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Pacers’ Tshiebwe Named NBAGL Rookie Of The Year

April 2nd, 2024 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

First-year big man Oscar Tshiebwe, who is on a two-way contract with the Pacers, has been named the NBA G League’s Rookie of the Year for the 2023/24 season, according to an announcement from the league.

An undrafted free agent out of Kentucky, Tshiebwe has only appeared in eight NBA games as a rookie, but had a monster season for the Indiana Mad Ants in the G League, where he began the Showcase Cup in the fall by racking up 33 points and 22 rebounds in his first ever NBAGL outing.

Over the course of 33 total Showcase Cup and regular season games, Tshiebwe averaged 16.4 points per contest and pulled down 532 total rebounds, including 201 offensive boards, setting a new team record. He also established a new high-water mark for rebounds per game in a G League season, averaging 16.2 in 23 regular season appearances.

Tshiebwe was busy at All-Star weekend in Indianapolis in February, competing in both the G League Up Next game and the Rising Stars event.

Because Tshiebwe’s two-way contract with the Pacers only covers a single season, he’ll become eligible for restricted free agency this summer, so Indiana will need to sign him to a new contract in order to keep him around beyond 2023/24.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), Clippers two-way guard Jordan Miller was the runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting, with Sixers two-way guard Ricky Council IV placing third.

Miller averaged 20.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 30.3 minutes per game with a .491/.355/.829 shooting line across 39 total Showcase Cup and G League regular season outings for the Ontario Clippers.

Council, meanwhile, put up 23.8 points per game on .473/.380/.775 shooting to go along with 5.3 RPG and 1.9 APG in 27 Showcase Cup and regular season contests for the Delaware Blue Coats.

Council will also be a restricted free agent this summer, while Miller is on a two-year deal and will remain under contract for 2024/25.

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NBA Announces Finalists For Sportsmanship, Teammate Of The Year Awards

April 2nd, 2024 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced the 2023/24 finalists for a pair of awards on Tuesday, naming the six players who are eligible to win the Sportsmanship Award for this season, as well as the 12 players who are in the running for Teammate of the Year honors.

The Sportsmanship Award honors the player who “best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court,” per the NBA. Each of the league’s 30 teams nominated one of its players for the award, then a panel of league executives narrows that group to six finalists (one from each division) and current players voted for the winner.

The trophy for the Sportsmanship Award is named after Joe Dumars, the Hall-of-Fame guard who won the inaugural award back in ’95/96. This season’s finalists are as follows (via Twitter):

None of this year’s finalists for the Sportsmanship Award have earned the honor in the past, so the 2023/24 winner will be a first-timer. Mike Conley won the award last year for a record fourth time.

Meanwhile, the NBA also announced its finalists for the Teammate of the Year award for 2023/24. According to the league, the player selected for the honor is “deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.”

The voting process is similar to the Sportsmanship Award — a panel of league executives selects 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, then current players vote on the winner.

Like Conley with the Sportsmanship Award, last season’s Teammate of the Year – Jrue Holiday – has the record for most times winning the award (three), but isn’t among the finalists for 2023/24. Of this season’s 12 finalists, the only one to take home the award in the past is Conley, who claimed it in 2019.

The Teammate of the Year finalists finalists are as follows (via Twitter):

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Central Notes: Turner, Portis, Lillard, Vucevic, Bulls

April 2nd, 2024 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers‘ blowout win over Brooklyn on Monday was marred to some extent by an injury sustained by starting center Myles Turner. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, Turner dislocated his right index finger late in the first half. After shooting a pair of free throws left-handed, he headed to the locker room and didn’t return to the game.

Head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the victory that Turner underwent X-rays, which were negative, so the finger doesn’t appear to be fractured. However, it’s unclear whether the big man will be able to play through the injury or if he’ll have to miss some time.

