Celtics Notes: Mazzulla, Brown, Pritchard, Vonleh
Interim head coach Joe Mazzulla was back on the Celtics‘ bench Sunday night after missing two games with corneal abrasions, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Mazzulla was scratched in the eye while fighting for a rebound during a pickup game Tuesday at TD Garden.
It was difficult for him to see during a pre-game session with reporters that night, and he turned over the team to assistant coach Damon Stoudamire, who also handled Thursday’s win over the Clippers. Mazzulla called the injury a “freak accident” and said it won’t stop him from playing pickup basketball.
“I wasn’t getting any better,” Mazzulla said about his condition Tuesday. “In that situation I thought it was a good opportunity to empower and entrust the staff and I didn’t feel like I was at my best and I didn’t want to be a distraction. It was a great opportunity (for Damon). It says a lot about the culture we have in place. It ran itself. Our staff really stepped up. (Damon) did a great job. I’m really happy for him.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Sunday’s loss at Denver included a 40-minute delay in the fourth quarter after Robert Williams bent the rim on a dunk (video link). Jaylen Brown was critical of how the incident was handled, saying there was “no communication” with players, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. “Spent all that time trying to fix it. But when we came back, it still looked like it wasn’t even level, in my opinion,” Brown said. “So we just wasted all that time that has an effect on the game. That’s how injuries and stuff happen. Luckily, they didn’t. But that wasn’t good. That whole process was handled poorly, in my opinion, and that had an effect on the game as well. Luckily, nobody got hurt.”
- Brown brushed aside a fourth quarter altercation with Nuggets guard Bones Hyland, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. The players got tangled up when Brown fouled Hyland on a drive to the basket, and Hyland responded by pushing Brown to the floor. Brown got up and challenged Hyland before officials and teammates separated them. Both players received technical fouls, but they shook hands afterward. “It was just two guys being competitive,” Brown said. “Wasn’t no smoke behind it.”
- The Celtics aren’t likely to trade Payton Pritchard before the February 9 deadline, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe states in a prediction column for the new year. He says Pritchard still has value to the team because he’s only 24 and would be needed in the event of a backcourt injury. Himmelsbach predicts a quiet deadline for Boston, which already parted with next year’s first-round pick in the Malcolm Brogdon trade. He also expects Noah Vonleh to be waived this week before his salary becomes fully guaranteed.
International Notes: Parker, Dorsey, Vildoza, Antetokounmpo, Doncic
The EuroLeague may be the next stop for Jabari Parker, according to a Eurohoops story. Parker spent eight years in the NBA, including 12 games with the Celtics last season, but he hasn’t played since being released last January.
“Jabari is looking for overseas opportunities now,” Parker’s agent, Nuno Pedroso, said in an interview with Mozzart Sport. “He was close to signing with two NBA teams, but it didn’t work out and now we (are) checking options overseas.”
Pedroso also denied a recent report linking Parker to Partizan Belgrade, saying, “Regarding Partizan, nothing is on the table or close to it. We just inform them that he’s available. News that there are advanced talks is not true.”
Parker, 27, was the second pick in the 2014 draft, but a pair of torn knee ligaments hampered his career. After spending his first four seasons with Milwaukee, he bounced around the league with short stays in Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, Sacramento and Boston. He averaged just 9.3 minutes per game with the Celtics in 2021/22 before being released in January in advance of his contract becoming guaranteed.
There’s more international news to pass along:
- Tyler Dorsey, who was waived by the Mavericks last week, will see if he can land a 10-day NBA contract before considering his options overseas, sources tell Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. Barkas cites three EuroLeague teams — Fenerbahce, Olympiacos and AS Monaco — that have shown interest in Dorsey, a 26-year-old wing who was averaging 24.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 17 games this season with the G League Texas Legends. Teams can begin offering 10-day contracts on Thursday.
- Luca Vildoza, who appeared in seven games for the Bucks during last year’s playoffs, has earned EuroLeague Player of the Month honors for December, according to another Eurohoops story. Vildoza signed with KK Crvena Zvezda in mid-October when Milwaukee released him before the start of the regular season.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic will square off in Athens, Greece, this summer before the start of the FIBA World Cup, per a Eurohoops report. Antetokounmpo’s Greek team will host Slovenia in an August 4 exhibition game that will mark the stars’ first meeting in an international competition.
