Bulls Notes: Jones, Buzelis, Collins, Mirage
Following Thursday’s victory over Brooklyn, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan praised Tre Jones, saying the fifth-year point guard has a knack for making winning plays, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), who points out that the impending free agent recorded five points, four rebounds and four assists in the fourth quarter.
“Being a part of a winning culture, a winning team, that’s the whole reason of playing basketball really,” Jones said.
Jones, who was acquired from San Antonio in the Zach LaVine trade, has started each of the past five games, averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals on .500/.500/.769 shooting over that span (33.3 MPG). Like his older brother Tyus Jones, Tre is known for his ability to take care of the basketball, having recorded 54 assists against only eight turnovers in 14 games with Chicago (an assist-to-turnover ratio of 6.75-to-1).
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- Lottery pick Matas Buzelis hit the rookie wall at some point over the past couple weeks, observes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. As Poe details, Buzelis was visibly exhausted on Monday against Indiana, and while he had more energy on Thursday vs. Brooklyn, he only played 15 minutes after averaging 27.5 over his past 17 games. “That’s part of his development,” Donovan said. “Is he eating well? Is he hydrating well? Is he getting good sleep? You can maybe get away with that playing 10 minutes a game. When you all of a sudden start playing 26, 28, 30, 32 minutes a night on a regular basis, there’s a toll it takes on your body.”
- In the same story, Poe notes that Zach Collins has been ahead of Jalen Smith on the center depth chart the past two games after Nikola Vucevic returned from a calf injury that sidelined him for seven contests. Collins, who was also acquired in the LaVine deal, has averaged 11.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.8 BPG on .554/.333/.879 shooting in 12 games for the Bulls (25.0 MPG). He’s owed about $18.1MM next season prior to 2026 free agency, while Smith is under contract through 2027.
- The Bulls have won four straight, bolstering their chances of not only securing a play-in berth, but perhaps passing Miami or Orlando to move up a spot or two in the standings. The recent stretch of play is nothing but a mirage, in the view of Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who argues that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas should be blamed for his refusal to embrace a rebuild ahead of a 2025 draft that is highly touted, particularly at the top. Advancing to the playoffs would likely be viewed by Karnisovas as a sign of progress, but it would be catastrophic for the Chicago’s long-term outlook, according to Cowley.
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Murray, Watson, Rest
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon was able to return to action on Friday following a two-game absence, but the right calf injury he has been battling for much of the season continues to cast a murky cloud as the postseason nears, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Gordon, who has also been dealing with a left ankle sprain recently, has missed a total of 27 games thus far in 2024/25.
“You’ve gotta remember, and I think about this all the time, there’s a big difference between, ‘Hey, Aaron can go out there and play,’ and, ‘He can go out there and play effectively,'” head coach Michael Malone said. “So I think most of the times when he’s not available to play, it’s because — calf strain, ankle, whatever it may be — it’s been, ‘I can’t go out there and do my job.’
“Obviously, we know what Aaron means to this team. And every chance he’s had a chance to play, he’s played really well for us. But it’s just been a very up-and-down season in terms of availability, and that’s been really frustrating for him.”
Gordon was a game-high plus-16 in Friday’s victory, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a block in 31 minutes.
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Durando describes Friday’s comeback victory over Los Angeles as an “awful night” for the Nuggets, who needed another Jamal Murray game-winner to emerge victorious against a Lakers team missing LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes. Three of the last seven meetings between the two teams have been capped off by game-winning shots from Murray, Durando notes. “This isn’t a beauty pageant,” Malone said. “We don’t get rated on our wins. It’s a win.”
- Third-year forward Peyton Watson struggled in his limited playing time during Sunday’s loss at Oklahoma City, but he enacted revenge by scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and playing strong defense in Monday’s victory over the Thunder, according to Durando of The Denver Post. “I was fired up to play today,” Watson said after the game. “I knew I was going to get another chance. And this is how I respond to things like this, when I’m being challenged by my coach or my team.”