Turner has started 72 of the Pacers’ first 76 games this season, averaging 16.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 27.1 minutes per night. Reserve center Isaiah Jackson started three of the four games Turner missed, while Jalen Smith subbed in for the other. Both Jackson and Smith would be candidates for increased roles if Turner is unavailable for any games going forward.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • Bucks big man Bobby Portis has built a strong case for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award this season due to his versatility, energy, leadership, and strong production off the bench, argues Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. However, as Nickel notes, the award has gone to a shooting guard in 11 of the last 12 years. “I’ve wanted to win it. I’ve been talking about it for, like, five years,” Portis said last week. “Yeah. But they never vote for me though. Because I’m a big man and it is not cool; they told me it’s more of a guard award.”
  • Damian Lillard has been ruled out for the Bucks‘ game in Washington on Tuesday due to a right groin strain, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Lillard also missed Sunday’s contest in Atlanta, though that was said to be for personal reasons.
  • Nikola Vucevic‘s three-point percentage has dipped noticeably in the first season of a three-year contract — his 28.6% mark is his worst since he started regularly attempting outside shots seven years ago. However, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan praised the veteran center for his play this season and indicated he doesn’t believe the 33-year-old’s skills are diminishing. “He’s a consummate professional, he’s incredibly reliable, he’s durable, he’s available, which is the most important thing,” Donovan said. “I know he’s a much, much better shooter than he has shown this year. I really believe that.”
  • Despite losing to Atlanta on Monday, the Bulls clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference’s play-in tournament, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Even if they don’t win another game, the Bulls can’t finish worse than 36-46, while the 11th-place Nets can’t do better than 35-47.
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Aaron Nesmith's Defense Sparks Win Over Lakers

March 30th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • The Pacers defeated the Lakers Friday night, holding them to 60 fewer points than when the teams met over the weekend in L.A., notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. A big part of the difference was the defensive effort by Aaron Nesmith, who committed just one foul while limiting LeBron James to 16 points. “I just stuck to the game plan,” Nesmith said. “He challenges you, but I just did a good job tonight.”
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Central Notes: Haliburton, Turner, Strus, Green

March 28th, 2024 at 9:14pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Assuming he remains healthy, Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is on track to appear in 69 games this season. Haliburton has noted in the past that he felt he returned a bit soon from a hamstring injury, in part because he knows he needs to appear in 65 contests in order to qualify for postseason honors, writes Joe Vardon and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Specifically, the Indiana phenom is hoping to land on an All-NBA team, which would increase the value of his five-year, maximum-salary contract extension worth roughly $245MM. Otherwise, he’ll make $204.5MM.

“It’s no secret what’s at stake for me personally this year, and for us [as] a group,” Haliburton told Vardon and Amick. “So I feel like I’m looking to help lead this group. And if I’m playing like this and we’re still winning, I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me. I’ll get over it because obviously I’m doing enough to help us win. But when we’re not winning and I’m doing this, then that’s when it can really get to me.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

  • Haliburton and Pacers center Myles Turner seem to have unlocked an elite pick-and-roll chemistry, writes Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. “They understand the attention that they bring to themselves,” power forward Obi Toppin said of the fearsome twosome’s tandem attack. “They understand the attention that they bring to themselves. They allow other people to play on the ball to get them open. That helps them tremendously.”
  • Cavaliers shooting guard Max Strus is back from a knee injury, but a playoff-bound Cleveland club is struggling down the home stretch of the regular season, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. To wit, the Cavaliers recently dropped a game to a banged-up, lottery-bound Hornets squad on Wednesday, 118-111. “We just didn’t play hard,” Strus said. “Nobody wanted to play defense tonight. That was our problem. Can’t lose to teams like this at this point in the season. Is what it is. Gotta take it on the chin and hopefully get back at it on Friday.” He scored 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor, which included 5-of-10 shooting from deep. He also chipped in four rebounds and two steals.
  • In a 125-99 blowout win over the Pacers on Wednesday, Bulls wing Javonte Green saw his first game action since rejoining Chicago on a 10-day deal. Players and fans alike seemed happy he was back in Bulls red, notes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Green was tasked during his initial nine-minute stint with defending the much taller Indiana power forward Pascal Siakam, but he did his best to pester the two-time All-Star. The 6’4″ vet, who finished the night with a game-high +26 mark in 19 minutes, got an ovation from the United Center faithful when he first was subbed into the contest. “It means a lot,” Green said. “Especially coming from this city, the city that really gave me an opportunity to showcase my talent during the game.”
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Doug McDermott Provides Another Weapon For Pacers' Offense

March 25th, 2024 at 9:20am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Doug McDermott has become a dangerous weapon for the Pacers since returning from a strained right calf that kept him out of action for nearly a month, observes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Over his last three games, McDermott is 9-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-11 from three-point range. “With shooting, there’s going to be some weird pockets every once in a while,” McDermott said. “I wasn’t shooting it great. I knew every time I shoot the ball it has a chance of going in. I just gotta have that belief and just keep firing away. These guys are so unselfish. They kept finding me. It will fall.”
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Rick Carlisle Complains About Fouls In Loss To Lakers

March 25th, 2024 at 8:01am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Pacers coach Rick Carlisle became the latest opponent to complain about a foul discrepancy after playing the Lakers, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. L.A. shot 38-of-43 from the free throw line in the five-point victory, while Indiana was just 9-of-16. “There were certain things that were impossible to overcome,” Carlisle said. “The 27-free-throw differential is one. The 17-foul differential is the other. And I’ll leave it at that.”
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Central Notes: Haliburton, Cunningham, Duren, Thompson, Bulls, Garland

March 24th, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyrese Haliburton‘s offensive numbers took a dive this month, in part because he was still working his way back after a hamstring injury. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle believes his star guard is rounding back into form, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets.

