Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Russell Westbrook likely active for Rockets vs Thunder Game 5

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, who has yet to play in the team’s first-round playoff series against the OKC Thunder but should be ready to go for Game 5:

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook is likely to make his series debut in Game 5 against the Thunder.

“He’ll go through practice today and if things are normal then we expect him to be ready to go,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said Friday. “I’m sure he’ll have time restraints. We have not talked about that at all, and that won’t be discussed until tomorrow. Planning on it, but you never know. Russell will be hard to hold down. I’m sure he’s anxious and ready to roll.”

The Rockets need him. With Russ out, there’s simply way too much pressure on James Harden to create almost every scoring opportunity for the team. Westbrook’s ability to break down defenses and drive by defenders is a literal game-changer for Houston.

The NBA was on hold for a few days due to players rising up and protesting, not against the league, but against police brutality against Black people in the United States. The playoffs will resume Saturday, though the updated game schedule hasn’t been released yet.

Knicks have reportedly chosen their new assistant coaches

The Knicks have reportedly decided on their assistant coaching staff. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Tom Thibodeau will have at least two guys on his assistant staff with whom he’s worked closely.

While the hirings of Kenny Payne, Johnnie Bryant and Mike Woodson had been cemented, Thibodeau will also add his longtime trusted lieutenants, Andy Greer and Dice Yoshimoto, sources confirm.

The Post first reported Greer and Yoshimoto as candidates back on May 31. Greer, who was with Thibodeau on the Knicks’ staff from 2001-03, and Yoshimoto, were alongside Thibodeau at his head-coaching stops in Chicago and Minnesota.

The Knicks haven’t announced the hirings as official yet, but they’ve been reported by multiple media outlets.

Coaching staff aside, the biggest questions, by far, regarding the Knicks revolve around which roster moves the team will make this offseason.

Sacramento Kings search for new general manager

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the Kings and their search for a new general manager:

The search for a new general manager is underway in Sacramento. The Kings have talked for years about changing the culture within the organization. Now they have to find the right person for the job.

That would have been incredibly difficult, given the abbreviated offseason schedule with the NBA Draft set for Oct. 16 and the start of free agency set to begin Oct. 18, but it appears the Kings will catch a big break. All signs point to those dates being pushed back several weeks along with the start of the 2020-21 season, which was scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

Moving back the start of free agency will also move back the Oct. 17 guarantee date on Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica’s $7.2 million contract for next season. These delays would give the Kings time to wait for candidates whose teams are in the playoffs and increase the likelihood they will make a hire before they have to start making important roster decisions.

Pacers fire coach Nate McMillan

The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday they have relieved head coach Nate McMillan of his coaching duties.

“On behalf of the Simon family and the Pacers organization, I’d like to thank Nate for his years with the team,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “This was a very hard decision for us to make; but we feel it’s in the best interest of the organization to move in a different direction. Nate and I have been through the good times and the bad times; and it was an honor to work with him for those 11 years (in Indiana and Portland).”

McMillan took over coaching duties of the Pacers prior to the 2016-17 season; and in his four years with the team he led them to a 183-136 record, including 3-16 in the playoffs. He has an overall coaching record of 661-588, with 17-36 in the playoffs. McMillan’s 183 wins as head coach of the Pacers is third in the team’s NBA history.

The search for a new coach will begin immediately.

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook status upgraded for Game 5 vs Thunder

UPDATE: Mere hours before scheduled tipoff this evening, Rockets guard Russell Westbrook was upgraded to Questionable.

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook put up 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game in the regular season, but has yet to play in the 2020 NBA playoffs. His return will not take place today. Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting:

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook’s return from his strained quadriceps muscle moved closer Tuesday, but with the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder tied, 2-2, Westbrook was still ruled out for Wednesday’s Game 5.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni on Tuesday offered his most optimistic assessment of the potential of Westbrook playing since he was ruled out for the final seeding game and missed each of the four playoff games so far.

“I think it’s day to day, he’s listed,” D’Antoni said…

“Russ only has one level,” Rockets center P.J. Tucker said. “Russ got one speed. Russ got one mind, one energy (level.) If you get Russ, you get Russ. I think that’s a part of him taking his time to get back because he knows and we know the level he’s going to be at when he comes back.

Through four playoff games this year against the Thunder, fellow Rockets star guard James Harden has averaged 32.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game. There is tremendous pressure on Harden to continue to carry the load. Getting Russ back would help a lot.

Blazers guard Damian Lillard out for Game 5 vs Lakers

The Trail Blazers are in trouble. They looked badly overmatched against the Lakers yesterday in Game 4, even before star guard Damian Lillard had to exit the game early due to a knee issue. Now they’ll be without Dame in tomorrow’s Game 5. Here’s NBC Sports Northwest reporting:

With Damian Lillard out for Wednesday’s game due to a right knee sprain, the Trail Blazers are still determined to come together and work to right the ship in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Down 1-3 in their first round series to the Lakers is difficult enough to handle, but now the Blazers are going to be down a superstar in Damian Lillard.

Portland got out worked and outshot to start Monday’s Game 4. After falling behind 15-0 and then 30-10, the Blazers were working uphill all night against the No. 1 seeded team in the West.

LeBron James was as good as ever yesterday in Game 4, and at one point even pulled up for a deep three-pointer not far from the halfcourt league logo. “Logo LeBron” anyone?

It’ll be a tall task for Portland tomorrow.

Sixers reportedly fire coach Brett Brown

The Philadelphia 76ers just finished being swept out of the playoffs, and their first move appears to be a coaching change.

According to ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sixers have fired head coach Brett Brown. This after the team was eliminated by the Boston Celtics in a 4-0 sweep in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs.

