Central Notes: Turner, Cade, Langdon, Zubac, Walker
Among the free agents who changed teams in 2025, no player received a bigger payday than Myles Turner, who signed a four-year, $109MM contract with the Bucks. But it was a disappointing first year in Milwaukee for Turner, as the big man saw his production drop off and went from playing in the NBA Finals to finishing in the lottery. Speaking to Eric Nehm of The Athletic and Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required), Turner reflected on a challenging season.
“It was definitely a rude awakening,” Turner said. “It was difficult throughout the year, obviously, with all the injuries and whatnot. But one thing I was really encouraged by was, honestly, the spirit of all of the guys, man. I feel like, especially on the players’ side, guys had the right approach, and that’s made it more easy to go about the days for myself. It’s obviously been a rough adjustment, but I think that kind of just comes with anything new.”
As Nehm points out, Turner isn’t the kind of player who generates his own shots on offense, so the fact that two of Milwaukee’s primary play-makers – Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. – were injured for large chunks of the season made it difficult for the big man to find his rhythm in the offense. For his part, Turner wonders if he should have done more to advocate for a role that he could’ve had more success in.
“It wasn’t easy,” Turner said. “I don’t want to throw Doc (Rivers) under the bus and say he said, ‘Myles, you’re not allowed to do this,’ or, ‘Myles, you’re not allowed to do that.’ I think a lot of it was me, maybe being a little passive and kind of acquiescing to others when I could’ve stepped up in a different role quicker for myself. But I do think there is a push and pull. It goes both ways. You could put me in a better position to be successful, and then I could be a little more assertive in ways that I have been in the past. There was definitely a lot of frustration on both ends. I think the frustration came more from not figuring it out fast enough, kind of just sinking.”
If the Bucks decide to move Antetokounmpo this offseason, it may have a ripple effect on Turner, who could join Giannis on the trade block in the event of a full-scale rebuild. For now though, he’s planning on finishing out his contract in Milwaukee.
“I did sign a four-year deal, and with that being said, I plan to honor it, that commitment,” Turner said. “All I can do is kind of sit here and wait for direction and go out there and voice my opinion during exit meetings and whatnot. I think we’re in wait-and-see-what-happens mode right now as opposed to what can happen.”
Here’s more from across the Central:
- Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was happy to learn on Thursday that Cade Cunningham has been ruled award-eligible despite not meeting the 65-game criteria, as Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press relays. “He deserves it, you know what I mean?” Bickerstaff said. “That’s what you don’t want to see happen is things taken away from guys that are completely out of their control. I think the league did the right thing.”
- In an in-depth feature for Andscape, Marc J. Spears examines the path Trajan Langdon took to the Pistons‘ president of basketball operations position and the role he has played in the team’s renaissance since being hired in 2024. Within the story, Langdon explained why he didn’t want to do anything too drastic at the trade deadline despite the possibility that Detroit could be just one piece away from a title. “I want to see our guys continue to grow, give them room to grow,” Langdon said. “I didn’t want to do anything that could impact that.”
- After being acquired at the trade deadline, center Ivica Zubac was only able to play in five games for the Pacers before a rib fracture ended his season. Still, he says he “got a feel for how this team wants to play” during that time, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star details (subscription required). “About the pace, about defensive coverages, about defensive rotations,” he said. “Offensively, where they want me to be, what they want me to do. It definitely helped. I wish it was more games, for sure, to get a better feel for it. (But) I kind of understood what they want from me.”
- Playing for a 17-65 team was a new experience for Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who had never been part of a losing team since he began playing basketball. And while he didn’t enjoy all that losing, the third-year forward did take a major step forward individually over the course of the season, Dopirak writes for The Star (subscription required). “I’ll never take this year for granted because I’ve grown so much throughout this season,” said Walker, who averaged a career-high 25.7 minutes per game and made 41 starts before becoming extension-eligible this July. “That’s because I was able to play through mistakes, play with different lineups, play with different people that I’ve never played with before. It’s been beautiful. It’s been a blessing in disguise for sure.”
Clippers Notes: Garland, Kawhi, Jackson, Zubac
The Clippers won their third straight game on Wednesday in Inglewood, defeating another playoff hopeful in Toronto by 25 points, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Los Angeles is currently three games behind Phoenix for the No. 7 seed in the West and a half-game ahead of No. 9 Portland.
