Northwest Notes: Jokic, Wallace, Conley, Clingan
Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic helped bolster his MVP case with a monster performance on Thursday against the Kings, recording 35 points along with season highs of 22 rebounds and 17 assists. His 22 rebounds matched a career high while his 17 assists were one shy of tying his best-ever mark. Everything seemed to be going right for the three-time MVP in Thursday’s game, which included him making a full-court heave, writes The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.
“I think this is the best basketball of my life, that I have ever played. I’m feeling good out there,” Jokic said. “I’m in shape. The ball is going in. I’m feeling good. I think I can influence the game on different levels.”
The Nuggets have won 10 of their last 11 games and Jokic has put up a triple-double in each of his last five appearances. He’s now averaging a triple-double on the season, putting up 30.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game on a .564/.479/.814 shooting line.
“If no one’s ever done it … I’m just gonna say ‘historical,’” coach Michael Malone said, per The Sacramento Bee’s David Caraccio. “You think about his 10 years here, you think about the three MVPs, you think about the championship, the finals MVP — and this is the best season he’s ever had. And that’s saying a lot.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Thunder second-year guard Cason Wallace is known for his tremendous defensive intensity, but as Rylan Stiles of Thunder on SI writes, he has a second elite trait. Wallace is an effective cutter, ranking in the 94th percentile in the league while shooting 63% at the rim. “He has done a great job of embracing the system,” head coach Mark Daigneault said. “Early on it was a pretty narrow role offensively, it was dunker work, it was rolling, it was cutting. Now he is starting to find a little bit more with the ball in his hands.“
- The Timberwolves haven’t hit the same highs as last season after trading Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the fall. In an interview with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, point guard Mike Conley spoke about the team’s budding chemistry and what it might take for Minnesota to turn it around, among other topics. “I think it took them probably a better part of half a season to figure out KAT and [Rudy Gobert] before I got here,” Conley said. “They went through growing pains, and we’re in that same scenario now with adding new people into our lineups. It takes a minute. It doesn’t happen overnight. We added Julius and Donte literally in training camp. It led to a lot of ripples through who we are, offensively and defensively. I think we’re making a lot of progress.“
- Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan made his return to the lineup on Friday against Charlotte (originally announced via the team on Twitter) after missing five games with an ankle sprain. He recorded four points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in his return.
Heat Notes: Ware, Larsson, Rozier, Butler, Rivers
Heat first-year center Kel’el Ware is quietly moving up the rookie rankings and is now seen as a favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. He started the second half of a blowout win against the Spurs on Jan. 19, scoring 25 points, and has since been promoted to the starting lineup alongside Bam Adebayo, allowing the latter to slide down to the four spot.
“It was working,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of starting the pair together, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst (Insider link). “There’s a lot of complex decisions that we’re trying to make. If there’s something that’s obvious, and it’s working in a big way, let’s do it.”
In his three games getting extended looks next to Adebayo, Ware is averaging 22.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per night while shooting 52.9% from the field and launching 6.0 three-point attempts per game. Really, his improvement’s been on display since the start of the month. In 13 games in January, he’s averaging 13.6 PPG and 7.0 RPG. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a player who didn’t often see many minutes in 2024.
“There’s not a better organization for him to have gone to than that one,” a Western Conference scout told ESPN.
We have more from the Heat:
- Another Heat rookie got a chance to stand out as Pelle Larsson was elevated to the starting lineup on Thursday against the Bucks, as observed by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson (Twitter link). Larsson took over Jimmy Butler‘s starting position with the six-time All-Star suspended by the team, supplanting Jaime Jaquez Jr., who had claimed that spot during Butler’s previous suspension. Larsson quickly got into foul trouble, however, and only played 14 minutes. He’s averaging 4.3 points in 27 games this year.
