Pacific Notes: Warriors, Draymond, Kings, Clippers
It seemed as though the Warriors had all the momentum after winning three straight games to go ahead 3-2 in their first-round series against Sacramento, which made their Game 6 home loss Friday night all the more stunning, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.
Kawakami calls the 19-point defeat Golden State’s “most disappointing” performance since the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green started making the postseason in 2013. The locker room was understandably quiet and reflective afterward.
Still, the team remains confident it will be able to rebound and emerge victorious Sunday afternoon in Sacramento for Game 7.
“It’s up to us to go to Sacramento and do everything we did tonight — but opposite,” Thompson said. “And I know we will respond. I just know this team. I know these guys. I’ve played at the highest level with them and I know what we are capable of, and we will respond like the champions we are come Sunday.”
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- It’s time for head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors to re-insert Draymond Green into the starting lineup in place of the struggling Jordan Poole, argues Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, who points to Green’s experience of winning in high-pressure situations and his defensive acumen as reasons why the change should take place.
- The Kings made a “series-altering” adjustment in Game 6, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. They decided to go smaller and faster, with more shooting around De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, who both had terrific games. They went away from Alex Len as backup center and used Trey Lyles at the five, with Terence Davis, Kevin Huerter and Keegan Murray receiving more playing time, while Harrison Barnes and Davion Mitchell played less. “We knew we could run them a little bit and we took advantage of that tonight,” Monk said. “I felt it a little bit more on them. They were a little tired. We’re younger than they are. So we knew we could take advantage of that. We’re going to try to do the same thing Sunday.”
- Confirming a recent report from Mark Medina, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank says the Clippers will “continue to build around” Kawhi Leonard and Paul George despite their injury troubles, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN relays. “Kawhi’s a ceiling raiser,” Frank said. “When you study past NBA champions, they have a top-five guy on their team, and Kawhi has shown that when healthy he can be the best player in the world. Paul is an eight-time All-Star now. So we’re going to continue to build around those guys and look for every which way [to improve around them].”
- Both Leonard and George are eligible for pricey contract extensions in the offseason, and the Clippers will discuss the matter with their star players when the time comes, per Youngmisuk. “Those guys are great players and they’re great partners and we want to keep them as Clippers for a long time,” Frank said. “And so we’ll look forward to those conversations. And the No. 1 goal is how can we build a sustainable championship team? And those guys have been great partners, so at the appropriate time, we look forward to sitting down with them.”
International Notes: Anderson, Embiid, Bacon, Stephenson
Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson is considered likely to be naturalized in time to play for the Chinese national team during this summer’s World Cup, sources tell Mike Chan of The South China Morning Post.
As Chan writes, Anderson’s maternal great-grandfather was born in China, making him one-eighth Chinese. Last summer, Anderson and his mother reconnected with some of their long-lost Chinese relatives in a village in Shenzhen.
There’s a catch, however: According to Chinese law, Anderson would have to renounce his United States citizenship to become naturalized in China, as the country doesn’t allow dual citizenship. Anderson did not respond to Chan’s request for comment and was noncommittal about his decision at the end of the season.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- On the other hand, it seems unlikely that Sixers center Joel Embiid will compete in the 2023 World Cup, at least for France, according to French outlet L’Equipe. “Joel hasn’t made a decision, but it seems difficult for him to be able to play this summer,” French national team head coach Vincent Collet said (hat tip to Eurohoops). “But that does not call into question the fact that he can play with us next year. He is going to get married this summer, and it really falls into the wrong period, during the preparation of all the teams.” As Eurohoops notes, Embiid is a citizen of three different countries: his native Cameroon, France, and the U.S.
- Panathinaikos, a Greek club that competes in the EuroLeague, is expected to part ways with former NBA player Dwayne Bacon after he was suspended two games for disciplinary reasons, according to Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops (Twitter link). Bacon, 27, played for AS Monaco last season. The former second-round pick’s last NBA campaign was in 2020/21 with Orlando.
- Veteran guard Lance Stephenson has signed with Puerto Rican side Leones de Ponce, the team announced in a press release. Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files was the first to report the news. Stephenson finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and four assists in his debut Friday night, Agness writes. The 32-year-old played 46 games for the Hawks and Pacers last season, but an NBA opportunity for ’22/23 didn’t materialize.
Grizzlies Notes: Jenkins, Morant, Brooks, Maturity
Memphis’ season came to a screeching halt on Friday night as the Grizzlies were thoroughly lambasted by the Lakers in the sixth and final game of their first-round series, losing by 40 points. Head coach Taylor Jenkins referred to the No. 2 seed’s early exit as “the ultimate wake-up call,” as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon relays.