Trade acquisition Darius Garland continued his strong recent play, putting up 24 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), six assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block in 30 minutes. The two-time All-Star point guard has been on fire since he made his Clippers debut on March 2, averaging 21.1 points, 6.8 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals on .506/.512/.826 shooting splits in 11 games (27.7 minutes per contest).
“You see that he’s enjoying the game and he’s just loving it,” Kawhi Leonard said. “I’ve played with guys like that before and like I said, he’s doing a great job, man. It’s when your hard work pays off, you make one of those shots or you’re just doing good, the excitement comes out of you. So yeah, I’m enjoying it and playing with him.”
Here’s more on the Clips:
- As Carr writes, Garland’s ability to stretch the floor with deep shooting range has created easier looks for his teammates, including Leonard, who finished with 27 points, six rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes. The 34-year-old forward has now scored 20-plus points in 49 straight games, which he attributes to his consistency. “It’s everything,” Leonard said. “That’s how you build championship habits. It’s just coming in every night, playing with the consistent mindset of being in attack mode and wanting to defend. And you want your team to play that way as well. So, I just build off of just trying to win really more than anything because the numbers will change.”
- Fifth-year center Isaiah Jackson was something of an afterthought in last month’s trade that sent Ivica Zubac to Indiana, and he was initially the Clippers’ third-string center. However, as Carr writes in another story, Jackson has been the team’s primary backup five since rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser suffered a season-ending foot injury, and the former Kentucky big man has impressed head coach Tyronn Lue. “He’s been really good,” Lue said of Jackson. “I think rebounding the basketball, his ability to switch one through five on the floor has been really good for us. “(As well as) his ability to run the floor, his offensive rebounds, lob dunks, and being able to post smaller guys when they try to switch. He’s been able to post smaller guys they’ve been throwing at him, and he’s been able to take advantage around the rim.”
- In an interview with Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, Zubac discussed his time with the Clippers, a tenure which covered parts of eight seasons. Zubac went through a gamut of emotions the week of the deadline — he became a father two days prior to being traded. “It was tough when (president of basketball operations) Lawrence Frank called me to let me know that it was happening and then just kind of being on the phone with people from the Pacers and going through all that,” Zubac said. “Then it hit me that the (Clippers) were going on a trip and it’d be good to go over there so I called Lawrence, he said that anytime I wanted to come by, I’m free to come by. So I went over there, caught a lot of people before they left for the trip and yeah we sat there for five, six hours, I don’t even know, but it just talked about memories and all the stuff that we did and what we went through and a lot of people cried. I cried. It was tough, man. It was tough. You always think it could happen — the trades and stuff — but you never really expect it, you don’t want it to happen. So once it happened, yeah, it was tough.” Injured star Tyrese Haliburton was among the Pacers pushing behind the scenes to acquire Zubac, league sources tell ClutchPoints.
Pacers Notes: Jones, Zubac, Siakam, Draft Odds
As a result of his DNP-CD on Monday, Pacers rookie guard Kam Jones will fall short of appearing in 41 games this season, tweets Tony East of Circle City Spin. That’s notable because Jones’ salary for 2026/27 would have become fully guaranteed if he had reached the 41-game mark.
Jones’ salary for next season is just $2.15MM and it will still be 50% guaranteed for now, so the cost to retain him would be very modest. The remaining 50% of the 24-year-old’s salary will lock in if he remains under contract through June 30.
Still, the Pacers could have a crowded roster situation this offseason, especially if they’re able to hang onto their top-four protected first-round pick. Of their 15 players currently on standard contracts, 13 are under contract for next season, including 10 on fully guaranteed salaries, while a 14th has a team option on his deal. Depending on the decisions the team makes with certain back-of-the-roster players, it’s possible Jones’ spot could be in jeopardy.
