Central Notes: Pistons, Harden, Dieng, McConnell
The Pistons aren’t panicking even though their comfortable lead atop the East has eroded after their worst week of the season, writes Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. Detroit suffered its fourth straight loss Sunday in Miami and is now just two-and-a-half games ahead of Boston in the race for the No. 1 seed.
“It’s the NBA, right? And you look at the season, it’s long,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Everybody goes through difficult times or goes through a little bit of a rut. And we just found ours right now. And again, we’ve got plenty of time left to do what we got to do. Boston, obviously, is a good team. But we’re not concerned about Boston. Our biggest concern is making sure we’re doing what we need to do to go out and be as good as we possibly can.”
Cade Cunningham returned after sitting out Saturday’s loss to Brooklyn with a left quad contusion, but his 26 points and 10 assists weren’t enough to get the Pistons back in the win column. Reynolds points out that the schedule has been challenging recently – with three of the four losses coming against Cleveland, San Antonio and Miami – which is among the reasons the team isn’t overreacting to a tough stretch.
“Obviously, it’s probably our biggest dose of adversity all year,” Tobias Harris said. “We’ll be fine. Keep our head high and just (move) on to the next. But along this way, along this journey, let’s figure out ways that we can be better as a group.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Sunday’s home loss to Boston was a discouraging outcome for a Cavaliers team that’s trying to build a new identity after trading for James Harden, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com observes in a subscriber-only story. The Celtics were dominant for most of the afternoon and are looming as a tough matchup for the Cavs if they meet in the playoffs. “I told everybody, that’s the standard right there,” Harden said. “Me being in my 10th or 11th game here, that’s the level that we’ve gotta get to, Boston. Once we get there, because I know we’re good enough, we will get there, then we’ll be a much better team.”
- Ousmane Dieng did some intensive studying after being traded to the Bucks last month and was able to learn the playbook in two or three days, per Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (subscription required). Dieng had been stuck on the bench for most of his career in Oklahoma City, but he’s been much more productive since the deal. “When you play the right way, you can play with anybody, or any team,” he said. “I just feel like I play the right way.”
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle expressed concern about T.J. McConnell, who was forced out of Sunday’s game with soreness in his right hamstring, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
Injury Notes: Murray, Gordon, LeBron, Cunningham, Giannis
Nuggets fans can breath a sigh of relief: Jamal Murray‘s left ankle sprain isn’t serious. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link), the star point guard is expected to be listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup in Oklahoma City and is considered day-to-day.
Murray sustained the injury in the second quarter of Friday’s blowout home loss to New York and was unable to return. Head coach David Adelman said after the game Murray was “really sore” but typically bounces back quickly from ankle injuries, which proved prescient in this case.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- While Aaron Gordon wasn’t happy with his performance in his return to action on Friday, he’s “grateful” to be playing again and says he’s in a good spot physically after missing 17 straight games with a right hamstring strain, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Gordon has actually missed 36 total games as a result of right hamstring issues — he originally strained it on November 21, returned for 10 games, then aggravated the injury on Jan. 23. “I’ve gotta stay on top of it. But I play without worry,” Gordon said when asked about the risk of re-injury. “When you’re worried about an injury out there, that’s usually when it happens. So I feel great. My body feels good. It’s just the timing and the pace of the game that needs to come back to me now, but I feel good.”
- Lakers forward LeBron James missed his second consecutive game on Sunday vs. New York due to a left elbow contusion and left foot arthritis, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays. ESPN’s Malika Andrews reported (Twitter video link) during the game that James’ absence was more due to the foot injury than his bruised elbow. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is considered day-to-day, per Andrews. Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber are both active Sunday after previously being sidelined with knee and back injuries, respectively.
- After missing Saturday’s loss to Brooklyn with a left quad contusion, Pistons star Cade Cunningham has been upgraded to probable ahead of Sunday’s contest at Miami, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Cunningham, a fifth-year guard, has played in 55 of Detroit’s 62 games so far this season. Caris LeVert (left wrist sprain) has been ruled out for the second of a back-to-back, Patterson adds.