- Terry Rozier is a “strong believer” that his and the Heat’s play will turn around during the second half of the season, according to HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch. Rozier admitted that it has been a challenge adjusting his style of play this year. “When we look at last year, I probably got 8-10 ball screens a game. Now I probably don’t get more than one to two ball screens,” Rozier said. “And it’s not a knock on anybody. We obviously have players who we’re mainly worried about. And we’re trying to get active and we’re trying to get going. So I’m just trying to find my ways, find my rhythm. And it’s been kind of, it’s been kind of tough this season. But I think right now where I’m at, my headspace and everything, I kind of know what I want to do and how I can help this team go forward.”
- There’s a myriad of potential outcomes for the Heat’s standoff with Butler, Ira Winderman of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel writes. It would be a win for Butler if he ends up in his preferred destination, Phoenix, while the Heat would come away victorious if they obtained their ideal trade package by moving him. Rolling suspensions, paying him not to play, and a messy summer could all come into play if Butler isn’t moved at the deadline, Winderman writes.
- Bucks head coach Doc Rivers offered some sympathies to Spoelstra in regard to the Butler dilemma on Thursday before the two teams squared off. “I just hope they find a way through it,” Rivers said, per Winderman (Twitter link). “I feel terrible for Spo. There’s no winning for Spo.” As Winderman relays, Rivers noted that he dealt with a similar situation with Ben Simmons in Philadelphia.
Southwest Notes: Zion, McCollum, Sengun, Wembanyama, Edey
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson made his debut with the Pelicans five years ago as of Wednesday, and there have been plenty of highs and lows during that five-year stretch, write Christian Clark and William Guillory of The Athletic. Specifically, Williamson’s missed 230 of a potential 424 regular season games since he entered the league, calling into question just how high New Orleans’ ceiling can be with him.
Clark and Guillory opine that the Pelicans have done well to surround Williamson with talent, but health and availability have always hindered the team even when its star player has been healthy. Williamson seems to be taking a step forward this season, especially defensively, and he’s averaging 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per contest.
Clark and Guillory agree that the Pelicans need to make decisions on the Brandon Ingram situation and the coaching staff before they seriously weigh Williamson’s future in New Orleans.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- CJ McCollum is shouldering the scoring load for the Pelicans during their four-game win streak, Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. McCollum recorded 45 points in an overtime win against the Jazz on Monday after scoring 26 in a victory over Utah last Friday.
- Rockets center Alperen Sengun remains on a strong career trajectory, helping lead Houston to a 29-14 record this season. After winning 42 combined games in Sengun’s first two years in the NBA, the Rockets went 41-41 last season and are now on a 55-win pace in 2024/25, continuing their ascent. In an in-depth interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Sengun opened up about his past and what he thinks has changed for Houston. “Opportunity, and (head coach) Ime (Udoka) believing in me,” Sengun said of his impressive development. “That was the biggest reason. He’s shown me that multiple times — last year, this year. He always trusted me. And that’s one of the things in life. You want to find someone that has trust in you.“
- The Spurs paved the way for Victor Wembanyama‘s success with their history of investing in their players and their track record of international player development, Michael C. Wright of ESPN writes. “The organization has proven over and over they’re willing and they’re doing the right things,” Wembanyama said. “The most important thing is trust and also communication. It’s a balance and the will [between both parties] to keep that balance over the years. This is what’s going to pay off.”
- Zach Edey‘s offensive numbers are down and it’s because the Grizzlies are hoping to expand his game beyond being a traditional back-to-the-basket guy, Damichael Cole of Memphis’s Commercial Appeal writes. “Everybody’s got a different role to do,” Edey said. “My role has changed through the year. Just trying to buy into that role. Buy into being an elite rebounder, buying into being an elite rim protector, buying into being a spacer and cutter more than I’ve ever been used to. If it helps the team win, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Nets Notes: Durant, Johnson, Clowney, Watford, Williams
Ahead of the Suns‘ game in Brooklyn on Wednesday, former Nets star Kevin Durant reflected on his time with the organization. According to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, Durant said the two biggest factors for why the Nets build with Kyrie Irving and James Harden didn’t work out was the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries that kept the trio from playing together often.
“That first year when James got here halfway through the season was some of the most incredible basketball that I’ve seen, I played in,” Durant said. “But more so than anything — in the locker room, the bus rides, the plane rides, the hotels — that was the culture we were building. A lot of people didn’t get to see it, but I wish they could have. It was special.”
