Giannis Antetokounmpo Out For Game 5
Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Game 5 of the Bucks‘ second-round series vs. the Heat on Tuesday night due to his sprained right ankle, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Antetokounmpo, who suffered his ankle sprain during Game 3 and re-aggravated the injury in Game 4, had been listed as questionable and was doing everything he could to return to the court, with head coach Mike Budenholzer telling reporters this afternoon that Giannis’ status would be a game-time decision. However, the quick turnaround from Sunday’s game apparently didn’t give the ankle enough time to heal.
Milwaukee managed to pull out a victory in Game 4 despite not having Antetokounmpo available for the second half, but extending the series again without the reigning MVP will be a tall task. Facing a 3-1 deficit, the Bucks will be eliminated with a loss. A win would force a Game 6 on Thursday and would give Giannis another opportunity to return.
While the Bucks will be without their leading scorer and rebounder, the Heat got some better injury news today. Jae Crowder (ankle), Tyler Herro (hip), and Kelly Olynyk (knee), who had all been listed as questionable on the injury report, are all expected to play tonight, per head coach Erik Spoelstra (Twitter link via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel).
Wilson Chandler To Play In China In 2020/21?
A reunion with China’s Zhejiang Lions for the 2020/21 season may be in the cards for Nets forward Wilson Chandler.
After Chinese journalist Zhang Duo was among those to report (via Twitter) that Chandler had signed with Zhejiang, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic (Twitter link) cited a source close to the forward who indicated that those reports were inaccurate. However, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando says (via Twitter) that while Chandler’s deal with Zhejiang isn’t done yet, it’s expected to be finalized eventually.
One of several players who opted out of the NBA’s restart this summer, Chandler technically remains under contract with the Nets until the 2019/20 league year ends. The 33-year-old was a part-time contributor in Brooklyn this year, averaging 5.9 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 35 contests (21.0 MPG).
Although he was a regular rotation player in ’19/20, Chandler missed the first 25 games of the season due to a PED suspension, and wasn’t as effective or efficient as usual after making his Nets debut — his .404 FG% and .306 3PT% were among the lowest marks of his NBA career.
While Chandler apparently hasn’t finalized any agreement with Zhejiang so far, a move to the Chinese Basketball Association wouldn’t be shocking, since his NBA production has slipped and he has some previous CBA experience. The former DePaul standout signed with the Lions in 2011 during the NBA lockout and averaged 26.6 PPG and 11.6 RPG in 32 games in the Chinese league.
We’ll have to wait for further confirmation on Chandler’s next move, but it sounds as if he’s at least discussing a return to Zhejiang, even if it’s not a done deal yet.
Kings Set To Begin Interviews In GM Search
Having parted ways with longtime general manager Vlade Divac last month, the Kings have now formally launched their search for a new head of basketball operations, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic. Sources tell The Athletic duo that Sacramento is expected to begin interviews as soon as this week.
The Kings have requested permission to speak to Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth, Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon, Timberwolves executive VP Sachin Gupta, Heat assistant GM Adam Simon, and Rockets assistant GM Monte McNair, according to Charania and Amick, who report that the club will also talk to former Hawks GM Wes Wilcox.
It’s not clear if all those teams have granted Sacramento permission to talk to their executives, but none of the candidates identified by The Athletic are heads of basketball operations for their current clubs. If the Kings truly offering decision-making power in their front office, that would represent a promotion for everyone on their list, so I wouldn’t expect any teams to stand in the way.
As we noted on Monday when we previewed the Kings’ offseason, the organization’s plan for its front office has been a little hard to follow. Multiple reports suggested that Divac’s ouster occurred as a result of team owner Vivek Ranadive asking him to surrender control of basketball decisions to Dumars, and Dumars has since been named Sacramento’s interim executive VP of basketball operations.
However, a subsequent report suggested that Dumars won’t be a candidate for the Kings’ permanent general manager job. That report indicated that Dumars would be involved in the hiring process and would interview candidates along with Ranadive. However, it sounds like the plan is for the newly-hired GM to gain full control of roster moves and report directly to Ranadive.
At the time of Divac’s dismissal, there were reports that the Kings’ search for a new GM could take a while, perhaps extending beyond the draft and free agency and into next season. With interviews set to begin soon, perhaps the franchise has decided to accelerate the process.
The Kings have some major roster decisions to make this offseason, including potentially re-signing Bogdan Bogdanovic, extending De’Aaron Fox, making a lottery pick, and considering the possibility of trading Buddy Hield. Any GM candidate seriously considering taking the reins in Sacramento’s front office would likely want to have a voice in those decisions and may also seek clarity on Dumars’ role going forward.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Re-Injures Ankle, Doesn’t Return To Game 4
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a right ankle sprain and didn’t return to Game 4 against the Heat on Sunday.
The injury occurred as Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly while attacking the basket during the second quarter, and it’s the same ankle he injured during Game 3 on Friday. He was previously listed as questionable to play in the contest.
