Turkey, Germany Advance To EuroBasket Quarterfinals
After trailing by a slim margin for the majority of the game, Turkey eventually defeated Sweden, 85-79, to advance to the quarterfinals of EuroBasket 2025, writes Semih Tuna of Eurohoops. The game was surprisingly competitive, considering Sweden went just 1-4 during the group phase while Turkey was 5-0, including Wednesday’s victory over Serbia.
Rockets big man Alperen Sengun was once again the standout performer for the Turkish national team, recording game highs of 24 points and 16 rebounds to go along with six assists and two blocks. Heat wing Pelle Larsson finished with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal in Sweden’s loss.
Head coach Ergin Ataman complained both before and after the game about Turkey having to compete at noon local time despite being the top seed from Group A, as Tuna relays in another story for Eurohoops.
“We didn’t wake up for the beginning of the game. After we understood we were in a difficult situation, in the third quarter, and came back in the game with very good defense, but we gave back this confidence to Sweden,” Ataman said. “Finally, we found a way to win. Now, we will think about the quarterfinal, which I think we will play in regular time, if they don’t want to change again and play in the morning at 11 o’clock.”
Turkey will face the winner of tomorrow’s matchup between Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Germany, which won the 2023 World Cup, was the only other undefeated team during the group phase and is the top seed from Group B. The Germans struggled mightily from three-point range on Saturday against Portugal, starting out just 1-of-24 before finishing 10-of-36, and only had a one-point lead entering the final period, according to Tuna.
However, Germany dominated the final frame, 33-7, to emerge with a 27-point victory.
“Obviously, you can improve in every game. I saw the first game with Sweden; they gave a great fight to Turkey, like Portugal gave a great fight to us,” said AS Monaco center Daniel Theis. “It’s the knockout stage. There are no easy games anymore.”
The German national team had five players — including Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, Tristan Da Silva and Isaac Bonga — finish with double-digit points. Portugal was led by Celtics center Neemias Queta, who finished with game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes.
Germany will face the winner of Sunday’s matchup between Italy and Slovenia on Wednesday.
28 Current NBA Players Competing In FIBA EuroBasket 2025
On the heels of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in 2024, the 2025 NBA offseason doesn’t feature a major international tournament in which the United States’ top stars are competing.
However, several of the league’s biggest names – including three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic – are taking part in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which tipped off on Wednesday.
The tournament, also known as the European Basketball Championship, takes place every four years and features 24 European countries vying for a gold medal. The 24 teams who qualified for EuroBasket are split up into four groups and will face the other teams in their group across five games from August 27 to September 4.
At the end of group play, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round, which is a single-elimination tournament featuring the remaining 16 countries.
By our count, 28 active NBA players are taking part in EuroBasket 2025, along with 30 former NBA players and several more who were selected in an NBA draft but have yet to play in the league.
Here’s the full list of current and former NBA players set to compete in EuroBasket, sorted by group and country:
Group A
Czechia (Czech Republic)
- Current NBA players: Vit Krejci (Hawks)
- Former NBA players: None
Estonia
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Henri Drell
Latvia
- Current NBA players: Kristaps Porzingis (Hawks)
- Former NBA players: Davis Bertans, Dairis Bertans
Portugal
- Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)
- Former NBA players: None
Serbia
- Current NBA players: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Clippers), Nikola Jovic (Heat), Tristan Vukcevic (Wizards)
- Former NBA players: Vasilije Micic, Marko Guduric, Filip Petrusev
Serbia’s roster also includes Nikola Milutinov and Vanja Marinkovic, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.
Turkey
- Current NBA players: Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Adem Bona (Sixers)
- Former NBA players: Cedi Osman, Furkan Korkmaz, Shane Larkin, Omer Yurtseven, Onuralp Bitim
Group B
Finland
- Current NBA players: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
- Former NBA players: None
Germany
- Current NBA players: Franz Wagner (Magic), Dennis Schröder (Kings), Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
- Former NBA players: Daniel Theis, Isaac Bonga
Great Britain
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Tarik Phillip
Lithuania
- Current NBA players: Jonas Valanciunas (Nuggets)
- Former NBA players: Deividas Sirvydis
Lithuania’s roster also includes Rokas Jokubaitis, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league, and Azuolas Tubelis, who was on a two-way contract with the Sixers during the 2023 offseason but was waived before the season began.
