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Texas Notes: Mavericks, Hardaway, Irving, Rockets, Spurs

March 23rd, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Despite falling below .500, the 36-37 Mavericks remain intent on competing for a title this season, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“The standings are going to change to the last game of the season,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “If we can get healthy and have everyone on the court, that gives us the best chance to win… We feel we have the pieces to be a championship team. We’re playing for a championship. But we just right now have to focus on the game that’s in front of us and that’s Charlotte.”

Over the past two weeks, Dallas has gone just 2-5, while slipping from the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference to No. 9. They have been without one or both of their two All-Star guards, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, in each of their past six games.

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. are both questionable to suit up for the Mavericks in their next game, Friday against the Hornets, the team has announced (Twitter link). Irving is dealing with a sore right foot, while Hardaway continues to struggle through a non-COVID illness.
Two Rockets players may not be available for Houston on Friday against the Grizzlies, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Small forward Jae’Sean Tate will miss another game due to his sore left knee, while center Frank Kaminsky is considered questionable to play due to migraines.
Several key Spurs players will be sidelined Friday night against the Wizards, as the team continues to tank. Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News reports (Twitter link) that rookie Jeremy Sochan will be shelved with a sore knee and guard Romeo Langford will miss the action with an adductor injury. The team’s second-leading scorer, Devin Vassell, is questionable with a knee injury, as is center Zach Collins, who is dealing with a biceps bruise.

Southwest Notes: Graham, Irving, Brooks, Rockets

March 22nd, 2023 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

When the Spurs acquired Devonte’ Graham from New Orleans in exchange for Josh Richardson at last month’s trade deadline, it was the four second-round picks attached to Graham that represented the main draw of the deal. With that in mind, it’s probably safe to assume Graham will be back on the trade block this summer, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).

Still, given that Graham’s trade value may be limited and the Spurs won’t move him just to move him, the most likely scenario, in McDonald’s view, is that the veteran guard remains with the club for the 2023/24 season. Graham, who is owed $12.1MM next season and has a small partial guarantee on his $12.65MM cap hit for ’24/25, sounds like he’d welcome a full year in San Antonio.

“No complaints,” Graham said of his time with the Spurs so far. “It’s a great group of guys, great coaching staff. Obviously the fans have been amazing supporting me since I’ve been traded. It’s been an easy transition for me, honestly.”

Graham went on to say that he loves playing for Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and has appreciated the opportunity to take on an increased role since the trade. He was averaging just 15.3 minutes per night in 53 games with New Orleans, but has played 28.2 MPG in 13 games since arriving in San Antonio. He’s averaging 15.5 PPG and 4.6 APG on .408/.389/.800 shooting for his new team.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Looking ahead to Kyrie Irving‘s upcoming free agency, Marc Stein writes on his Substack that the early indications in Dallas suggest a multiyear deal for the talented point guard is “certainly feasible.” Stein views the Mavericks‘ negotiating position as “less than ideal,” given how much the club gave up at the trade deadline to land Irving.
After picking up his 18th technical foul of the regular season and earning another automatic one-game suspension, Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks acknowledged that he needs to stop accumulating techs at such a rapid rate, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I’ve got to tone it down and get back to my mindfulness practice and find ways to channel it better,” Brooks said. A player’s technical foul count resets when the postseason begins, but seven playoff techs would result in a one-game suspension.
Kelly Iko and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic take a closer look at the progress some of the Rockets‘ young players have made this season and explore how the team will approach this year’s draft. According to Vecenie, if Houston gets the No. 2 pick, Scoot Henderson would be a better fit for the current roster than Brandon Miller. If their pick lands outside of the top three, the Rockets should either shop it or take a shot on a high-upside player in the next tier, says Vecenie.

Mavs/Grizzlies Notes: Kyrie, Brooks, Pinson, Morant

March 21st, 2023 at 8:03am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, who recently missed three games due to a right foot issue, reaggravated that injury during Monday’s loss in Memphis, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News.

As Caplan details, Irving ended up leaving the FedExForum in a walking boot after Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks stepped on the back of his foot during the third quarter. While Kyrie referred to the boot as “just precautionary,” Caplan suggests the Mavs’ star was walking with a bit of a limp after the game.

