NBA Teams – Page 444 – NBA Blog

On Chicago Bulls point guards

The Bulls finally know who their main point guard is. It’s Kris Dunn. Except, he’s now injured. So it’s back to the drawing board for the next month or so, approximately. Here’s NBC Sports Chicago reporting:

Over the last couple seasons we’ve had some fun on our Bulls Pregame Live shows with the ever-changing cast of characters at the point guard position. We even brought the point guard roulette wheel to the show a couple years ago when Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Canaan, Jerian Grant and Cameron Payne all saw significant time at the position.

Grant began last season as the starter, followed by Kris Dunn and Payne with a little Ryan Arcidiacono mixed in.

But this season was supposed to be different. Dunn showed enough in his 52 game stint (13.4 points, 6 assists per game) in 2017-18 that he entered training camp as the unquestioned starter, with Payne and Arcidiacono as backups. The front office and coaching staff expected the 3rd year guard out of Providence to establish himself as a quality starter with elite skills at the defensive end.

Now, after playing just one regular season game, Dunn has been sidelined again, this time with a sprained left MCL suffered in his debut at Dallas Monday night

— Full article

On the Knicks starting lineup

The Knicks have a new head coach this sesaon and with that comes a starting lineup that could change at any time. Especially early in the season as the team tries to develop chemistry. Here’s the New York Post on the topic of starters:

The 1-3 Knicks took the unbeaten Bucks down to the final 1:30 before being outscored 16-6 to close, dropping a 124-113 decision Monday night in Brew City.

The current starting lineup has one more game to prove itself, otherwise David Fizdale will change things up, likely at power forward with Mario Hezonja or Noah Vonleh replacing Lance Thomas. As much as Thomas is the club’s emotional leader, his lack of offense hurts. The 30-year-old defensive specialist was shut out against Boston and notched four points in 18 minutes in Milwaukee. Hezonja’s confidence was crashing after Saturday’s Boston benching and getting called out on Twitter by a former Knicks executive, but he rose up in Milwaukee.

— Full article

Cavs off to horrible start defensively

It’s too early in the season to jump to any wild conclusions about any NBA team that flies in the face of long-term season-long logic. But in the case of the Cavs, it makes perfect sense to expect that they won’t be a particularly good defensive team this season. Not with the current roster. So in their 0-3 season start, it’s actually not too early to sound the alarm about the squad’s defense, which has been atrocious so far. Here’s Cleveland.com reporting:

The problem starts with, but isn’t necessarily limited to, communication breakdowns — in transition and on switches.

“I think the biggest thing is communication,” head coach Tyronn Lue said on Tuesday. “When you’re switching you have to call the switches out so the man can’t get behind and get dunks and layups and easy shots.”

The Cavs have a motto on defense: ELC. That stands for early, loud and continuous. They reference it every day.

“By nature we have some guys that are quiet guys, they need to speak up, speak louder and call out the coverages,” Lue said.

For his part, Lue has been much more vocal this season. He’s constantly off his cushy bench seat, barking out instructions. Assistant coach Mike Longabardi is doing the same.

— Full Article

Mike Muscala cleared to play for Sixers

The Sixers are about to get a bit deeper in the frontcourt. Bench help. But still. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting:

Mike Muscala will make his 76ers debut Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons at the Little Caesar Arena. The reserve center was cleared Tuesday afternoon after missing the first three Sixers games because of a sprained left ankle.

“I sprained my ankle about a month ago before the training camp,” Muscala said Oct. 16. “So I was kind of dealing with a lot of swelling from that. It wasn’t bothering me at all, but I kind of nicked it in the last preseason game” against the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 8 in Shenzhen, China.

Utah Jazz assign Tony Bradley to G League

The Utah Jazz have assigned center Tony Bradley (6-11, 248, North Carolina) to the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team. This marks Bradley’s first assignment to the Stars this season.

Entering his second season with the Jazz, Bradley saw action in 24 games (all starts) on assignment with the Stars last year, averaging 15.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 blocks in 29.6 minutes per contest. The 20-year-old also played in nine games with the Jazz in 2017-18, totaling a career-high four points and three rebounds at Oklahoma City on Dec. 20.

The Theme Night Mini-Plan for the 2018-19 season is on sale now, which includes tickets to the following six nights at the Stars: Wizard Night, Princess Night, Star Wars Night, World Record Night, Superhero Night and Fairy Tale Night. The mini-plan also guarantees fans will receive that evening’s giveaway item, with tickets starting at $10 per ticket. To purchase the Theme Night Mini-Plan, call (801) 325-STAR (7827).

