The Milwaukee Bucks waived Jodie Meeks today.
Meeks was acquired from the Washington Wizards on Oct. 15 along with a future second-round draft pick and cash in exchange for a future second-round draft pick.
The Bucks roster stands at 17 players.
Month: November 2018
Blake Griffin says he is happy on Pistons
The 9-7 Detroit Pistons are the East’s 5th seed through Friday’s games. Power forward Blake Griffin is leading the team in scoring at 25.3 points per game, and he’s second in rebounds at 10.4 per game, but surprisingly he’s leading the squad in assists, dishing 4.8 per contest. While that’s a very low assist average to lead an entire NBA team, it’s still impressive on Griffin’s part. For more on him, mostly on his transition from the Clippers to Pistons, here’s the LA Times:
Yes, he chose to sign a five-year contract worth more than $170 million to remain in Los Angeles with the Clippers. Yes, the Clippers balked less than eight months into the deal and sent him to the Pistons. Yes, there are things Griffin misses in Los Angeles. He wishes he was closer to his children on a full-time basis. He misses some Clippers fans and people in the organization.
But being in Detroit instead of playing for the Clippers, Griffin is fine with it.
“Yeah, I’m glad it happened,” Griffin told the Los Angeles Times. “I’m not saying I don’t miss certain people. There were some awesome fans that I got to know and I felt like I was very close with them. And there are some people you miss over there, but it was just time for a fresh start.
“I’m glad to be here.”
Griffin, who turns 30 in March, is really happy — it’s something everyone says when you ask about him. Detroit and the surrounding suburbs are more like his native Oklahoma than Los Angeles, so he’s more comfortable. Teammates say he’s thriving in a role of being the lead voice in the locker room. Staffers say he’s been terrific to deal with. Others love that he seems to know everyone in the organization by name. The mood swings that at times in Los Angeles could be volatile haven’t been an issue.
The Pistons seem good, but definitely not great, and will need more consistent play from guys other than Griffin and Andre Drummond if they want to raise their status as an actual East contender. Griffin, this season, is doing his part.
Clippers 8-1 at home so far this season
The Clippers have been a success so far this season, especially when playing as the Home team — they are 8-1 when hosting the contest. Here’s the Daily Breeze reporting:
Their eight consecutive wins since that opening-night loss to the Denver Nuggets represent the best current home winning streak in the NBA.
“You always hear people say, you have to take care of home,” said Avery Bradley, whose late-game steal against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday secured the victory to elevate the 12-6 Clippers to first place in the Western Conference. “We say it before every game.” …
The Clippers’ early success hasn’t been without drama. Their three overtime victories — all at home — are the most in the NBA.
They rank second in the NBA in “clutch wins,” or those defined by NBA.com/stats as games played within a five-point margin in the final five minutes of regulation, with nine. (The Philadelphia 76ers have 10.)
The West is incredibly close up top, but through Friday’s games the Clippers, via tiebreaker rules, are the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Mitchell Robinson back to bench for Knicks
The Knicks season thus far has focused on rookie development, and one of the key guys to watch is center Mitchell Robinson. Here’s the New York Post with the latest on him:
Mitchell Robinson had his taste of starting and is fine with Knicks coach David Fizdale’s decision to bring him off the bench. The company line was to keep the 20-year-old project out of severe foul trouble.
In the Knicks’ stunning 117-109 win at Boston on Wednesday, Robinson played just 16 minutes but registered six blocks and was 4 for 4 from the field. It was his second straight game coming off the bench for newly promoted center Enes Kanter.
“As you seen, I didn’t get into foul trouble until late in the game,’’ Robinson said. “If I started, I would’ve gotten in trouble and would’ve sat almost the whole game. My teammates need me to come in and challenge shots.’’
For the season, Robinson is averaging 5.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and a very impressive 2.0 blocks in 18.1 minutes per game.
The Knicks play host to the Pelicans tonight.
Wizards sign forward Okaro White
View this post on Instagram
The Washington Wizards signed free agent forward Okaro White today.
