Texas Notes: White, Kleber, Rockets, Mavericks Arena
After Spurs guard Derrick White returned on January 30 from his second major toe injury since August, he quickly returned to the impressive level he had been displaying during last summer’s restart in Orlando, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.
The Spurs have been the beneficiaries of White’s improvement. The club is 3-2 since White’s return, as of this writing, and has won three games in a row. At 14-10, San Antonio is the No. 5 seed in a crowded Western Conference field.
There’s more out of the Lone Star State:
- Despite having recovered from a bout with COVID-19, Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber continues to adjust to life on an NBA court, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “I still feel slow,” Kleber said.
- The Rockets will be using a strict load management-style maintenance plan for their three core guards for the indefinite future, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Houston’s starting back court tandem of John Wall and Victor Oladipo, plus sixth man Eric Gordon, will all sit for at least one game in the team’s upcoming back-to-back sets. “It’s something we’ve talked about the last three weeks or so, four weeks maybe,” head coach Stephen Silas said of the plan. “With John and Vic being primary ballhandlers, that makes it a little harder. Now, you add Eric to the mix [of players sitting], it makes it really hard.”
- The Mavericks brought 1,500 first responder fans back into their home arena, the American Airlines Center, for the first time this season during a 127-122 victory over the Timberwolves yesterday, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “The atmosphere was obviously better,” Dallas wing Tim Hardaway Jr. said. The fans were socially distanced within the 19,200-capacity arena.
Jrue Holiday Not Traveling With Bucks To Phoenix
Bucks guard Jrue Holiday was a late scratch on Monday night, having entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols shortly before the team’s game against Denver tipped off. While Holiday’s status going forward remains up in the air, the Bucks indicated after Monday’s contest that he wouldn’t be traveling with the club to Phoenix for Wednesday’s game vs. the Suns, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
A player generally enters the league’s health and safety protocols if someone he has been in contact with tests positive for the virus or if he returns a positive or inconclusive test himself. As Nehm observes, Khris Middleton‘s comments about Holiday after the game suggest this may be a case of the latter.
“Once he tested positive, you immediately think about his health, his safety and then his family back home,” Middleton said of his teammate. “He has little kids too that he has to worry about. So, I think that was a huge part of what was going through my mind before the game. Just thinking about him and his family back home.
“Hopefully, the test may come back negative a couple more times and then it’s just a false positive. Right now, I think that’s the best-case scenario, but I’m sure he’ll be fine no matter what though.”
If Holiday did return a positive test, it’s entirely possible – as Middleton points out – that it could have been a false positive. If that’s the case, registering two negative tests should allow Holiday to be cleared, perhaps even in time for Wednesday’s game.
However, if Middleton is right that Holiday tested positive and that test is ultimately confirmed, the Bucks would be without their starting point guard for at least the next couple weeks or so and could have one or more of their other players tied up in a contact-tracing investigation.
As Nehm notes, the Bucks haven’t run into any major coronavirus-related issues so far this season. Milwaukee’s game on January 22 vs. Washington was postponed, but that was due to several COVID-19 cases among the Wizards. The hope is that Holiday’s time in the league’s health and safety protocols will be brief and won’t affect any of his teammates, but we’ll have to wait for further updates for more clarity.
Central Notes: Bayno, Hutchison, LeVert, Cavs, Holiday
Pacers assistant coach Bill Bayno has resigned due to mental health issues, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Bayno, 58, took a leave of absence two weeks ago. Both of his parents recently passed away and he needed to step away from the pressures and workload of the NBA grind amid the pandemic, Wojnarowski adds. He could return to coaching at some point. The team confirmed his resignation in a press release.
“I appreciate the impact Coach Bayno has had on our players and the Pacers organization over the last five years,” head coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “All of us at the Pacers wish him the very best as he transitions to his next chapter.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Bulls guard Chandler Hutchison is out indefinitely due to personal reasons, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. He’ll continue to be around the team and on the sidelines. Hutchinson played four minutes against Orlando on Friday but only appeared in one game in January after testing positive for the coronavirus.
- Caris LeVert is attending Pacers practices two weeks after undergoing surgery for kidney cancer, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. “He’s obviously in all of our film sessions and our team meetings,” coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “He’s getting there, he’s walking around and that’s a good start.” Acquired in the four-team blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn, LeVert is out indefinitely.
