Inside Hoops – Page 143 – NBA Blog

Jayson Tatum says Kevin Durant is like a brother to him

Via Boston.com:

The Celtics defeated the Nets 103-92 on Sunday, extending the team’s record to a league-best 19-5. Boston faces the Raptors tonight in Toronto at 7:30 p.m…

Following the Celtics’ win over the Nets on Sunday, Jayson Tatum was asked about facing Brooklyn superstar Kevin Durant.

“That’s like a brother to me,” Tatum said of Durant. “Somebody I’ve gotten really close with. Obviously competed against a lot in the playoffs recently. Known since I was in high school, won a gold medal with, worked out with a lot this summer. So somebody that I respect a lot.

“We talk often,” Tatum added. “And those matchups always you enjoy. Somebody that has played at a high level — the highest level — for as long as he has, it brings the best out of you. So you always enjoy those matchups with one of the best players to ever play.”

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Tons of traveling and carrying calls made in Cavs at Knicks game

Via the New York Post:

Julius Randle was still stunned 30 minutes after the game had finished.

Fourteen traveling and carrying calls were made in the Knicks’ 92-81 win over the Cavaliers on Sunday night, the most in an NBA game this season.

“I’ve never seen that in my life,” the Knicks forward said…

The 14 travels and carries were the most in a game in the last 25 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Since it is a play-by-play stat, that type of information is not readily available for all of NBA history, and Elias couldn’t go back any further.

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Suns guard Chris Paul may return to action soon

Via the Arizona Republic:

Chris Paul was putting in work after Saturday’s practice.

Shooting. Sweating. Scowling.

He’s still out with what the Phoenix Suns are saying is a sore right heel, but Paul had his game face on during the post practice workout to signal he’s itching to return to the court.

“Absolutely,” Paul said. “Getting close.”

Paul will miss his 13th consecutive game Sunday at San Antonio. The veteran All-Star point guard last played Nov. 7 at Philadelphia when he grabbed at his heel trying to get around a Paul Reed screen.

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Anfernee Simons scores 45 points in Blazers win over Jazz

The Trail Blazers beat the Jazz in Utah 116-111 yesterday. Here’s a big reason why, via the Deseret News:

Anfernee Simons put up a career-high 45 points on the Jazz with 33 points coming in the first half alone. Speaking of 33, that’s how many points Jerami Grant finished with on Saturday night. With Damian Lillard, Josh Hart and a few others from the Blazers roster sidelined because of injury or illness, Simons and Grant stepped up to the plate and gave the Jazz a tough time all night.

The Blazers are still without injured guard Damian Lillard.

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Loss to Hawks might serve as wakeup call for Nuggets

Via the Denver Post:

Jamal Murray sat at his locker, sipping on a postgame shake, gazing out at nothing after his team got dropped by the beleaguered Hawks on Friday night.

A few stalls down, Aaron Gordon sipped on his shake with another empty expression draped on his face.

Nikola Jokic plopped both feet into an ice bath, soothing away the pain from one of the worst losses of the season. Even without Trae Young, John Collins and De’Andre Hunter, the Nuggets faltered. Despite more talent on the floor, the Nuggets tripped over themselves.

“I respect everybody,” Jokic said.

His comments didn’t align with Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who questioned his team’s consistency before the game, and had even more reason to do so afterward.

“If it’s not a wakeup call then you’ve got a problem,” Malone said.

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Heat guard Victor Oladipo hopes to make season debut soon

Via the Miami Herald:

Heat guard Victor Oladipo isn’t inclined to offer a timetable for precisely when he will make his season debut after yet another injury to one of his knees.

He won’t play when the Heat concludes a four-game road trip Monday against the Grizzlies in Memphis (8 p.m., Bally Sports Sun).

But he’s optimistic that he’s getting closer to a return.

“Hopefully soon,” he said Friday in Boston of a targeted date for his return from a left knee injury that has sidelined him since late in preseason.

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Moses Moody leaps on rare playing time opportunity for Warriors

Via the San Jose Mercury News:

Moses Moody took full advantage of a rare opportunity on Saturday night.

Klay Thompson out for the latter leg of the Warriors’ back-to-back left 17 minutes of playing time for Moody, who has been squeezed out of a rotation job this year due to an overflow of players at his position.

Though Moody finished with a team-worst minus-16, he went 3-for-3 from 3 and 4-for-5 overall. His last two 3-pointers created much-needed separation as the Houston Rockets chipped the Warriors once-25-point lead down to five. The Warriors pulled away for a 120-101 win, in part, because Moody was ready.

“I mean, the guy hasn’t played in a month, and he’s been working so hard every single day going full bore getting his work in the weight room and on the floor,” Kerr said.

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Grizzlies guard Ja Morant fined by NBA

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been fined $35,000 for confronting and directing inappropriate language toward a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

Morant was assessed a technical foul and ejected with 1:22 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Grizzlies’ 109-101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 30 at Target Center.

Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “Morant is currently tied for ninth in the NBA with four technical fouls this season.”

Injury updates on Hawks forwards John Collins and De’Andre Hunter

Forward John Collins, who suffered a left ankle injury during the second quarter of last night’s game at Orlando, underwent an MRI today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. The MRI confirmed a left ankle sprain with associated joint swelling. Collins will be out at least the next two weeks and his return to play will be updated as appropriate.

Forward De’Andre Hunter, who left last night’s game at Orlando in the first quarter due to right thigh soreness, also underwent an MRI today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. The MRI confirmed a right hip flexor strain. Hunter will be out at least one week and his return to play will be updated as appropriate.

Pelicans assign Kira Lewis Jr. and Dereon Seabron to the G League

The New Orleans Pelicans have assigned guard Kira Lewis Jr. to the Birmingham Squadron, the team’s NBA G League affiliate.

Additionally, the Pelicans transferred two-way guard Dereon Seabron from New Orleans to Birmingham.

Lewis Jr. (6-1, 178), who was last assigned to Birmingham on Nov. 14, appeared in three games for the Squadron and averaged 13.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.0 minutes per game. Drafted by New Orleans with the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Lewis Jr. has appeared in 78 games with the Pelicans and holds career averages of 6.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Seabron (6-5, 183) has appeared in nine games for the Squadron this season, averaging 16.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 34.6 minutes per game.

Lewis Jr. and Seabron will be available for tomorrow night’s game against the Mexico City Capitanes.