- Malone talked extensively after last year’s playoffs about trying to find ways to get his rotation regulars more rest ahead of another potential postseason push in 2025. However, with only two games separating Denver, Houston, Memphis and the Lakers as they jockey for positioning behind the top-seeded Thunder, Malone said finding an ideal balance between rest and winning will be “really hard, if not impossible,” as Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette relays (via Twitter).
Southwest Notes: Eason, Aldama, B. Brown, Mavericks
Tari Eason offered the Rockets a reminder of his importance when he erupted for a career-high 30 points in Friday’s blowout victory over Dallas, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Eason, who shot 11-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the foul line, also recorded eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in 31 minutes.
“I think that every night Tari plays, he’s super impactful,” Jalen Green said. “Getting steals, playing defense. Tonight he did a little bit of everything: scoring, rebounding, playing defense. So nothing that he doesn’t do every time out for us.”
Lerner notes that Eason has been starting for most of the past six weeks due to injuries to Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson. Eason, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason, has increased his production over that span, averaging 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks on .520/.380/.895 shooting over his past 13 games (29.1 MPG)
“His effort and intensity is always there,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “Just continues to grow as a player. Also liked when some guys got going, (Spencer) Dinwiddie, got to put (Eason) on him and slowed him down some. And yeah, did what he does at both ends.”
Here are a few more notes from the Southwest Division:
- Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama is posting career-best averages of 12.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 2.8 APG ahead of restricted free agency this summer. In an interview with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda, the Spanish big man said he has worked to add muscle to his frame and credited the team’s offensive system — and his own improvement — for his output thus far in 2024/25. “The way that we move the ball, just getting more opportunities to actually make some plays,” Aldama told Afseth. “I think that’s, that’s been big, and I think the natural growth. I’m still super young, so I feel like every year, I’m just getting better.”
- Veteran swingman Bruce Brown has struggled mightily since he was traded to the Pelicans ahead of last month’s deadline, but he had a solid performance in Tuesday’s victory over the Clippers, notching 12 points, five rebounds and five assists (no turnovers). “It was good,” Brown said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “As you all know, I’ve been struggling with the transition. So for my confidence, this helps a lot. Still, I’m learning. I’ve got to keep going. Being aggressive and making my shots. I think that’s the biggest key for me — making my shots and continuing to put my work in.” Brown, who will be an unrestricted free agent in a few months, is shooting just 32.4% from the floor in 12 games with New Orleans, including 16.7% from long distance.
- Due to the shocking trade of Luka Doncic and the ensuing tidal wave of injuries, most notably losing Kyrie Irving to a torn ACL, the Mavericks hold the top spot on Zach Harper of The Athletic‘s “Misery Index.” The injury-ravaged Pelicans also make an appearance, coming in at fourth on the five-team list.
Pacific Notes: Sabonis, Kings, Lakers, Reaves, Suns, Plumlee
Friday’s loss to Phoenix was the latest in a string of ugly defeats for the Kings, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. The Kings were blown out for the third game in a row and have now dropped four straight and five of their past six.
“I expected a way better performance out of our guys,” interim head coach Doug Christie said to open his postgame press conference.
Opposing teams have been feasting from behind the arc of late against Sacramento, which gave up a season-high 24 three-pointers to the Suns and made only eight of their own. As Biderman notes in another story, things went from bad to worse in the fourth quarter, when star center Domantas Sabonis appeared to aggravate the left hamstring injury that had sidelined him for the past six games.
“I think he wanted to continue to play,” Christie said. “But (there’s) no conversation. Sit down. When I see you do that, I’m not even playing around with that one. You are way too important to us.”
The Kings, who are currently the No. 9 seed in the West, have dropped to .500 at 33-33 and are only one game up on Dallas and 2.5 games ahead of Phoenix as they vie for a postseason spot.
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- Prior to Friday’s game in Denver, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes all have a good chance to suit up within the next week, tweets Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet. “They’re all very close to returning,” Redick said. James has missed the past three games with a groin strain, while Hachimura and Hayes are battling knee injuries. The Lakers wound up losing their fourth straight game to conclude their road trip.