Montenegro
- Current NBA players: Nikola Vucevic (Bulls)
- Former NBA players: Marko Simonovic
Sweden
- Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)
- Former NBA players: None
Group C
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)
- Former NBA players: None
Cyprus
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
Georgia
- Current NBA players: Goga Bitadze (Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Raptors)
- Former NBA players: Tornike Shengelia
Greece
- Current NBA players: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Former NBA players: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Tyler Dorsey, Kostas Papanikolaou, Kostas Antetokounmpo
Italy
- Current NBA players: Simone Fontecchio (Heat)
- Former NBA players: Danilo Gallinari, Nicolo Melli
Italy’s roster also includes Matteo Spagnolo, Gabriele Procida, and Saliou Niang, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.
Spain
- Current NBA players: Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)
- Former NBA players: Willy Hernangomez, Juancho Hernangomez
Group D
Belgium
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
France
- Current NBA players: Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Guerschon Yabusele (Knicks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Former NBA players: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Theo Maledon, Elie Okobo, Jaylen Hoard
France’s roster also includes Isaia Cordinier, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.
Iceland
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: None
Israel
- Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Former NBA players: None
Israel’s roster also includes Yam Madar, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.
Poland
- Current NBA players: None
- Former NBA players: Jordan Loyd
Slovenia
- Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)
- Former NBA players: None
Franz Wagner, Dennis Schröder Lead Germany’s EuroBasket Roster
Germany has finalized its 12-man roster for EuroBasket, highlighted by Magic star Franz Wagner and new Kings guard Dennis Schröder, writes Pijus Sapetka of BasketNews.
The Germans also feature Wagner’s Orlando teammate, Tristan Da Silva, and a couple of former NBA big men in Daniel Theis and Isaac Bonga. Making up the rest of the roster are Oscar Da Silva, Justus Hollatz, Leon Kratzer, Maodo Lo, Andreas Obst, Johannes Thiemann and Johannes Voigtmann.
Germany has several significant absences due to injuries. Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein will miss the tournament because of an Achilles tendon issue, while Magic big man Moritz Wagner continues to recover from a torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered in December.
In addition, Real Madrid refused to sign a release for guard David Kramer to participate after he suffered a muscle injury, according to Eurohoops. Kramer averaged 15.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game during the EuroBasket Qualifiers.
“This is a bitter blow for us,” German coach Alex Mumbru said. “David was planned to be an important part of our team. We now have to compensate for his absence as best we can. Of course, I’m also very sorry for him personally; David would have deserved to be there.”
The Germans have become one of international basketball’s top teams in recent years, winning a gold medal in the 2023 World Cup. Four years ago, they finished third in EuroBasket, which they hosted, and they came in fourth at the 2024 Olympics.
Schröder has been a member of the senior national team since 2014 and was named to the All-Star Five Team at last year’s Olympics. Wagner was a second-team all-tournament choice at both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics.
Germany has been placed in Group B for EuroBasket, along with Lithuania, Great Britain, Sweden, Montenegro and Finland. Group play will start Wednesday, and all games will be held in Tampere, Finland.
Southeast Notes: Da Silva, Wagner, Bitadze, Knueppel, McNeeley, Heat
Magic forwards Tristan Da Silva and Franz Wagner have been named to Germany’s preliminary roster for this summer’s EuroBasket tournament, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.
Wagner is one of the top players for Germany, which finished third at the competition in 2022. NBA veterans Dennis Schröder and Daniel Theis are also on the 16-man roster, which must be cut down to 12 for the tournament. Magic assistant coach Randy Gregory will serve as an assistant coach.
Orlando center Goga Bitadze will play for the Republic of Georgia at the event. The tournament will take place Aug. 27-Sept. 14 in Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Hornets won the Las Vegas Summer League title and Kon Knueppel was named the tourney’s MVP. In doing so, Knueppel proved he had much to offer than just his ability to knock down jumpers, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes. Late first-round pick Liam McNeeley played with a chip on his shoulder and he could prove to be a steal at No. 29 overall, Boone adds.