“When he went down,” coach Mike Budenholzer said (as relayed by ESPN’s Malika Andrews), “all our hearts just stopped for a second.”
Prior to exiting the game, Antetokounmpo recorded 19 points and four rebounds in over 11 minutes of work, attacking the basket and playing noticeably aggressively with hopes of leading his team to victory. He encouraged the Bucks to tape up the ankle and let him return, but he couldn’t jump or plant off the sprain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo later left the arena in a walking boot, Andrews adds in a separate tweet.
Despite losing their star player, the Bucks still rallied to win 118-115 in overtime to keep their season alive. They were led by Khris Middleton (36 points), Eric Bledsoe (14 points, six assists) and Brook Lopez (14 points, five rebounds). Game 5 will be played on Tuesday night, with nobody around Milwaukee daring to rule Antetokounmpo out yet, Wojnarowski adds.
Daryl Morey: Rockets Hope To Keep Mike D’Antoni
Even though rumors of a split have been circulating for more than a year, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told Mark Medina of USA Today the team will prioritize a new deal with coach Mike D’Antoni.
“It’s probably No. 1. That’s a fair way to put it,” Morey said. “We have all our key players signed. I think Mike coming back is super important.”
D’Antoni is in the final year of his contract and his departure seemed inevitable after the organization was unable to get him to agree to a new contract last summer. Owner Tilman Fertitta reportedly insisted on a one-year deal, which didn’t interest D’Antoni.
Morey dismissed the idea of an impending coaching change as “a media creation,” adding that “it’s convenient for agents to focus on it.” There is already speculation that other organizations would be interested in D’Antoni if he doesn’t return to Houston, specifically the Pelicans, whose head of basketball operations David Griffin worked with D’Antoni in Phoenix, and the Pacers, who fired Nate McMillan this week.
D’Antoni is in his fourth year with the Rockets and has led them to a 217-101 record with at least one playoff series win each season. His fate might have been sealed if Houston had lost Game 7 to the Thunder, but they now hold a 1-0 lead over the top-seeded Lakers and the organization and players are expressing confidence in their coach.
“Mike is a guy that gets along with everybody, and it’s all up for the players to hone in and do what we need to do,” Eric Gordon said. “He gives us the opportunity. He’s a great communicator. So he gives us a lot of options that we feel like we need to do.”
Gordon Hayward Headed Back To Orlando
Gordon Hayward will return to the Disney World campus on Sunday night, but coach Brad Stevens doesn’t expect him to play “anytime soon,” the Celtics announced on Twitter.
Hayward, who has been sidelined since suffering a Grade III ankle sprain in Boston’s playoff opener, will have to quarantine for at least four days once he arrives. He was given a four- to six-week prognosis when the injury occurred, which was nearly three weeks ago. Stevens offered an update on Hayward earlier this week, saying he feels “a little bit better.”
Hayward has also informed the team that he plans to leave the campus when his wife gives birth to their fourth child sometime this month, so he may not play before departing again.
The ankle sprain is the latest in a series of injury frustrations Hayward has experienced since signing with the Celtics. He was in the midst of his best season since 2016/17, averaging 17.7 points, a career-high 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 52 games.
Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo: “I Could Play More”
With the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded Bucks trailing the Heat 3-0 in the conference semifinals, Milwaukee’s usage – or lack thereof – of the reigning MVP has become a major storyline during the series.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo did hurt his ankle in the first quarter on Friday and played a total of 34 minutes in the loss, the Greek Freak feels he had more to contribute.
“I feel great,” Antetokounmpo said, per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. “I could play more.”
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer even stirred some controversy when asked about the lack of playing time for Antetokounmpo and the team’s other scoring weapon, Khris Middleton.
“If you’re going as hard as these guys are in a playoff game, 35-36 [minutes], I think that’s pushing the ceiling,” Budenholzer said.
Facing a 3-0 deficit, the Bucks are on the verge of a disappointing early exit from the postseason for a second straight year after having the NBA’s best regular-season record.
Heat superstar Jimmy Butler has had a strong series and has served as somewhat of a disrupter, especially after Antetokounmpo — the 2019/20 NBA Defensive Player of the Year — did not guard him. It’s one of many storylines that has encompassed the Bucks’ disappointing postseason, but the Greece native is confident the Bucks can overcome the challenge and advance.
“We feel good; they feel good. I am in a good place. Obviously, if there is a team that can beat a team 4-0, and beat them, it can be us,” Antetokounmpo said. “We just got to believe in ourselves, watch the tape, play hard. We can’t do it game by game but play by play, position by position. We have to believe in ourselves, we can do it.”
Montrezl Harrell Named Sixth Man Of The Year
Clippers center Montrezl Harrell has won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2019/20 season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Harrell beat out fellow finalists Dennis Schröder and teammate Lou Williams for the award.