The news does not come as a surprise, as the team has struggled to maximize their potential and chemistry all season.

The Sixers were without star guard Ben Simmons in their series against the Celtics. But Boston was without forward Gordon Hayward. And although Simmons is more important to the Sixers than Hayward is to the Celtics, the team simply did not look good. And now, Brown is gone.

Questions certainly need to be asked about the team’s roster. And various roster moves in the past few seasons.

It won’t be a surprise if more big moves are made in Philly, either with big-name players being moved in free agency or additional changes in the front office. At this point, anything is possible.

Raptors news: guard Kyle Lowry diagnosed with ankle sprain

As the Toronto Raptors prepare to meet their second-round playoff opponent, the Boston Celtics, their star point guard will be on the mend.

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, the team announced today.

Lowry underwent an MRI on the NBA Campus in Orlando after the injury, which occurred in the first quarter of Sunday evening’s game. His condition will be updated as appropriate.

Lowry averaged 19.4 points, a team-high 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 36.2 minutes in 58 games with the Raptors this season. In six games during the NBA restart at Disney, he averaged 16.7 points, 5.7 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 32.9 minutes.

In the first round of the NBA Playoffs vs. Brooklyn, Lowry posted averages of 12.5 points, 4.8 assists and 7.0 rebounds in 29.9 minutes. He scored in double figures three times, including 21 points in Game 2, and had one double-double against the Nets. The Raptors swept the series, winning 4-0.

Raptors coach Nick Nurse wins 2019-20 NBA Coach of Year

The Toronto Raptors announced Saturday that Nick Nurse has been named the NBA’s Coach of the Year for the 2019-20 season. Nurse guided the Raptors to a 53-19 record during the regular season (second best in the NBA) and set a franchise-record with a .736 winning percentage.

“When you see Nick on the sidelines, that’s who he is as a person. Relaxed, but so hard-working. Creative and dynamic. Always setting the tone for our team – attacking our next championship, rather than defending our last,” Raptors President Masai Ujiri said. “That is who Nick is, that is why we believe in him. His journey to this tremendous honour has been a long one – we are so happy to see him recognized this way.”

Highlighting Toronto’s season was a franchise-record 15 straight victories (Jan. 15 – Feb. 10). During this stretch, the Raptors averaged 121.2 points and shot .504 (672-1333) from the field. The winning streak was the longest in Canadian sports history (NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS and CFL).

Nurse earned Eastern Conference Coach of the Month honours twice during the 2019-20 campaign – January and games played in October/November – and coached Team Giannis at the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

The Raptors finished the regular season leading the NBA in points allowed (106.5 ppg) and opponent three-point field goal percentage (.337) and ranked second in opponent field goal percentage (.428). Toronto also held its opponent to fewer than 100 points in 22 games – most in the NBA.

On the offensive end, the Raptors averaged 112.8 points (second most in team history) and a franchise-record 13.8 three-point field goals per game. This despite their top five leading scorers all missing at least 10 games due to injury or illness. Toronto had three players average at least six more points this season than they did in 2018–19: Norman Powell (+7.4 ppg, 8.6 to 16.0), Fred VanVleet (+6.6 ppg, 11.0 to 17.6) and Pascal Siakam (+ 6.0 ppg, 16.9 to 22.9).

After finishing the season restart in Orlando with a 7-1 record, Toronto also extended its streak to 24 consecutive calendar months with a winning record (Feb. 2017 – Aug. 2020). The streak is the longest in franchise history and the longest current streak in the NBA.

A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Nurse was named the ninth head coach in Raptors history on June 14, 2018, taking the job after five years as an assistant coach with the team. On June 13, 2019, he became just the ninth rookie head coach in league history to win an NBA Championship. Nurse has led the club to a 111-43 (.721) regular season record in two seasons.

Coach of the Year voting from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters was based on games played from the start of the regular season through March 11 and did not include “seeding games,” which took place July 30 – Aug. 14 for the 22 teams participating in the season restart.

Nurse is the third coach in franchise history to win the award, joining Dwane Casey (2017-18) and Sam Mitchell (2006-07).

Clippers beat Mavericks 130-122, take 2-1 playoff series lead

On Friday, the Clippers beat the Mavericks 130-122 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Below are Mavs team notes on the loss:

Luka Doncic recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, making him the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double in the playoffs.

Doncic (21 years, 175 days) becomes the third-youngest player ever to record a triple-double in the playoffs (Magic Johnson, LeBron James). The sophomore guard left the game with a left ankle sprain midway through the fourth quarter.

Kristaps Porzingis finished tonight’s game with 34 points and 13 rebounds. Porzingis becomes the first player to record 30+ points and 10+ rebounds for Dallas in a playoff game since Dirk Nowitzki (34p-11r) in Game 3 of the 2011 NBA Finals.

Seth Curry came off the bench and scored a playoff career-high 22 points to go with 3 assists. Curry shot 9-11 from the floor and a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc. Curry’s previous high was 16, a mark he hit twice in the 2019 playoffs with Portland.

Tim Hardaway Jr. also scored a playoff career-high 22 points to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Hardaway Jr.’s previous high was 19 points, set with Atlanta (at Washington, 4/19/17).

Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, all of which were career playoff highs.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 37 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists tonight. The veteran is 3rd in the Playoffs thus far with 33.3 points per game, trailing only Utah’s Donovan Mitchell (35.7) and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic (33.5).

The Clippers saw seven players score in double figures tonight. Joining Leonard was Landry Shamet (18), Ivica Zubac (15), Marcus Morris Sr. (14), Montrezl Harrell (13), Paul George (11) and Lou Williams (10).