- The Heat essentially have one two-way contract available. Did any of the unsigned players on their Summer League roster earn that deal? The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang identifies five players — center Dain Dainja, forwards Javonte Cooke and Myron Gardner and guards Erik Stevenson and Bryson Warren — who deserve consideration for that spot.
- How does the current Heat roster stack up against their Eastern Conference peers? Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald believes that Miami could finish anywhere from fifth to 10th in the East and identifies Cleveland and New York as the only clubs clearly better than the Heat, unless Philadelphia’s top players are healthy.
Southeast Notes: Sexton, AJ Johnson, Richardson, Saleh
Collin Sexton feels reinvigorated by the offseason trade that sent him from Utah to the Hornets, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). Sexton is only 26, but he’ll be a veteran leader in Charlotte, where he hopes to help mold his new teammates into a playoff contender.
“Super excited,” he said. “Super grateful for the opportunity. Ready to come in and help build the culture and just be a leader right away. I feel like the last couple of weeks practicing and stuff, it’s been a lot of fun but also getting used to the guys.”
Sexton, who will make $18.9MM in the final year of his contract, should bring more scoring punch to the offense. He averaged 18.4 PPG in 63 games last season while shooting 48% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range. He also brings a high level of competitiveness, which coach Charles Lee is happy to add to the team.
“At times he would stare me down during games as the opposing coach or scout coach, and he’s always looking for some fuel to get him going,” Lee said. “So, when he first got here, I made sure to remind them of that, ‘Like, don’t be looking at me crazy like that anymore or your minutes are going to suffer now.’ But it’s great. I’m so glad to have him on our side.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards limited their top Summer League players to two games, which put a larger spotlight on AJ Johnson, observes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (subscriber link). Johnson finished the season strong after being acquired from Milwaukee in February, and he welcomed the chance to showcase his skills in Las Vegas. “I think it would be hard for us to find anybody who’s not wearing a Wizards uniform out here that can stay in front of AJ Johnson,” coach J.J. Outlaw said. “Such a talented player; he can settle for his midrange, but getting downhill is his thing.”
- Even though the Magic were winless in Summer League play, they’re encouraged by the performances of rookies Jase Richardson and Noah Penda, as well as second-year player Tristan Da Silva, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Richardson, a first-round pick out of Michigan State, served as Orlando’s lead ball-handler and averaged 16.5 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 50% from three-point range. “He played two really tough, physical teams and he did a heck of a job commanding our offense, getting his teammates involved when he needed to and looked to score when he needed,” coach Ameer Bahhur said. “Defensively, for his first taste of NBA minutes, he did a great job of matching physicality and battling.”
- Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh talks about adapting to his new job and the importance of Summer League for the team’s young players in an interview with Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). Saleh also said he appreciated seeing several Hawks veterans attend Summer League games to support the club’s youngsters. “It’s always great seeing our vets and our new guys kind of mesh together,” Saleh said. “It was really cool seeing, like, guys sit all together courtside and spend some time at different events that were going on in Vegas. So, it’s just fun. We got a good vibe about us, and everybody’s in a good place. I just feel like that will translate over to the season, hopefully.”
Southeast Notes: Larsson, Wiggins, Da Silva, Harris
Pelle Larsson knows he has to become a better shooter to stick around long-term in the NBA. The Heat guard made 33.7 percent of his 3-pointers and shot 43.8 percent overall in 55 regular-season appearances, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. Larsson’s salary for next season is an economical $1.96MM with a $978K guarantee. The contract becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster, which seems like a safe bet.
“I think shooting is always something that you get better at all the time,” he said. “It never hurts to be a better shooter in this league. So definitely keep working on that, and then being more comfortable with the ball in my hands, making decisions and making plays for others is something that I think could have been needed more of this year. So just making plays for others and keep defending at a higher level. I kind of got introduced to how it was. And I think I’ve learned a lot from this year.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Will Andrew Wiggins turn out to be a midseason rental for the Heat? Winderman believes it’s a 50-50 proposition that the veteran forward will be moved, noting Wiggins’ contract would likely be needed for salary-matching in any significant trade. He’s owed $28.2MM next season and holds a $30.2MM player option for the 2026/27 campaign.