“Are we going to really understand that it’s the preparation and the offseason, the preparation in the season?” Jenkins said. “It’s what you do at work, off the court — clearly, there are things that we’ve got to control and just embrace it together. How are we going to support each other throughout all this stuff?
“This is a journey that you go through from the start of the season to the end of the season, and it’s not supposed to be easy, any of it. So are we going to take it lightly and take it for granted or we going to take a real hard look at the mirror?”
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Star point guard Ja Morant acknowledged that his off-court behavior — which included an eight-game suspension in March due to a gun-related incident, among several others — negatively impacted the team this season, MacMahon adds in the same story. “I’ve just got to be better with my decision-making,” said Morant, who finished with 10 points on 3-of-16 shooting in the blowout defeat. “That’s pretty much it. Off-the-court issues affected us as an organization pretty much. Just [need] more discipline.”
- Morant also took accountability for his “I’m fine in the West” comment from earlier in the season being used against him now, notes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). “I don’t mind. I said it. I’ll deal with it,” Morant said.
- For the third time in the series, all after losses, forward Dillon Brooks refused to speak publicly after the game. He left the locker room before the media was permitted to enter, tweets MacMahon. Brooks, an unrestricted free agent this summer, was up to his usual trash-talking antics early in the series after evening it at one game apiece, calling LeBron James “old” and saying he was past his prime. Obviously that came back to bite the Grizzlies, as the Lakers went on to win three of the next four games.
- Injuries to key players like Morant (hand), Steven Adams (knee), Brandon Clarke (torn Achilles), and Luke Kennard (who missed Game 6 with shoulder soreness) certainly were a factor in the series, but the team’s lack of maturity and attention to detail were arguably bigger issues, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
- Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today makes a similar case, writing that Memphis’ biggest offseason goal should be “growing up” emotionally.
Sixers’ Joel Embiid Doubtful For Game 1 Vs. Boston
After being examined by team doctors, Sixers center Joel Embiid was unable to practice on Saturday and is considered “doubtful for at least Game 1” against Boston on Monday night, head coach Doc Rivers told reporters, including Rich Hofmann of The Athletic (Twitter video link).
Embiid will need to get some practice time in before being cleared to return, Rivers added.
The star big man sprained his right knee last Thursday during Game 3 of Philadelphia’s first-round series versus Brooklyn. He missed Game 4, but the Sixers won without him to complete their sweep of the Nets.
Initial reports indicated that the Sixers were optimistic about Embiid’s injury — a sprained LCL — and his chances to return sooner rather than later. However, following Game 4 last Saturday, Rivers said the odds of Embiid returning for Game 1 were “probably 50 percent, at best.”
Obviously, playing without Embiid for any length of time against the Celtics will negatively impact Philadelphia’s chances of winning the series. If he is able to return at some point, he’s expected to wear a knee brace to help stabilize the joint.
If Embiid does miss Game 1, Paul Reed is the most likely candidate to start in his place, with fellow big men like Dewayne Dedmon and Montrezl Harrell among the other options for minutes in the middle.
After finishing as the MVP runner-up each of the past two seasons, Embiid is considered the frontrunner for the regular season award in 2022/23. He averaged a league-high 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.7 BPG on .548/.330/.857 shooting in 66 games (34.6 MPG) this season.
Hawks Notes: Fields, Collins, Snyder, Offseason
In his end-of-season media availability following the Hawks‘ first-round loss to Boston, general manager Landry Fields acknowledged that the fit between Trae Young and Dejounte Murray wasn’t always smooth in 2022/23. However, he said he was pleased with their progress under Quin Snyder, who replaced Nate McMillan as head coach in late February.
“I was on record by saying at first, it’s to be expected that it might look a little clunky,” Fields said, per Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You’re asking two primary ball-handlers to now share a backcourt with each other, but two very talented play-making ball-handlers. And it’s had its ups. It’s had its downs, to be honest.
“I think that we’ve all seen that where it looks a little clunky. But there’s also times where it’s been beautiful to watch. They play for each other. … And so, it’s still working in a complementary sense. But I think we got a great taste of it in the last month here. I think Quin has been able to figure out a great way for those two to coexist in a way that is going to enhance our group, but Trae Young and Dejounte Murray is your backcourt. That’s a fun backcourt.”
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- Within the same piece from Williams, Fields was noncommittal about John Collins‘ future with the team, but that doesn’t mean Atlanta doesn’t value him. Collins has been featured in trade rumors for multiple seasons. “I think it’s the same that I’ve spoken about in the past – John’s name, it comes up a lot. He’s a good player. It should. A lot of teams value him, and we have a lot of value in him,” Fields said.