“You see so many fans who still remember those times and appreciate it — even though we went through a lot of dysfunction, I guess you could call it, for lack of a better term. But regardless of that, a lot of people still supported and still came out, cheered loud as hell for the game of basketball and for the Nets,” Durant said. “It was here in this borough of Brooklyn, the little brother. It was always fun being a little brother and representing the little brother in the city.”
Durant eventually requested a trade from the Nets and was moved to Phoenix at the 2023 deadline in exchange for Mikal Bridges (whom they later flipped to New York), Cameron Johnson (who is on the trade block), and several draft picks. Durant expressed positive feelings for the franchise, Lewis writes in another story.
“Definitely, I want to see this franchise do well,” Durant said. “What is it, 12 or 13 picks that they’ve got? Assets, that’s the most important thing with a rebuilding group is the assets. The product on the floor, it might be inconsistent some games. They beat us early in the season and looked great, and then you lose to the Clippers by 40 or 50 and that might not look great.
“But when you look at the big picture, you’ve got young guys that are getting experience and playing time. You’re building assets and getting future picks. And hopefully you can draft well, put the team together well. So I think they’re walking in the right direction. I think the fans definitely want to see some great basketball on the floor, and I think it’s coming for this team.”
We have more from the Nets:
- One could make the case that Johnson could fit in on any of the NBA’s 30 teams, making him one of the most coveted players on the trade block ahead of the deadline, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Johnson is averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 41.9% from three this season. As we’ve written, the Nets are thought to maintain a high asking price for Johnson.
- After enjoying a hot streak from beyond the arc in late December, Noah Clowney has been misfiring on his shot in recent weeks, Lewis observes. Clowney has knocked down just 33.3% of his shots, including 30.8% of his three-point tries, in January. “The shots I was getting [lately] were not as easy as I had been getting. The shots I was getting before were a lot easier,” Clowney said. “The shots I’m getting now are still easy, though. I’ve got to go out and make some of them. It ain’t much to it.” How the second-year big man handles this adversity will be telling, Lewis opines.
- Trendon Watford has missed the last 19 games for the Nets due to a hamstring injury, but it sounds like he’s inching closer to a return. According to Lewis (Twitter link), Watford is progressing well and has been cleared for contact. Meanwhile, Ziaire Williams is day-to-day with an ankle injury. A starter for 16 games, Williams missed Brooklyn’s past two contests.
Northwest Notes: Williams, SGA, Gordon, Dillingham
The Thunder continue to deal with major injuries, including playing chunks of the season without Isaiah Hartenstein and nearly all of it without Chet Holmgren. Part of the reason Oklahoma City is staying afloat – far above and beyond in fact – is the play of Jaylin Williams, Rylan Stiles of Thunder on SI writes.
“First off, he has become a leader. Always doing the right things, just trying to win games by any means necessary,” teammate Isaiah Joe said. “He is a very smart player. He is willing to play hard, does all the little things and wants to win at all cost no matter what it takes.”
Williams is averaging 5.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 16 outings. He has started Oklahoma City’s past four contests with Hartenstein and Holmgren both sidelined, averaging 8.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG during that stretch.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got over the 50-point threshold for the first time in his career on Wednesday, scoring a career-high 54 points. According to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman, Wednesday’s game was a byproduct of Gilgeous-Alexander’s mentality shifting. “I think this season I’ve taken a leap in my mental. In the past, I’ve been hyper focused on efficiency, and in moments I would — not defer, but I would be conscious of it, and I think it would like affect my decision making,” the Thunder star said. “And this year, I think I’ve got over the hump of not worrying about efficiency. Like, I’m just playing.“
- Aaron Gordon fortifying the second unit might be key to the back half of the Nuggets‘ season, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports opines (Twitter link). In each of Denver’s last four wins, superstar Nikola Jokic played fewer than 31 minutes. After returning from a nine-game absence, Gordon came off the bench in each of his past six games. According to Matt Moore of Action Network HQ (Twitter link), head coach Michael Malone said Gordon told him he’d be fine with coming off the bench for the foreseeable future if that’s what’s best for the team. Gordon is a combined plus-50 in Denver’s last five victories.