- Magic wing Tristan Da Silva saw quite a bit of action in his rookie season, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Da Silva appeared in 74 games, including 38 starts, averaging 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He remained in the rotation after Franz Wagner recovered from an oblique injury. Da Silva admits the NBA schedule was a shock to his system. “It’s definitely a whole new deal,” he said. “You’ve never played that many games before in your life, traveled that much and been exposed to so many things all at once. So at some point in the season — you can call it a rookie wall or whatever you want — there’s definitely a moment during the season where you feel tired physically and mentally, and the real challenge is digging through that and making sure that you’re coming out on the other end. And that’s what I did with the focus on work and trusting the process.”
- The Magic hold a $7.5MM club option on Gary Harris‘ contract and there’s a strong chance they’ll decline it, given that Harris’ role shrunk this season and he once again battled injuries. Harris would like to stay in Orlando, he told Beede. “I love Orlando,” Harris said. “My kids love it here. It’s been great to be a part of what we’ve been building here in this city, but you know how the league is. There’s a lot uncertain. You never know what’s going to happen. So all I can do is control what I can, continue to put the work in [and] stay ready for whatever the future may hold. But I definitely love my time here in Orlando, so we’ll see if it continues.”
Southeast Notes: Heat, Wiggins, Da Silva, Wizards
The Heat are on pace to finish with one of their worst seasons in franchise history (their .420 win percentage would be seventh-worst). Their struggles this season stem in part from their inability to close games in the fourth quarter, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.
Miami owns the third-worst record in clutch games at 13-23 this season. As a result, the Heat have dropped nine games in a row and are 11 games under .500 with only 13 contests left to play.
“That’s the thing that we’ve been racking our time, our brains, everything, trying to find solutions for that,” coach Erik Spoelstra said about the late-game issues. “We have not come up with solutions, and we’ve pretty much tried everything. This has been one of the biggest challenges of a regular season that I’ve been a part of.”
Miami has blown a double-digit lead in 19 of their losses and have squandered a fourth-quarter lead in 17 losses, a league high. One key difference between the Heat’s performance in the clutch this season versus the last few is the absence of Jimmy Butler, Chiang writes.
“I think that’s part of it,” forward Duncan Robinson said. “But that’s not necessarily new to the deadline. We’ve kind of been dealing with that for a while. So I don’t know if it’s as much adjusting to that. I think it’s been different things in different games. Good teams find a way to win, so we got to just start figuring out ways. It’s going to look different on different nights. But it’s more so just about building that resolve on both ends of the floor. These are painful steps, but there have been steps in the right direction.”
The Heat are still likely to make the play-in tournament, as they maintain a five-game lead on the Raptors for 10th in the East.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Heat forward Andrew Wiggins has missed two straight games and five of the last 12, but he’s no longer dealing with the lower leg contusion that was ailing him, according to the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman (Twitter link). However, Wiggins is now questionable for the team’s Friday game against Houston with an ankle impingement.
- Magic rookie Tristan Da Silva has played more than anticipated in his rookie season with Orlando dealing with numerous injuries. Head coach Jamahl Mosley believes he has filled in well, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. “He’s still continuing to take that all in,” Mosley said. “It’s a lot for a young rookie in this situation, but he’s taken it all in stride, and he continues to learn as the games go on … Just understanding the speed, the intensity, the physicality of the game, but also understanding the game plan within that game.“
- The Wizards‘ Wednesday loss to the Jazz put them in a tie for the worst record in the league and for the best overall odds at the best draft pick positioning in the 2025 draft, Varun Shankar of The Washington Post writes. While the bottom three teams have the same probability of getting the top overall pick, the team with the worst overall record can fall no lower than fifth, while the second- and third-worst can fall to sixth and seventh, respectively. According to Shankar, the team is using the rest of the season to determine fits on the roster and gauge youth development.
Southeast Notes: Williams, Nurkic, Baugh, Black, Da Silva, Sarr
It’s been a week since the trade sending Mark Williams to the Lakers was rescinded, and he still hasn’t rejoined the Hornets, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte played three road games since L.A. decided to void the deal due to the results of Williams’ physical, and Boone believes Hornets officials are giving him time to adjust to the shock of returning to his old team.