- Austin Reaves was a bright spot for the Lakers in their shorthanded road loss to the Nuggets, as Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times relays. Reaves wasn’t sure whether he’d play after injuring his right wrist on Thursday in Milwaukee, but he wound up recording 37 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and four steals in 39 minutes. “We know when we’re full healthy and got everybody on the team that we have a really good chance to beat anybody,” Reaves said. “I just see this group, coming together, locking in on one common goal and that’s to win. And tonight I think is the biggest testament to that. Very shorthanded and went and played a really good basketball team with probably the best player in the world. And went toe to toe and had an opportunity to win it and just didn’t execute the last 50 seconds.”
- Suns star Kevin Durant credited the play and professionalism of Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro following Friday’s victory over Sacramento, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter video link). “It was incredible. … Love playing with those guys and it’s something we need to build on,” Durant said. “We’ve been talking about it for so long, but each game matters, every possession matters. They came out there with that type of mindset.” Both rookies have been in and out of the rotation over the past month.
- Suns backup center Mason Plumlee was ejected for the second straight game on Friday after elbowing Sabonis in the neck area (YouTube link via ESPN). The play was reviewed and Plumlee’s actions were deemed “unnecessary and excessive with contact above the shoulders,” leading to a flagrant 2 foul and automatic ejection. Plumlee was also ejected from Wednesday’s game vs. Houston after a brief scuffle with Steven Adams.
Heat Notes: Wiggins, Ware, Losing Streak, Takeaways
Former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins says he’s still getting adjusted to an expanded offensive role with the Heat, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Wiggins’ brief tenure with Miami has already been interrupted by a right ankle sprain, causing him to miss five games, having returned for the past two.
“It has been great,” Wiggins said of his increased usage rate. “It’s something I love to do. I love getting the ball, driving, just doing whatever I can to help the team win, most importantly.
“Just getting adjusted, getting situated. Just trying to figure out all the sets and picking my spots on the floor and building up that chemistry. Seeing what everyone likes to do, everyone’s spots. But it’s coming along.”
Wiggins, who was acquired from Golden State in the Jimmy Butler trade, says it takes time to build chemistry with new teammates, but he’s confident he’ll figure it out.
“I feel like I will get better with each game, experience just as the chemistry builds, especially around these guys,” Wiggins said. “I feel like I will be better.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Rookie center Kel’el Ware has been a bright spot amid a disappointing season, but he struggled in the past two outings against larger centers in Mark Williams and Ivica Zubac. As Chiang writes for The Herald, Ware didn’t play at all in the second half of Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers. For his part, Ware says he’s “rolling with the punches” of the ups and downs of his debut campaign. “Those are guys who have been in the league for a minute and I’m still learning through it,” Ware said. “So I don’t really think it’s tough. I just think it’s more of a lesson to learn, look back on it and get better next year.”
- In another story, Chiang shares his takeaways from Wednesday’s defeat, which extended the Heat’s losing streak to a season-high five games. Second-round pick Pelle Larsson was one of the bright spots for the team in a game in which Miami was outplayed from start to finish, per Chiang.
- The Heat’s next five games are against teams with winning records and Miami has struggled in those situations clubs all season, according to Chiang. The team is in danger of dropping eight games below .500 for the first time since 2016/17, Chiang notes. “We just got to stay with it,” All-Star guard Tyler Herro said. “I know it’s getting old hearing that. But that’s our job is to stick with it. I think these last couple games, our spirit hasn’t been at the level it needs to be. Obviously, wins and losses can affect emotionally. But I feel like right now is a time when we need to come closer, be as close as we’ve ever been from top to bottom. Being able to come in and just lean on each other, try to turn this thing around.”
And-Ones: Flagg, 2025 Draft, Hayes, Kaminsky, Records, RoY
Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft, sustained a left ankle injury after corralling a rebound and landing on an opponent’s foot in the first half on Thursday vs. Georgia Tech (YouTube link via ESPN).
Flagg was eventually helped to the locker room with the assistance of teammates, and while he was later ruled out for the remainder of the contest, he was at least able to return to the bench to cheer on the comeback victory.
“He sprained his ankle,” head coach Jon Scheyer said (Twitter link via Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com). “X-rays were negative, which is great. We just have to understand there’s going to be swelling and to see how he recovers and how he goes from there.”