We have more on the Pacers:
- Head coach Rick Carlisle provided more information over the weekend on the fractured rib that ended Ivica Zubac‘s season early, according to East. Carlisle told reporters that Zubac suffered the injury during the first quarter of last Wednesday’s loss to Portland. The veteran center had difficulty sleeping that night and underwent an MRI the next day that revealed the fracture. “If you’ve ever had rib stuff, it’s kind of the worst because breathing bothers it. Coughing bothers it. Sneezing is impossible, and laughing, you just can’t do it,” Carlisle said. “He’s going to be uncomfortable for a while, but he will make a full recovery. But it’s a tough break for us because we were looking forward to seeing as much of that core group together as possible and now it’s not going to happen.”
- Buoyed by Pascal Siakam, who had 37 points and a game-clinching block in his second game back from a knee sprain, the Pacers snapped their franchise-record 16-game losing streak on Monday by knocking off the Magic, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. As disappointing as the 2025/26 season has been in Indiana, Siakam hasn’t been the problem — he’s averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 48.4% from the floor. “Siakam was spectacular,” Carlisle said of his star forward after Monday’s victory. “Thirty-three minutes, 37 points. The guy’s a great, great player.”
- Despite Monday’s win, the Pacers are in no imminent danger of hurting their lottery odds, Dopirak observes in a separate story. At 16-56, Indiana has a three-game cushion on the league’s fourth-worst team, 19-53 Sacramento. Since the top-four-pick odds for the worst three teams are identical (52.1%) and the Pacers won’t keep their first-rounder if it lands between Nos. 5-9, they only need to worry about remaining in that three-team group rather than staying at the very top of the draft lottery order.
Ivica Zubac To Miss Rest Of Season With Fractured Rib
4:55 pm: The Pacers have officially confirmed Zubac’s injury in a press release. As expected, the 29-year-old big man will miss the rest of the season. He’s expected to make a full recovery, per the team.
10:02 am: Pacers center Ivica Zubac sustained a fractured rib in Wednesday’s loss to Portland, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), who reports that Zubac will sit out the rest of the season while he recovers from the injury.
Zubac left Wednesday’s game early, though his exit happened after he was on the wrong end of a Donovan Clingan elbow, and the head contusion he suffered on that play was the ailment he discussed during his post-game media session. It’s unclear when the rib fracture occurred.
Zubac, who was traded from the Clippers to Indiana at February’s deadline, was still recovering from a left ankle sprain at the time of the deal and didn’t make his Pacers debut until last week. He has been limited to just 48 total appearances this season due to various health issues.
In his five games as Indiana’s starting center – all losses – Zubac averaged 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.6 minutes per contest. His full-season averages were 14.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 2.2 APG in 30.1 MPG.
Although Zubac was able to suit up for a few games as a Pacer this season, the team traded for him with an eye toward 2026/27 and beyond. With a healthy Zubac in the middle and star point guard Tyrese Haliburton back from his Achilles tear, Indiana is hopeful that it will once again become a title contender after coming within one win of a championship last June.
With Zubac unavailable, big man Jay Huff figures to reclaim a spot in the starting lineup. He started 15 of 16 games at the five between the start of February and Zubac’s debut. Reserve center Micah Potter, who lost his rotation spot with Zubac healthy, will likely resume playing regular minutes once he’s healthy. He was inactive on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a right triceps strain.
Pacers Notes: Slawson, Zubac, Haliburton, Bell
The Pacers have been impressed by Jalen Slawson since he signed a two-way contract at the end of last month, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). The former second-round pick had a big game on Wednesday, recording 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 37 minutes, and helped spark a fourth-quarter comeback that came up short.
“His energy and effort is really, really amazing,” center Ivica Zubac said. “That’s one of the starting things you have to have when you’re getting your chance just to get on the floor. You have to show energy, make effort plays.
“He’s blocking shots. He’s rebounding. He’s making the right reads, cutting to the right spots, taking open shots, taking good shots. He doesn’t really force it. He’s been great, defending his tail off. He’s been doing everything we want him to do and playing with a lot of energy and force. We all gotta play like that.”
Head coach Rick Carlisle also praised Slawson’s defensive activity, and noted that the 26-year-old forward has grown increasingly comfortable on the other end as well.