Boone points out that if Williams is required to resume playing immediately after the All-Star Break, his first game would be against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. That contest, originally scheduled for last month, was postponed due to the wildfires and rescheduled for Wednesday.
Boone notes that president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson hasn’t spoken to the media about the Lakers’ decision to call off the deal, and the organization has been silent except for a brief statement it released after the news broke last Saturday. The Hornets have contacted the league office to explore their options, but a source tells Boone that they’re preparing for Williams’ return.
With Williams absent, center Jusuf Nurkic, who was acquired from Phoenix last week, made his Hornets debut in Wednesday’s loss at Orlando. He had nine points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes and made a positive impression on coach Charles Lee.
“I just saw a guy that obviously understands the game at a really high level,” Lee said. “His size, his physicality adds a different element to our group. Defensively, I thought he was good in helping the paint with his communication. And offensively, even showed me a little bit more. “Able to rebound and push the break and I knew he was kind of a good passer but to see him handle it in the open court and make some good decisions. … Another guy you can throw it down to in the paint when you need a bucket or he gets fouled. It was really nice to have him out there.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The two-way contract that Damion Baugh signed with the Hornets this week will also cover next season, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The 24-year-old shooting guard had a strong NBA debut Wednesday with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench
- Magic coach Jamahl Mosley believes Anthony Black and Tristan Da Silva will benefit from their first trip to All-Star Weekend, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Both players took part in the Rising Stars event Friday night. “It does something when you go to the All-Star game,” Mosley said. “You get to see the league in a different light. You get to be around your peers that you know are at a certain level, and then it instills a little bit of confidence knowing that you belong in that class.
- Wizards rookie center Alex Sarr, another Rising Stars participant, talked to Varun Shankar of The Washington Post about not getting dragged down by difficult moments as he adjusts to the NBA. “I just try to go to the next play because there’s so many plays,” Sarr said. “Who cares you lost the ball? Who cares you missed the shot? Move on and just do something else.”
NBA Announces Player Pool For 2025 Rising Stars Event
The NBA has officially revealed the 10 rookies, 11 sophomores, and seven G League players who have been selected to take part in the 2025 Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in San Francisco next month.
The following players made the cut, as voted on by NBA assistant coaches (rookies and sophomores) and selected by the league office (G Leaguers):
Rookies
- Carlton Carrington (Wizards)

- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Tristan Da Silva (Magic)
- Zach Edey (Grizzlies)
- Dalton Knecht (Lakers)
- Jared McCain (Sixers)
- Yves Missi (Pelicans)
- Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
- Alex Sarr (Wizards)
- Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Sophomores
- Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Gradey Dick (Raptors)
- Keyonte George (Jazz)
- Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers)
- Trayce Jackson-Davis (Warriors)
- Jaime Jaquez (Heat)
- Dereck Lively II (Mavericks)
- Brandon Miller (Hornets)
- Amen Thompson (Rockets)
- Cason Wallace (Thunder)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
G League Players
- JD Davison (Maine Celtics) *
- Mac McClung (Osceola Magic) *
- Bryce McGowens (Rip City Remix) *
- Leonard Miller (Iowa Wolves) *
- Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes)
- Reed Sheppard (Rio Grande Valley Vipers) *
- Pat Spencer (Santa Cruz Warriors) *
* Note: Players marked with asterisks are on standard or two-way contracts with NBA teams.
As usual, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, while the other 21 players will be drafted to three squads on February 4.
The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.
All three contests will take place on Friday, February 14 as part of All-Star weekend’s opening night. The winning team will compete on Sunday in a similar four-team tournament, with the three other rosters made up of NBA All-Stars.
A handful of injury replacements will be necessary, with McCain, Lively, and Brandon Miller among the players who won’t be available to suit up. Additionally, since players selected as All-Stars won’t play in the Rising Stars event, Wembanyama will almost certainly need to be replaced.
Injury Notes: Wagner, Magic, Kyrie, Sixers, Haliburton, Jackson
Magic forward Franz Wagner, who is recovering from a torn right oblique, will remain sidelined for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, but his injury designation will be updated to “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.
“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”
Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
- The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
- Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
- Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”