“He’s making constant progress,” Carlisle said. “It may not be huge leaps, but he is making progress. Big difference now between how he’s moving and how he was moving two, three weeks ago.”

It showed on Friday, as Haliburton had 26 points and 11 assists against Golden State.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • As if the Pistons didn’t have enough injury issues, Cade Cunningham sat out Sunday’s loss to New Orleans due to left knee injury management, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. “The medical team deemed he couldn’t play,” coach Monty Williams said. Center Jalen Duren missed his second straight contest due to back spasms, while starting forwards Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart are already out for the season. Jaden Ivey was the only starter available.
  • With Pistons rookie Thompson out for the season due to a blood clot, Detroit Free Press beat writer Omari Sankofa II talks to medical experts about how the issue could impact the lottery pick’s career.
  • Defensive breakdowns have prevented the Bulls from moving up the standings, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Head coach Billy Donovan points to two major issues. “The two things that have hurt us have been the rebounding and also the fouling,” Donovan said. “Our first-shot defense has not been bad. It’s been pretty good. It’s been the second chance opportunities that have hurt us. And then also, I think, some of the fouling, the ability to go vertical and not try to reach (and foul).”
  • In a subscriber-only story, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com details Darius Garland‘s recent offensive struggles. The Cavaliers’ guard has 20 or fewer points in each of the last four games.
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Jackson Grateful For Playing Time At Detroit

March 21st, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson played 28 minutes at Detroit on Wednesday in his home state, one of his longest stints this season. Jackson was grateful to coach Rick Carlisle for giving him the opportunity for extended playing time with friends and family in the stands, according to Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “It means everything,” Jackson said. “I talked to him after the game. It’s something I feel like a lot of coaches don’t really do. I think it just shows the care that Rick has for us, everybody in general not just tonight. It means a lot to me and it means a lot to my family, too.”
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Central Notes: Okoro, Lillard, Giannis, DeRozan, Haliburton

March 19th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Having averaged 41 starts across the last two seasons, Cavaliers swingman Isaac Okoro has locked in his qualifying offer for this offseason, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). As Marks details, the fifth pick in the 2020 lottery out of Auburn will now have a QO worth $11,828,974 this offseason. Should Cleveland extend that offer his way, he’ll become a restricted free agent.

Through 59 games this year (36 starts), Okoro is averaging 9.7 points per game on .494/.396/.686 shooting. The 23-year-old is also posting 3.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 27.4 minutes per night. He’s best known as a stout perimeter defender, but Okoro’s improved jump shooting would seem to make him worth keeping around well into the future for the Cavaliers.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

  • Bucks All-Stars Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo seem to have finally settled into a more consistent application of their pick-and-roll attack, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. During a recent game against the Lakers, both players looked more at home in frequently trotting out their pick-and-roll action, Collier notes. “We’re trying to just encourage it more,” head coach Doc Rivers said. “That’s what we got to get to.”
  • Veteran Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan is reveling in the opportunity to be the league’s minutes leader, per Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score (Twitter link). “I don’t have other hobbies that cause me to exert any energy, you know,” DeRozan said. “So I try to take care of myself the best I can. And I just love hooping. I love playing the game, no matter how many minutes it is. I just love being out there.” The six-time All-Star, 34, is both the league leader in minutes played with 2,527, and in minutes per game (37.7).
  • Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is frustrated by his miserable shooting slump since returning from injury, as he noted in post-game comments to the press on Monday, per Indiana (YouTube video link). “Obviously it’s frustrating, I never went through a slump like this in my life,” Haliburton said (hat tip to Paul Terrazzano Jr. of TalkBasket.net for the transcription). “So I just gotta be better, and I will be better moving forward. And if I’m not, we got other people who will be prepared to do it. But I gotta be better, that’s on me.” Haliburton has made 39.0% of his field goal attempts and just 19.0% of his three-pointers while averaging 14.8 points in his past 11 games.
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