- Timberwolves rookie Rob Dillingham expressed that he’s ready to take on a heavier workload, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski writes. “I’ve always played. I never had to go through where I’m not playing, especially because of injury,” said Dillingham, who recently returned from an ankle sprain. “It was new to me. But I just had to sit back and realize why it was happening, then take my time off and get ready for when I do get in the game, just like now.” The 2024 lottery pick out of Kentucky is averaging 4.8 points in 9.7 minutes per game across 19 appearances this season.
NBA Unveils 2025 All-Star Game Starters
The 2025 All-Star Game starters were revealed on Thursday during Inside the NBA’s pregame show and confirmed by the NBA on social media (Twitter links).
In the Eastern Conference, a pair of Knicks made the cut, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns – in his first season in New York – earning nods. Joining Brunson in the backcourt is Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, while Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo secured frontcourt spots.
Lakers star LeBron James extended his all-time record to 21 consecutive All-Star selections in the Western Conference. Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accounted for the backcourt spots in the West while Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets and Kevin Durant of the Suns joined James as frontcourt starters.
The starters are selected by a weighted voting process with the fan vote accounting for half of the final outcome. The player and media portions of the vote each counted for 25 percent. Three frontcourt players and two guards were selected from each conference.
The reserves, who are picked by the league’s coaches, will be announced on Jan. 30. LaMelo Ball of the Hornets narrowly missed out on being a starter after ranking first in the fan vote, having finished third in player voting and seventh in the media vote. The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama also barely missed out, finishing second in media voting but fourth for both players and fans.
Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Booker, Norman Powell, Anthony Davis, Jalen Williams, Alperen Sengun, Trae Young, Damian Lillard, Cade Cunningham, Darius Garland, Tyrese Maxey, Tyler Herro, Evan Mobley and Jaylen Brown are among the names who could be voted in as reserves.
The 74th NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16 will feature a new format, complete with a mini-tournament composed of four teams and three games. Two teams will meet in a semifinal while the other two will play in another. The victors in each of those games will meet in a final. The winner of each game is the first to 40 points.
The format change means that the 10 players named starters on Thursday won’t be the only players who actually start on All-Star Sunday. The 24 players ultimately named All-Stars will be split among three eight-man teams, with the roster’s drafted by Inside the NBA’s Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley.
The draft will air on Feb. 6 on TNT. The fourth team of eight players will be made up of the winning team from the Rising Stars event.
The four teams participating in the NBA All-Star Game will compete for a prize pool of $1.8 million. Each player on the team that wins the final will receive $125,000, while members of the second-place team earn $50,000. Players on the third- and fourth-place teams will receive $25,000.
The full voting results can be found here.
Southeast Notes: Wizards Core, Magic, Hunter, Capela, Heat
Success for the Wizards this season isn’t necessarily going to be measured in wins or losses. Their young core being enough to lift them to a postseason berth would have been greatly exciting, but an accelerated timeline isn’t all that common. Instead, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, this Washington season was always going to be about seeing which young players are worth building around.
The Wizards have dedicated their season to investing huge minutes to four players who are under the age of 22: Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George.
“I think it’s great that they’re going through it,” coach Brian Keefe said. “That’s how you learn. You get out there, and you go through it. You experience it. All these things are new learning experiences.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Magic feel confident for the second half of the season with the team getting healthier overall, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Orlando recently saw Paolo Banchero return from an extended absence and Franz Wagner is set to return on Thursday. “It’s been long overdue,” Gary Harris said of the team getting healthier. “That’s something that we’ve been anxious for. The injuries that have happened this season haven’t been ideal, but we’ve been able to tread water and keep our ahead afloat.“
- Orlando lost its last four games and six of the past seven. The looming returns will obviously help matters, but the Magic are also looking to the past for confidence, Beede writes in a separate post. The Magic began Banchero’s rookie season at 5-20 before going on a 29-24 stretch in the middle of the season. Last year the team slumped before winning 13 of its following 16 games after getting players back from injury.