In their latest 2025 mock draft for ESPN.com, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (Insider link) unsurprisingly have Flagg going first overall (to Washington). Two other Blue Devils — center Khaman Maluach and wing Kon Knueppel — also go in the lottery, coming off the board with back-to-back picks (seventh and eighth overall, respectively).
UConn’s Liam McNeeley is the final lottery pick of ESPN’s mock, going 14th to Atlanta (via Sacramento), while South East Melbourne forward Malique Lewis is the last player selected at No. 59 (Cleveland). Lewis, who spent last season in the G League with the Mexico City Capitanes, grew up in Trinidad and Tobago.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Killian Hayes has rejoined the Long Island Nets following a 10-day contract with Brooklyn, the G League team announced today in a press release. The former lottery pick averaged 9.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds in six games with Brooklyn from February 20 – March 1. He has spent most of ’24/25 with Long Island.
- Veteran NBA big man Frank Kaminsky is no longer on the Raptors 905 roster, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, who points out (via Twitter) that the former Wisconsin star has been battling a knee injury and recently announced he and his wife are expecting a child. Kaminsky, who spent last season in Serbia, last played in the NBA with Houston in ’22/23. The 31-year-old appeared in 23 regular season games with Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate in ’24/25, averaging 12.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 4.1 APG on .483/.349/.769 shooting in 26.8 MPG.
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst takes a look at some of the NBA’s most unbreakable records. Some records are season-long (Wilt Chamberlain for multiple statistics in ’61/62), some are career-long (Moses Malone‘s 6,731 offensive rebounds), and some are for a single game.
- Zach Harper of The Athletic checks in on the underwhelming Rookie of the Year race. Harper currently has Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells as his top choice for the award, followed by Spurs guard Stephon Castle and Wells’ teammate Zach Edey.
Paul George Weighing Treatment Options For Injuries
Sixers forward Paul George is meeting with doctors this week to determine the best course of action to treat his groin and knee injuries, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that surgery is among the options being considered.
A decision on which path to take is expected to be made early next week, sources tell Charania.
While he hasn’t yet been formally ruled out for the remainder of 2024/25 like Joel Embiid was, Charania reports that “George is likely headed down the same route,” so he is unlikely to suit up again this season.
George, 34, has missed Philadelphia’s past four games with a left groin injury. During preseason, he hyperextended his left knee, causing him to miss the first five games of the season, then had a similar injury in November, which cost him three more games. He has also been battling tendon damage in his left pinky finger since January.
About a month ago, Charania reported that George had been receiving painkilling injections to deal with his various injuries, which the nine-time All-Star later confirmed.
George has been limited to 41 games this season due to the aforementioned injuries and hasn’t replicated his typical production when he has played, averaging just 16.2 points per contest, his lowest mark in a full season since ’11/12. His three-point percentage (.358) is also well below his career rate (.383).
George, who has made six All-NBA and four All-Defensive appearances in 15 seasons, signed a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the 76ers as a free agent last summer. Philadelphia entered the season with championship aspirations, but has consistently been at the bottom of the standings in ’24/25, starting out 2-12. After dropping 15 of their past 18 games, the Sixers are currently just 22-43.
The Sixers’ 2025 first-round pick will head to Oklahoma City if it drops outside the top six, but they’ll keep the selection if it lands within the protected range (Nos. 1-6). Philadelphia is currently tied with Brooklyn for the fifth-worst record in the NBA.
Hornets Notes: Williams, Salaün, Bridges
It has been a whirlwind season for Hornets center Mark Williams, who was technically traded to the Lakers ahead of last month’s deadline only to see the deal rescinded by Los Angeles for what the team called medical concerns. Williams says he has moved on from that period of uncertainty, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
“That was definitely a crazy time for me, but I think I’m past it,” said Williams. “Just trying to play the season out as hard as I can and dominate. I don’t think it does me any good to continue to harp on that situation.”
Williams says he has received support from people who know him well.
“Yeah, it’s been great,” Williams said. “Obviously, my teammates have been super supportive. My teammates, it’s obviously going to be easy with them. It’s not like they are the ones in front offices or anything. I would say being around them always makes it easier. Coaches, and then my people around me, like my family.”
