Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

On the state of the Timberwolves

The Timberwolves remain a work in progress. Via the Star Tribune:

Objectively, this season was a failure. The Wolves began with modest hope, then finished 23-49.

Subjectively, you can see the makings of a quality team, an entertaining team, perhaps the best Wolves team since the roster included not only Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell, but also Ndudi Ebi, Latrell Sprewell, Quincy Lewis, Fred Hoiberg, Oliver Miller, Michael Olowokandi, Mark Madsen and “the other” Ervin Johnson, just in case you forgot how any given roster can look like the cast of a “Survivor”-like game show.

Making the dangerous assumption that the Wolves will be relatively healthy next season, their starting five — even without a top-three draft pick — would be D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Towns.

That’s more than good enough in the categories of athletic ability, three-point shooting and ballhandling, and the Wolves’ improvement on defense toward the end of this season might be an indication that defense won’t be the embarrassment that it was before Ryan Saunders was fired.

Their leading scorers in 2020-21 were Towns at 24.8 points per game, Beasley at 19.6 ppg, Edwards at 19.3 ppg, and Russell at 19.0 ppg. Everyone else averaged under 12 ppg.

Heat and Bucks to face off in first round of playoffs

The Heat and Bucks faced each other in the playoffs last year, and will do so again this year. Via the Miami Herald:

This year, the sixth-seeded Heat (40-32) will take on the third-seeded Bucks (46-26) in the first round of the playoffs. The best-of-7 series will begin either Saturday or Sunday at Fiserv Forum, with the schedule yet to be released.

“They’re a really good team, obviously. They’re much different than last year,” Heat second-year guard Tyler Herro said of the Bucks. “They added a bunch of guys with Jrue [Holiday] and Bobby Portis and some guys off the bench. So it’s going to be a great series. I feel like two great teams in the Eastern Conference going at it.”

At the surface, the Bucks don’t seem as dominant as they were last season when they entered the playoffs with the NBA’s top record and net rating.

The Bucks enter the playoffs this season with the league’s seventh-best record and fourth-best net rating.

While the numbers might not be as overwhelming as last season’s, the Bucks’ roster seems better suited for the playoffs this season after adding Holiday, Portis and reserve guard Bryn Forbes in free agency last offseason and trading for veteran three-and-D specialist P.J. Tucker in March.

And the Sun Sentinel:

Familiar competition, with the Heat having defeated the Bucks 4-1 in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals.

But also dissimilar circumstances. Unlike like last year’s playoffs, there will not be the cocoon of the Disney World quarantine bubble, with Milwaukee this time receiving true homecourt advantage at Fiserv Forum. It also is a Bucks team bolstered by the offseason addition of Jrue Holiday. And this time, after a march to the 2020 NBA Finals, it is not a Heat team that will be taking anybody by surprise.

Thunder sign Charlie Brown Jr. to standard NBA contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Charlie Brown Jr. to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Brown signed his first 10-Day Contract with the Thunder on April 25 and a second 10-Day Contract on May 5. He has appeared in eight games (one start) with the Thunder this season, registering averages of 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 15.1 minutes per contest, shooting 100 percent from the free throw line.

Hornets announce plans to allow increased home game capacity

The Charlotte Hornets announced today that the team will increase Spectrum Center’s capacity for any potential games in the upcoming Play-In Tournament and the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, bringing the number of fans to approximately 12,000 or 60%.

Previously, the capacity for Hornets games was 25%. Yesterday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper lifted social distancing requirements and limits on capacity and gatherings within the state.

Despite these changes, fans will still be required to wear masks that fully cover the mouth and nose at all times inside Spectrum Center except when actively eating or drinking.

Tickets for all potential home games in the NBA’s new State Farm Play-In Tournament and the first round of the NBA Playoffs will go on sale to the general public today.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming more fans back at Spectrum Center for our potential play-in and playoff games,” said Hornets President and Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “We’ve seen the difference our fans have made since returning to Spectrum Center earlier this season, and we know that their passion and excitement will be a big advantage as we head into the postseason. Most importantly, it is great to see our community continue to make its way through this pandemic and this is another step forward for all of us. We thank Governor Cooper and his staff for their leadership during the pandemic and allowing us the opportunity to increase our capacity.”

The Hornets have clinched the opportunity to participate in the State Farm Play-In Tournament, which features the seventh- through 10th-place teams in each conference. The tournament will take place May 18-21 between the conclusion of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. In the new format, the seventh-place team will host the eighth-place team, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. In addition, the ninth-place team will host the 10th-place team, with the winner moving on to visit the loser of the first game for a matchup in which the winning team will earn the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

Charlotte is currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with two games remaining in the regular season: today at the New York Knicks and Sunday, May 16, at the Washington Wizards. Both games tip off at 1 p.m.

Mike Conley returns for Jazz in win over Thunder

The Jazz are without Donovan Mitchell, but still one of the NBA’s best teams, and made short work of the Thunder tonight. Via the Salt Lake Tribune:

Mike Conley is back.

Not really all the way back yet, y’know, but back enough.

The Utah Jazz and their fans will happily take what they can get right now.