- The Bucks will be without their best player on Sunday, as Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf injury management) won’t play against Orlando on the second of a back-to-back, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Forward Kyle Kuzma is questionable to suit up due to a thoracic spine contusion.
Injury Notes: Murray, Nuggets, Pistons, Kuminga, Black
The Nuggets had three rotation forwards back in action on Friday, with Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), Cameron Johnson (right ankle inflammation) and Spencer Jones (right shoulder strain) all suiting up against New York. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes, the Nuggets were thrilled to have Gordon, who was on a minutes restriction, in the lineup after he missed 17 consecutive games.
“I think (we missed him) more on the defensive side,” Nikola Jokic said, alluding also to the injured Peyton Watson. “They’re really good on offense, and they give us different variation and different weapons on offense. But I think their length and their ability to guard, we kind of miss more. Definitely, it’s gonna help us.”
Friday marked the first time since November 12 that Denver had its opening night starting lineup (Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Johnson, Gordon and Jokic) available, Durando notes. However, that five-man group didn’t come away from game unscathed, as star guard Murray sprained his left ankle late in the second quarter and was unable to return (YouTube link).
Head coach David Adelman said Murray would be reevaluated on Saturday, adding that the 29-year-old was “really sore” but typically bounces back quickly from ankle sprains, per Arnie Melendrez Stapleton of The Associated Press.
“This has just been insane,” Adelman said. “Every time we get somebody back I feel like somebody else goes out. … So, whatever group we have that is healthy for OKC (Sunday), whatever minute restrictions there are and all the excuses, we just have to play a hell of a lot better.”
Here are some more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- The Pistons expect Ausar Thompson to miss multiple games due to a right ankle sprain, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters on Saturday, including Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News (Twitter video link). “I think it’s going to be a minute,” Bickerstaff said of Thompson’s return timeline. Cade Cunningham, who was originally questionable for Saturday’s matchup vs. Brooklyn because of a left quadriceps contusion, has been downgraded to out. Bickerstaff said the star guard is considered day-to-day, per Davis.
- Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga will miss his second straight game Saturday when Atlanta faces Philadelphia, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks. Kuminga is battling left knee inflammation.
- Third-year guard Anthony Black suffered a low back strain in the first quarter of Saturday’s contest at Minnesota and has been ruled out for the rest of the game, the Magic announced (via Twitter). The former lottery pick recently missed a pair of games — his first absences of the season — due to a right quad contusion.
Pistons Notes: Thompson, Holland, Cunningham, Huerter
The Pistons, who hold the top seed in the Eastern Conference, lost their second straight game on Thursday at San Antonio. They also lost their best perimeter defensive player — third-year wing Ausar Thompson — to a right ankle sprain just two minutes into the contest, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com.
“Ausar obviously means a lot to us,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “What we were able to do defensively, what he does defensively, the impact he has, obviously, you miss. We just had to figure out a way collectively to pick it up.”
Thompson has already been ruled out of Saturday’s contest vs. Brooklyn, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The 23-year-old will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Second-year forward Ron Holland was also forced out of Thursday’s game after sustaining a left eye injury, the team announced (via Twitter). “He got hit in the eye and it was blurred vision. I didn’t want to put him out there, didn’t feel comfortable putting him back in the game if he couldn’t see straight out of that eye,” Bickerstaff said (Twitter link via Patterson). However, Holland should be ready to go on Saturday, as he’s not listed on tomorrow’s injury report, Patterson tweets.
- Guard Cade Cunningham (left quad contusion) is questionable to suit up against the Nets, while center Jalen Duren is probable because of low back spasms, as Patterson relays (via Twitter).