- De’Andre Hunter erupted this season for the Hawks in his sixth season, averaging a career-high 19.1 points and 40.5% clip from three off the bench. He explained what has contributed to his breakout year to HoopHype’s Michael Scotto in a recent interview. “I think we’re playing a lot differently this year,” Hunter said. “We’re definitely moving the ball a lot more. We’re getting out in transition a lot more. As far as my role, coming off the bench has been a different role. I think I’m looked at as the playmaker or scorer in that second unit. That’s the expectation. I think I can score pretty well, so it’s not too hard for me.“
- Hawks center Clint Capela was added to the injury report Thursday and is out against the Raptors with knee soreness, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren L. Williams (Twitter link). Capela has played in two games since becoming a full-time bench player, averaging 14.0 points and 9.5 rebounds. Capela continues to be monitored on the trade market by rival teams, per Scotto.
- The Heat‘s Thursday game against the Bucks was delayed by one hour due to icy conditions in New Orleans that delayed the Bucks’ flight to Milwaukee, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson (Twitter link). Tip is now set for 8:30 p.m. EST as opposed to its previously scheduled 7:30 start time.
Eastern Notes: Butler, Harper, Achiuwa, Raptors
Jimmy Butler returned to the Heat from his team-issued suspension amid his trade request, but nothing has really changed for the star, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. The Heat haven’t gained any momentum in their trade discussions so far, but will continue to try to fulfill Butler’s request before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
Butler scored 18 points in a 20-point loss on Friday in his return to action.
“I guess it’s basketball at this point,” Butler said. “I know what I’m expected to do while I’m here. I tried to do that to the best of my ability, but we are where we are.”
According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, Butler was asked what would happen if he’s still on Miami’s roster after the Feb. 6 deadline passes. “We’ll hoop,” the 35-year-old replied.
“There was a lot said by everybody except for me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after the game, per Reynolds. “So we’ll let people keep talking like they know everything, like they have all the answers. And then sooner or later, the whole truth will come out. But until then, we’ll continue to let people talk. And if I’m here, I will get out there and play.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Pistons signed Ron Harper Jr. to a two-way contract on Jan. 6, giving him a roster spot on the team he grew up idolizing, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. Harper’s father was an assistant coach in Detroit from 2005-07. “Those are like my first core basketball memories,” said the younger Harper, who has yet to appear in an NBA game with the Pistons but is averaging 12.7 points per game in 18 G League outings this season.
- With Karl-Anthony Towns dealing with an injury, Precious Achiuwa is playing key minutes for the Knicks. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Achiuwa is confident he’s an elite defender in the league. “It’s been an up-and-down season for me just in terms of getting hurt, coming back, playing a little, playing a lot. A lot of things in between,” Achiuwa said. “[But] if you know how to play, you know how to play. Center, power forward — whatever the case is.“
- The anniversary of the Pascal Siakam trade to the Pacers means the traded player exception the Raptors received — that had $5.1MM remaining — officially expired, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca writes. They used part of the exception to absorb Davion Mitchell‘s salary in the move that sent Jalen McDaniels to the Kings and brought Mitchell, Jamal Shead, and a 2025 second round pick to Toronto. Murphy also takes a closer look at the Raptors’ cap situation, noting that they continue to operate more than $10MM below the tax line, creating some flexibility at the trade deadline.
Pacific Notes: Richards, Russell, Christie, Ballmer
The Suns addressed a position of need by trading for Nick Richards on Wednesday, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes. According to Bourguet, the Suns value the Kentucky product for his athleticism, defense, rebounding and size, along with the fact that he’s under contract for next season at a team-friendly price (a non-guaranteed $5MM).
In recent games, Phoenix has been at a disadvantage on the offensive glass, which Richards will help address. The former Hornet is averaging 8.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 56.1% from the field in 21 games (nine starts) this season.
Suns players and coaches expressed excitement about being able to add Richards into their organization, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Head coach Mike Budenholzer said Richards was expected to meet the team Friday in Detroit and that he foresees the center making his Suns debut Saturday against the Pistons.