“I just got to make it back home to Dallas and then start my recovery work and do everything I can to prepare for the next game,” Irving said. “Take time to rest and exhaust all my options possible to be ready to play the next game.”

Despite Brooks’ reputation, Irving made it clear that he didn’t believe there was anything intentional or malicious about the play.

“I would’ve felt different up here if I feel he did it on purpose, but I didn’t,” Irving said. “It’s just one of those plays where he’s trailing me, and I think his feet got caught up in mine and twisted my ankle. Just bad timing, but the game has to keep going.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Although Irving professed no hard feelings toward the combative Grizzlies wing, he declined Brooks’ postgame request to swap jerseys, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who notes that Kyrie gave Brooks his Mavs jersey but didn’t accept Brooks’ Grizzlies jersey (Twitter video link). “Probably get it next time,” Irving said with a smile. “Not this time. I was really onto the next thing.”
It was another night, another feud for Brooks, who faces a second automatic one-game suspension after picking up his 18th technical foul of the season for taunting Dallas’ bench after a dunk (Twitter video link). He explained after the game that he was aiming a “pom-poms” gesture at Mavs reserve Theo Pinson. “I just wanted to let him know he’s a cheerleader. That was it,” Brooks said (YouTube video link). “Same class. I grew up watching him play, he was a great basketball player. And now he gets paid to cheerlead. Love it.” Responding on Twitter, Pinson wrote, “I got some real estate I see,“ followed by a crying-laughing emoji.
Both the Grizzlies and Mavericks are close to getting their All-NBA guards back. Ja Morant rejoined the Grizzlies on Monday following his eight-game suspension and though he didn’t play vs. Dallas, head coach Taylor Jenkins said the team is “hopeful” Morant will be back on Wednesday vs. Houston, according to MacMahon. “So long as everything medically clears out,” Jenkins said. Meanwhile, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said on Monday night that Luka Doncic (left thigh strain) is trending in the right direction and will “hopefully” return soon.

Southwest Notes: Luka, Kyrie, Kidd, Smith, Sochan

March 17th, 2023 at 5:37pm CST by Rory Maher

Luka Doncic has been ruled out of Friday’s game at the Lakers as he continues to deal with a left thigh strain, the Mavericks confirmed (Twitter link via Marc Stein). Fellow guard Kyrie Irving is questionable with a right foot injury — he previously said he was feeling discomfort near his big toe.

While Doncic miss his fourth straight game tonight, he’s hopeful that he could return for the Mavs’ next game on Monday at Memphis, tweets Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News.

“Hopefully next game. Monday, hopefully then, but we’ll see day by day,” Doncic said.

The Mavs have gone 1-2 over the past three games without their two best players and are currently 35-35, the No. 8 seed in the West.

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been heavily scrutinized in recent weeks for his laid-back demeanor amid a poor stretch of play (the Mavs are just 4-9 since the trade deadline), but his players like his “even-keeled” style, as Caplan writes for The Dallas Morning News. “He’s a Hall of Fame point guard, one of the best point guards of all time, and you can tell by the way he coaches that he has that demeanor,” third-year wing Josh Green said. “A lot of coaches, they’re tight, they’re panicking, but he’s very relaxed. He sees plays. He sees what’s open. He knows what’s working. It’s good to have a coach like that, and it’s very motivating for the rest of the team.” Kidd wasn’t always known for being easygoing — far from it. He credited his time as an assistant with the Lakers for his improved “patience and perspective,” according to Caplan.
Jabari Smith Jr. has had his ups and downs this season, as most rookies do. However, the 2022 third overall pick has played his best basketball of late, a promising sign for the Rockets going forward, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link). “You want to see your rooks learn and grow and improve throughout the season,” guard Kevin Porter Jr. said. “Jabari’s season has definitely been that. He started figuring it out. Had a great run, a great stretch and then had a rookie wall and then had his All-Star break. Now you see him settling into his own game. You see him shooting the 3 with a lot more confidence, his turnaround, his mid game, everything. The defensive end, he’s shown he’s improved that. I’m proud of him. He’s going to keep getting better.” Smith, a 19-year-old forward, recently became the first teenager in league history to record three straight games with 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, Feigen writes.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich thinks very highly of for rookie forward Jeremy Sochan, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter links). “He’s a stud,” Popovich said. “He’s going to be a hell of a player. He’s got the same heart, the same competitiveness as Manu Ginobili. … I have never seen someone come in at such a young age and act like they have been here forever. He’s just totally unintimidated.” The ninth overall pick of last June’s draft, Sochan is averaging 11.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 2.6 APG on .453/.250/.702 shooting in 54 games (26.4 MPG).