Western Notes: Leonard, McCollum, Johnson, Paul
Perhaps the most encouraging news for the Clippers in recent weeks is that their biggest star, Kawhi Leonard, appears to be rounding into form, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times notes. Though his minutes are still somewhat limited, Leonard has averaged 23.2 points and 35.0 minutes in four games during the team’s current road trip.
“As far as explosiveness, I don’t think that’s all the way back yet or as far as trusting it all the way right now. But just his decision-making, his timing of getting to his spots and getting to his shot and I think his timing of making passes when teams are double-teaming, making the right read in the right play, that’s really good,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- CJ McCollum admitted he was literally shooting for the Pelicans’ 3-point record, Andrew Lopez of ESPN writes. McCollum knocked down 11 to set the single-game franchise record as New Orleans defeated Philadelphia on Friday. “I was just trying to shoot as many 3s as possible, to be honest with you,” McCollum said. McCollum, who is ineligible to be traded this season, is under contract with New Orleans through 2026 after signing an extension in September.
- Veteran forward Stanley Johnson has only been on the Spurs roster for less than three weeks but he feels that being a vocal leader is part of his duty, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. “The thing that is consistent with good teams is that they are very vocal,” said Johnson, who was signed to a one-year deal on Dec. 13. “I’m trying to be vocal as much as I can, and hope it’s contagious.”
- Suns guard Chris Paul expressed frustration with what he feels is inconsistent officiating around the league, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic relays. Paul was addressing a delay of game call against him in a loss to Toronto. “It’s tough in this league, especially when you play for so long and you get techs,” Paul said. “So much stuff is trivial and it’s so much control over what you can say, interpret the rules. I watch and play every night and I see guys get things called. I watch too much basketball and guys just drop the ball night after night and I don’t see a delay of game.”
Gary Payton II Expected To Make Blazers Debut Monday
Gary Payton II is expected to make his Trail Blazers debut on Monday. He is not listed on the team’s injury report for their home game against Detroit (Twitter link).
Payton signed a three-year, $26MM contract with the Trail Blazers as an unrestricted free agent in July, then had core muscle surgery during the offseason. Payton was a key rotation player on the Warriors’ championship team and the Blazers anticipate that he’ll serve a similar role behind Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons.
Payton, 30, struggled to find a team that would give him a steady role until he emerged as a defensive force for Golden State. He averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 71 regular season games, including 16 starts. He also appeared in 12 postseason games, including a pair of starts. Payton also played for Milwaukee, the Lakers and Washington but never appeared in more than 29 games the previous five seasons.
Portland could use the boost, as it used an eight-man rotation in its last game due to illness and injuries. Justise Winslow won’t play on Monday due to a left ankle sprain while starting center Jusuf Nurkic and reserves Keon Johnson and Greg Brown are listed as questionable due to illness.
Community Shootaround: Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves got a taste of the postseason last spring and chose to make a bold move that their management believed would make them serious contenders.
They gave up a package of players and four first-round picks, including their 2023 choice, to acquire center Rudy Gobert from Utah. To this point, it’s been a disastrous move.
Minnesota is five games below .500 after losing at home to Detroit, which owns the league’s worst record. The Timberwolves were outscored 66-40 in the second half while getting booed by the home fans.
Gobert was supposed to stabilize the Timberwolves’ defense, but they still cannot get enough stops. While the Timberwolves rank a respectable sixth in field goal percentage defense, they’re 22nd in points allowed.
To be fair, Minnesota has been operating the last five weeks without its best player. Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a right calf strain and hasn’t played Nov. 28. There’s still no timetable for his return.
Without him, Minnesota is heavily reliant on the guard tandem of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell for scoring production. Russell, who is making over $31MM this season, is headed to unrestricted free agency in the summer.
The Timberwolves have also struggled with their rebounding and the bench hasn’t helped greatly, ranking 18th in the league in scoring.
Beyond Russell’s expiring contract, they don’t have many assets to deal at this point due to the Gobert trade.