Harrell, 26, enjoyed the best season of his career in 2019/20, averaging 18.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 1.1 BPG on 58.0% shooting in 63 games (27.8 MPG) for the Clippers. Although he was technically the team’s backup center behind Ivica Zubac, Harrell was typically relied upon in the team’s closing lineups.
As Fred Katz of The Athletic observes (via Twitter), Harrell’s win represents a deviation from the norm, as the award almost always goes to a high-scoring guard. In the last decade, Williams and Jamal Crawford have won the award multiple times, with Eric Gordon, J.R. Smith, and James Harden also taking it home. Lamar Odom was the last non-guard to be named Sixth Man of the Year in 2011.
The Sixth Man of the Year was one of the few NBA awards this summer whose outcome was in doubt, as Schröder and Williams also submitted strong cases. The Thunder point guard averaged 18.9 PPG, 4.0 APG, and 3.6 RPG on .469/.385/.839 shooting, while Williams – who won the award in 2018 and 2019 – put up 18.2 PPG, 5.6 APG, and 3.1 RPG.
Harrell received 58 of 100 potential first-place votes for the award, with Schröder getting 35 and Williams receiving the final seven. Here are the full voting results, per the NBA:
- Montrezl Harrell, Clippers (397 total points)
- Dennis Schröder, Thunder (328)
- Lou Williams, Clippers (127)
- Christian Wood, Pistons (17)
- George Hill, Bucks (17)
- Goran Dragic, Heat (6)
- Derrick Rose, Pistons (5)
- Davis Bertans, Wizards (2)
- Dwight Howard, Lakers (1)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Heat, Raptors May Be Frontrunners For Giannis Antetokounmpo
With the Bucks in a 2-0 hole against Miami, there may be a lot more at stake than just winning a playoff series. Several suitors have their eyes on Giannis Antetokounmpo, writes Vincent G0odwill of Yahoo Sports, and Miami is making a strong bid by winning the first two games.
The Heat and Raptors are considered the frontrunners to eventually land Antetokounmpo, with one source telling Goodwill it’s an “open secret” on the Disney World campus. The Bucks star is headed for free agency in 2021 if he doesn’t agree to a new deal with Milwaukee. General manager Jon Horst has said the team plans to offer a supermax deal to the reigning MVP, but Antetokounmpo’s interest in staying with the Bucks could be tied to their playoff success.
Although Antetokounmpo has put up impressive numbers in the first two games against Miami, averaging 24.5 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, the Heat defense designed by coach Eric Spoelstra has made him work for everything. Goodwill notes that Milwaukee has looked off-balance so far, with Miami dictating the style and pace of play.
“This is what great players do, present challenges,” Spoelstra said of facing Antetokounmpo. “You want it to be easy? It’s not gonna be easy. He’s not gonna stop. He’s incredibly gifted and aggressive and he’s gonna put you in compromising positions.”
Goodwill suggests Antetokounmpo might benefit from playing for an elite coach like Spoelstra, just as LeBron James did at a similar stage of his career. James was already a dominant player when he came to Miami 10 years ago, but Spoelstra was able to challenge him to improve and led him to his first two NBA titles.
Antetokounmpo is the cornerstone of what Milwaukee been building for several years, and the decision on his next contract will determine the future of the franchise. The whispers about his departure will only get louder if the Bucks don’t find a way to get past the Heat.
Knicks Add Mike Woodson, Two Others To Coaching Staff
SEPTEMBER 4: The moves are official, the team announced in a tweet.
AUGUST 28: As expected, the Knicks are finalizing a deal for former head coach Mike Woodson to join Tom Thibodeau‘s staff as an assistant coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, the team is also close to hiring Andy Greer and Dice Yoshimoto as assistants.
Woodson was one of 11 candidates to interview with the Knicks earlier in the summer for their head coaching vacancy. He was always considered a long shot for that job, but was cited throughout the process as a likely candidate to join the team’s staff.
Woodson, who also previously served as the head coach of the Hawks, was the lead man on the Knicks’ bench for two-plus seasons from 2012-14. During his time as New York’s head coach, Woodson led the club to a 109-79 (.580) regular season record, making the playoffs twice and winning a series in 2013 — that was the last time the Knicks appeared in the postseason.
As for Greer and Yoshimoto, their inclusions on Thibodeau’s staff have been long-rumored as well. Both men worked with Thibodeau during his previous head coaching tenures in Chicago and Minnesota.
Yoshimoto started as an assistant video coordinator with the Bulls before eventually becoming an assistant with the Timberwolves. Greer has also been part of past coaching staffs for the Knicks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Trail Blazers, and Raptors — he and Thibodeau worked together as assistants in New York from 2001-03.
The Knicks continue to fill out Thibodeau’s staff, having previously hired Kenny Payne away from Kentucky. They also reached an agreement to make Jazz assistant Johnnie Bryant their associate head coach once his playoff run in Utah ends.