- Veteran guard Kevin Huerter showed on Thursday why the Pistons traded for him last month, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). Huerter had been out of the team’s rotation of late, receiving a DNP-CD in six of his last seven games heading into Thursday, but he capitalized on his opportunity with Thompson out, contributing seven points (on 3-of-4 shooting), five rebounds, two assists and a steal. He was plus-15 in 17 minutes in the 15-point loss to the Spurs. “It’s different, it’s for sure different,” Huerter said of his role. “I think I also know at this point how to be a pro, how to keep myself ready, staying in the gym. It’s my job to be there and try to learn this offense, figure out our identity on the defensive side of the ball and watch film when I can. But obviously keep myself in shape and sharp as much as I can and control the things I can control.“
Pistons Notes: Stewart, Rotation, Harris, Holland
Isaiah Stewart made his return to the Pistons‘ rotation on Tuesday after his seven-game league suspension expired. Stewart was penalized for his participated in a pre-All-Star break brawl with the Hornets.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was thrilled to have his top frontcourt reserve back in uniform, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic tweets.
“There’s so much he brings to the table on both ends of the floor,” Bickerstaff said. “Intangibles, his spirit, his energy, his effort. … It’ll be great to have him back from a basketball standpoint, but from a personal standpoint and emotional standpoint.”
The opposing coach also spoke of Stewart’s importance to his Central Division rival, the Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa II tweets.
“He fits perfectly their style of play,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit because he’s such a physical player, but he’s a skilled player … gives them another great rim protector.”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Bickerstaff likes to go deep into his bench and that’s not likely to change the rest of the regular season, Patterson tweets. “I don’t think so,” the Pistons’ coach said of shrinking the rotation. “We’re so comfortable with the depth and the guys we have. … Typically in the past, nine is a great number. But we’re struggling to get away from 12.”
- Cade Cunningham is inspired by the longevity and consistency of starting forward Tobias Harris, he told Coty Davis of the Detroit News. “It’s impressive. It is something all of us young guys aspire to be,” Cunningham said. “In year 15, I want to be able to come out, feel good, and be able to get into my bag as he does. For him to be doing that with us and bringing as much fire to our huddles and on the court, it means a lot.” Harris, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, is averaging 13.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game. He made a key shot in overtime against Cleveland on Friday, following up by a 23-point, seven-rebound effort against Orlando on Sunday. “For me, it has been about keeping myself mentally and physically in the best condition,” Harris said.
- Second-year wing Ron Holland is shooting a woeful 22.7 percent on three-point attempts but the coaching staff won’t deter him from taking open looks, according to Sankofa. “His open shot is the best shot,” Bickerstaff said. “We want him to believe that, if he’s doing the other things. His strength is putting pressure on the rim, and if he’s not doing that and just settling for jumpers, then he’s not maximizing his opportunities. But if he’s driving, he’s attacking, he’s defending, he’s running, the ball finds him in the corner, it’s an open shot, that shot is the best shot for us.”
- In case you missed it, Cunningham was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month. Get the details here.
Cunningham, Wembanyama Earn Player Of The Month Honors
Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham has become the first player to be named Player of the Month twice this season, earning the Eastern Conference award for February after also having done so in October/November, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
Cunningham’s Pistons maintained their comfortable lead atop the Eastern Conference standings by going 9-2 in March. The former No. 1 overall pick led the way, averaging 25.4 points, 9.9 assists, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 33.5 minutes per contest, with a .472/.373/.769 shooting line.
Cunningham’s biggest game of the month came after the All-Star break when he racked up 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds in a victory over the Knicks in New York. That was one of six double-doubles he recorded in February.
Cunningham beat out fellow nominees Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers), Desmond Bane (Magic), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks), Brandon Ingram (Raptors), Brandon Miller (Hornets), and Ryan Rollins (Bucks) to claim the monthly award in the Eastern Conference, according to the league (Twitter link).
Meanwhile, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama – another former first overall pick – was recognized for the second time this afternoon, earning Player of the Month recognition in the Western Conference after also having won the Defensive Player of the Month award.