“We’re excited about adding Nick and what he can bring to our team and how he can impact the game defensively around the rim,” Budenholzer said. “On the boards on both ends of the court. Screen setter. Just that kind of seven-foot size, athleticism can always be impactful.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- On Friday, ahead of his first matchup with the Lakers after being traded back to Brooklyn, D’Angelo Russell expressed that he was appreciative of his time with Los Angeles, but that he was ready to move on, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). He called his second stint with the Lakers a “blur.” Russell scored 19 points, six rebounds and eight assists in the matchup on Friday night but missed a potential game winner.
- Kings head coach Doug Christie is a massive part of the franchise’s history, having been a key starter and contributor for the 2001/02 Sacramento team that fell in the Western Conference Finals to the Lakers. Now, under the interim Christie, the Kings have climbed from 13-19 to 21-20 and are firmly back in the postseason picture following the departure of coach Mike Brown. The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson explores Christie’s journey from his tenure as a player to his time as an assistant for the team beginning in 2021.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie Ballmer, co-founders of the Ballmer Group, pledged an initial $15MM to help combat the Los Angeles wildfires, they announced on their website. “We love L.A. and are committed to supporting the communities affected by the devastating wildfires,” the statement reads. “In coordination with our local partners, Ballmer Group will contribute to addressing immediate food and shelter needs in the community and supporting our first responders. … We’ve dedicated an initial $15 million in emergency funding for the many people impacted by these fires, particularly in the historic, racially diverse community of Altadena.” The full list of organizations and efforts they’re providing support for can be found on their site.
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Dillingham, Murray, Westbrook, Simons
For the second time in three seasons, the Timberwolves have struggled to develop chemistry following a massive offseason trade, Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes.
“It’s an adjustment, but we want to be winning games while we’re figuring it out,” Julius Randle said. “We show phases of being able to do that.”
MacMahon explores the various reasons for Minnesota’s troubles, including defensive slippage from last season, a lack of ball movement, and statistical regressions from top players.
After a career year for the Knicks last season, guard Donte DiVincenzo in particular hasn’t adapted as quickly to Minnesota. However, it seems as though DiVincenzo has turned a corner since mid-December, averaging 15.5 points per game on 43.7% shooting from deep in his last 15 games.
“It’s a mental game of just being aggressive and just going out there and being myself,” DiVincenzo said, who is now out with a toe injury. “There’s no secret behind that for me. When I’m passive, I’m not my best self.”
Despite DiVincenzo and others turning around their individual games, the Wolves continue to have an up-and-down season. They’re fresh off a 17-point win against the Knicks, but are 2-2 in their last four, 5-5 in their last 10, and 8-8 in their last 16.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Wolves rookie guard Rob Dillingham returned from an ankle injury on Friday. After not appearing in a game since Dec. 23, Dillingham played over 13 minutes in the win over New York, making four of his six field goal attempts and notching nine points and three assists. “He fire. Everybody know it. The world know it. It just takes time,” teammate Anthony Edwards said, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (Twitter link). “It’s going to happen. … We been missing him the last couple weeks. He just got back out there and showed why he should be playing.”
- The Nuggets‘ season hinges on Jamal Murray continuing to find high-level success, Troy Renck of The Denver Post opines. It seems as though Murray is hitting a stride, racking up 45 points in a 19-point win over Dallas on Tuesday and scoring 30 in a 20-point victory against Miami on Friday.
- Denver is 9-4 in its last 13 games, with Russell Westbrook in the starting lineup as Aaron Gordon recovered from a calf injury and dealt with a minutes restriction upon returning to action. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post explores whether Westbrook will remain a starter once Gordon’s restriction is lifted and, if so, whose spot he’ll take. Westbrook has had his most productive stretch of the season during this stretch, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.2 assists while shooting 51.3% from the field and 38.3% from three.
- Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons went scoreless for the first time since 2021 in a loss to the Clippers on Thursday, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes. Simons is averaging 18.2 points per game on 42.0% shooting this season after putting up 21.7 PPG on 43.9% shooting across the previous two seasons.