Author: Inside Hoops

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Thunder forward Abdel Nader out with concussion

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Abdel Nader sustained a concussion during last night’s 98-84 scrimmage victory against the Boston Celtics and he has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol.

Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Nader will now begin the NBA-mandated Return-to-Participation Protocol. This process includes a series of steps designed to ensure an athlete exhibits symptom-free behavior before resuming basketball activities. There is no predetermined timetable to complete the protocol, as each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.

In 48 games (five starts) this season, Nader is averaging 6.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game.

Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis leaves Disney NBA campus for foot treatment

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis will leave the NBA campus in Orlando to receive medical treatment for plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Sabonis’ availability to return to the campus in Orlando is yet to be determined.

Per the Indianapolis Star, “Sabonis hadn’t participated in practices in about eight days, and sat out the Pacers’ scrimmage on Thursday. Speaking to local media Wednesday, he said his foot had been bothering him since he arrived in Indiana, and it flared up once the team started playing 5-on-5 upon arriving in Orlando. Nate McMillan called it “day to day.”

A look at Utah Jazz lineup combinations in first NBA scrimmage

In NBA scrimmage action Thursday, the Suns beat the Jazz, 101-88. Donovan Mitchell got buckets in the loss, hitting 5-of-8 FG, including 3-of-4 three-pointers, for 17 points. It was the first game for either team in a long time. Here’s the Deseret News reporting on the various lineups the Jazz played around with:

The Jazz started the game with the expected unit of Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Royce O’Neale and Joe Ingles.

From there, more of the expected with Jordan Clarkson and Georges Niang being the first subs to enter the game and later Tony Bradley giving Gobert some rest. But, when O’Neale committed his fourth foul in the second quarter, Jazz coach Quin Snyder had to zag a little and go with a smaller lineup.

Mitchell, Conley, Clarkson, Ingles and Gobert closed out the first half. That lineup with Bojan Bogdanovic in place of Clarkson is a familiar one for the Jazz, playing a total of 236 minutes together during the regular season. With Clarkson instead of Bogdanovic, Thursday was the first time the group had played in a game together.

The Jazz will be without one key player for the remainder of the season: Bojan Bogdanovic, who had season-ending wrist surgery a few months ago.

Sixers center Joel Embiid has been working on his fadeaway jumper

Sixers center Joel Embiid is already a dominant low-post player, and per the report below he spent some of the NBA play stoppage time working on his fadeaway jumpshot. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

In addition to his work on passing out of double-teams, Embiid said the other thing he’s been working on during the hiatus since the season was suspended on March 11 was his fadeaway jumper — and he is very pleased about its progress.

“My fadeaways look great,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been working on them the past 2½ months, six times a week, just trying to perfect my game in any ways that I can, and I’ve been happy about that. It is something I’m going to need a lot, especially when other teams double me every single possession. I can’t let that dictate the way I play.

“So, sometimes you have to make the right play, and sometimes pass it, and if I feel like I have an opportunity to be myself and dominate, then that’s a shot I’m going to get. So that’s what I’ve been excited about.”

If Embiid truly has developed a mean fadeaway, it’ll make him even harder to guard, and that’s saying a lot.

No timetable for Zion Williamson return to Pelicans yet

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who departed the NBA campus in Orlando last week to attend to an urgent family matter, has been getting tested daily for COVID-19 while away from the team and continues to produce negative results (reminder: this a good thing. You want “negative” results when being health-tested for a bad thing.)

While there is no current timetable for his return to campus, he fully intends to rejoin the team.

Per NBA protocol, his quarantine period will be determined upon his return.

NBA scrimmages between different teams began today around the league.

Actual games that count in the standings begin next Thursday, July 30.

Health update on Kings guard De’Aaron Fox

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, who sustained a left ankle sprain during practice on July 15, continues to make progress and has returned to on-court, non-contact basketball activities. Fox is ruled out for tonight’s scrimmage vs. the Miami Heat and his return to game action will be updated as appropriate.

