Warriors Notes: Iguodala, Payton, Poole, Curry, Green
The Warriors have announced in a press release (Twitter link) that reserve swingman Andre Iguodala had the stabilizing splint removed from his left wrist and is set to be reevaluated two weeks from now.
Iguodala fractured the wrist during a March 13 game against the Suns. Golden State’s announcement notes that the 2015 Finals MVP has begun rehabilitating the wrist and that the team could give him the green light to start shooting drills and light ball-handling activities within the next week.
There’s more out of Golden State:
- Warriors guards Gary Payton II and Jordan Poole have been listed as probable to suit up for today’s critical Game 4 against the Kings, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (via Twitter). Payton missed Game 3 due to a non-COVID-19 illness.
- All-Star Warriors point guard Stephen Curry indicated that he and his comrades appreciated the urgency of Game 3 against Sacramento, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “I mean, pretty bluntly, if we lost this game, it’s pretty much over,” Curry said. “You’ve got to understand the moment and we gave ourselves life. Biggest thing is, we’ve been in the situation where momentum doesn’t necessarily carry over from game to game unless you execute at the same level, so it’s just one game, but it was a big game for sure.”
- Golden State will bring star forward Draymond Green off the bench and retain the Game 3 starting lineup they used while he was suspended, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweet that Green proposed the change. Poole will thus stay among the Warriors’ first five, separating the team’s two key shooting-challenged big men, Green and center Kevon Looney, for a crucial fourth game in their series against the Kings.
Heat’s Victor Oladipo Tears Patellar Tendon, Out For Season
Heat reserve shooting guard Victor Oladipo has torn the patellar tendon in his left knee and is done for the rest of the postseason, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Oladipo suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter of Miami’s blowout 121-99 Game 3 win over the East’s top-seeded Bucks yesterday. He collapsed to floor on a drive clutching the knee. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and other personnel helped him walk back to the team locker room.
This marks the second injury to a rotation wing for Miami in its ongoing series against Milwaukee, which the Heat are improbably leading 2-1. In Game 1, starting shooting guard Tyler Herro departed the game with what turned out to be two broken fingers in his right hand. He underwent surgery to repair the damaged digits and will miss at least the next six weeks of action. Oladipo only rejoined the team’s playoff rotation in the first place due to the absence of Herro.
Oladipo inked a two-year, $18.2MM deal with Miami last summer, which includes a $9.45MM player option for 2023/24. As we mentioned last week, picking up that option will limit the Heat’s flexibility this offseason, as it would put the team’s cumulative salaries well north of the luxury tax line. Given the 30-year-old’s lengthy injury history and middling production this year, he seems unlikely to earn anything close to his player option on the open market.
Oladipo ruptured the quadriceps tendon in his right knee during the 2018/19 season while still with the Pacers, then underwent a second operation on the quad late in the 2020/21 season while with the Heat.
Across his 42 healthy games during the 2022/23 regular season, the former two-time All-Star averaged 10.7 PPG on .397/.330/.747 shooting, along with 3.5 APG and 3.0 RPG.
Reserve wing Haywood Highsmith may now be in line for additional minutes, thanks to the extended absences of Herro and now Oladipo.
According to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter), a formal timeline for Oladipo’s recovery has yet to be officially established.
Knicks’ Quentin Grimes Out For Game 4 With Shoulder Injury
The Knicks have announced (Twitter link) that starting shooting guard Quentin Grimes will sit out the fourth game of their ongoing series against the Cavaliers. due to a right shoulder contusion.
Grimes initially departed Game 3 in Madison Square Garden on Friday after injuring his shoulder and did not return.
New York adds that reserve wing Josh Hart will start in Grimes’ stead for the team’s second game in its home arena.
Per Fred Katz of The Athletic (via Twitter), Grimes did not join the Knicks for his on-court warmup ahead of today’s contest after the team initially referred to him as a game-time decision.
The 6’5″ Grimes, a second-year wing out of Houston, had been struggling offensively across his first three postseason bouts. He’s averaging just 3.7 PPG on .182/.111/.857 shooting splits, along with 3.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.7 BPG.
That output marks a far cry from Grimes’ regular season output in 2022/23. In 71 games, he logged 11.3 PPG on .468/.386/.796 shooting.
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Defense, Braun, Wolves Series
Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon believes Denver has everything it needs to mount a long postseason run this year, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
Specifically, Gordon credited the returns of small forward Michael Porter Jr. and point guard Jamal Murray, as well as the team’s offseason trade for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, its free agency signing of reserve guard Bruce Brown, and its retention of Jeff Green.
“I mean, it means a lot to have those guys back, Mike and Jamal, and then with the additions of KCP and Brucey, having Jeff with us like he was last year, too,” Gordon said. “Just having that continuity and that camaraderie is huge. It’s on us now and we’re going to step up to that. We really are appreciating that and knowing that it’s on us. I can’t say that enough.”
