NBA News Blog – Page 62 – NBA Blog

Grizzlies sign Jaylen Nowell to second 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Jaylen Nowell to a second 10-day contract.

Nowell (6-4, 201) has appeared in five games (one start) since initially signing a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies on Nov. 24 and has averaged 6.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 18.8 minutes. The 24-year-old scored a season-high 19 points off the bench in a road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 1.

A native of Seattle who played collegiately at Washington, Nowell has appeared in 189 regular season games (four starts) in five NBA seasons with the Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves since he was selected 43rd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He has played 29 career NBA G League games for the Iowa Wolves (2019-20) and Stockton Kings (2023-24).

Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant placed in concussion protocol

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol.

Grant left Saturday night’s game at Utah during the fourth quarter and did not return.

Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Grant 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.

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis to miss In-Season Tournament quarterfinals game

Per the Boston Herald:

Kristaps Porzingis will miss the Celtics’ In-Season Tournament quarterfinal game against the Pacers in Indiana as he continues to nurse his left calf injury, the team announced.

Porzingis initially suffered the ankle injury on Nov. 24 in the Celtics’ loss to the Magic, when he left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said last Monday that he would be re-evaluated in a week.

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Big Magic winning streak stopped by Nets in Brooklyn

Per the Orlando Sentinel:

The Magic went 18 days between their last two losses and both came on the road in Brooklyn.

The Nets (10-9) snapped Orlando‘s nine-game winning streak Saturday night at Barclays Center behind 42 points from forward Mikal Bridges.

Jamahl Mosley’s squad (14-6) allowed 43 points in the first quarter and was unable to fully recover in the 129-101 loss on the second night of a back-to-back.

Orlando heads to Cleveland on Wednesday for the first of two games added to their regular season schedule after the team failed to reach the knockout rounds of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament.

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Pelicans forward Zion Williamson suits up in back-to-back games

Per the Times-Picayune:

or the first time in almost a year, Zion Williamson suited up for the New Orleans Pelicans on the second night of a back-to-back.

Williamson, who scored 12 points in the Pelicans’ win Friday against the San Antonio Spurs, was active for the Pelicans when they faced the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Williamson closed the first half in Chicago strong, scoring eight consecutive points.

The Pelicans had an eight-point lead at the break, but they could not hold onto it against a bad Bulls team. In the third quarter, the Pelicans got outscored by 15 points, which was their undoing in a 124-118 loss to the Bulls.

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Kevin Durant now 10th on NBA all-time scoring list

Per Arizona Sports:

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant continues to climb up the all-time scoring list.

With his 17th point on Friday against the Denver Nuggets at Footprint Center, he moved past former No. 1 overall pick Moses Malone for No. 10 on the all-time list.

Durant made a layup with 50.1 seconds left in the first half to push past Malone.

Durant finished 8-for-25 from the field with a 3-pointer and 13-for-13 from the line for 30 points.

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Warriors injury updates on Chris Paul and Gary Payton II

Warriors guard Chris Paul, who exited Tuesday’s game at Sacramento with 19 seconds remaining in the first quarter due to a lower left leg nerve contusion, underwent an MRI yesterday. The MRI confirmed the contusion and that there was no structural damage. He will be re-evaluated again on Monday.

Warriors guard Gary Payton II, who exited Tuesday’s game at Sacramento with 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter due to a right calf injury, underwent an MRI yesterday. The MRI confirmed a strained right calf for Payton. He will be re-evaluated again in one (1) week.

Heat eliminated from first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament

Per the Miami Herald:

Five takeaways from the Miami Heat’s 131-124 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in its final group play game of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament on Tuesday night to open a homestand at Kaseya Center. The Heat continues the homestand, which will last at least three games, on Thursday against the Indiana Pacers:

It was a well-played competitive game, but the short-handed Heat couldn’t overcome the absence of three starters and is now eliminated from the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.

Adebayo missed the Heat’s first matchup of the season against the Bucks, but he made quite the impact in the teams’ second meeting.

The hope is that Butler and Highsmith will be back soon, while Herro’s return seems to be a few games away.

With so many key players out because of injuries, the Heat’s rotation looked different on Tuesday.

And per the Sun Sentinel:

And so there were the Heat, eliminated from the Tournament by results around the league earlier in the night, going toe to toe with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard despite playing in the injury absences of Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Haywood Highsmith.

Down three starters, the Heat still had enough for that fight to the finish.

They just didn’t have enough at the finish, falling 131-124 to the Bucks at Kaseya Center for their third consecutive loss.

Adebayo led the Heat with 31 points and 10 rebounds, with Kyle Lowry adding 21 points and Josh Richardson 20.

The Bucks got 33 points and 10 rebounds from Antetokounmpo and 32 points and nine assists from Lillard.

The game opened a homestand for the Heat that continues with games against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday and Saturday nights.

Wizards get first win in a while, beat Pistons 126-107

The Wizards have now won nine straight games against the Pistons, extending the second-longest win streak against Detroit in series history (longest is 13, 2/10/68 – 1/22/70).

Washington has now claimed four straight road contests against Detroit. This marks the teams’ longest road win streak in series history (previously three games in a row from 3/7/80-1/15/81).

Washington connected at a .929 clip (26-28) from the free throw line as a team.

Washington amassed 46 bench points, outscoring Detroit 46 to 31 in that category. The Wizards have now tallied 40+ points from off the bench in three straight games.

Washington forward Kyle Kuzma scored a game-high 32 points on 10-of-23 shooting (10-11 FT), also grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out eight assists for his team-leading fourth double-double of the season.

Wizards forward Deni Avdija amassed 16 points (6-9 FG), six rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes of action.

Washington forward Danilo Gallinari tallied 16 points (5-8 FG) in 19 minutes from off the bench, knocking down 3-of-6 three-point field goals and adding two rebounds and two assists.

Devin Booker hits clutch shot in Suns win over Knicks

Per the Arizona Republic:

Devin Booker loves playing at Madison Square Garden.

The New York Knicks should be thankful the Phoenix Suns only visit once a regular season.

Booker iced a cooler-than-be-cool fadeaway 3 with 1.7 seconds left to stun the Knicks, 116-113, Sunday evening before a sellout crowd of 19,812 that watched in disbelief.

Jalen Brunson missed a 3 at the buzzer that rimmed in and out on his game-high 35-point night.

Booker added 11 assists and committed just two turnovers.

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