Southeast Notes: Banchero, Herro, Whitmore, Ball
Paolo Banchero was limited to 20 minutes as he returned to the court Friday after missing 10 games with a left groin strain, but he was able to do just enough to help the Magic claim a one-point win over Miami, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Banchero, who finished with nine points, six rebounds and two assists, said he’ll need time to work his way back into playing shape.
“It’s going to take a couple of games,” he said. “My first two shots went in, so that was a good feeling. My shot feels decent. I think it’s going to take a few games, but I was just excited to be out there with the guys and get a win.”
Banchero returns at a good time for the surging Magic, who have won seven of their last 10 games and moved into a tie for fourth place in the East. He’s looking forward to a higher-stakes rematch with the Heat when the teams meet in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup tournament.
“(Friday) was a pretty ugly game for the most part,” Banchero said, “but just being able to find a way to win against a good team, we’re going to see them again Tuesday so we’re going to have to make the adjustments, see what we could have done better and come out and try to get another one against them.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- An MRI conducted Saturday showed that the toe irritation that prevented Tyler Herro from playing on Friday is being caused by a contusion, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscription required). He was held out of the Heat’s game tonight against Sacramento, but it’s not expected to be a long-term injury. “I know about as much as y’all,” Herro told reporters on Friday. “I’m just day by day right now. Not really too sure what happened. I got a little soreness in my big toe. Obviously, I got kicked in like the first quarter the other night in the back of my calf. And then I woke up and my big toe was hurting.”
- Wizards forward Cam Whitmore didn’t play on Saturday, and coach Brian Keefe indicated the decision was disciplinary rather than being related an illness that had Whitmore listed as questionable, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (Twitter link). “We have certain standards that we have for our team,” Keefe said. “He has to live up to those on the better. And he’ll have a chance here, but that’s gonna be up to him when that time comes.”
- Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been diagnosed with a bone bruise on his left ankle that will force him to miss Sunday’s matchup against Denver, relays Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Ball was unable to finish Friday’s game due to soreness in the ankle.
Heat Notes: Adebayo, Ware, Herro, NBA Cup
Bam Adebayo passed Glen Rice for third place on the Heat‘s all-time scoring list during his 24-point performance on Friday. He trails only Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning and should catch Mourning sometime this season.
“That’s really incredible. What an achievement,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I had no idea. Wow, that’s awesome. I would have mentioned something to him, even though it was kind of a buzzkill there at the end [of the loss].
“But that’s just a testament to his consistency, his work ethic. He came in basically as a defensive player and he’s really honed his skills offensively to become so much more versatile. On a tough night and a tough loss, that’s one heck of an accomplishment. He’s going to keep going.”
Adebayo’s performance wasn’t enough, as the Heat lost to the Magic, 106-105.
“I can’t really put that into words, man,” Adebayo said. “I would have liked to have done it in a win, but having the opportunity to pass some of these greats. Obviously, being able to pass them and bring them back into the present day. I’m pretty sure at some point when I see Glen, he’s going to give me a big hug. That’s my guy.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Spoelstra went back to a big starting lineup of Adebayo and Kel’el Ware but he didn’t stick with it the whole game, Chiang notes. Ware was subbed out with 2:06 left in the third quarter and he never returned. “That starting group was a little bit uneven tonight,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve got to continue to work on that. I just want to see that group, when we play bigger, just for it to be a plus. So we have some work to do there. It should be a very good defensive group, but that’s a group that hasn’t been able to defend so far, and we’ve got to continue to work at that.”
- Five games after returning from ankle surgery, Tyler Herro was sidelined on Friday due to toe irritation. As Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel notes, the game was the 18th that Herro has missed this season, which means he’s no longer eligible for postseason awards, including All-NBA, since he won’t appear in at least 65 contests. While it’s highly unlikely that the Heat front office would have offered Herro a super-max extension anyway, that’s now officially off the table for the 2026 offseason. Herro underwent an MRI on Saturday which confirmed a toe contusion and he’s now considered day-to-day, Winderman tweets.
- The Heat will face the Magic again on Tuesday, this time in the NBA Cup knockout round. Winderman explains from a scheduling standpoint why they might be better off getting bounced in the quarterfinals, noting that a win could lead to a potential 11-day journey across all four time zones.
Paolo Banchero Cleared To Return For Magic
Magic forward Paolo Banchero has been upgraded to available for Friday’s game vs. Miami, the team announced today (via Twitter). It will be the first time Banchero has played since November 12.
Banchero, who has missed Orlando’s past 10 games due to a left groin strain, was initially listed on Thursday as questionable for Friday’s matchup between division rivals.