- The Cavaliers’ current road trip could determine the direction of the team for the remainder of the season, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. It could decide their approach to the trade deadline and whether they have a realistic chance at making the postseason.
- Bucks guard Jrue Holiday was declared inactive on Monday due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.
Atlantic Notes: Rose, Durant, Curry, Williams
Derrick Rose, officially acquired from Detroit by the Knicks on Monday, is eager for his second stint in the Big Apple, Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. Rose posted his sentiments on his Instagram account. “Other hoopers always used to tell me that if I ever had the chance to play in the MECCA go for it,” Rose wrote. “I’m getting a second chance. … Got to make this one count. But I’m built for it.” Rose played in New York during the 2016/17 season but the previous regime opted not to re-sign him. The former MVP, who is on an expiring contract, was averaging 14.2 PPG and 4.2 APG as Detroit’s sixth man this season.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Kevin Durant isn’t expected to be available until late this week due to contact tracing but Nets coach Steve Nash said lightheartedly that his superstar forward hasn’t registered any positive coronavirus tests, Malika Andrews of ESPN tweets. “He’s taken about 90 negative tests,” Nash said. Kyrie Irving, who missed the loss to Philadelphia with a sprained right finger, is expected to play against Detroit on Tuesday, Andrews adds.
- Seth Curry was encouraged by his 11-point performance against Brooklyn on Saturday, Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Curry, who missed approximately two weeks last month due to a bout with COVID-19, went scoreless in the Sixers’ previous two games. “I felt a little bit better all night, even in the first half, when I wasn’t making shots, I felt better than I have in the past week or two,” Curry said. “I think the key for me (Saturday) was I was able to get a little of my burst back and have more energy out on the floor offensively and defensively.”
- Grant Williams‘ improved 3-point shooting this season is largely due to better footwork, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. The Celtics forward has made 46.7% of his attempts this season after knocking down just 25% of his long-range shots in his rookie campaign.
Kevin Durant Won’t Rejoin Nets Until Friday
Coach Steve Nash told the media that Kevin Durant will be able to rejoin the Nets on Friday, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. Durant is sidelined due to contact tracing after being with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.
That person is a team employee who Durant was with yesterday, sources tell Andrews (Twitter link). They were together for drives to and from testing and to the arena for last night’s game and didn’t appear to be wearing masks.
Although Durant has continued to test negative, the decision was made that he should quarantine for seven days due to his contact with the employee (Twitter link). All other Nets players and staff have tested negative, including tests conducted after the game (Twitter link).
Nash stated that the person Durant was in contact with isn’t the same one who caused his last quarantine, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). Nash added that he trusts Durant’s judgment, along with all of his players, in matters involving the virus.
Durant will miss three games this week, starting with tonight’s contest in Philadelphia. Brooklyn also plays Tuesday at Detroit before returning home Wednesday against Indiana. If he continues to test negative, Durant’s next game will be his return to Golden State next Saturday.
The Nets are angry over how the NBA handled Durant’s situation, Lewis writes in a full story. The league ruled that Durant had to be scratched from the starting lineup, but then permitted him to play in the first quarter before deciding that he had to leave the game during the third quarter.
“We get tested every single day. He’s been negative, so I don’t understand what the problem is,” James Harden said. “If that was the case, the game should’ve been postponed. If we’re talking about contact tracing, he was around all of us, so I don’t understand why he was wasn’t allowed to play then was able to play and then taken back off.”
Southwest Notes: Lonzo, Valanciunas, Eubanks, Terry
The offensive output of Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball on a given night this season often dictates the team’s overall performance, according to Scott Kushner of the Times-Picayune. The Pelicans are 5-1 when Ball scores at least 16 points in a game. When he scores fewer than 16 points, New Orleans sports a 2-9 record.
“It’s absolutely huge,” Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy said of Ball’s contribution to the club. “I mean he’s got the ball in his hands, controlling the action. When he’s taking care of the ball, making good decisions, and, obviously, knocking down shots, our offense is going to be a lot better.”
There’s more out of the NBA’s Southwest Division:
- The NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols continue to keep Grizzlies starting center Jonas Valanciunas unavailable to play with the team, though he has traveled with the club and appeared on the team bench during recent contests, according to Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Valanciunas has been unavailable since January 17.
- Spurs reserve forward Drew Eubanks recently went through an intense experience with COVID-19, and now seeks to caution others about the risks of the highly variable disease, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “It can really affect people, and you don’t know how it can affect you,” Eubanks said. The virus has limited the 24-year-old third-year big man to just six games this season.
- The Mavericks have sent rookie point guard Tyrell Terry to join the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League ahead of the NBAGL’s Orlando “bubble” season, according to a team tweet. The Mavs’ G League affiliate, the Texas Longhorns, will not be participating in the 18-team 2021 NBAGL season. Dallas drafted Terry with the No. 31 pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of Stanford.
Zero Positive COVID-19 Tests Among Players Since Jan. 27
The NBA has continued to avoid another outbreak of COVID-19 cases for the time being, having recorded no new positive confirmed tests among 482 players since January 27, as Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter).
The league has been announcing its testing results on a weekly basis, and has been trending in the right direction since confirming 16 positive tests on January 13. There were 11 positive tests the following week, one positive test from Jan. 20-27, and now zero over the last week.
That encouraging trend has been reflected in the NBA’s schedule as well. After a flurry of postponed games in mid-January, the league has only had to postpone one game since January 27 — that contest, Monday’s game between the Pistons and Nuggets, was pushed back due to a false positive test result.
2021 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Canceled
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament has been canceled for a second consecutive year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to an official announcement.
The tournament’s organizers indicated in their statement that the decision to cancel 2021’s event was a “very difficult” one. However, it was viewed as a necessary move given the continued declarations of emergency in Portsmouth and the State of Virginia.
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, which has been operating since 1953, typically takes place each April shortly after the college basketball season ends. It’s a four-day, 12-game event that showcases the year’s top college senior prospects.
While the P.I.T. has had to be canceled for two consecutive years, the organizers say they’re optimistic for next year’s tournament and will begin planning for April 2022.
Jimmy Butler, Derrick White, Richaun Holmes, Kendrick Nunn, and Sterling Brown are among the many current NBA players who have taken part in the P.I.T. in previous years.
And-Ones: Australia, Evans, Masks, Free Agency
Ben Simmons heads the list of players named by Basketball Australia to the country’s preliminary Olympic squad, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Among some of the other NBA notables on the 24-player list are Aron Baynes, Joe Ingles, Dante Exum, Matisse Thybulle, Patty Mills, Josh Green, Thon Maker and Matthew Dellavedova. The squad will have to be pared to 12 players for the Olympic tournament in Tokyo this summer.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- The Erie BayHawks waived guard Jacob Evans to make room for forward Jordan Bell, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets. Bell was released from his 10-day contract with the Wizards over the weekend. Evans played for the Warriors and Timberwolves the past two seasons.
- The NBA will soon require players to wear KN95 or KF94 masks on the bench and all other areas where masks are necessary, Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes. The new rule will go into effect over the next week. Starting with games on Friday, the NBA will more strictly enforce current rules regarding the use of face masks, Bontemps adds.
- The Athletic trio of James Edwards III (Pistons), Mike Vorkunov (Knicks) and Chris Kirschner (Hawks) take a closer look at their teams’ free agent moves during the offseason, how well those players have worked out so far, and what those franchises could have done differently.
NBA, NBPA Progressing Toward Agreement On All-Star Game
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are making progress toward an agreement to hold an All-Star Game on Sunday, March 7 in Atlanta, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. If finalized, it would be a single-night event at State Farm Arena that includes both a game and skills competitions, Wojnarowski adds.
The 2021 NBA All-Star weekend was originally scheduled to take place in Indianapolis, but the league postponed it — Indiana will now host the All-Star festivities in 2024.
Chris Paul, the president of the players’ union, has been among those pushing a revamped All-Star Game in Atlanta, which he’d like to use to benefit historically black colleges and universities and COVID-19 relief, Woj notes.
The idea of holding an All-Star Game at all amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has faced “resistance and skepticism” from a number of players and team executives, who view it as an unnecessary risk, according to Wojnarowski.
The safer approach would be to select two All-Star teams but not require players to travel from all over the country to a single site for a game, since one positive test among that group could result in mass postponements around the league at the start of the second half.
Still, the NBA sounds committed to trying to hold an All-Star Game, which is typically one of the league’s top events in terms of fan engagement, Wojnarowski observes. If an agreement can be officially reached, it would include a number of extra safeguards and protocols related to health and safety. Those details are still being negotiated.
The two sides are also believed to be discussing giving players the opportunity to opt out of participating in the game, which is usually mandatory for those selected, sources tell ESPN.