The 6-foot-8, 205-pound guard-forward averaged 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 41 career games during the last two seasons (2016-18) with the Miami Heat. He played for Florida State between 2013-17, averaged 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Seminoles, and went undrafted.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, White in 2016-17 played in 23 games in the G League for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and averaged 18.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
There are now 14 players on the Wizards roster, not including Devin Robinson and Jordan McRae, who are signed to two-way contracts.
LeBron James, Lakers play Cavs in Cleveland tonight
LeBron James and the Lakers visit Cleveland tonight to play a Cavs team that has been in shambles this season and looks nothing like the contender they were when LeBron was still on the squad. The game will be on national TV. Seeing the type of reception LeBron receives during pregame intros and an expected video tribute will be fun to watch. More on the game from Cleveland.com below:
Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson opted for the canned answer when asked about the importance of Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Just another game. Another game on the schedule,” Thompson said following shootaround. “Another opportunity for us to play at home and compete and be on our floor.”
Only it’s not. Wednesday marks LeBron James’ first return to Quicken Loans Arena since leaving the Cavaliers a second time in free agency.
Promos have been playing for weeks on ESPN. It’s one of two games nationally televised for the Cavaliers this season. This is the one fans have had circled on the calendar since it was released.
The Lakers through Tuesday’s games are 9-7 and the West’s 8th seed, while the Cavs are an NBA-worst 2-13 and currently dealing with a reported trade request/demand from veteran shooting guard J.R. Smith.
Nuggets have lost 6 of last 7 games
The Denver Nuggets through Tuesday’s games are 10-7, which puts them in the thick of a very tight and crowded set of good Western conference teams. But they’ve been in a general slump lately, and have some things to work out. Here’s the Denver Post on the situation:
The Nuggets have lost two in a row and six of seven heading into Wednesday night’s against the Timberwolves, who recently upended their core by trading Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia. Denver’s defense, ranked as the NBA’s best prior to their slump, is down to seventh overall, and their poor late-game execution has been exposed. They are now a team searching for an identity.
“We’re probably not a team that is 9-1 every 10 games, and I know we’re not a team that’s 1-6 in the last seven games,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said at the team’s shootaround here Wednesday. “The answer is somewhere in between. We’re trying to find out who we are.”
They had some of those answers over the final seven games last season, when they reeled off six consecutive, high-pressure wins before dropping the final game 112-106 to Minnesota. Harris and Paul Millsap said they can glean confidence from that stretch to end the season.
Next up for the Nuggets are are matchups with the Timberwolves tonight, the Magic Friday and the Thunder Saturday.
Pregame: Trail Blazers vs Knicks game notes
Trail Blazers (11-5) vs Knicks (4-13)
Madison Square Garden, New York
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
7:30 p.m. ET
KNICKS NOTES
If the New York Knicks win vs POR then, they will improve their overall record versus ORL to 48-64.
If New York wins tonight vs. POR, then New York will snap a three-game losing streak vs. POR. The last time New York defeated Portland was Nov 22, 2016; 107-103.
If Noah Vonleh posts a double-double vs. ORL, then he will set a new career best for double-doubles in a season with five (previous four in 16-17).
New York recorded 15 team blocks on 11/11/18 vs. ORL.
– The 15 blocks tied a franchise record for blocks in a game (at WAS, 1/28/88)
– The 15 blocks set a blocks record at the present MSG (previous 14 blocks vs. PHL 4/4/15)
– Mitchell Robinson recorded nine blocks. The nine blocks set a new Knick rookie record (previously seven blocks by Kristaps Porzingis 2x and Lonnie Shelton)
Mitchell Robinson is T-fourth in the NBA in blocks per game in the month of November at 2.44.
BLAZERS NOTES
The Trail Blazers average the second-most defensive rebounds in the NBA (39.9) while the Knicks average the third-most offensive rebounds in the league (12.6).
Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 40 points (12-29 FG, 3-10 3-PT, 13-15 FT) against the Wizards on Nov. 18. It was the third 40-point game of the season for Lillard, which is the most in the NBA. Lillard has 19 career games with 40-plus points, which is the most in franchise history (Drexler, 17). Lillard is averaging 26.6 points per game, which is the seventh-most in the NBA (Walker, 29.6).
With 13 points and 14 rebounds at Washington on Nov. 18, Jusuf Nurkic recorded his fourth straight double-double (tied for longest streak in his career) and his 10th straight game scoring in double fi gures (second-longest streak of his career). In his last four games, Nurkic has averaged 16.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.50 blocks.
CJ McCollum was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Nov. 5 to Nov. 11. His week was highlighted by 40 points, four rebounds, six assists and four steals against the Bucks on Nov. 6 and 23 points and seven rebounds against the Clippers on Nov. 8. Portland went 3-0 on the week, with all three wins coming against teams with winning records. It is the first time McCollum has received the award.
The Trail Blazers lead the league in free-throw percentage (85.4%), are fi fth in free throws per game (20.4) and are 14th in free throws attempted per game (23.9).
Lauri Markkanen takes a step forward in recovery
 |
The Bulls could really use some good news, especially in the health department.
This isn’t big, but it’s something. It’s a step. Here’s the Chicago Tribune with an update on one of the team’s key young building blocks:
Lauri Markkanen had an individual shooting workout and participated in non-contact portions of Bulls practice Monday, the next step in his recovery from a right elbow injury.
Thursday marks eight weeks since Markkanen suffered a high-grade lateral sprain while battling for a rebound in the first week of training camp. The Bulls originally estimated Markkanen would miss six to eight weeks and later revised it to eight to 10 weeks.
“We’ll see how he responds and if we can up his activity level after that,” coach Fred Hoiberg said.
The Bulls through Sunday’s games have a 4-13 record and are the current East 12-seed. The team is off today and tomorrow, and on Wednesday has a chance to add to that win total as they host a struggling Suns squad.
NBA Players of Week: Nikola Vucevic and Anthony Davis
View this post on Instagram
Magic center Nikola Vucevic has been named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week, and Pelicans forward-center Anthony Davis the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played between November 11-18, 2018.
It marks the second time that Vucevic has won the award during his career and the first time a Magic player has won the award since Vucevic earned it for the period ending Mar. 30, 2014.
During four games last week, Vucevic averaged 27.8 ppg., 10.5 rpg., 4.0 apg. and 1.25 stlpg., while shooting .581 (43-74) from the floor and .471 (8-17) from three-point range. He led Orlando to a 3-1 record with wins over Philadelphia, the L.A. Lakers and New York. Vucevic tallied three double-doubles and scored 28-or-more points in three consecutive games, becoming the first Magic player since Dwight Howard accomplished the feat Mar. 1-5, 2012.
Vucevic has played and started in all 17 games this season, averaging a team-high 20.4 ppg., a team-high 10.8 rpg., 3.6 apg., 1.12 stlpg. and 1.12 blkpg. in 30.5 minpg., while shooting a team-best .556 (144-259) from the floor, .452 (19-42) from three-point range and .813 (39-48) from the free throw line. He has led (or tied) the Magic in scoring seven times, in rebounding 13 times and in assists twice.
Davis led the Pelicans to a 3-1 week behind averages of 34.3 points (ranked 2nd in the NBA), 14.0 rebounds (4th in the NBA) and 2.0 blocks (T-5th in the NBA). Davis helped lead the Pelicans to a win at Toronto – handing the Raptors just their second loss of the season, and their first loss at home, behind 25 points and a season-high 20 rebounds – a 19-point comeback victory against New York on Nov. 16, registering a season-high 43 points to go with 17 rebounds and five assists, and capped off the week with 40 points, eight rebounds and a career-high-tying eight assists, while shooting 20-of-21 at the free throw line, Nov. 17 vs. Denver. Davis finished the week as one of just five players (at least 50 field goal attempts) to shoot at least .500 from the floor, .400 from three-point range and .850 from the free throw line.
This marks the fifth time Davis has earned Player of the Week honors during his career, and the first time during the 2018-19 season, becoming the first player in franchise history to earn multiple Player of the Week honors in the same season since Chris Paul in 2008-09.
Davis is currently averaging 27.5 points (ranked fifth in the NBA), 12.7 rebounds (ranked tied for sixth in the NBA) and 2.8 blocks (ranked second in the NBA) on the season for the Pelicans.
View this post on Instagram