In 11 healthy games this season before he was injured in his 12th outing, Banchero averaged 23.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 34.7 minutes per contest. His shooting line was a modest .466/.250/.761, and the Magic have been a little better with him off the court (+5.1 net rating) than on it (+2.6) so far this fall. However, the team – which has gone 12-5 after a 1-4 start – isn’t worried about reincorporating the 2024 All-Star.
“He’s a very smart basketball player,” teammate Jalen Suggs said of Banchero last week. “… He’ll come back into the fold and jell well with us because that’s our brother. Regardless of how we’ve been playing while he’s been off, we want him on the court. And we’re better when he’s on the court.”
While the Magic will be getting back one of their top offensive weapons for Friday’s game, the Heat will likely be without one of their leading scorers. Guard Tyler Herro is listed as doubtful due to right big toe irritation and will undergo an MRI on the injury on Saturday, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
The good news for Miami is that Norman Powell (left ankle sprain) has been upgraded to available after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to Dallas. Powell has led the Heat with 25.0 points per game through his first 17 appearances.
Heat Notes: Roster Spot, Powell, Wiggins, Jovic, Mitchell
The Heat will have the ability to sign a 15th man without surpassing the luxury tax line as of December 13, but there are many factors the team will need to consider before doing so, Ira Winderman writes for the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Miami will have to weigh the likelihood of Tyler Herro qualifying for his performance-based contract incentives, which are looking increasingly out of reach, as the shooting guard is only one missed game from being ruled ineligible for All-NBA.
The team is also in an uncertain position when it comes to the contract of Terry Rozier, who is currently on leave from the league due to his involvement in the FBI’s gambling probe. In ordinary circumstances, the Heat could waive Rozier on or before January 7 in order to recoup the $1.6MM non-guaranteed portion of his salary, but Winderman writes that it’s unclear if the league will allow them to do that while he’s on leave.
The Heat have also had a hot start to the season and sit at third in the East coming into Wednesday’s slate of games, meaning they may not feel any urgency to navigate those obstacles and add a new player.
We have more from the Heat:
- Norman Powell is doing his best to play through the groin strain that sidelined him for a game last week and will cause him to miss Wednesday night’s matchup against the Mavs, writes Winderman in a separate piece. “I’m not fully healthy,” Powell admitted. “I haven’t been fully healthy in a couple of games.” However, Powell said that the team doctors don’t think he’s been making the injury worse by playing. “They think it can still heal while I’m playing,” he said. “It’s managing it, and if something is too uncomfortable or whatever, then letting them know.” Powell had previously missed time with a right groin strain, but he said that the current injury is in a different place.
- Andrew Wiggins isn’t the loudest player in the Heat’s locker room, but he has been leading by example this season, Winderman writes. “I get the job done and I do whatever I can to help the team win,” he said. “I know every night’s going to be different. Some nights might be more scoring. Some nights might be my rebounding. Depending on whatever the team needs, I’m here and I’m going to try and do it.” On a team that has prioritized a well-distributed offensive attack, teammates are impressed with Wiggins’ approach, according to Winderman. “Wiggs is amazing,” Powell said. “He’s quiet, he’s to himself, but he works. He knows the game. He has a versatile skill set. I think he flies under the radar. He’s always quiet and he gets the job done.”
- Nikola Jovic‘s play has been one of the few disappointing aspects of an otherwise better-than-expected season for the Heat, and he’s aware that he’s not performing liked he wants to, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I know that I’m not playing great basketball right now, and that’s the thing that bothers me for sure,” he said. Jovic was conscious of saying the right things about being happy that the team is succeeding despite his struggles, but head coach Erik Spoelstra knows he needs more from the talented forward. “Our ceiling goes so much higher when there’s a consistency to Niko’s game,” Spoelstra said. “He’s extremely versatile on both ends of the court when he’s really locked in, paying attention to details, giving the maximum effort.” Spoelstra adds that attention to detail is crucial, as is getting back into a rhythm after missing some time with an injury.
- Davion Mitchell, who re-signed with Miami on a two-year, $24MM deal this past offseason, is repaying the Heat’s faith in him by turning into one of the steadiest point guards in the league in terms of assist-to-turnover ratio, Chiang writes, noting that only T.J. McConnell and Tim Hardaway Jr. have a better statistical profile in that regard this season.”He really helps what we’re trying to do,” Spoelstra said. “He feels the momentum of the game, and then he has that feel that all great point guards have of getting guys open shots to really extend the lead.” Mitchell, for his part, says the change came when he stopped trying to force things so much. “When I first got here, I was thinking a little bit,” he said. “Obviously, I tried to do what I do on the defensive end, but offensively, I was still trying to find what I can do for this team. But now, it’s like I’m not even out there thinking. I’m just out there making plays and just kind of just free flowing.”
Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week
Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Doncic led the Lakers to three wins during the week of November 24-30 while averaging 37.3 points, 10.3 assists and 8.7 rebounds per contest. Those performances, which included a 43-point outburst against the Clippers, increased his league-leading scoring average to 35.1 points per game.
Brunson lifted the Knicks to four wins by averaging 28.8 points and 4.5 assists per game while knocking down 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts. He matched his season high on Friday by racking up 37 points against Milwaukee.
Doncic and Brunson, of course, were backcourt partners in Dallas. Brunson has earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors seven times since joining the Knicks, while this is the first time Doncic has achieved the feat since becoming a Laker.
The other nominees in the West were Zach Edey (Grizzlies), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Jamal Murray (Nuggets) and Austin Reaves (Lakers).
Desmond Bane (Magic), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Tyler Herro (Heat), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Pascal Siakam (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Heat Notes: Herro, Jovic, Robinson, Rozier
The Heat are 2-1 since Tyler Herro made his season debut following his recovery from ankle surgery. However, the team’s back-to-back 106-point showings in their two wins were well below what the high-scoring Miami offense had been accustomed to this fall, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
After scoring a league-leading 124.9 points per game and playing at a league-fastest pace of 106.38 possessions per 48 minutes through their first 17 contests, the Heat had two of their lowest-scoring and slowest-paced games in those victories over Dallas and Milwaukee. Herro is aware of that drop-off despite the success in the win column, and is trying to find the balance between playing his game and adjusting to the new offensive ecosystem.
“I want to score 150, as well,” Herro said. “That looked like a lot of fun on the bench. So I’m trying to make it work. I’m not here to take over the offense or do anything. I told all the guys to just continue to play the same way, and I’ll find my spots and fit in as I can.”
Head coach Erik Spoelstra said the scoring dip was unrelated to Herro’s return.
“It’s not because Tyler is coming back,” Spoelstra said. “It’s because teams will try to scheme against what we’re trying to do. Teams will try to slow us down, and we just need to be better at what we do.”
Miami scored 135 points on Saturday, but allowed 138 in a close loss to Detroit.
We have more from the Heat:
- With Miami finally back at full strength for the first time on Wednesday’s game, someone was bound to lose their spot in the rotation, and that turned out to be Nikola Jovic, Chiang writes in the same article. “I’m good,” Jovic said. “It’s something that happens, you know, I guess every season now. I’ll be back. I’ll get back on the court again. I’ll get a chance and I’ll show that I can play again. And then the circle comes around.” The fourth-year forward played 10 minutes in the following game, scoring two points on three shots. Even though he signed a four-year extension this summer, Jovic’s role and minutes continue to fluctuate. His playing time dropped from 22.6 MPG over his first 11 games to 15.0 MPG over his last four outings.
- Duncan Robinson played against the Heat for the first time in his career on Saturday and scored 18 points with five assists and five rebounds. Coming into the game, he knew it would be strange, but still felt that things had worked out for the best, according to Chiang. “I had been in every trade rumor under the sun throughout my time, and it never happened,” Robinson said. “And I started to sort of live in this reality or this world where, maybe not reality, where I was just always going to be there… I think undoubtedly this is probably the best thing and the right thing, maybe arguably for both organizations — myself and the Heat. It doesn’t mean that I’m not grateful for my time there. But I’m really excited and thrilled for where I’m at now, and excited to be a part of this young and hungry Pistons team.“
- Terry Rozier has fulfilled one of his legal obligations in his ongoing legal troubles, as the IRS confirmed in late October the satisfaction of an $8.2MM tax lien, writes Daniel Libit for Sportico. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, stated at the time that Rozier only actually owed $9,000 on the lien and that he’d already paid it off and was just waiting for the IRS to remove it.
Heat Notes: Powell, Herro, Starters, Rotation, Spoelstra
Veteran wing Norman Powell almost immediately felt at home with the Heat after being acquired in an offseason trade, writes Mirin Fader of The Athletic. The 32-year-old is having a career year in his first season with Miami, averaging 24.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals on .494/.441/.884 shooting through 15 games (30.4 minutes per contest).
“I don’t mean to say anything in the wrong way, but this is like the purest form of basketball that I’ve played in a long time where you got no schemes of like, we’re trying to get this player going every single time down,” Powell said. “We’re playing in the flow, we’re playing for each other, we’re playing basketball the right way, we’re competing on both sides of the floor.”
