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LeBron James misses first game of season, Lakers lose to Nuggets

LeBron James finally missed a game this season, as the Lakers fell to the Nuggets Sunday. Here’s the Denver Post reporting:

The Nuggets strode into the Staples Center and rocked the Lakers 128-104 on Sunday night, improving to 20-8 and stretching their winning streak to six. They’ll go for seven on Monday night in Phoenix against the Suns.

Though James was ruled out with a rib injury — the first game he has missed all season — the Nuggets put together a fantastic collective effort that might have won them the game had he been healthy.

Paul Millsap scored 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, but his dogged effort on Lakers superstar Anthony Davis was arguably more valuable. Though Davis finished with 32 points, Millsap chased him around the court and hounded him as the Lakers fought fruitlessly to get back into the game.

And the OC Register:

Unlike his trademark unibrow, Anthony Davis does his best work in a pair.

That’s not to say that the 26-year-old’s 32-point, 11-rebound, four-block game on Sunday night didn’t make him look like a star. But the performance came without a win, which has become the ultimate bottom line in a Lakers (24-6) season with renewed championship aspirations.

It was telling that even as Davis checked back in to start the fourth quarter, the visiting Denver Nuggets (20-8) kept on pulling away. In a 128-104 loss — the Lakers’ third straight and the largest margin of defeat this season — it was clear that Davis sorely lacked his running mate, LeBron James.

The Lakers have gotten national attention all season — quite justifiably — but the Nuggets deserve big praise as well. They’re 20-8 this season and their win Sunday was their sixth straight victory.

They’re being led in scoring this season by Jamal Murray (17.5 ppg), Nikola Jokic (17.3 ppg), Will Barton (14.6 ppg), Paul Millsap (13.0 ppg) and Gary Harris (11.3 ppg). But defense is why the Nuggets are having an excellent year. They’re second best in the league in that department, only behind the Bucks.

 

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Another huge game by Hassan Whiteside

Trail Blazers big-man Hassan Whiteside is doing big things lately. Here’s NBC Sports Northwest:

He had another monster game Saturday night, helping the Trail Blazers push past the Minnesota Timberwolves 113-106. And all Whiteside did was grab 22 rebounds, block seven shots and score 16 points. He is averaging 16 rebounds and four blocks over his last seven games and is coming off rebound games of 14, 23 and 17 prior to his 22 against the T-Wolves.

The Timberwolves were without star center Karl-Anthony Towns, which certainly made things easier for Whiteside – but still, a big performance is a big performance.

 

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Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon okay to play Sunday vs Bucks

Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, the Indiana Pacers hit the road for a trip to Milwaukee. It’s an especially big game for Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon, whose first three NBA seasons were with the Bucks. But this summer came big money and a nice role with the Pacers, so Brogdon got himself a new squad, and it’s actually worked out well for both teams.

As for Brogdon’s health status, here’s the Indianapolis Star reporting:

Malcolm Brogdon will take the taped-up fingers on his right hand if it means he can be on the court for his Milwaukee homecoming on Sunday.

After the Pacers starting point guard dislocated his right pinkie and tore a ligament in it earlier this month, he’s been forced to wear surgical tape stabilizing it with his right ring finger, and the traditionally laser-focused Brogdon said it’s been giving him fits on the court the past two weeks.

“It’s definitely something I notice when I’m on the court, but I feel like I’ve been able to do the best I can with it,” he said. “People here have been playing with all types of injuries that the media or other people don’t know about. It’s just something minor.”

The game is worth watching. Even as the Pacers continue to await the eventual return of start shooting guard Victor Oladipo.

 

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Devin Booker returns, but Suns fall to Thunder

The Suns got their star back, but fell to a fellow mid-level Western conference squad. Here’s Arizona Sports reporting:

The Phoenix Suns got Devin Booker back on Friday after his three-game absence due to a right forearm contusion.

That was great news, even better considering the Suns are in the middle of a four-game losing streak and received a blow on Tuesday when Deandre Ayton sprained his ankle in his first game back from a 25-game suspension.

A strong bounce-back game from Booker could represent the team’s own.

Instead, Phoenix’s defensive shortcomings came back to bite them once again and Oklahoma City beat them 126-108.

The Thunder are now 14-14, the Suns 11-17.

Phoenix was a stronger team earlier in the season, but have fallen back down to Earth — yet they should remain competitive. It’ll be interesting to see how they do in the coming weeks now that Deandre Ayton, coming off a 25-game suspension that has mostly erased his season so far, is back in the mix.

Melo out for Blazers vs Timberwolves game

The Trail Blazers won’t have veteran forward Carmelo Anthony in action vs the Timberwolves. Here’s NBC Sports Northwest:

More bad news on the injury front for the Trail Blazers. Starting power forward Carmelo Anthony will not play tonight against the Timberwolves due to a left knee contusion…

Anthony suffered the injury in the first half of Friday’s win over the Magic. He took a jump shot with 8:12 left in the second quarter and subbed out at the 7:59 mark. He did not return.

The game is in Portland and starts at 10 p.m. ET.

More on the latest Raptors injuries

We posted about this earlier today, but here’s the Toronto Sun with more on the latest batch of Raptors injuries:

Losing three key rotation players including two starters hasn’t managed to sap Nick Nurse of his sense of humour.

Arriving for his pre-game news conference, Nurse looked down at the podium at some left-behind tools of the trade and remarked, “Just what we need: Some duct tape.”

Nurse lost Pascal Siakam to a groin stretch, Norm Powell to a left shoulder subluxation and Marc Gasol to a left hamstring strain in Wednesday’s win over Detroit.

He might have walked out after that duct tape line, but there was this little thing about a season which had to go on without the services of his leading scorer in Siakam, his lead defender in Gasol and the red-hot Powell, who is either his lead source of offence off the bench or a guy he was considering promoting to the starting five.

One thing we’ve learned this season, however, is to not underestimate the Raptors. Even in cases like this.

Nets guard/forward David Nwaba undergoes season-ending surgery

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward David Nwaba underwent surgery today to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon.

The injury, which occurred during last night’s game at San Antonio, will result in Nwaba missing the remainder of the season.

In 20 games played this season, Nwaba recorded averages of 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game, shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range.

Raptors hit with injuries to Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell

The Toronto Raptors just got hit with a series of injuries:

Marc Gasol sustained a strained left hamstring in the first quarter of play Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Detroit. He was reevaluated on Thursday and it was determined he will be out indefinitely.

With 6:47 to play in the fourth quarter, Pascal Siakam sustained a stretched groin after an awkward landing. He was evaluated Thursday and will be listed as out indefinitely.

Norman Powell left the same game with 3:17 to play in the fourth quarter after a collision with another player. After testing in Toronto on Thursday, it was determined he had sustained a subluxation of the left shoulder. He will also be out indefinitely.

Per the Toronto Star, “every time it has appeared Toronto was about to get healthy this season, another player or two has gone down. First it was Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka. Then it was VanVleet. This latest setback could be the most difficult one to overcome yet as it takes away the Raptors’ leading scorer in Siakam, the recently surging Powell and Gasol, who has been a lockdown defender in the post.”

All three players will be reevaluated in the coming weeks.

Chance The Rapper and Common will perform at the 2020 NBA All-Star game

Three-time Grammy Award winners and Chicago natives Chance The Rapper and Common will headline musical performances at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at United Center in Chicago.

Chance The Rapper’s brother, fellow rap artist Taylor Bennett, will perform at halftime of NBA Rising Stars on Friday, Feb. 14 at United Center.

The 69th annual game will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, Common will welcome fans to Chicago with anarrative about what basketball means to the city. This prior to introducing players from both teams before tip-off of the NBA All-Star Game.

At halftime, Chance The Rapper and special guests will perform a medley of chart-topping hits, including tracks from his first studio album, The Big Day.

Suns center Deandre Ayton out with ankle sprain

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton recently returned from a 25-game suspension, played well, but is now out with an ankle sprain.

Here’s the Arizona Republic:

The Suns haven’t had their full roster healthy all season. That unfortunate trend will continue as Deandre Ayton is ruled out Friday’s game at Oklahoma City with a right ankle sprain he suffered in the second half of his return game from a 25-game suspension Tuesday at the Los Angeles Clippers…

The Suns (11-16) have also been without Devin Booker their last three games because of a right forearm contusion. Booker is listed as questionable for Friday’s game.

It’s unclear how big a deal that sprain is. Hopefully it’s minor. The team hasn’t released an official statement yet.