There’s more out of Denver:
- The Nuggets’ defense during the 2022/23 regular season was fairly middle-of-the-road, but the team appears to have wholly revamped its approach to that side of the ball in the playoffs, writes Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link).
- Head coach Michael Malone showed his trust in rookie reserve wing Christian Braun by keeping him on the floor during the fourth quarter of the team’s Game 3 win over the Timberwolves, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. Braun helped spark a 9-2 Denver run early in the frame to create some separate between the Nuggets and Minnesota.
- There are three key reasons the Nuggets are off to a 3-0 start in their first-round series against the Timberwolves, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones credits a shortened eight-man playoff rotation featuring a versatile trio of bench players, Porter’s improvement as a scorer, and a clear focus on trying to advance quickly.
Sixers Notes: Reed, Harris, Rivers, Tucker
With Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid out due to a right knee sprain, his backup Paul Reed elevated his game to help the Sixers sweep the Nets and advance, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Reed notched a 10-point, 15-rebound game while jumping center for Philadelphia, and also chipped in several key plays on both sides of the ball, opines Pompey.
“He kept his hand on the ball, getting extra possessions,” forward P.J. Tucker said. “That stuff matters. ‘You got to have a motor in this game’ is what I told hm. ‘Don’t worry about scoring. Just worry about being in the right place, right time, helping and communicating.’ And he did. In the second half, he came out and he did that.”
There’s more out of the City of Brotherly Love:
- Sixers forward Tobias Harris helped ensure that Philadelphia moved on in Sunday’s Game 4 with a stellar turn of his own, writes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Neubeck adds that Harris exploited his size advantages against several of his defenders with adept mid-post isolation activity.
- In response to referees’ decision to initially penalize Embiid more than Nic Claxton for what he saw as a retaliation against a Claxton provocation in Game 3, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said that he felt that the league was pointedly favoring the provocateur, writes Cydney Henderson of USA Today. “If we’re going to start punishing the retaliators, and not the instigators, then we’ve got a problem in this league,” Rivers said. “I think the league is setting up a very dangerous precedent right now… Teams are targeting the better player with instigation to get them thrown out and the better player has to be above and can’t retaliate.”
- P.J. Tucker helped set the tone for the team’s approach to the sweep, writes Gina Mizell for The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). “From the layup line, the way he was adamant about focus and ‘We’re gonna win today,'” Harris said. “Those types of things just show the winning attitude… and that rubs off on all the other guys on the team.”
Nets Notes: Offseason Needs, C. Johnson, Curry, Watanabe
The Nets may be encouraged by how they performed after trading Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but they’ll need to add rebounders and shot creators to get past the first round of the playoffs, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn couldn’t muster a single win in its series against the Sixers, even with Joel Embiid sidelined today with a sprained right knee. Playing without its starting center, Philadelphia had a decisive 54-38 advantage on the glass.
“We’ve got to get bigger over the summer. We’ve got to get nasty over the summer,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We’ve got to get guys who really love hitting, and take it personal when the other team gets a rebound. That’s what we’ll be looking for.”
Rebounding was only part of the problem. The Nets shot 9-of-37 from three-point range today and just 5-of-29 after the first quarter. Mikal Bridges appeared exhausted by the end of the series, Lewis observes, and would benefit from having at least one more teammate who can run the offense and attack the basket.
“For our group going forward, the ability for multiple people to get downhill and get to the paint and create opportunities, that’s a need for us, yes,” Vaughn said.
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- The Nets will almost certainly have to go over the luxury tax line to keep restricted free agent Cameron Johnson, according to Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. He notes that Johnson would be a good fit for virtually all the teams with cap space this summer, such as the Rockets, Magic, Jazz, Thunder and Spurs. Gozlan projects a four-year offer sheet for Johnson somewhere around $80-90MM.
- Seth Curry could be headed elsewhere in free agency, Gozlan adds. The 32-year-old guard doesn’t appear to fit the Nets’ long-term plans and may find a better opportunity with another team. Re-signing Yuta Watanabe may be a higher priority, but Gozlan notes that Brooklyn only has non-Bird rights and would have to use part of its mid-level exception to give him a salary that’s very much above the minimum.
- The Nets have offseason decisions to make on Royce O’Neale, who only has a $2.5MM guarantee for next season on his $9.5MM salary, and Edmond Sumner, whose $2.2MM contract for 2023/24 is non-guaranteed, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link). Marks also points out that Spencer Dinwiddie will become eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $128MM in August.
Heat’s Victor Oladipo Leaves Game With Knee Injury
The excitement over the Heat‘s blowout of the Bucks in Saturday’s Game 3 was lessened by a knee injury that Victor Oladipo suffered late in the fourth quarter, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
The veteran guard was driving to the basket when he fell to the floor and grabbed his left knee. A stretcher was brought onto the court, but Oladipo opted to walk to the locker room with help from coach Erik Spoelstra and others.
“Vic, we don’t know right now,” Spoelstra said in his postgame press conference. “We’ll have him checked out tomorrow. I feel how everyone feels. Great win, but when you see a player go down like that – particularly a player like Vic, who has gone through so much. I don’t know what it is right now. I feel like throwing up right now, but I don’t know what the prognosis is.”
Oladipo was an All-Star before suffering a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee midway through the 2018/19 season. He had a second operation on the tendon in May of 2021. Oladipo appeared in 42 games this season, which is the most since the original injury, but he hasn’t come close to reaching his former level of production.
As we noted earlier this week, Oladipo’s status could have a major impact on Miami’s financial picture heading into the offseason. He holds a $9.45MM option for next season that he would be certain to pick up if the injury is serious. If that happens, the Heat’s team salary for 2023/24 projects to be well above the luxury tax line.
Ja Morant Returns For Game 3
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will be active for tonight’s Game 3 against the Lakers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. He will be in Memphis’ starting lineup, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
Morant wound up missing just one game with the right hand injury he suffered in the fourth quarter of the series opener last Sunday. The Grizzlies won without Morant on Wednesday night to knot the series at 1-1 heading to Los Angeles.
Team officials were encouraged during Saturday morning’s shootaround as Morant was making shots with his right hand, according to Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. He wore black tape on the hand as he attempted spot-up three-point jumpers, Cole adds, noting that reporters had only seen Morant dribbling and shooting with his left hand throughout the week.
“He looked good,” Luke Kennard told Cole. “We had a great couple days here so far, and he looked good so far. He was able to shoot the ball some, so we’ll see how it goes.”
There was hope that Morant would be available for Wednesday’s Game 2, but he wasn’t able to pass grip and dribbling tests, so he was ruled out shortly before game time.
Green Says Suspension “Doesn’t Change Draymond”
As he prepares to return from his one-game suspension, Warriors forward Draymond Green delivered a defiant message in an interview with Kendra Andrews of ESPN.
Green was ejected from Game 2 and given the suspension for stepping on the chest of Kings big man Domantas Sabonis. The league cited his past transgressions and called him a “repeat offender,” but Green said he won’t let the incident change his approach on the court.
“Draymond won’t be moved by the Draymond rule,” Green said. “I’ll continue to play the game how I play the game, operate how I operate, be exactly who I am because that leads to winning. If I was losing, they wouldn’t be creating Draymond rules. As long as they create Draymond rules, that means we’re winning and that’s great … but it doesn’t change Draymond.”
Green remained close to his teammates, even though he wasn’t permitted to be in the arena for Thursday’s Game 3, Andrews adds. He addressed the team before Wednesday’s practice, then worked out for a few hours at Chase Center prior to the game and returned to the arena after it ended.
The Warriors responded with a 114-97 victory to cut their series deficit to 2-1.
“My message to them was that none of it matters. What matters is the task at hand,” Green said. “To know and feel they have your back is huge. It’s a great feeling. My focus was being as involved as I could be.”
Southeast Notes: Young, Murray, Wizards, Bridges, Love
The Hawks still face long odds in their first-round series with the Celtics, but they have to be encouraged by the way Trae Young and Dejounte Murray played together Friday night, writes Jeff Schultz of The Athletic. Atlanta avoided a 3-0 deficit as the backcourt combination turned in one of its best games since Murray was acquired last summer. They combined for 57 points in the Game 3 victory, with 38 of those coming in the second half.
“At one point, I was just like, I should just keep quiet and let them do it,” coach Quin Snyder said. “They had some isolation situations where they created for themselves and for other guys, and a lot of that was them just figuring it out. People feed off that.”
Schultz notes that there have been questions about whether they can be effective together ever since the Hawks sent three first-round picks and other assets to the Spurs in exchange for Murray. Former general manager and team president Travis Schlenk reportedly didn’t support the deal, and the results hadn’t been positive during a 41-41 season.
A recent report indicated Atlanta will consider trading Young this summer, but Schultz states that Friday’s performance may show that he and Murray can find a way to make things work.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards may dream about landing a big name like Raptors president Masai Ujiri or Warriors general manager Bob Myers to replace fired GM Tommy Sheppard, but they’re better off pursuing someone who has succeeded in building a team in a mid-level market, contends Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. She names Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon, Knicks GM Scott Perry, Bucks assistant GM Milt Newton and Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly as potential targets.
- The NBA was too lenient with former Hornets forward Miles Bridges when it agreed to reduce his 30-game suspension to 10 games for next season, argues David Aldridge of The Athletic. Aldridge disagrees with the league’s reasoning that Bridges would have served 20 games of that suspension if he had signed with a team this year and notes that the CBA gives commissioner Adam Silver the power to invoke a harsher penalty under its “misconduct” section.
- Kevin Love is back in the Heat‘s starting lineup for tonight’s Game 3 against the Bucks, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Chiang observes that the new starting five of Love, Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo has only played together for two minutes in the series and 13 minutes during the regular season.