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- Viewed as a project entering the 2024 draft, No. 6 overall pick Tidjane Salaün has predictably struggled in some ways during his rookie campaign, Boone writes in another story. The 19-year-old French forward has converted just 31.9% of his field goals attempts. Head coach Charles Lee says Salaün needs to be more consistent but is pleased with his effort. “I think he’s done a great job of progressing throughout the whole year,” Lee said. “He’s had his ups and downs, but through it all, he continues to just show great flashes. … I look forward to just more consistency from him. The kid works extremely hard, the care factor is there. He’s going to continue to get better. I know it.”
- Although it has largely been a disappointing season in Charlotte, with injuries once again a major cause for concern, the play and leadership of Miles Bridges have been bright spots, according to Boone. Bridges, who signed a three-year, $75MM contract with the Hornets last summer, missed the entire ’22/23 season after being charged with three felonies following an alleged assault of his former girlfriend and mother of his two children in front of them. He initially pleaded not guilty, but reached a plea deal for three years of probation and no jail time, ultimately entering a plea of no contest to one felony count of injuring a child’s parent. The NBA later suspended him for 30 games, with 20 of those considered retroactive for missing all of ’22/23.
- In case you missed it, in addition to their own selection, which would currently be No. 33 overall, the Hornets also control the Pelicans’ 2025 second-round pick, which is projected to be No. 34.
Wizards’ Coulibaly Out 4-6 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Second-year forward Bilal Coulibaly sustained a right hamstring injury in the first quarter of Monday’s game vs. Toronto and will miss about four-to-six weeks, the Wizards announced in a press release (Twitter link).
According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter links), Wizards officials say Coulibaly was diagnosed with a hamstring strain after undergoing an MRI.
While he hasn’t been formally ruled out for the rest of the season, Washington’s schedule concludes on April 13 — four-and-a-half weeks from now — and the team says the injury will be treated conservatively. Reading between the lines, Coulibaly has likely played his last game of ’24/25.
The injury, which was original labeled a hip contusion, will not require surgery, per Robbins. Coulibaly is expected to remain with the Wizards as he recuperates, Robbins adds.
Coulibaly was the seventh overall pick of the 2023 draft after playing with friend Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitans 92 in France during the ’22/23 campaign. He was one of the youngest players in the class, as he didn’t turn 19 until a month after he was selected.
Coulibaly averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks in 59 games during his second season. He started each appearance, averaging 33.0 MPG, with a shooting slash line of .421/.281/.746.
It’s a disappointing likely end to Coulibaly’s season, particularly after his rookie campaign also ended prematurely due to injury — he sustained a right wrist fracture last March, ultimately appearing in 63 games in ’23/24.
Coulibaly, who won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics as a role player for France, was named to the Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend this season. While his efficiency took a hit in ’24/25 due to a more difficult shot profile, the Wizards reportedly remain bullish on his upside.
Grizzlies Sign Lamar Stevens For Rest Of Season
The Grizzlies have signed forward Lamar Stevens for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, the team announced today in a press release (via Twitter).
Stevens just spent the past 20 days with Memphis on a pair of back-to-back 10-day contracts. The 27-year-old has appeared in six games this season with the Grizzlies, averaging 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per contest.
Prior to his promotion, Stevens had been playing in the G League with the Motor City Cruise. In 29 combined games for Detroit’s NBAGL affiliate in ’24/25, Stevens averaged 17.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks in 34.0 minutes, with a shooting slash line of .438/.328/.744.
A five-year veteran, Stevens got his NBA start with Cleveland after going undrafted out of Penn State in 2020. He spent his first three seasons with the Cavs, then played for the Celtics and Grizzlies last season.
While the Grizzlies elected not to re-sign Stevens in the 2024 offseason, clearly they still like his game, since he’s back to conclude ’24/25. He’ll provide energy, toughness and solid defense off the bench for a team hoping to make a deep playoff run.
Stevens will continue to occupy the 15th spot on the Grizzlies’ standard roster, which is now full.