“He’s making better reads the more he plays,” Carlisle said. “You can see he has good feel. He can drive it. He’s got ball skills. He can throw late lobs and see things. Guys that can do a lot of different things like that sometimes are challenged with decisiveness, but he’s becoming more decisive the more he plays. … We all like what we see.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Zubac was forced out of Wednesday’s loss in the fourth quarter after being elbowed in the head by Donovan Clingan when the Blazers big man was trying to dunk a lob (Twitter video link). As Dopirak writes in another subscriber-only story, Zubac had a sizeable lump on the right side of his head in the locker room, but he said he wasn’t experiencing headaches and didn’t have to enter the concussion protocol. “It’s not like that,” Zubac said. “I just got popped in the head and it swelled up, but no headaches or anything. I feel good.“
- In an interview with DJ Siddiqi of Casino.org, star point guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed his rehab from a torn Achilles tendon, his confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back next season, and more. Haliburton said he doesn’t have any specific goals for 2026/27. “None that I’ve thought through yet,” he said. “For me, it’s just about coming back and being the best version of myself. As far as giving myself an objective or anything, I haven’t really thought about it. Obviously I want to get exactly back to where I was and beyond. And win a championship of course. I just really want to get back to full health and get back to attacking every day as hard as I can being away from the court.”
- Indiana’s G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, has officially reacquired ex-NBA big man Jordan Bell, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. As Agness notes, the Boom already held Bell’s returning player rights — he was on the roster in ’24/25 prior to suffering a season-ending left knee injury that required surgery.
Clippers Notes: Kawhi, Collins, Young Players, Niederhauser
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard sat out on Monday vs. San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain, but the injury seems unlikely to sideline the veteran forward for an extended period. Leonard, who was initially listed as doubtful vs. the Spurs before being downgraded to out, is considered day-to-day and will accompany the team on its upcoming three-game road trip, tweets Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.
The Clippers will play a back-to-back set in New Orleans on Wednesday and Thursday before visiting Dallas on Saturday. Leonard would have to play in at least one of those three games in order to preserve his eligibility for end-of-season awards.
Here’s more on the Clippers:
- After missing nine of 10 games – including seven straight – due to a sore neck and head laceration, big man John Collins returned to action on Saturday vs. Sacramento. Collins came off the bench on Saturday for the first time since early November, but was back in the starting five on Monday with Leonard inactive. “It was just a funky process,” Collins said of his injury recovery, per Carr. “Again, it could have been a lot worse on the injury side, but I just tried to stay positive and come in every day, bringing good energy and again, continue to try to just keep my body ready as well as I could.”
- The Clippers’ 119-115 loss to San Antonio on Monday dropped the team back to .500 (34-34), but head coach Tyronn Lue was pleased with what his young reserves brought to the table in Leonard’s absence, according to Carr. Jordan Miller scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting, while Kobe Sanders (+20), Cam Christie (+12), and Isaiah Jackson (+10) all had positive plus/minus marks. “I thought their energy was really good in that third quarter to come back and cut the lead and continue to keep fighting, playing the right way,” Lue said. “We got it close and then I think we gave up a three, missed a rotation, give up a three I think to (Stephon) Castle. But just coming in, competing, playing at a high level, that’s what our young guys did tonight. We needed every bit of it.”
- One of the Clippers’ other youngsters, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, recently underwent season-ending foot surgery, but he was playing his best basketball of the season prior to that injury. Speaking to Jaime Maggio of Sports Central LA (Twitter video link), Niederhauser credited teammates Bogdan Bogdanovic and Brook Lopez for helping him adjust to the NBA game, also citing Ivica Zubac as an influence before he was traded to Indiana.
Central Notes: Strus, Mobley, Giannis, Turner, Zubac
Cavaliers forward Max Strus didn’t show any ill effects from the broken foot that sidelined him for several months as he made his season debut on Sunday, writes Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Strus’ shot looked as good as ever, as he went 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc while scoring 24 points, but he was upset that his return resulted in a loss to Dallas.
“I wasn’t good enough. Obviously we didn’t win, so you could say all the things you want to say,” Strus said. “I’m proud of myself, yes, but at the end of the day we didn’t win the game. It’s a bad loss for us and hopefully we get the next one.”
Strus suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot while training last summer and underwent surgery in late August. He was projected to return to action within three to four months, but the recovery process lasted a lot longer than expected.