- At his own press conference, Snyder said he was “grateful” that the players have embraced his coaching philosophies, Williams writes in a subscriber-only story for The Atlanta Journal-Consitutuion. When asked if he was proud of how the team competed in its six-game series against the Celtics, Snyder said it’s going to take time for the group to “learn how to win together,” especially at the highest level. “You can’t skip steps,” Snyder said as part of a larger quote. “You just can’t. And you may have success in a certain context at a certain time. But that may not always reflect where you are. So I would say it’s great that we competed. That’s a good step, feeling like you belong. But we’ve got a lot of work to do. There’s no question about that.
- In another story (subscriber link), Williams writes that multiple players praised Snyder’s individualized approach to coaching at their own media exit interviews. “The focus that they have on the development, especially for the young guys, like, every team doesn’t have what we call, like, the ‘breakfast club,’” said guard Donovan Williams, who is on a two-way contract. “So the guys that really don’t do a lot of minutes in the game, we come in before everybody we worked out before games. We play five-on-five with the coaches, like every team doesn’t do that.”
- Addressing the defense and payroll will likely be the top offseason priorities for the Hawks, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who provides his offseason guide for Atlanta (Insider link). The Hawks are projected to be a taxpaying team for the first time under owner Tony Ressler, and trading Collins to shed salary would take them out of the tax, Marks notes.
Mike Budenholzer’s Brother Passed Away Before Game 4
Rightly or wrongly, head coaches often come under the microscope after disappointing ends to seasons. That has been the case with Mike Budenholzer after the top-seeded Bucks lost their first-round series to the Heat in five games.
Unfortunately, Budenholzer and his family were going through a terrible personal tragedy in the series — one of his three brothers died just before Game 4, the coach confirmed via a spokesperson to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Team sources tell Vardon that Budenholzer’s brother passed away due to injuries from a car accident.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, a longtime former assistant under Budenholzer, was the first to publicly disclose the death at his press conference ahead of Game 6 on Friday night. Through the team spokesperson, Budenholzer informed Vardon that he “loves and respects” Ham and was comfortable confirming the news.
We send our condolences to the Budenholzer family and their friends.
Atlantic Notes: Finney-Smith, Barlow, Knicks, Maxey
Forward Dorian Finney-Smith underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to correct a contracture of his right pinky finger, the Nets announced. He’s expected to be cleared for offseason workouts in about six weeks, the team says.
Contractures are characterized as a permanent shortening of muscle fibers, which reduces flexibility. When people try to move the muscles affected, they become rigid and cause pain.
Considering the injury was on his shooting hand, it likely affected Finney-Smith’s performance this season. After making 39.5% of his three-pointers over the past two seasons, he shot just 33.7% from deep in 2022/23.
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- Maine Celtics head coach Alex Barlow has been hired by Butler University as an assistant coach, the Bulldogs announced in a press release. Barlow spent eight seasons with the Celtics organization after playing under president of basketball operations Brad Stevens at Butler. “From the day Alex walked on campus at Butler, his goal was to be a coach,” said Stevens. “In his time here, he’s shown he’s going to be a really good one. Though we’ll be sad to see him leave Boston and Maine, I’m excited for him that his first college assistant job will be back at his alma mater. I know he can’t wait to get back to Hinkle.”
- The Knicks are peaking at the right time and have become a team no one wants to face in the playoffs, according to Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. The Knicks never trailed their series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Cavaliers, Vaccaro notes. “The way this team plays resonates with all our fans,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “They play hard and play smart and play together. When you play that way in New York it’s always recognized. You need everybody in a situation like that to win on the road and play the way we did and that’s a credit to our entire team.”
- Tyrese Maxey struggled mightily against Boston this season and that has been the case throughout his three-year career. The Sixers guard expects to be better against the Celtics in their second-round matchup, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I mean, the ultimate goal, it’s not about me. It’s about winning,” Maxey said.
Central Notes: Budenholzer, Pistons, Duren, P. Williams
Mike Budenholzer‘s job status appears to be tenuous, but the Bucks are expected to take their time before determining what to do with their head coach, who still has two years left on his contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (YouTube link).
According to Wojnarowski, the Bucks are in “shock” over their first-round loss to the Heat and have been known to be patient under general manager Jon Horst. He also points out that there’s a new ownership group in place, which may complicate matters — Jimmy and Dee Haslam recently bought Marc Lasry‘s stake in the Bucks, which was thought to be about 25 percent.
“I think this is a Milwaukee organization that is going to take their time,” Wojnarowski said. “Because here’s the thing… you’ve gotta know who you’re going to bring in. Who is out there at a championship level that you can bring in that’s better than what you know you have? That’s a very short list. … I don’t think there will be a quick resolution in terms of making a decision on Mike Budenholzer’s future.”