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Russell, Reaves, Beasley, Bamba, Irving

March 16th, 2023 at 9:08am CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James likely won’t be back until the final week of the regular season if he returns at all before the playoffs, Jovan Buha of The Athletic said during a discussion about the team with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. James missed his ninth straight game with a right foot injury Wednesday night, but there have been some positive signs regarding his recovery.

Buha notes that James was able to shed his walking boot this week and was seen dribbling the ball and shooting layups during Tuesday’s shootaround. The Lakers have been cautious about releasing information on James, but Buha hears he’s ahead of schedule and will be reevaluated next week.

There’s more on the Lakers:

Buha and Scotto believe D’Angelo Russell and the team have mutual interest in a new contract this summer. The Lakers brought back their former draft pick in a trade last month, and he has been productive apart from injury, averaging 18.8 points and 5.9 assists in the eight games he has played for L.A. The Lakers could have received Mike Conley from the Jazz in the trade, according to Buha, but they opted for Russell because they see him as part of their future. Scotto believes Russell is motivated to succeed with the team that drafted him.
The Lakers are hoping to re-sign Austin Reaves, but multiple teams are planning to make a run at him in free agency, Scotto states. L.A. can offer up to $50MM over four years, and Scotto believes his floor will be the mid-level exception. Buha points out that Reaves’ flexibility has been extremely valuable for the Lakers, noting that he has played everywhere from point guard to small forward and brings a high IQ to the game. He adds that the team has to be careful about getting into a situation similar what it did with Alex Caruso, adding that another team might be willing to offer Reaves $12-15MM per season. The Lakers would have the ability to match a higher offer via the Arenas provision.
Another free agent, Rui Hachimura, is also likely to get offers in the non-taxpayer MLE range, which will be about $10MM per year, according to Buha. He believes the Lakers are willing to make that offer, but another team may be able to outbid them.
General manager Rob Pelinka had been interested in Malik Beasley for some time before acquiring him, so the team is likely to pick up his $16.5MM option for next season, Scotto states. Mohamed Bamba, who has a $10.3MM team option, is more “on the bubble,” Scotto adds, because the Lakers can probably find a more affordable backup center.
The Lakers were strongly interested in Kyrie Irving when he asked the Nets for a trade in February, but that seems to have changed in light of their moves at the deadline, Buha adds. He hears that the front office likes the current look of the team and doesn’t plan to pursue Irving in free agency.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Morris, Kidd

March 15th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

All-NBA guard Luka Doncic (left thigh strain) will remain unavailable on Wednesday when the Mavericks visit San Antonio, the team confirmed (via Twitter). However, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link), Doncic did accompany the Mavs on their road trip, which will continue in Los Angeles on Friday and Memphis on Monday.

As for Doncic’s backcourt mate, Kyrie Irving (right foot soreness) was listed as questionable for Wednesday’s contest, but said today that it’s “not looking good” for him to return, per MacMahon (Twitter link). It would be a third straight missed game for Irving, who continues to experience pain, especially in his big toe.

“This injury on my foot, it’s going to take a little bit more time than I thought,” Irving said (Twitter link via MacMahon). “It’s obviously still day to day, but we’ve just got to take more time.

“It’s right around my big toe, right around my plantar. I took a wrong step in New Orleans and it just felt like my knuckles cracked. I just wanted to take precautionary (measures) at this point in the season. I make my whole entire living with my feet, so I’d rather take care of it now than when I’m 40 years old.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

The other player Dallas acquired in the Irving trade will also likely be unavailable on Wednesday in San Antonio, as Markieff Morris (left knee soreness) has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful, according to the team (Twitter link). Morris has only logged 24 minutes across five appearances since joining the Mavs.
Having lost three consecutive games and nine of their last 12, the Mavericks now hold the ninth seed in the West and have fallen below .500 (34-35). Tim Cato of The Athletic wonders if Dallas’ season is beyond fixing, but identifies five ways the team might turn things around, including playing by more pragmatic lineups and committing to a direction with Christian Wood.
This year’s Mavericks may be charting the same course the Hawks did in 2022, when Atlanta was quickly eliminated in the first round of the playoffs after making it to the Eastern Conference Finals a year earlier, writes Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News. The Hawks’ inability to recapture their 2021 form ultimately led to Nate McMillan‘s dismissal this year, Cowlishaw notes, adding that it’s hard to say where things will stand for Jason Kidd if the Mavs don’t bounce back in the next few weeks.