Heat coaches and players admire that Powell continues to push himself to get better in his 11th NBA season, Fader adds.
“He has an open mind,” says Wayne Ellington, a Heat assistant coach and former NBA player. “He wants to learn and continue to grow even though he had a great experience already. … He always listens and is super coachable.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Tyler Herro shined once again on Wednesday after a stellar season debut on Monday, observes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The 25-year-old guard finished with 29 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), seven assists and five rebounds in 32 minutes in the win over Milwaukee. “I’m just trying to play off the catch,” he said. “I did that last year as well, and then that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m just trying to play off the catch and trying to create advantages in transition where I can get downhill or get to my spot before the defense gets set. And then in the half court, I’m just trying to make the right play. I feel like as I get my legs and my feet under me, I’m going to be able to play-make more and get into the paint more. I still have to strengthen my foot and feel fully comfortable jumping off my foot and exploding off my foot. It’s going to be a process for a couple weeks until I can fully feel comfortable.”
- With a fully healthy roster on Wednesday, head coach Erik Spoelstra suggested the starting lineup might be matchup-based going forward, with the rotation remaining fluid as well, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. As Winderman notes, second-year center Kel’el Ware was moved to the second unit after starting nine of the past 10 games, while forward Nikola Jovic wasn’t part of the 10-man rotation in his first game back from a right hip injury. “None of it will be in cement and I don’t feel pressure to make it cement, whether it’s the starting lineup or whether it’s the rotation once we get into the bench,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve said it since the first day of training camp, we feel that our depth is one of our best strengths and we want to weaponize that.”
- Wednesday’s win was the 800th of Spoelstra’s carer, making him the 17th coach in league history to reach that threshold, Winderman relays in another story. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, because I wasn’t aware of it,” Spoelstra said after the team’s sixth straight win. “But yeah, I guess it’s fitting that it comes on the eve of Thanksgiving. Like, I just feel incredible gratitude for this organization and all of these years, where the years are going by so fast. I’m having a hell of a time. I love what I do, I love coaching, I love this profession, I love working for this organization, I love working for, and with, amazing players and staff, like we have — too many to count over the years.”
Heat Notes: Herro, Offense, Powell, Ware
The Heat didn’t miss a beat with 2025 All-Star guard Tyler Herro back in their lineup for the first time this season on Monday, registering their fifth consecutive victory and their eighth win in the past 10 games to improve to 12-6 on the year. Herro, who was making his season debut following ankle surgery, scored a team-high 24 points and made a key basket to help clinch the win over Dallas in the game’s final minute.
“It’s amazing that he can come back and have that kind of rhythm, and that’s only going to get better,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters, including ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, in his post-game media session. “When you face better defenses, you can see why we need that skill. You need as much skill and firepower as possible in this league. And it was just exciting to have him back.”
Playing in the Heat’s new uptempo offense for the first time, Herro needed a quarter to knock off some rust, but it didn’t take long for him to get comfortable. As MacMahon notes, after missing his first four attempts from the floor, Herro knocked down 12 of his last 14 shots.
“You see it out there, man,” Heat star Bam Adebayo said when asked about Herro’s fit in the new system. “We got a lot of guys that’s hard to guard off the catch. As you see, it’s a fun offense to be part of. It’s not a lot of pick-and-rolls, but it’s sharing the game. … Everyone feels involved, everyone gets a chance to be aggressive, and we’re being successful off of it.”
“It’s not an adjustment for him in terms of how we play,” Spoelstra added. “He’s going to fit right in. He’s going to amplify everything we’re doing.
Miami currently leads the NBA in both pace (106.14 possessions per 48 minutes) and points per game (123.9).
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Herro admitted after Monday’s win that he’s “still got a long way to go” before he feels like he’s back to 100%, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I still got to rehab, recover,” Herro said. “I easily could have probably waited another two weeks to come back, but I’m healthy enough to be out there, and I want to be out there. So that was most important to me. I kind of circled this date probably three or four weeks ago. And then I was like, ‘I’m ready. Forget it, I’m ready.’ I took the last couple days when the team was on the road just to prepare my body for tonight, and it was a lot of fun to go out there and compete and ultimately win.”