A third-year guard and fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Fox is averaging 20.4 points (.475 FG%, .307 3pt%, .703 FT%), 4.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 31.7 minutes per game in 45 games (43 starts) for the Kings during the 2019-20 season.

NBA scrimmage schedule, with TV listings for the scrimmages on NBATV

NBA scrimmages begin today, with different teams scrimmaging against each other. It’s sort of like the NBA restart version of a preseason.

They will be televised on either NBA TV or NBA League Pass. See below.

First, the complete dates, times and team matchups for the scrimmages:

THE NBA TV SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULE

These are the 16 scrimmages (games, basically) that will be televised on NBATV.

All times Eastern (ET).

Wednesday, July 22

Orlando Magic vs. LA Clippers (3 p.m.)

Washington Wizards vs. Denver Nuggets (5 p.m. — Tape Delayed)

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Brooklyn Nets (7 p.m.)

Sacramento Kings vs. Miami Heat (9 p.m. — Tape Delayed)

Thursday, July 23

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Indiana Pacers (3:30 p.m.)

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7 p.m.)

Friday, July 24

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics (5 p.m.)

Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, July 25

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Orlando Magic (Noon)

Miami Heat vs. Utah Jazz (4 p.m.)

Sunday, July 26

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Noon)

Indiana Pacers vs. Dallas Mavericks (4 p.m.)

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors (6 p.m.)

Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8 p.m.)

Monday, July 27

Washington Wizards vs. Los Angeles Lakers (3 p.m.)

Utah Jazz vs. Brooklyn Nets (5:30 p.m.)

From http://www.insidehoops.com

Tuesday, July 28

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Miami Heat (2 p.m.)

San Antonio Spurs vs. Indiana Pacers (4 p.m.)

Kings forward Marvin Bagley out with foot injury

During an intra-squad scrimmage on July 19, Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III sustained a right foot injury. Evaluation of his MRI results by a foot specialist today confirmed a lateral right foot sprain.

The team has decided to hold Bagley III out for the remainder of the season.

Here’s the Sacramento Bee:

This represents the latest setback for a player who has appeared in only 75 games over two seasons since the Kings selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft following his freshman year at Duke. His second season has been especially difficult for the 21-year-old big man.

Bagley missed 22 games after breaking his thumb in the season opener against the Phoenix Suns in October. His return to action lasted only eight games before he suffered a left midfoot sprain that caused him to miss 29 of the last 33 games before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During the 2019-20 season, Bagley III has accrued averages of 14.2 points (.467 FG%, .806 FT%), 7.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 25.7 minutes per game in 13 games (6 starts) for the Kings during the 2019-20 season.

In EuroLeague news, Jordan Mickey signs with Khimki Moscow Region

Here’s Euroleague.net reporting on Jordan Mickey:

Khimki Moscow Region and center Jordan Mickey are together again after the sides put pen to paper on a new one-year contract on Tuesday. Mickey (2.03 meters, 25 years old) arrives from Real Madrid, where he averaged 9.0 points on 67.7% two-point shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 26 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games last season. He also helped Los Blancos win the Spanish Copa del Rey title.

Mickey played briefly in the NBA between 2015-18, suiting up for the Celtics and Heat, for a career average of 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

Grizzlies forward Justise Winslow done for season with hip injury

During Monday’s practice, Memphis Grizzlies forward Justise Winslow fell after absorbing contact during an intra-squad scrimmage. Medical evaluation revealed a hip injury, which will cause him to miss the rest of the season.

Winslow is expected to make a full recovery, the team says.

Injuries have wrecked his season. After being traded by the Heat to the Grizzlies in February, Winslow has yet to suit up for Memphis.

Today, Winslow tweeted the following: “Last night during a scrimmage, I experienced a contact injury in my hip that unfortunately will keep me out until next season. I was excited to join my brothers on the court & will be supporting them throughout. I’m focused on coming back 100% towards a full recovery.”

The Grizzlies, who at 32-33 are 8th in the Western conference, are one of 22 teams the NBA has included in their restart plan. League scrimmages begin this week, and “seeding games” for the playoffs start next Thursday, July 30.