That leads us to our question of the day: Should the Timberwolves exercise patience and hope they can turn things around when Towns returns? Or should they attempt to make moves to replenish assets and build a better team for next season?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Central Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Caruso, Pistons, Garland, Mobley
Zach LaVine used to be the player the Bulls called upon to take the last shot in a close game. DeMar DeRozan has usually taken those shots since joining the team last season and LaVine is fine with that, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
“You understand what he’s done in his career. He’s made a lot of those shots,” LaVine said of his Bulls teammate. “I’ve also made a lot of those shots. So you live with the decision. I ride or die with him every time he takes a shot like that because I’ve seen him make more than he missed.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- The Bulls are in the middle of the pack in terms of defensive rating and guard Alex Caruso believes they’re capable of guarding with more consistent effort, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “I think we have the right intentions with it,’’ Caruso said. “Obviously we’re not doing it every single possession, but I don’t think that anyone in the league is capable of that. Coaches have put us in a good spot. It’s about taking the information they give us and executing it on the floor. Like I said, the details. We’ve shown that could lead to some good things.”
- The Pistons have become quite reliant on their bench and the second unit has produced, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. Since Nov. 18, the bench is averaging a league-best 48.1 points per game. Detroit had five reserves in double figures when it defeated Minnesota on Saturday. “We have a lot of character guys on that group,” coach Dwane Casey said.
- Cavaliers star guard Darius Garland (right thumb sprain) is listed as doubtful to play against the Bulls on Monday, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic tweets. Cleveland forward Evan Mobley (right ankle soreness) is listed as questionable.
Southeast Notes: Butler, Lowry, McDaniels, Oubre
A consultation with a Los Angeles doctor over the weekend resulted in good news on the state of Heat All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler‘s sore right knee, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Butler sat out Miami’s narrow 126-123 victory over the Jazz last night but has been cleared to play in back-to-backs going forward, a source tells Chiang.
In 23 games this year, Butler is averaging 21.8 PPG on .528/.340/.829 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in 6.7 RPG, 5.8 APG and 2.1 SPG for the 19-18 Heat.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- $28.3MM Heat starting point guard Kyle Lowry may need to step up his game or risk being rotated out of the team’s closing lineups for good, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida South Sentinel. The 36-year-old was recently sat for the entirety of the fourth quarter in the Utah win, after experiencing consecutive down nights in back-to-back games against the Nuggets and Jazz.
- Fourth-year Hornets reserve small forward Jalen McDaniels recently spoke with Alex Kennedy of Basketball News about his long road to major rotation time. “Playing in the G League [for much of his rookie season], it just got me real confident — just letting me play through my mistakes and play a lot of minutes,” McDaniels said. “I learned a lot of the game, coming from the G League, playing in a lot of games and just knowing what to expect. I feel like my game is just locked in and I know where I’m supposed to be.” This season, McDaniels is averaging a career-most 10.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG and 1.0 SPG in 25.9 MPG.
- Starting Hornets small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. will be sidelined for at least a few games as he grapples with a sprained left hand, reports Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “He’s working, doing as much as he can now to try and get back,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “Hopefully we’ll know more in the next couple of days. The hand is funny, it just got banged a bunch of times, and this was twice in a short period of time. It was really sore. You could see he was struggling to catch the ball. He definitely needs time for sure.”
Injury Updates: Payne, Shamet, Jovic, Green, Antetokounmpo, Holiday, Middleton, Hill
Suns reserve guards Cameron Payne (right foot strain) and Landry Shamet (sore right Achilles) have seen their statuses updated to probable for Monday’s game against the Knicks, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports (Twitter link). Payne has been unavailable since December 13, while Shamet has been sidelined since Christmas Day.
Long-term, Phoenix is still without All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker (groin strain) and power forwards Cameron Johnson (right meniscus surgery) and Jae Crowder. Crowder has been away from the Suns all season while hoping for a trade.
We have more injury-related news:
- While getting some run with the Heat‘s G League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, rookie Miami power forward Nikola Jovic has been sidelined with back spasms, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
- Mavericks shooting guard Josh Green (sprained right elbow) remains shelved for a Monday matchup against the Rockets, the team announced (Twitter link). The elbow was reportedly reassessed on Friday. Dallas also confirmed that Dorian Finney-Smith (right adductor strain), expected to miss at least another week, and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring surgery), out indefinitely, remain unavailable.
- The Bucks could be missing their three best players on Sunday night as they square off against the Wizards, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (via Twitter). Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and Jrue Holiday (non-coronavirus illness) will miss the contest against Washington, while All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (sore left knee) and reserve point guard George Hill (non-coronavirus illness) are both questionable to play.
Northwest Notes: Hyland, Jokic, Markkanen, Jazz Losing Streak
Second-year reserve Nuggets guard Bones Hyland has developed into the de facto leader of the team’s bench, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Singer notes that Hyland has been showing plenty of promise of late, as when he scored 16 points to lead all bench scorers in a 124-119 Nuggets victory over the Heat Friday.