Here’s more from the Central:
- The Pistons finished with the worst record in the NBA in 2022/23 and will have roughly $30MM in cap space this summer. Which of their possible free agents will be retained, and which will be headed out of town? James L. Edwards III tackles that subject for The Athletic, writing that only Isaiah Livers‘ spot with the team is secure — Detroit holds a $1.8MM option for the young forward next season. Of the remaining players who either have team options or are set to hit unrestricted free agency, Edwards places the lowest odds (0-10 percent) on Cory Joseph coming back.
- Many thought Jalen Duren would spend a good chunk of ’22/23 in the G League — he was the youngest player in the league and was considered a fairly raw prospect. Instead, the 19-year-old center had an excellent rookie season for the Pistons and appears firmly entrenched as a foundational piece, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “That’s one guy I won’t ever put a ceiling on,” GM Troy Weaver said after the season. “As you keep watching him, you just see different things. … He’s a very smart young man. Got tremendous gifts. He’s got a chance to be a big-time player.” As Langlois notes, Duren led all rookies with 3.4 offensive rebounds and 8.9 total rebounds per game. He also averaged 9.1 points while shooting 64.8% from the floor in 67 games (24.9 minutes).
- There were peaks and valleys during Patrick Williams‘ third season with the Bulls, but the former lottery pick hopes to have a long NBA career and is focused on improving for next season, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “I felt a lot more comfortable, a lot more aggressive but (still) not who I want to be,” Williams said. “That’s pretty much what it comes down to. You’ve got to put the work in to be who you want to be in this league. Obviously, at 21 you’re not going to be the person you’re going to be obviously when you’re 31. … I learned a lot about (myself) personally, about us as a team, about the game, learning how to read the game, how to really dissect the game. When I say I didn’t live up to what I wanted the season to be for me, it wasn’t like it was a terrible season. It’s just there’s more work to be done.”
Grizzlies’ Luke Kennard Out For Game 6 With Sore Shoulder
Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard will miss Friday’s pivotal Game 6 against the Lakers due to left shoulder soreness, the team announced (via Twitter).
The veteran guard had been listed as questionable, though he didn’t take any shots while media members were present during Friday’s shootaround, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Head coach Taylor Jenkins later said Kennard was “still dealing with some soreness” and was a game-time decision, but obviously he has now been ruled out (Twitter link via Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group).
It’s a big loss for Memphis. Kennard, who led the league in three-point percentage (49.4%) for the second consecutive season, sustained a stinger in Wednesday’s Game 5 and exited the contest early. He initially sounded optimistic about his chances of playing tonight.
The 26-year-old’s counting stats through five games in the first-round series are modest: 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game. However, he’s shooting 50% from deep, and the attention he draws has been key for the Grizzlies — they’re plus-16.7 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court, versus minus-12.8 when he’s off, per NBA.com.
As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones, John Konchar and David Roddy — who have all been struggling behind the arc — could be candidates for more playing time with Kennard sidelined. Jenkins also said Ziaire Williams may receive a look, according to Cole, though the second-year wing has played just two total minutes in the series.
Raptors Notes: Hammon, Shooting, VanVleet, Trent
The Raptors were reportedly granted permission to speak with Becky Hammon for their head coaching vacancy. Hammon, a longtime former Spurs assistant who led the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces to a championship and won Coach of the Year in her first season as a head coach in 2022, has interviewed for multiple NBA head coaching jobs in the past.
Assuming she’s interested in the position, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star believes the Raptors should hire her to be their new head coach. Smith points to Hammon’s wealth of experience, strong player development background, championship pedigree at multiple levels of play, and Hall of Fame résumé as reasons why she’s the best candidate for the job.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Shooting has been a primary weakness of the roster the past couple seasons. How can they acquire more of it? Smith explores that topic in another story for The Toronto Star, writing that it will be difficult for the Raptors to acquire shooters in free agency due to their financial constraints. Internal development is always a hope, but trading a member of the core is probably more realistic. Another “long shot” option could be if a star player asks out, Smith adds. “At the end of the season, there’s always a player that wants to move or wants to change,” president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said. “That’s the new free agency basically. Yes, everybody wake up to that. Everybody says, ‘Will free agents come?’ Free agency doesn’t happen anymore really. The new free agency is players change teams.”
- In a mailbag article for The Athletic, Eric Koreen states his belief that Toronto will retain guard Fred VanVleet, who is expected to decline his $22.8MM player option for 2023/24 and become a free agent. Koreen notes that advanced stats remained high on VanVleet’s impact this season despite inconsistent shooting, adding that the Raptors don’t have any viable alternatives on the roster to replace him.
- As for the player most likely to be on the move this summer, that could be Gary Trent Jr., according to Koreen. Like VanVleet, Trent could be a free agent if he declines his $18.8MM player option. Bringing back all three of VanVleet, Trent and Jakob Poeltl would almost certainly push the team into the luxury tax, and that may be untenable with the current roster. Ujiri recently praised Poeltl, calling him a “championship piece.”