In addition to anchoring the West’s best defense in February, Wembanyama put up big offensive numbers, contributing 22.5 points and 3.5 assists to go along with his 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. It was enough to earn the 22-year-old the first Player of the Month award of his career.
San Antonio has dominated the Western Conference’s monthly awards after enjoying an 11-0 February — while Wembanyama took home Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month, his teammate Dylan Harper was named Rookie of the Month.
The other nominees for Player of the Month in the West were Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, Lakers guard Luka Doncic, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
Anthony Edwards, Jalen Duren Named Players Of The Week
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week, while Pistons center Jalen Duren has claimed the award in the East, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).
Edwards, who was named to his fourth straight All-Star team this season, helped Minnesota go 3-0 in a trio of road games played from February 23 – March 1. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.7 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals on .457/.357/.667 shooting in those three appearances (37.7 minutes per game).
Duren, a first-time All-Star in 2025/26, helped guide Detroit to a 3-1 record last week. The 22-year-old big man averaged 25.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG in 34.0 MPG. He shot 63.9% from the field and 73.5% on free throws over the four games.
According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Saddiq Bey (Pelicans), Luka Doncic (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Rockets) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder).
Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Duren’s teammate Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Brandon Miller (Hornets) were nominated in the East.
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Duren, Sasser, Huerter, Stewart, Jenkins
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff detailed during his pregame press conference on Friday his reasons why Cade Cunningham should receive the Most Valuable Player award.
“I wish I could (state Cade’s case MVP) with a better, stronger voice…I mean, he deserves it,” Bickerstaff said. “Right now, again, if the season were to end today, the best player on the team with the best win percentage, to me, is the guy that deserves to be the MVP.
“What he does for us on both ends of the floor; he doesn’t take nights, or times, or possessions off defensively. We’ll put him on the other team’s best perimeter player, and he’ll go down on the offensive end and score his 25 points but create for his teammates. He’s second in the league in assists and makes his teammates better also. And, then the game’s on the line, you can give him the ball, and he’s one of the best clutch players we have in this league. So, I’m hard-pressed to find a better example or statement of who the MVP should be.”
Cunningham is averaging 25.4 points, a career-high 9.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game for the East-leading Pistons, whose 44-14 record is the NBA’s best mark.
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- All-Star center Jalen Duren said he never wanted to leave the organization, even during its franchise-worst 14-win season in 2023/24. “That’s not my character. That’s not me. I’m super loyal,” Duren told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I hang my hat on loyalty. I was raised on loyalty. These are my brothers, man. Honestly, I don’t just say that just because we’re all on the same team. I honestly love these guys. So, in my head, looking at it, I didn’t see a bad team. I was young. I knew we had pieces. We were just missing something. Experience would be the easy thing to say. We were just missing something. We were missing a lot, actually. But for me, I just never saw it as this is not going to work. I always knew that once we figured some things out, grabbed a couple pieces, established a culture, maybe we can be something.”
- Marcus Sasser and trade deadline acquisition Kevin Huerter haven’t cracked the rotation, but Bickerstaff said there will be opportunities for both players to earn minutes next month. “We got a heavy March, right? We got a ton of games in March where everybody will get an opportunity to play,” he said. “And because of our depth, we feel confident that we can still compete at a high level with the depth that we have and get those guys some chances to play.” Sasser played 11 minutes during Friday’s overtime win against Cleveland but didn’t score.
- Isaiah Stewart, who is still serving a seven-game suspension for his involvement in a pre-All-Star break brawl with Charlotte, says he patterns his game after Hall of Famer Ben Wallace, who earned four Defensive Player of the Year awards with Detroit. “He paved the way for us undersized guys,” Stewart told Vince Goodwill of ESPN. “I’m trying to live up to that and put my name somewhere positive in this organization.”
- Daniss Jenkins, who was promoted from his two-way contract with a two-year, $8MM deal earlier this month, hit three clutch free throws after getting fouled on a three-point attempt in the closing seconds of regulation on Friday. That allowed the Pistons to steal a game against the Cavs in overtime. “He’s been mature. I hate to say that, but it’s not surprising anymore what he’s done,” Bickerstaff said. “When his number has been called, whatever the moment has been, he’s been a productive for us and effective for us.”