Texas Notes: Irving, Doncic, Porter, Mamukelashvili, Champagnie

March 11th, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was held out of Saturday’s game at Memphis because of soreness in his right foot, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. Coach Jason Kidd informed reporters of the decision a couple of hours before gametime.

“He tried to go through the shootaround, went through the shootaround and from that point, felt like we needed to take a look at it when we got back home,” Kidd said. “So the best thing was to sit him tonight.”

The team will return to Dallas after tonight’s game and will host the Grizzlies on Monday. Irving’s status for that game will depend on what the medical testing reveals.

Kidd also said Luka Doncic is considered “day to day” with a left thigh strain that prevented him from finishing Wednesday’s game.

There’s more NBA news from Texas:

Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was relieved to be able to play tonight after missing just one game with a left thigh bruise, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Porter expected to be day-to-day after an earlier injury to his left big toe, but he wound up missing 20 games. “It was definitely a frustration,” he said. “I want to play as much as I can. Definitely, missing those 20 games, I want to get as many games back that I missed. Injuries are part of the game. You just have to react and do your work after it happens.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili didn’t play until the fourth quarter Friday night, but he scored 11 points in his matchup with reigning MVP Nikola Jokic to help the Spurs surprise the Nuggets, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Mamukelashvili has shown some promise in the three games since San Antonio claimed him off waivers last week, McDonald adds.
Spurs rookie Julian Champagnie was a big scorer at St. John’s, but he tells Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News that he doesn’t mind being a role player while he tries to earn a steady NBA job. Champagnie has spent most of the season in the G League, but he got to play in a pair of games against the Rockets last weekend. “I don’t need too many shots,” he said. “I am a guy who fills the gap, and I am perfectly fine with that. It’s what I like to do anyway.”

Injury Notes: Garland, Powell, Simons, Shamet, Mavs

March 10th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland will be sidelined for Friday’s rematch with the Heat in Miami, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Garland was originally listed as questionable with a right quad contusion, but was unable to go through shootaround. The injury is considered relatively minor, sources tell Fedor.

Garland appeared to suffer the contusion early in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s initial matchup with Miami on Wednesday, notes Danny Cunningham of ESPN Cleveland (Twitter video link). He was hit in the leg by Bam Adebayo‘s moving screen, which was called a foul.

The Cavs confirmed (via Twitter) that Garland would be sidelined on Friday, with Caris LeVert taking his place in the starting lineup. Garland is having an outstanding fourth season, averaging 22.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 7.9 APG and 1.3 SPG on an excellent .471/.430/.860 shooting line through 58 games (35.2 MPG).

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Clippers guard Norman Powell will miss at least one more week, which is when he’ll be reeavaluated, tweets ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. The eight-year veteran continues to receive treatment for his left shoulder subluxation. He is the team’s third-leading scorer at 16.6 PPG, posting a strong shooting line of .475/.410/.803 through 54 games (25.8 MPG), primarily as a reserve.
Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons returned to the starting lineup for Friday’s matchup in Philadelphia, the team announced (via Twitter). He had missed the previous four games after aggravating an ankle sprain.
Backup guard Landry Shamet continues to be hampered by right foot soreness, having last played on January 16. He will be reevaluated in one week, the Suns announced (Twitter link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports).
The Mavericks might be without their two star players on Saturday in Memphis, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Luka Doncic (left thigh strain) has already been ruled out, while Kyrie Irving is questionable with right foot soreness. Irving missed Friday’s practice for personal reasons, per MacMahon, but head coach Jason Kidd was hopeful he might be able to rejoin the team on Saturday. Doncic is considered day-to-day after his MRI results showed no damage, MacMahon adds.