Will Barton out after surgery

Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton has undergone surgery to repair core and hip muscle injuries. The procedure was performed by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia, PA.

Barton’s status will be re-evaluated in six weeks.

According to the Denver Post, “Nuggets coach Mike Malone said Torrey Craig, Juan Hernangomez and Trey Lyles were the most likely candidates to fill Barton’s minutes for the time being.”

The Nuggets are off to a 3-0 start this NBA season. they came extremely close to making the playoffs last year and look excellent early on. It’s a shame they’ll be without Barton for a while.

Lakers assign Isaac Bonga to G League

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned guard Isaac Bonga to the South Bay Lakers, the team’s G League affiliate.

Bonga appeared in five preseason games for the Lakers, averaging 3.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 10.7 minutes. The rookie guard was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 39th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and acquired by the Lakers on July 6, 2018.

The South Bay Lakers opened their 2018-19 training camp today and will host the Northern Arizona Suns for their lone preseason game on Saturday, October 27 at 12:00pm PT from the UCLA Health Training Center.

Iman Shumpert scores 26, Kings beat Thunder

Many of you forgot about Iman Shumpert. Like, sure, you remember that he exists as a person and that he plays basketball. But how recent are your memories of him on the court? And did you know what team he’s on right now? Some of you did. Most did not.

Well. He’s on the Kings. And scored a team-high 26 points last night, in a win against the Thunder who did have Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Steven Adams playing, so yes they actually really were the Thunder. Shumpert shot 9-of-13, including 4-of-7 threes, for 26 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Nice line.

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting:

Shumpert scored a team-high 26 points in leading the Kings to a 131-120 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to spoil the home opener at Chesapeake Energy Arena and the first game this season for All-Star guard Russell Westbrook.

At 6-foot-5, one of Shumpert’s roles was to defend the Thunder’s Paul George, a five-time All-Star who stands four inches taller, but instead showed out on offense early. He made his first three 3-point shots and in nine first-quarter minutes led all scorers with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Shumpert’s scoring “gave us some confidence,” coach Dave Joerger said. “Also, to be able to stay in front of Paul George is a tough task. … It was a big key for the game.”

De’Aaron Fox said Shumpert has been excited to play. The second-year guard was happy to have a veteran who brings it on both sides of the floor.

“He’s been around the block, he’s won a championship,” Fox said. “He knows what he’s doing when he’s out there. He’s one of our vocal leaders.”

Fox finished with 22 points and 10 assists while playing a season-high 42 minutes.

Bulls sign Shaquille Harrison, waive Omer Asik

The Chicago Bulls have signed guard Shaquille Harrison. And in a preceding move, the Bulls waived center Omer Asik.

Harrison (6-4, 190) was waived by the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 15, 2018. He played in four games (three starts) for the Suns during the 2018 preseason and averaged 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.25 steals and 1.25 blocks in 22.4 minutes per game. Harrison first signed with Phoenix on Feb. 21, 2018, and averaged 6.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.13 steals in 23 games last season, his first in the NBA.

In college, Harrison was a four-year letter-winner at the University of Tulsa from 2012-16. He is the only Tulsa player to start every game his team played during his career, averaging 11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.83 steals over 133 games. Harrison left school ranked second all-time with 461 career assists, third all-time with 244 career steals, and second with his 133 starts. He was the only Tulsa player to ever compile at least 1,300 points, 400 assists and 200 steals, and the only player with 50 or more steals in all four seasons.

Asik came to the Bulls in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 1, 2018. He also played for Chicago in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 NBA seasons. He has career averages of 2.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 152 games for the Bulls. Asik has not played during the 2018-19 season due to illness.

NBA fight suspensions for Brandon Ingram, Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul

Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram has been suspended four games without pay, Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has been suspended three games without pay, and Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul has been suspended two games without pay, for their roles in an on-court altercation with 4:13 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ 124-115 win over the Lakers on Oct. 20 at Staples Center. The suspensions were announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Ingram has been suspended for aggressively returning to and escalating the altercation and throwing a punch in the direction of Paul, confronting a game official in a hostile manner, and instigating the overall incident by shoving Rockets guard James Harden. Rondo has been suspended for instigating a physical altercation with, and spitting and throwing multiple punches at, Paul. Paul has been suspended for poking at and making contact with the face of Rondo, and throwing multiple punches at him.

Paul will begin serving his suspension tonight when the Rockets face the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Ingram and Rondo will begin serving their suspensions on Mon., Oct 22, when the Lakers host the San Antonio Spurs.

To view the incident, click on this link.