And-Ones: Durant, Olympics, U.S. Roster, Parker, Brooks
Four-time gold medalist Kevin Durant tells Vincent Goodwill of ESPN he wants to represent Team USA again at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old Rockets forward, who is the U.S men’s team’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic competition, did add a caveat, however.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant said. “I would love to, but I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting, I want to produce on the floor and make (managing director) Grant (Hill) and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team. I don’t want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can help the team win.
“Today, yeah I feel like I’ll put my name in that hat.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Speaking of the 2028 Olympics and USA Basketball, Zach Kram of ESPN takes an early look at potential candidates for the Americans’ roster. Kram predicts that Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Jalen Duren, Amen Thompson, Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo and Jayson Tatum will be the 12 players selected (they’re listed by age). Durant could take the final wing spot on the roster, according to Kram, but only if he’s still “engaged and deserving” two-plus years from now.
- Partizan Belgrade is expected to loan former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker to Spanish club Joventut Badalona for the rest of the season, according to a report from Mozzart Sport (hat tip to Sportando). Parker been away from the Serbian club for several weeks, last playing on January 9. The veteran power forward is still under contract with Partizan through 2026/27, though his future with the team is uncertain.
- Shooting guard Armoni Brooks, who played parts of three NBA seasons from 2020-24, has been named MVP of the Italian Cup after helping lead Olimpia Milano to a title in the domestic tournament, per Fabio Cavagnera of RealOlimpiaMilano.com (hat tip to Sportando). The 27-year-old said he “100%” wants to re-sign with the Italian squad.
And-Ones: MVP Race, No. 1 Pick, Peterson, P. Gasol
Reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the favorite to claim the award again in 2025/26, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, who recently conducted his second MVP straw poll. The Thunder guard was the only player to appear on all 100 ballots and accumulated 930 points.
Injuries to top players have significantly impacted the MVP race this season, Bontemps writes, as multiple contenders for the award may not qualify due to the 65-game rule. Despite being sidelined with an abdominal strain, Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t in imminent danger of not meeting that threshold — he’ll likely have 10 total missed games when he’s reevaluated later this week.
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic remains in second place (700 points), but the gap between the two players has grown since Bontemps’ initial poll in December. That’s largely because the three-time MVP missed 15 games because of a knee injury and can’t have more than two additional absences without becoming ineligible for major postseason awards.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (382 points) and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama (242 points) were the only other players to receive first-place votes. Lakers guard Luka Doncic (177 points) rounds out the top five of Bontemps’ poll.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- How much would the No. 1 overall pick in the loaded 2026 NBA draft be worth if it were available in an auction? Brian Windhorst of ESPN briefly discussed that topic on the Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). “I was talking to a league executive today and he said to me, this is after Darryn Peterson had 23 points in 18 minutes and after we’ve seen some other top guys have big time games over the last four or five days,” Windhorst said. “… I had an executive tell me that the No. 1 pick this year is worth $100 million. If you gave the opportunity to buy that pick, teams would pay $100 million for it. Keep that in mind when the Jazz were fined $500,000.”
- Although Peterson’s sporadic for Kansas this season has undoubtedly been frustrating for him, the school, and its fans, his health issues are unlikely to have much of an effect on the 19-year-old guard’s standing as a top prospect in the 2026 draft class, per Brendan Marks and Justin Williams of The Athletic. “He’s elite, elite, elite,” one NBA scout told The Athletic. “When he’s fully healthy, the shot-making is on another level. … When it comes down to it, man, if you’ve seen this guy play in high school, and you saw those matchups, like, Darryn is the guy. For sure.”
- Hall of Famer Pau Gasol has been selected by Olympic athletes to represent them on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) board through the 2028 summer games in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press.