Strus was one of the first players off the Cavs’ bench on Sunday, and he wound up playing 23 minutes. Coach Kenny Atkinson indicated that his playing time will increase over the final four weeks of the season.
“I think it’s an emotional day when you witness someone go through what he has during the offseason and then struggling to get back. It’s emotional, but it’s also exciting,” Atkinson said. “And then just to get an injection of energy and the competitor he is back in the locker room. It’s good timing and will be a boost for the team, not just today but going forward.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Evan Mobley admitted feeling some disappointment with his play this season after the Cavaliers won at Dallas on Friday, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com states in a subscriber-only story. “You always have high standards for yourself. I wanted to come out and dominate this year. Injuries. Different things. It doesn’t always go as planned,” Mobley said. “But you always keep going. The end goal is championship. We’re still in a good spot right now. Just got to keep stacking days. Wherever that takes you, it’s part of your journey so you can’t really get too hard on yourself. Just know things are going to turn eventually.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo wanted to return to the game after appearing to hyperextend his left knee on Sunday, but the Bucks‘ medical staff wouldn’t permit it, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Milwaukee held a double-digit lead over Indiana at the time, and it was decided that the risk was too great, although Antetokounmpo had to be talked out of it. “That was the time that you gotta look back and you just gotta listen. Just gotta listen,” he said. “And I listened. But I try not to make it bigger than what it is. I felt like I could finish the game. But the training staff thought it wasn’t smart for me to do so, so I just gotta trust them and go from there.”
- Myles Turner, who spent his entire career with the Pacers before signing with the Bucks last summer, assessed how Ivica Zubac will fit into the team’s system, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Turner said it’s tough to make a judgment so soon because Zubac has only played three games with Indiana and many of his teammates are injured. “You’ve kind of yet to see it,” Turner said. “With Tyrese (Haliburton), he needs space to operate and I was able to stretch the floor for him. It’s a little bit different with Zu because while he’s a good play-maker and passer, he’s more of a low-post kind of guy. I don’t know what that spacing looks like in (coach Rick Carlisle’s) system, but it’s kind of one of those things you wait to see.”
Pacers Notes: Zubac, Q. Jackson, Carlisle, Injuries
More than a month after being acquired at the trade deadline, Ivica Zubac was able to make his Pacers debut this week, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Fully recovered from a left ankle injury, Zubac played 16 minutes on Thursday against Phoenix and 29 on Friday against New York. Coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that it’s important for Zubac and his new teammates to get used to each other in preparation for next season.
“We need to find ways to make these games meaningful for the development of our team,” Carlisle said. “It’s important that Andrew Nembhard and Zubac play together. … We’re looking to introduce things that take advantage of Zu’s strengths, the guys he’s playing with. Now it’s just a matter of more time together in games.”
The Pacers currently have the league’s worst record, but they plan to be back in title contention next season with most of their NBA Finals roster still together and Zubac taking the place of Myles Turner. Zubac has been closely observing the team’s style of play over the past few weeks in preparation for that challenge, and he believes he’ll be a good addition.
“I feel like no matter who plays on this team, they play the same way,” Zubac said. “They fit right in. It’s always next man up. It felt the same. It’s different guys, but the way they play, the way they move, the stuff they do, everyone on this team is really bought into the system. No matter who is out there, they’re gonna play super hard, they’re gonna move the ball, they’re gonna sacrifice themselves for the other guy. It’s really fun.”
There’s more from Indiana:
- Zubac was playing with ankle soreness in L.A. and didn’t expect to get back to 100% until the season ended, Tony East of Circle City Spin states in an inside look at the center’s return to action. That approach changed with the trade, as the Pacers wanted him to be completely healed before he tried to play again.
- Backup point guard Quenton Jackson missed his second straight game on Friday with a calf issue. “It’s a mild strain,” Carlisle said, per Dopirak (Twitter link). “But every time you hear calf strain it’s not mild. It’s something that requires attention.”
- Carlisle revealed that as the Pacers deal with numerous injuries, they’re in frequent contact with the league office about who is able to play, Dopirak adds (Twitter link). The team was fined $100K last month for violating the player participation policy, and Carlisle wants league officials to be aware of his situation heading into a stretch of five games in seven days. He added that the conversations have been happening since mid-January.