- Norman Powell, the Heat’s leading scorer so far this season, was held out of Monday’s game and underwent an MRI on his left groin injury. However, that MRI showed only a “mild” strain and Spoelstra said the team’s level of concern “is not super high,” according to Chiang (Twitter links). Initially considered day-to-day, Powell is expected to return to action for Miami on Wednesday vs. Milwaukee, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
- Kel’el Ware, who has averaged 15.9 points and 15.1 rebounds per game in his past eight outings, is earning praise from teammates and coaches alike for his recent play, according to Chiang. Before Ware could respond to a reporter’s question on Sunday about whether he’s playing the best basketball of his career, Powell interrupted to answer for him: “No. More to come. A lot more potential, man. Stock rising.”
- Spoelstra, who challenged Ware in both the Summer League and preseason to do more to consistently impact winning, praised the second-year big man for being “much more intentional” and “stacking up good day after good day,” as Chiang relays. “He’s playing meaningful minutes,” Spoelstra said. “He understands the responsibility to play well. And he’s recognizing if it doesn’t go well, what he needs to correct. That’s a big-time improvement from last year, where he wasn’t really recognizing what was happening.”
Tyler Herro Set To Make Season Debut Monday
Tyler Herro will make his season debut for the Heat on Monday as long he doesn’t experience a setback before then, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).
Herro has been sidelined since September, when he underwent surgery to alleviate posterior impingement syndrome in his left ankle. Monday’s game against the Mavericks has been viewed as his targeted return date for the last week or so, as he returned to practice with the Heat.
Herro is coming off the first All-Star season of his career and will look to resume his place at the head of Miami’s offense, which looks dramatically different – and is much faster-paced – than a year ago.
The Heat are currently 11-6 following their victory over the Sixers on Sunday and have won 9 of their last 11 games.
Southeast Notes: Diabate, Johnson, Powell, Herro, Sarr, Bagley
While the Hornets are off to a disappointing start this season, having won just four of their first 15 games, their depth in the middle hasn’t been as big a problem as it looked like it might be entering training camp. After trading Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic over the summer, Charlotte has gotten impressive production from rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner, who has started 14 games and is leading the NBA with an 81.1% field goal percentage.
Former second-round pick Moussa Diabate, meanwhile, has been one of the league’s most effective backups, with 10.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game. Despite his modest role, Diabate ranks third in the NBA with 62 offensive rebounds, behind only Donovan Clingan and Steven Adams. But the big man’s impact goes beyond those offensive boards, according to head coach Charles Lee.
“Offensively, he’s grown (from) being more than just an offensive rebounder,” Lee said, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “I think that his screening has gotten a lot better, understanding coverage solutions versus switching, versus center field. I also think that his adjustment off penetration — like working the dunker area — has gotten really good. He’s got good hands down there, so guys feel comfortable with some dump-offs.”
As Boone writes, Lee wore a shirt during a media session earlier this month that featured Diabate and the caption “Moose on the Loose.” The 23-year-old center responded with a smile when asked about that piece of apparel.
“It’s great,” Diabate said. “I’ve come far now. So, it’s just funny how quickly things can turn around, in the span of, what, a year and a half? I go from a two-way, not even thinking that I was going to play, thinking I’m being a G League the whole year. Literally just damn near got cut by the Clippers to now having a shirt (worn) by one of the NBA head coaches. So, it’s a great feeling. It’s a blessing, and I’m just happy to be able to keep it going.”
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Hawks forward Jalen Johnson spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about how getting a “reality check” in the G League during his first NBA season helped change his mindset and his trajectory as a pro. Johnson, who played just 120 total minutes in 22 games as a rookie in 2021/22, is now a rising star in year five, with averages of 22.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game so far this season, plus a shooting line of .580/.400/.812.
- Heat swingman Norman Powell, who missed three games earlier in the season due to a right groin strain, exited Friday’s contest early with a left groin strain. However, he was able to return to action and finish the game, then downplayed the issue after a Miami victory. “I saw the doctors and they’re not worried about it,” Powell said (Twitter link via Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald). “They don’t think it can get any worse. So it’s all about pain tolerance. I have a high pain tolerance, so I’m not too worried about it.”
- With the Heat on a roll (six wins in eight games) and Tyler Herro about to make his season debut, should there be any concerns about the guard’s fit in the lineup? Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) doesn’t think so, arguing that the return of an All-Star player should only make a good team better, even if it creates some tough lineup decisions.
- The Wizards were shorthanded in the frontcourt on Friday, as second-year center Alex Sarr missed a second consecutive game due to left big toe soreness (Twitter link). Marvin Bagley III, who started in Sarr’s place on Wednesday and played nearly 31 minutes, was also unavailable on Friday due to a right hip contusion. With two of their top big men out, the Wizards were out-rebounded 48-29 in a 30-point blowout loss to Toronto.