After missing nine late-season games due to right hamstring soreness, the veteran point point returned to action Friday night in the Jazz’s penultimate matchup of the regular season, a 109-93 decimation of the thoroughly-tanking Oklahoma City Thunder.

He started at point guard, sending Georges Niang back to a reserve role, and came out aggressive.

Conley’s shot was off a bit, as he made just 2 of 7 overall and 1 of 3 from deep, but he impressed with his activity level.

In the win for the Jazz tonight, Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points, Jordan Clarkson scored 18 off the bench, and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 18 rebounds.

The team should have Mitchell back for the first round of the playoffs. Hopefully.

Miami Heat sign center Omer Yurtseven

The Miami Heat have signed center Omer Yurtseven.

Yurtseven appeared in 14 games (one start) with the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League this season and averaged 15.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.36 blocks and 21.1 minutes while shooting 62.6 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range. He scored in double-figures 11 times, including two 20-point games and one 30-point performance. He posted five double-doubles, including a season-high 34 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks against the Long Island Nets on March 1.

Yurtseven played two seasons at NC State before transferring to Georgetown. As a senior in 2019-20, he appeared in 26 games (25 starts) and averaged 15.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.46 blocks, 1.2 assists and 27.3 minutes while shooting 53.4 percent from the field.

Magic coach Steve Clifford likes NBA play-in tournament idea

Magic head coach Steve Clifford likes the NBA play-in tournament format that we’ll all get to enjoy next week. Via the Orlando Sentinel:

The tournament has drawn its share of critics, from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to Lakers All-Star LeBron James.

Magic coach Steve Clifford, on the other hand, thinks the play-in format is a good thing.

“I think you guys know I’m a big sports fan, and probably a little bit more of a purist than a lot of people, and I remember when baseball went to a wild card and I thought it was going to be terrible and it ended up being a great thing for baseball,” Clifford said. “It [play-in tournament] keeps more teams playing meaningful games late in the year, and just like baseball I believe that Tuesday night and Thursday night there’s going to be great interest in our league. So I’m interested to see how people like it, but from what I’ve seen I think it’s a very good idea.”

The play-in tournament starts next week.

Rockets sign Khyri Thomas and Cam Reynolds

The Houston Rockets today signed guard Khyri Thomas (Ky-ree) to a multi-year contract, and signed forward Cam Reynolds to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception.

Thomas (6-3, 210) originally signed a 10-day contract with Houston on May 7 and averaged 20.3 points over his first three games, including a career-high 27 at Utah on May 8. He had a career-best 11 assists with just one turnover in the Rockets last game at the Los Angeles Lakers on May 12.

Through four games with Houston, Thomas has recorded 65 points, 20 assists, 15 rebounds, 9 steals and 3 blocks. Dating back to 1983-84, he is the second Rocket (James Harden in 2015-16) to have posted those numbers within a player’s first four games in a season.

Reynolds (6-8, 225) was eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft following his senior season at Tulane. After averaging 16.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Austin Spurs in the G League bubble this season, Reynolds signed a 10-day contract with San Antonio on March 26 and saw limited action in three games.

Last season, Reynolds was with Milwaukee as a two-way player and spent his time with their G league affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, while averaging 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. He began 2018-19 playing for the Stockton Kings in the G League before signing with Minnesota and shooting 41.2% from 3-point range in 19 games. Reynolds has averaged 2.6 3-pointers made on 37.2% shooting in his G League career.

If Donovan Mitchell makes All-NBA Team, Jazz contract goes way up

Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz are having a fantastic season. The team has their eye on the Finals, and it’s a realistic vision. In terms of what Mitchell’s personal success may mean to each side’s wallets, here’s the Salt Lake Tribune:

This week, the collective decisions of 100 NBA media members are worth $32 million to the Utah Jazz.

Let me explain. You’ll remember that Donovan Mitchell signed a maximum contract extension this summer, but the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement has a provision that says that Mitchell’s maximum can be for a higher percentage of the salary cap if he makes All-NBA in the season before his extension kicks in.

Mitchell’s contract is guaranteed for 5 years and $163 million — 25% of the Jazz’s salary cap. If he makes an All-NBA team, that contract would jump to $195.6 million — 30% of the Jazz’s salary cap.

Mitchell is currently injured, and will make his return to action in the postseason. Via the Deseret News:

He suffered the injury in a win over the Indiana Pacers and has since missed 13 consecutive contests. During that stretch, the Jazz have won eight games and lost five, most recently Monday night against the Golden State Warriors, all while trying to hold off the Phoenix Suns for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Before sustaining the injury, Mitchell was in the midst of a career year, averaging new highs of 26.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Heat guard Victor Oladipo undergoes surgery

Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo underwent surgery yesterday on his right quadriceps tendon. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jonathan Glashow at the NYU Medical Center.

Oladipo, who was acquired by the HEAT in a trade on March 25, appeared in 33 games (all starts) this season averaging 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.39 steals and 32.7 minutes. He appeared in four games with Miami averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.75 steals and 27.8 minutes, helping the HEAT to a 3-1 record over that span.

here is no timetable for his return at this time.