Ivica Zubac Will Make Pacers Debut Thursday
March 12: Zubac will play on Thursday, head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed (Twitter link via Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star).
Obi Toppin, Nesmith, McConnell, Siakam and Jackson are all out, but Nembhard will be available, tweets East.
March 11: Veteran center Ivica Zubac has been upgraded to questionable for the Pacers‘ game against the Suns on Thursday, per Tony East of Forbes Sports (Twitter link).
If he’s able to play vs. Phoenix, it would mark Zubac’s debut for the Pacers, who acquired him at February’s trade deadline with an eye to shoring up their frontcourt in the 2026/27 season when Tyrese Haliburton returns from his ruptured Achilles.
After averaging 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game and being named to the All-Defensive second team in 2024/25, Zubac has battled injuries this season, including a left ankle sprain that has kept him on the shelf since February 2.
At the time of the trade that sent him from the Clippers to the Pacers, it was unclear if Zubac would suit up for Indiana this season, especially since the 2026 first-round pick they gave up for him includes top-four and 10-30 protection, making the team’s end-of-season lottery odds especially important. The Pacers are currently 15-50, which is the NBA’s worst record.
T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith are all also considered questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Phoenix, while Pascal Siakam and Quenton Jackson are listed as doubtful to play.
Central Notes: Zubac, Pacers, Porter, Kuzma, Pistons
With the league’s second-worst record, the Pacers don’t have much incentive to play Ivica Zubac, but coach Rick Carlisle said the veteran center will be back on the court before the season ends, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Zubac, who was acquired from the Clippers at the trade deadline, is dealing with a left ankle sprain and hasn’t appeared in a game since February 2. He was able to begin practicing as a limited participant during the All-Star break and is making progress toward a return.
“Yeah, he’ll play this season,” Carlisle said Wednesday during a pregame session with the media. “I don’t know when. He’s doing better, but he’s not there yet and we’re not going to send a guy out there to play who isn’t 100 percent.”
Indiana pursued several centers prior to the deadline before landing Zubac, who will take over starting duties on what should be a much-improved team next season. He was a second-team All-Defensive selection a year ago and was averaging 14.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 43 games with L.A. before the injury.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Obi Toppin was used as a starter when he returned from a lengthy injury absence last week, giving the Pacers their 34th different starting lineup of the season, Tony East of Forbes writes in a subscriber-only story. The changing lineups were heavily influenced by injuries, but East expects Carlisle to keep experimenting with his rotation to determine what might be effective in the future. “During the games, I look at the plus-minus and see what’s happening there,” Carlisle said. “Sometimes there’s a guy that’s playing hard but doesn’t seem to be scoring the ball or doing anything overtly in-your-face positive. And then you look, he’s a big plus. So that does mean something. And of course, plus-minus is noisy. It’s got its glitches too. But you try to look at everything, see what’s what. And then right now, with all the injury stuff, one of the blessings for a coach is there’s not a whole lot of choices. There’s just a few. So just keep dabbling.”
- Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. is missing Wednesday’s game with swelling in his right knee, which is the same knee that he tore his meniscus in early this season. Coach Doc Rivers is hoping it won’t lead to another extended absence, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “We’re hoping not. I’ll just leave it there,” Rivers said. “They’re gonna do more stuff tomorrow to check, but it’s a lot of swelling and then you have concerns. … It’s been bothering him the last couple of weeks really, but it just hadn’t swollen up the way it has, so there’s some concern there.”
- Kyle Kuzma was kept on the bench as the Bucks lost to Boston on Monday, but Rivers said that won’t be a regular occurrence, Nehm adds (Twitter link).
- The Pistons were unhappy with their competitiveness in two games against the Cavaliers over the past week, relays Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). They split the contests, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff was disappointed that his team didn’t play harder. “I’m frustrated with the effort level, the attention to detail that we played on that end of the floor,” he said. “The times and opportunities where we did do the right thing, did get stops, we let people outwork us to come up with offensive rebounds. We can’t afford to not play at maximum effort. That’s been our superpower all year long and, tonight, I felt like there were times where we were outworked. If we’re outworked, this isn’t going to be the results that we want.”