosting his value in a contract year. He discussed his future and desire to remain with the Lakers last month in a story from ESPN.
“I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves said at the time. “Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f---ing gigantic number that don’t make sense. I want to be here, I want to win. I want to do everything that can help this organization be better. So I don’t try to think about those things.”