Suns Notes: Durant, Irving, Booker, Roster Depth

March 6th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Playing his first close game since joining the Suns, Kevin Durant provided a reminder of what a dangerous clutch-time scorer he can be, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Durant had 37 points in Sunday’s win at Dallas and hit a tough jumper over Tim Hardaway Jr. with 12.4 seconds remaining that proved to be the game-winner.

“Once I had him on my hip, I felt like I was in good position to just stop on a dime,” Durant said. “Glad I made it.”

In just his third game since returning from an MCL sprain, Durant was supposed to be on a minutes restriction. However, coach Monty Williams allowed him to stay on the court for 40 minutes as the game remained close throughout.

“I was out there for a while,” Durant said. “I didn’t look over to (Williams) on purpose. I wanted to keep playing, but I’m glad he trusted me out there. Glad the training staff trusted me. Hopefully we can build on this from here.”

There’s more on the Suns:

There was drama surrounding Sunday’s game because it marked the first meeting between Durant and Kyrie Irving since they both asked the Nets for a trade last month. But Durant said afterward that he had “no emotions at all,” noting that he played against Irving many times before they teamed up in Brooklyn, Rankin adds. In an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” Monday morning (video link), Brian Windhorst observed that Durant and Irving didn’t interact at all during the game, adding, “The only relationship they have right now is zero relationship.”
The Suns’ rivalry with the Mavericks was punctuated by a verbal altercation between Devin Booker and Luka Doncic late in Sunday’s game, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. After Doncic missed a floater in the final seconds that would have tied the score, he took exception to a comment from Booker and they went nose to nose before being separated. “You guys say you don’t want everybody to be friendly-friendly,” Booker told reporters. “Here you go. We got some smoke.”
The Suns are considered to be among the favorites in the West after adding Durant, but they’ll need to overcome a lack of depth after giving up important rotation pieces in the trade with Brooklyn, Windhorst writes in an ESPN story. He notes that Josh Okogie, who has been inserted into the starting lineup, missed all eight of his three-point attempts Sunday, while Torrey Craig was just 1-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Pacific Notes: Durant Vs. Irving, Clippers, Huerter, Russell

March 4th, 2023 at 11:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant is downplaying Sunday’s matchup against Kyrie Irving, calling it “just another game,” writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The former teammates shocked the league when they signed with the Nets as free agents in 2019. They went through nearly four tumultuous seasons before both requesting trades last month, with Durant going to the Suns and Irving being sent to the Mavericks.

“I understand the entertainment aspect and a lot of people on the outside got the game circled on their calendar, but for both teams, just regularly scheduled programming,” Durant said. “Getting back to work and seeing how you can get better as a unit.”

Sunday’s game will be just the third for Durant with Phoenix, which has posted two comfortable wins since he returned from an MCL sprain. Irving is a little more established in Dallas, and he’s excited about facing Durant for the first time since their partnership dissolved.

“I’m looking forward to it — playing against the Suns, playing against the new-look Suns with KD,” Irving said. “I think it’ll be an exciting time just for us to compete again with each other. He’s my brother for life, but when we’re stepping out there, I’m looking forward to the competition, friendly competition.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue is trying to stave off any panic after watching his team fall to .500 with five straight losses, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. L.A. is suddenly in the midst of a tight race just to make the playoffs, but Lue believes the team is close to putting things together. “The losses hurt, but we have played some good basketball in stretches and we’ve played against some good teams as well,” Lue said. “So (my job) is to challenge us to see where we are at after acquiring our new pieces through trades (who came in) not knowing what we want to do offensively and defensively. I thought our new guys have done a good job. (I need to) just try to get those guys up to speed and keep doing the good things we have been doing.”
Kevin Huerter wasn’t around for any of the Kings‘ darkest days, but he’s thrilled to be part of the group that’s about to break a 16-year playoff drought, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Acquired from the Hawks last summer, Huerter is impressed by the passion he’s witnessed from Kings fans. “I haven’t seen the lows that this city has gone through, so for me it’s great,” he said. “There’s so much excitement around the city. It feels like everybody here is following us. You can’t go in public without everybody saying they’re seeing the Kings.”
D’Angelo Russell was hoping to return from a sprained right ankle on Sunday, but the Lakers have already ruled him out, tweets Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Russell, who has played in just four games since being acquired at the trade deadline, was able to scrimmage this week.