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Bucks sign DeMarcus Cousins

The Milwaukee Bucks yesterday signed free agent center DeMarcus Cousins.

“DeMarcus is incredibly talented and his size, toughness and experience will help us,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst. “He will provide added depth to our front court rotation and we look forward to working him into our system.”

Cousins, 31, is a 10-year NBA veteran whose recent seasons have been a struggle. His career averages are excellent: 20.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocked shots in 606 career regular season games for the Kings, Pelicans, Warriors, Rockets and Clippers.

The fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Cousins most recently played in 41 games (11 starts) last season with Houston (25 games, 11 starts) and the Los Angeles Clippers (16 games), combining to average 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.4 minutes per game.

Cousins was selected to four All-Star games while a member of the Sacramento Kings (2015-17) and New Orleans Pelicans (2018) and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2015 and 2016. He was a gold medal winner for the United States in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, as well as the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He reached the playoffs twice (2019, Golden State, and 2021, LA Clippers) during his career, but did not play in the 2019-20 season due to injury.

Cousins will wear No. 15 with the Bucks.

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard out with lower abdominal tendinopathy

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirms Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard with lower abdominal tendinopathy, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

Lillard will continue his recovery protocol and be re-evaluated in 10 days.

Through 20 games (all starts) this season, Lillard is averaging 21.5 points (39.7% FG, 30.2% 3-PT, 91.1% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 35.7 minutes for the Trail Blazers.

LeBron James enters NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols

The Lakers, who are still finding their way this season, will be without LeBron James for hopefully just a very brief while. Via the Los Angeles Times:

LeBron James has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will miss the Lakers’ game tonight against the Sacramento Kings, the team announced.

According to NBA rules, vaccinated players, like James, enter the protocols either after a positive test result or after inconclusive test results. According to the protocols, a vaccinated player can return if he tests negative for the virus on consecutive tests 24 hours apart or if it’s been 10 days without symptoms.

And from the Orange County Register:

While the Lakers did not officially say what triggered the action, ESPN reported that James is expected to miss multiple games, implying that the Lakers star has tested positive for COVID-19. Players and staffers can also enter protocols for a close encounter with someone who has tested positive.

At the very least, it means that James missed Tuesday night’s game at the Sacramento Kings – and will perhaps miss much more time.

“Obviously it’s a huge loss. It’s disappointing,” Coach Frank Vogel said. “We just want the best for him right now. That’s where our thoughts are. And we have a next-man-up mindset.”

Cleveland Charge center Tacko Fall named G League Player of the Week

Cleveland Charge center Tacko Fall has been named NBA G League Player of the Week for games played 11/22 through 11/28. Cleveland won both of their contests last week where Tacko averaged 22.0 points on .810 shooting from the field with 14.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 0.5 steals in 28.0 minutes per game.

In the first win in Sioux Falls on Saturday, Fall hit all 10 of his FG attempts in scoring 22 points while grabbing 11 rebounds with a steal and a block in the 115-111 victory. To help secure the two-game sweep over the Skyforce, Tacko scored another 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting with a season-high 17 boards and swatting three blocks in Sunday’s 113-110 double overtime victory.

Blake Griffin out of Nets rotation lately

Veteran Nets big man Blake Griffin is healthy yet has been riding the bench lately. Via ESPN.com:

Falling completely out of the Brooklyn Nets’ rotation was not something Blake Griffin saw coming.

After starting 17 games this season, Griffin has sat the past two games after Steve Nash inserted LaMarcus Aldridge into the starting lineup.

“No, I mean listen, [Aldridge] has been playing unbelievable,” Griffin said. “So, I totally get starting him, especially Joe [Harris] has been out, and I totally get that.

“Being completely out of it, though, I didn’t necessarily see that coming. But that’s not my decision. As players it’s our job to do whatever coaches see best, so at this point that’s what it is.”

The Nets are 14-6 this season, which is the best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2021-22 are Kevin Durant at 28.6 points per game, James Harden at 20.3 ppg, and LaMarcus Aldridge at 13.8 ppg.

Griffin is averaging 5.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.7 minutes per game.

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas goes three-point crazy in win over Clippers

Jonas Valanciunas went insane from three-point range yesterday. Via ESPN.com:

Jonas Valanciunas wasn’t exactly a marksman when he entered the NBA in 2012. In fact, in his first five seasons in the league, he went 1-of-4 from 3-point range.

But those days are long gone.

Valanciunas hit his first seven 3-pointers on Monday night — all in the first half — as he helped lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 123-104 win over the LA Clippers.

The 6-foot-11, 265-pound bruiser has slowly started to add the three-point shot to his game since 2017, but he’s never had a night like Tuesday when he scored a career-high 39 points to go along with 15 rebounds.

Nets swingman Joe Harris undergoes ankle surgery

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Joe Harris underwent arthroscopic surgery today on his left ankle.

The procedure, performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery, involved the removal of a loose body. Harris has missed the past six games since injuring the ankle on Nov. 14 at Oklahoma City.

An estimate return date for Harris isn’t known yet.

Harris currently ranks second in the NBA in 3-point shooting (.466) while averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 30.2 minutes per contest in 14 games this season.

Hawks injury updates on Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish

Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who left during the second quarter of last night’s game vs. New York with an ankle injury, underwent an MRI earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. The MRI confirmed a right ankle sprain. Following a period of rest and rehabilitation, his status will be updated in approximately two weeks.

Hawks forward Cam Reddish, who also left last night’s contest vs. New York in the second quarter with a wrist injury, underwent an MRI earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, which confirmed a left wrist sprain. His status will be determined by his response to daily treatment.

Enes Kanter will reportedly change his name to Enes Kanter Freedom

NBA player name-changes don’t happen too often. The latest to do so will reportedly be Enes Kanter. Via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is changing his name to Enes Kanter Freedom.

The decision comes ahead of the Turkish-born Kanter becoming a United States citizen on Monday. His agent told The Associated Press that Kanter will make his name change official after completing the citizenship process.

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson cleared to participate in full team activities

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities. Williamson, who underwent imaging on his fractured right foot on Wednesday (Nov. 24), was medically cleared by Dr. Richard Ferkel of Southern California Orthopedic Institute and Dr. Scott Montgomery of Ochsner Health.

Williamson played 4-on-4 full court today and will continue his progression towards returning to play. An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined.