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New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has been fined $40,000 for directing hostile language toward a game official, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.
The incident occurred following the Knicks’ 108-93 loss to the Utah Jazz on March 20 at Madison Square Garden.
The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Isaiah Thomas for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.
In seven games with the Hornets, Thomas has averaged 9.9 points and 2.0 assists per game after signing two 10-day contracts with the team. He joined Charlotte on Mar. 2 and played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks earlier this season. Thomas is posting 9.3 points and 2.0 assists in 17.4 minutes per game over 12 games during the 2021-22 season.
A two-time All-Star in 2016 and 2017, Thomas holds career averages of 17.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 28.6 minutes per game over 540 career games, including 362 starts. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 60th pick out of Washington in the 2011 NBA Draft and has played for Sacramento (2011-14), Phoenix (2014-15), Boston (2014-17), Cleveland (2017-18), the Los Angeles Lakers (2017-18, 2021-22), Denver (2018-19), Washington (2019-20), New Orleans (2020-21), Dallas (2021-22) and Charlotte.
The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Jeff Dowtin to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.
Dowtin (6’3”, 185, 5/10/97) has played in five games this season with both Golden State and Milwaukee, averaging 1.2 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 6.2 minpg. He was originally signed by Orlando as a free agent on September 8 and appeared in three preseason games with the Magic, averaging 4.7 ppg. and 1.3 apg. in 8.7 minpg., before being waived on October 16. Dowtin was claimed off waivers and signed to a two-way contract by Golden State on October 18. He appeared in four games with the Warriors, averaging 1.5 ppg. and 1.8 rpg. in 7.0 minpg., before being waived on January 2. Dowtin was then signed to a 10-day contract by Milwaukee on January 7 and played in one game with the Bucks.
Dowtin has also appeared in 21 games (20 starts) in the NBA G League this season with Wisconsin and Lakeland, averaging 21.3 ppg., 6.1 apg., 4.2 rpg. and 1.38 stlpg. in 33.9 minpg., while shooting .568 (179-315) from the floor and .407 (35-86) from three-point range.
Dowtin has played in 36 career NBA G League games (20 starts) with Lakeland and Wisconsin, averaging 15.1 ppg., 4.6 apg., 3.1 rpg. and 1.17 stlpg. in 28.0 minpg., while shooting .550 (220-400) from the floor. Last season (2020-21), he played in 15 games with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 6.5 ppg., 2.5 apg. and 1.6 rpg. in 19.8 minpg., helping Lakeland capture the 2021 NBA G League championship.
Dowtin appeared in 128 career games (114 starts) during four seasons at the University of Rhode Island (2016-20), averaging 11.0 ppg., 3.7 apg., 2.9 rpg. and 1.03 stlpg. in 31.8 minpg., while shooting .361 (126-349) from three-point range. He was named to the 2019-20 All-Atlantic 10 Third Team and to the 2016-17 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.
Dowtin will wear #11 with the Orlando Magic.
Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Joe Harris underwent successful left ankle ligament reconstruction surgery today. The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, Wisc. Harris is expected to make a full recovery prior to next season’s training camp.
Harris appeared in 14 games this season, averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 30.2 minutes per contest.
Ben Simmons hasn’t made his Brooklyn Nets debut yet, and while there may be more than one reason why, a herniated disk is a big factor. Via the New York Daily News:
Nets head coach Steve Nash confirmed reports that star forward Ben Simmons has aggravated his herniated disk, a back injury he’s been dealing with for several years dating back to his time with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nash said the herniated disk is why Simmons, the 25-year-old two-time All-Star who was the highlight of the James Harden trade, received an epidural on March 15.
“He’s had this (a herniated disk) a couple of years ago, so he’s had this throughout his career at some points,” Nash said ahead of tipoff against the Jazz on Monday.
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis underwent an MRI of the left knee, revealing no structural damage.
Multiple medical professionals confirmed a left knee bone contusion, which was sustained during Sunday’s game vs. Phoenix.
Sabonis is expected to make a full recovery and will be reevaluated in 10 days.
The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard Tyrone Wallace to a second 10-day contract.
Wallace has played in four games off the bench for New Orleans this season, averaging 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per contest.
Wallace, 6-5, 198, has appeared in 110 career games (19 starts) across four seasons with the LA Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, and New Orleans Pelicans, recording averages of 5.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 15.5 minutes per contest.
New Orleans’s roster stands at 17 players, including two two-way players.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed center Moses Brown to a second 10-day contract, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
Brown (7-2, 245), who signed his first 10-day contract with Cleveland on March 10 has appeared in four games for the Cavaliers this season. Prior to joining Cleveland, Brown appeared in 26 games (1 start) with the Dallas Mavericks this season, averaging 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 6.5 minutes per contest.
In 82 career NBA games (33 starts) with Portland, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Cleveland over his three seasons in the NBA, he holds career averages of 5.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.72 blocks in 14.0 minutes. Additionally, Brown has also played in 45 games (15 starts) over three seasons in the NBA G League and was named to the 2021 All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team, posting averages of 18.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 1.71 blocks in 26.4 minutes over the 2020-21 NBA G League season. Brown went undrafted in 2019 after playing one season at UCLA.
Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman was set to make his return to action quite soon. Until he wasn’t. Via the San Jose Mercury News:
James Wiseman’s anticipated return to the Warriors has been stalled as he deals with knee swelling. How long he’ll be shut down is to be determined, but his prolonged absence could create issues for the Warriors’ center depth and have the team brass second-guessing the decision not to add another big.
This is not to say the Warriors are short on talent at the center position. One of Golden State’s strongest competitive advantages heading into the playoffs is Draymond Green’s versatility: He can play power forward or center, operating as the team’s defensive anchor and offensive engine in either position. Meanwhile, Kevon Looney has started every Warriors game this season, playing the role of steady defender and low-use offensive player.
But how much wear and tear can Green and Looney endure at the five?
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the NBA’s hottest teams lately. Via the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
The luck of the Timberwolves.
Not a phrase you might have heard much the past few years. But when it comes to being lucky and good, lately, the Wolves have been a bit of both.
Which brings us to Saturday’s game with Milwaukee at Target Center, when it was announced before the game that Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a sore right knee. Wolves coach Chris Finch talked about his team having to pivot after devoting a good 80% of its game plan to the the Milwaukee star.
They managed.
Going 22-for-47 on three pointers – nine players hit at least one – and leading from late in the first quarter on, and shooting better than 50%, the Wolves beat the Bucks 138-119. Minnesota (42-30) has now won four straight and 10 of 11.
It was a high-intensity game, one that featured a shoving match, matching technicals and ejections for Patrick Beverley and Milwaukee’s George Hill and, later, matching T’s on Naz Reid and Bobby Portis Jr.
The win keeps the Wolves 7th in the Western conference, far ahead of the 8th-place L.A. Clippers, and just half a game behind the 6th place Denver Nuggets.