“Bones is such an important part to this team,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “He really is. When Bones is playing well, the impact he has, not only on that second unit, but the starters, is (huge).”
“Once I’m being myself out there, being Bizzy, playing with confidence, I think I give so much confidence within the team,” Hyland added. “I ignite that spark.”
Across 27 games this season, the 22-year-old is averaging 13.1 PPG, 3.4 APG and 2.1 RPG in 20.9 MPG for the 23-12 Nuggets.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Two-time Nuggets MVP center Nikola Jokic has emerged as a potential contender for that hardware yet again this season, but he claims personal commendations are not a major motivator. “To be honest, the MVP trophy might mean a little more to me when I finish my career,” Jokic told Serbian TV Arena Sport in a recent interview (h/t EuroBasket). “I didn’t chase that recognition or think about it. When you want something and then you get it, it’s logical to be happy. However, that award wasn’t even on my mind, so maybe I’m not overjoyed enough because of that. I have to admit that I don’t play for records, nor to be the best in triple-doubles.” Speaking of triple-doubles, the 6’11” All-Star is nearly averaging one for the season, with 25.5 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 9.5 APG. For December, Jokic averaged 29.2 PPG on 60.4% field goal shooting, plus 12.3 RPG and 10.1 APG.
- The 19-20 Jazz, losers of four straight contests, remain in the thick of the playoff hunt as the 10th seed in the West. There is nothing imminent on the trade front for Utah at present, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones notes that the team may now consider breakout star forward Lauri Markkanen, enjoying by far his best season ever as the club’s leading scorer, to be a long-term Jazzman. The seven-footer is averaging a career-best 23.8 PPG on .531/.429/.857. He is also pulling down 8.5 RPG and dishing out 1.9 APG.
- The Jazz are striving to be objective as they unpack the aforementioned four consecutive defeats, which can be chalked up to a variety of factors, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Walden notes that, after a red-hot 10-3 start to the 2022/23 season, the Jazz have gone just 9-17. “We have a great group of guys, so everybody’s still working together, still having fun playing, still doing the proper work,” Markkanen said. “It’s a tough stretch — we could easily be 4-0 in the last four games, but that’s the NBA, and nobody’s gonna feel sorry for us. So we’ve got to figure out a way to get those wins down the stretch.”
Atlantic Notes: Fournier, Rose, Maxey, Nurse, Claxton
After a long stretch outside the Knicks‘ rotation, injuries have given Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose a chance to play again, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Jalen Brunson missed a third straight game Saturday with a sore hip and RJ Barrett sat out his second game after suffering a lacerated finger on Tuesday, so Fournier and Rose were back in their familiar roles.
Coach Tom Thibodeau called Fournier “a true pro” after he returned to the court Thursday following a 23-game absence. On Saturday, Thibodeau held up Fournier and Rose as positive examples for young guards such as Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride.
“I think trial and error is a big part of learning, so they have to go through things,” Thibodeau said. “There’s gonna be some bumps, how do you handle all those things and then there’s times, hey look, this league, it’s a roller coaster. There’s gonna be times it’s going great and then all of a sudden it can change very quickly on you and it’s going the other way. And you have to be able to handle both. So I think having the right veterans around those young guys is very important.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey didn’t play Saturday after logging 19 minutes Friday night in his return from a fractured foot. Coach Doc Rivers plans to monitor Maxey’s playing time for a while, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN.
- The Raptors responded to a challenge from coach Nick Nurse in Friday’s win over Phoenix, notes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto had fallen out of a play-in spot with five straight losses, and Nurse called the recent effort “unacceptable.” Instead of having a shootaround before facing the Suns, the team went through a 20-minute film session with Nurse pointing out areas that need improvement. “It’s very simple, foundational things that we’ve got to get better,” Nurse explained. “… I’m probably not gonna air on the soft side of saying, ‘It was just a one-night thing.’ I’m gonna show them the good, bad, and ugly. I’m gonna show them that I’m not backing away from any of that stuff. I’m gonna show them what they need to do better. That’s the only way I think I can teach ‘em.”
- Nic Claxton has given the Nets a defensive anchor in the middle, and coach Jacque Vaughn believes he’s playing the best basketball of his career during the team’s 11-game winning streak, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post.